Harmonic analysis is the process of understanding and interpreting the chords and chord progressions in a piece of music. It is an essential skill for any musician, regardless of genre or style, as it helps to deepen our understanding of the underlying structure of a piece and allows us to communicate and collaborate effectively with other musicians.
In jazz, harmonic analysis is particularly important, as jazz musicians often improvise over chord changes and use chord progressions as a way of expressing themselves musically.
The first step in harmonic analysis is to identify the key of the song (or section). The key is often implied rather than explicitly stated, so you’ll need to listen carefully to the melody and the chord progression to determine the key. Once you’ve identified the key, you can start analyzing the chords.
The next step is to identify the chords used in the tune. Chords are often written using chord symbols, such as C7 or Dm7b5. These symbols represent the specific type of chord being used and the root note of the chord. For example, C7 represents a C dominant seventh chord, while Dm7b5 represents a D minor seventh flat five chord.
Once you’ve identified the chords, the next step is to analyze the chord progression. In jazz, chord progressions are often built around a series of ii-V-I progressions, which are commonly used to create tension and resolution in the music. In a ii-V-I progression, the chords move from a minor seventh chord (ii-7), to a dominant seventh chord (V7), to a major seventh chord (Imaj7). For example, in the key of C, a ii-V-I progression would be D-7 > G7 > Cmaj7.
Finally, once you’ve analyzed the chord progression, you can start to think about how to use that information in your own playing. This might involve using the chord progression as a basis for improvisation, or using the chord progression to inform your choices in terms of melody, rhythm, and harmony.
Harmonic analysis is a crucial skill for any musician, as it helps to deepen our understanding of the underlying structure of a piece of music. To do a harmonic analysis, you’ll need to identify the key, analyze the chords, and analyze the chord progression. Once you’ve done that, you can start to think about how to use that information in your own playing, and how to use the chord progression to inform your choices as a musician.
