BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
7713 / 18210 · Workshop 60 — “Butterfly”-Type Floating Harmony: Deep Pocket, Pedal Centers, Upper Structures, Parallel Voicings, Common-Tone Motion, and Making Harmony Feel Suspended Rather Than Functional← prev⊞ allnext →

60.60Level 29 — avoid chord-symbol panic

When playing this kind of harmony, you may encounter voicings that can be named several ways.

Do not stop.

Ask:

  • what's the bass?
  • what line is moving?
  • what note is stable?
  • where is the center?
  • is this tension or destination?

Those questions are often more useful than one definitive symbol.