Revealing the Tritone in the Django Line
What was the question?
Eddie had previously asked a deep question about the "Django line" concept: "Where is the tritone revealed in the dominant 7 jungle line?" He wanted to know how the tension of the V7 chord is created within this specific melodic framework.
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The core idea (in plain English)
In a ii-V progression (like Cm7 to F7), we often view the Cm7 through its upper structure, which is an Eb Major 7. The "Django line" is based on this Eb Major 7 arpeggio sound.
The magic happens when moving to the F7. You don't need a completely new shape. Only one note changes between the Eb Major 7 shape and the defining sound of F7. When you move that specific note (voice leading), the tritone of the dominant chord appears naturally.
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Fretboard breakdown (what to play)
The Setup: Take the first few chords of Autumn Leaves (Cm7 - F7 - Bbmaj7).
The Upper Structure: Play Cm7 not as a root position chord, but using the diagonal shape of Eb Major 7.
The Shift: To sound the F7, keep almost every note of that "Django line" (the Eb Maj 7 shape) the same. Only move the note required to satisfy the F7 voice leading.
The Reveal: That small semitone or whole-step movement creates the interval required for the dominant sound—the tritone—without you having to jump to a blocky bar chord.
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Common mistake to avoid
Don't think of chords as static blocks where you must lift your entire hand to switch from Cm7 to F7. Jazz lines are about fluid movement. If you jump between shapes, you lose the smooth voice leading that makes the tritone resolution satisfying.
A 10-minute practice assignment
Play a ii-V-I in Bb (Cm7 - F7 - Bbmaj7).
Play an Eb Major 7 arpeggio over the Cm7.
Find the one note in that arpeggio that needs to move to fit the F7.
Move only that note while holding the mental image of the previous shape. Listen to how the tritone tension appears.
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