BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
8321 / 18210 · Workshop 66 — Melodic Development Through Guide Tones: Making 3rds and 7ths Sing, Connecting Chords Horizontally, and Building Lines That Explain the Harmony← prev⊞ allnext →

66.90Apply it to “Happy Birthday”

Take the familiar melody.

Instead of asking for exotic substitutions, first create an inner line made from:

3rds and 7ths.

For example, on a dominant phrase:

let one voice resolve:

F→E

while another:

B→C.

Now even a simple harmonization becomes much more elegant.