Guide Tones
The Key to Connec9ng Harmony Je Ellwood
Mt. San Antonio College
When teaching improvisa9on, scales are the rst thing that are taught. There is a
fundamental problem with that. Scales don't teach us how to connect harmony.
The way to connect harmony is through chords and generally primary cord tones (1-3-5-7).
Other chord tones (9-11-13) can later be used when mastery of the primary
chord tones are applied.
Connec9ng primary chord tones are called GUIDE TONES. these notes are the road map
through the chord changes. The goal of guide tones are to try to connect for chord to chord
by step (half step or whole step). This can later be expanded to other intervals, but in the
beginning stages on must see the smoothest connec9on possible.
This willhelp us hear the harmony and voice lead from chord to chord. The notes of the scale
and chroma9c notes can be used to connect the guide tones.
When prac9cing guide tones, they must happen on the downbeat of each bar. This is where
Charlie Parker had his great improvisa9onal breakthrough. He realized that any note can work
over any chord as long the primary chord tone resolved on a strong beat (beat 1 and 3).
Look at the sample guide tone below:
b b b b
B ma7 D 7( 9) E ma7 G 7( 9)
4
&4
w #w w w
w #w w w
?4
4
b7
C mi7 E mi7 A7 D mi7 F mi7 B
bw # w
&
bw
5
# w
?
For more educational tools go to: [Link]
2 Guide Tones
Example #2
b b b b
B ma7 D 7( 9) E ma7 G 7( 9)
& bw w w w
9
? bw w w w
b7
C mi7 E mi7 A7 D mi7 F mi7 B
& bw # w b
13
? bw # w b
Example #3
b b b b
B ma7 D 7( 9) E ma7 G 7( 9)
& bw w w w
17
w w w
? bw
b7
C mi7 E mi7 A7 D mi7 F mi7 B
bw w b
&
bw w b
21
?
Guide Tones 3
AVer guide tones are played in whole and half notes, we can now start to connect the
harmony. Jazz is a syncopated music, so many 9me we can push the guide tones to the
AND's of the beat (2+ or 4+)
b b b b
B ma7 D 7( 9) E ma7 G 7( 9)
#
& b # b
#
b # b
25
b7
C mi7 E mi7 A7 D mi7 F mi7 B
. # . J b
&
. # b
29
.
? J
b b b b
B ma7 D 7( 9) E ma7 G 7( 9)
& b . b b b
b b b
33
? b .
b7
C mi7 E mi7 A7 D mi7 F mi7 B
n . b #
&
n . b #
37
?
4 Guide Tones
Hank Mobley line from This I Dig Of You (Soul Sta9on recording)
C ma7 D mi7
b
C ma7
#.
D mi7
& J
41
? b
#.
J
C ma7 D mi7
G mi7
b b b . C7
b J
& b # b
b b b .
45
? b
b # b J
b
b # # b b
F ma7 B 7( 9) E mi7 A7
& #
3 3
49
? b # # b b #
3 3
b .
D mi7 G7 C ma7 D mi7 G7 C ma7
. #
&
3
53
?
b
. # .
3
Guide Tones 5
The Hank Mobley line broken down. This is a wonderful example of how the Master's
connect harmony, with a focus on primary chord tones.
w
C ma7 D mi7
C ma7
w
D mi7
#
&
58
? w w #
C ma7
w
D mi7
w
G mi7
C7
b
&
62
?w w b
b
F ma7 B 7( 9) E mi7 A7
w # w
& #
66
? w # w #
D mi7 G7 C ma7 D mi7 G7 C ma7
w w # w
&
70
?w w # w
6 Guide Tones
Hank Mobley line on Weeja from John Coltrane & Hank Mobley - Two Tenors
# b b
G ma7 F mi7( 5) B 7( 9) E mi7 D mi7 G7
# #
& #
75
? # #
#
b b
C ma7
B mi7( 5) E 7( 9) A 7(#11)
# # b b b b
D 7 alt G ma7
& #
79
? # # b b b b
#
# b b
G ma7 F mi7( 5) B 7( 9) E mi7 D mi7 G7
# w
&
84
? # w
b b
C ma7
B mi7( 5)
E 7( 9)
#
A 7(#11) D 7 alt G ma7
w bw w
&
88
#
? w bw w