Hearing Harmonic Rhythm: How Dominant Function Drives the II–V–I
If you’ve been playing jazz guitar for a few years, you already know what a II–V–I progression looks like. You can name the chords, you can find them on the fretboard, you can probably improvise a passable line over them in a familiar key.
The 4 Faces of Diminished Chords: Resolution Logic & Upper Structure Triad Pairs
In advanced jazz theory, the Diminished 7th chord is often misunderstood as merely a "spooky" passing chord. In reality, it is a functional powerhouse. Because of its symmetrical nature, a single diminished grip allows you to resolve into four different tonalities. In this post, we destruct the "Four Faces" of the diminished chord and explore how to use Major Triad Pairs to modernize your improvisation.