Escaping the Position Trap: Upper Structures in Cycle Progressions

What was the question?

Oscar noticed a clear, consistent concept in a specific 1-4-7-3-6-2-5-1 exercise. He asked how notes are selected during these rapid chord changes, specifically referencing the difficulty of seeing "Upper Structure" chords without falling into the "trap" of static position playing (e.g., seeing a C major chord just as an E minor arpeggio shape and getting stuck). [15:37]

The core idea (in plain English)

You must stop thinking about individual arpeggios (Chord A -> Chord B) and start thinking about Guide Tone Lines and Functional Groups.

Instead of treating every chord as a new event, group them into "Tonic Sound" and "Non-Tonic Sound." For example, when moving from the I chord (C Major) to the IV chord (F Major), you are moving from a Tonic function to a Non-Tonic function. The upper structures you choose should highlight distinct notes (like the F natural in C major) that signal this change. [25:15]

Fretboard breakdown (what to play)

To execute this, you "juggle" between two main line shapes: the Wes Line and the Django Line.

• The Grouping:

  • Tonic Group: C Maj7, A min7, E min7 (These share the same function).

  • Non-Tonic Group: D min7, G7, F Maj7 (These contain the F natural).

• The Movement:

  • Play a Wes Line on the Tonic chord.

  • Switch to a Django Line on the Non-Tonic chord to catch the guide tone.

  • Example: On Dm7 (Non-Tonic), play the Django line. On G7, stay in the Jungle/Django line. On C Maj (Tonic), resolve to the Wes line. [29:27]

Common mistake to avoid

A common trap is seeing an upper structure (like E minor over C Major) and getting stuck in "E Minor land." You play the shape, but it sounds empty because you aren't connecting it to the next function. Don't just play the shape; aim for the first beat of the next measure. That target note determines which line you should currently be playing. [23:26]

A 10-minute practice assignment

Take a simple I-VI-II-V progression (C - Am - Dm - G7).

1. Identify the Guide Tones for every other octave.

2. Play a descending line starting on the C.

3. Force yourself to switch from a "Wes Line" shape to a "Django Line" shape exactly when the chord function changes from Tonic to Non-Tonic. [31:56]

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