Barry Greene Video Lessons

Hi Barry,

Thanks for your threading positions lesson. It helped me think of several lessons and ideas in a new way.

I have been taking the 5 positions (these are essentially the CAGED system position, I like to think of them as the string/finger you start on for the major scales: 5/4=position 1, 5/2 =position 2,6/4 position 3, 6/2= position 4, 4/2 =position 5) and for each position play: the Dorian mode, Pat Martino lines from linear impressions, the secret jazz chord for that position as well as any drop-2, drop-3 voicings for chords in that key/position.

Now for my questions. For the secret jazz chord lesson the example has a key signature of Ab Major. When thinking of that key it was difficult to see how all the chords derived from the secret jazz chord were related to one another. This lesson also looked at F dorian. Also, the Pat Martino lesson has a key signature of Bb when the Dorian mode played was G Dorian. So in both of these cases the Dorian was played over the sixth degree of the key indicated by the key signature (of course when playing. Dorian with that key you need an accidental to raise the 6th).

Fast forward to the threading lesson. This lesson has a key signature of Eb major. The chords notated are, F-7, Bb13, D-7b5, AbM7#11. This is 4 of the 6 chords related to the secret jazz chord, and also F Dorian…… Now I easily see the relationship of the chords for the key we are in Eb Major we have the ii chord, V chord, vii chord, and IV chord, I can easily add another by adding the b5 sub of Bb13= E7alt.

It seems in all three cases the key signature should, for any Dorian, should be that of the related Ionian as was the case for the threading lesson. Then all the chords are diatonic for that key.

Am I thinking about this correctly???

So I understand the relationship of 5 of 6 of the chords derived/related to the secret jazz chord. They are all diatonic to the key signature (if your playing an F dorian Pat Martino line for these chords and the key signature is Eb).

I don’t know how the Gsus b9 fits though?? That would not be the iii chord for Eb Major…… any insights on how this chord relates to the other 5 that would help it fit together in my mind (Other than memorizing it)?

Thanks,

Joe Califano

Hey Joe, I understand your confusion, let me help you clear things up. The key signature has nothing to do with the secret Jazz chord. Take Bb 13 for example. I would use Bb Lydian b7 (F melodic minor). The issue is that same chord can be the II7 in Ab, the bVII7 in C or the IV7 in F. It can also be in any key as a tritone substitution. The secret Jazz chord is just a grouping of notes that can occur in any key depending on where chord is heading. Hope that helps. -barry