Focus notes in chords for improvising
Thu, 02/26/2015 - 18:46
David:
I am working through improvising study 2 in LOA6. I am adjusting and reordering my song based on the focus notes. One of my choruses starts with a 123 chord. For a chord what should I use as the focus note? For my two note chords I am using the lower for the focus note as the upper is more a bleed in. However I was unsure on a full three note chord combination. This will help understand where I may need to reorder this chorus or change it so I am not repeating a focus note.
Thanks
Brian
Good evening Brian. You're correct about the lower note being the main note in a two-note texture. The 123 chord is not generally thought of as a focus note, but I would say that it comes closest to being a 2 draw, root note. Not every lick needs a focus note, as long as each chorus has something new to say. A chord is a different texture, so it's a good choice to keep things interesting.