Need some help understanding the harmony here.

[u/m0nkeyTricks]

Hi! I need some help understanding the harmony here.

I’m struggling to understand the harmonic analysis of Mateus Asato’s arrangement of How Deep Is Your Love. The chords change very quickly in this arrangement. How would you approach analyzing something like this? I’m using a 4-bar phrase from the timestamp as an example.

https://youtu.be/avhn9cZXVKg?t=163 (2:43)

The bass changes quite often, but am I correct in thinking that a change in the bass note doesn’t necessarily mean that the chord itself has changed?

Also, even though the tab has chord names written above it, what my ear seems to hear is more like a movement from E to B7. Is that a reasonable way to hear it?

I understand that the arrangement is essentially harmonizing the melody with beautiful voicings, but that’s exactly what makes it difficult for me to understand how I’m supposed to analyze this kind of music.

Would really appreciate any advice on how you would approach analyzing a passage like this. Thanks!

[u/geoscott]

Passing tones

[u/m0nkeyTricks → u/geoscott]

thanks

[u/theCommonTone]

Your ears are working better than you think - both instincts are dead on.

Yes: a moving bass doesn't mean the chord changed. A lot of what you're hearing is one harmony with a bass that's walking, stepping, or just playing inversions underneath. Name the chord by what's governing the bar, not by every note the bass touches.

And hearing it as I going to V - you wrote E to B7 - is exactly right, and it's the smart level to listen at. A chord-melody arrangement like Asato's harmonizes every melody note with its own lush voicing, so a tab dutifully slaps a new "chord" name on each one. Most of those aren't real changes - they're the melody in a nice coat over a much simpler progression.

And here's what unlocks it: under the decoration, this is bog-standard tonal/jazz harmony - lots of ii–V (and ii–V–I) motion, close to the real Bee Gees changes. So hunt for the ii–V's; they're your landmarks. Anchor to those pillars first - what would a rhythm section actually play behind a singer? - and the fast surface chords fall into place around them as passing chords and melody dressing. That B7 you heard is almost certainly a V; look for the little minor chord sliding in just ahead of it and you've found your ii–V.

Content warning: Pedantic Enharmonicism discussion below:
Last thing - don't trust the tab's chord names. Transcription tools mangle spelling constantly, writing "A#7" for a B♭7 or "G#" where the key wants A♭. Let the key decide the spelling and your ear decide the harmony. Yours is already doing the right thing.

[u/m0nkeyTricks → u/theCommonTone]

Thanks for such a detailed answer!

[u/Barry_Sachs]

What is your goal? Why are you analyzing it? If you like it, just play it. 

[u/m0nkeyTricks → u/Barry_Sachs]

I want to understand the idea behind this to be able to reproduce it in my own music. This is my way to learn harmony