Trying to find old "one chord jam" thread, anyone remember?

[Kayvon]

I can remember one or two threads about two years ago that were basically someone asking for help on ways to elaborate on the old one chord jam but i'm having a little trouble finding them. I think there was also one with some guy talking about getting a little lost when he saw just repeated bars of a m7 chord.

 

I've tried using google with the search terms musicplayer and "one chord jam" I've come up with this thread from Jeff but can anyone remember any threads like this or how I might be able to find them?

 

I'm covering a Portishead tune (Strangers) which is quite a moody electronically processed piece that relies heavily on the sound of compressed drums and i'm looking at ways of making things more interesting when playing it in a live trio format.

 

I'm basically playing it as a Abm7 (Ab dorian) vamp which goes to Db7 every now and again. As the piece is fairly dark it's quite hard to keep faithful to the original but still add in extra passing chords. I'm currently putting in some ii-V(alt)-Is in back to the root aswell as putting in some quartal chords. Also i'm playing stuff like different inversions downwards of Abm7-Db7-Abm7-Db7-Abm7. I really only have me left hand free as when we're vamping on Abm7 i'm also playing a fuzzed up clavinet sound with my right hand.

 

Any help on finding those old threads would be great but also feel free to throw in any tips on minor key one chord jams.

 

Ta muchly,

 

Pete.

[linwood]

Lay some Shh! Peaceful on 'em.

[Bridog6996]

It's definitely all about the texture in those situations, especially with music like Portishead's. It's about the layering sonic elements and repetition. Think along the lines of James Brown's band. It's much different sounding music, I know, but the basic idea is the same. Listen to a guitar part in a JB tune, for instance, and you'll hear the guitar player playing the same simple little riff exactly the same way for ten minutes straight. It's all about the overall texture you get when everybody's little part mixes together.

 

If your goal is to stretch out the changes (or I guess in this case, "changes" wouldn't be plural), you can pretty much take it wherever you want, especially with a trio format where you don't have to fight against anyone else harmonically, unless of course your trio consists of another chordal player instead of the traditional piano/keys, bass, and drums. Check out McCoy Tyner playing on a tune like "Passion Dance," which is just a vamp in F, and notice how he'll take it out for 4 or 8 measures at a time and then brings it back with nice open fifth in the left hand to keep things grounded. Tension and release is the idea.