“In a Sentimental Mood” For Beginners
Welcome to the 2nd module in our course on jazz modulations for beginners. In this lesson we focus on the A section of Duke Ellington’s classic jazz standard “In a Sentimental Mood”. This tune, much like “Body and Soul” from the 1st module, features a distinctive modulation when transitioning from the A section to the B section.
Understanding the Minor Line Clichè
The “minor line cliché” is a key harmonic feature in the A section of “In a Sentimental Mood”. In the first 2 bars we move through the chords D-, D-maj7, D-7, and D-6. This pattern is a hallmark of jazz harmony and creates a smooth, flowing movement.
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D-: The opening chord that establishes the minor tonality.
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D-maj7: Adding a major 7th to the minor triad introduces a haunting, unresolved feel.
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D-7: This chord brings us back to a more stable minor chord.
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D-6: The final chord in this sequence, softening the sound by lowering the 7th to the 6th.
One key to mastering this progression is learning to navigate the transitions smoothly. A useful tip for beginners is to drop the root of the D- triad by a half step to move into D-maj7 (D-/C#), then another half step to move to D-7 (D-/C), and finally another half step to move to D-6 (D-/B).
This voicing approach is simple for beginner students and ensures a smooth and connected sound through the progression.
Minor 251 Progression & Spread Voicings
As we progress, we encounter more complex chords such as E-7♭5 and A7♭9 which create a minor 251 progression into the tonic D-. The minor 251 progression adds richness and depth to the harmony.
To add more depth to our playing we use the 2-handed spread voicing technique to navigate the minor 251 progression. This technique involves spreading the notes of the chord over 2 hands so that the chord tones are spread out over more than 1 octave on the piano.
Spread voicings are an effective way to create a fuller and more balanced sound and also create an interesting contrast in texture to the descending bass note sequence that we used to navigate the minor line clichès.
Related Lessons
In this lesson we explore how you can navigate over the minor line cliché using bass lines, two-handed chords and left hand voicings.
A seventh chord is a triad which has been extended to include the 7th degree of the scale. This creates a fuller sound than simple 3-note triads.
Minor harmony is much more complex than major harmony and so the minor 251 progression takes much more time and patience to master.
Practice Tips
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Smooth Transitions: Focus on moving smoothly between D-, D-maj7, D-7, and D-6. Repeat the same process for the G- sequence.
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Spread Voicings: Use spread voicings to create a more balanced and resonant sound. Spread voicings also prevent your left hand chord voicings from overlapping with the melody.
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Practice Slowly: Start at a slow tempo, focusing on each chord change and as you become more comfortable, gradually increase the speed.
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Harmony Blocks: Identify harmonic patterns such as the 2-5-1 progression (G-7 to C7 to F-maj7) and the minor line cliché. Recognising these blocks will help you to navigate and arrange lead sheets more effectively.
