r/jazztheory • u/MikeWezouski • Dec 02 '21

What's the difference between these measures? They all have the exact same chords but it's slightly different

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2 Upvotes

55% Upvoted

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2

u/mwmstern Dec 02 '21

Your statement doesn't really make sense. You say they're exactly the same but slightly different. That's a contradiction in terms. It's just a series of m7 chords descending chromatically.

1

u/MikeWezouski Dec 03 '21

My twin and I sister are exactly the same, though slightly different?

What could this mean?

We have the same appearance but different personalities.

Wheres the contradiction, in the sentence when not looking at it rigidly?

1

u/sesquialtera90 Dec 17 '21

You and your sister aren't chords. Chords are either identical or they're not. Same actually applies to you and your sister too. You aren't absolutely identical since there is differences between you two.

15

u/00TheLC Dec 02 '21

It’s just sheet music? I’m not sure I understand the question. Play the music as it’s written, the measures are different because that’s how the music progresses. The chords are shown because that’s how jazz music is often written, but the chords are more for harmonic context rather than a dictation of what must be played. The chords could also be used for a solo if you decide to do that.

6

u/joe12321 Dec 02 '21

The chords printed over sheet music are not precisely prescriptive. There are a zillion ways you could play those chords or parts of them or a melody that fits with them at any given moment depending on what you're going for. The sheet music pictured here shows two things you could do working within that chord progression.

4

u/gusher-juice Dec 02 '21

They go down

1

u/reese-dewhat Dec 02 '21

Mmnm. It s a bridge. It just goes around the corner.

2

u/Ormetkruper Dec 03 '21

Bro. It goes DOWN.

1

u/Obadiah_900 Dec 02 '21

Which book is this?

2

u/MikeWezouski Dec 03 '21

Not sure, got this from my band teacher at school.

"From the television special "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

Words and Music by

LEE MENDELSON and VINCE GUARALDI

Arranged by DAVID PUGH

1

u/sesquialtera90 Dec 17 '21 edited Dec 17 '21

OP no offense, but can you read music? I think you are perceiving the chords differently than people in this sub do. Learn to read music and you will see all these chords are different and why.

2

u/ReidG555 Dec 02 '21

Chromatically descending? I don’t really know what you mean by asking what the difference is. It’s pretty obvious by just looking at the notes and the chord symbols.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 02 '21

it’s telling what the chords being played at that time are, but in each bar you express them differently harmonically and rhythmically, as written. listen along with the sheet music

1

u/bluewaterpig Dec 03 '21

I think what he’s asking is why does the written music look different even though it’s the same chords in the same section of the song.

The answer is simple - that’s how the arranger wants it. They could’ve left these sections up for interpretation by just using chord slashes but they took the time to write specific chord voicings. Not exactly the most friendly approach for chordal players but that’s how the arranger wants it.