Adding Color to Basic Changes

Harmonic Fluency

90%

Welcome to the start of a new pathway on harmonic fluency, where we begin learning how to make harmony more interesting without losing its core sound. In this lesson we take the mystery out of reharmonization by starting with simple, musical ideas that anyone can use right away. The goal is not to chase complicated theory, but to understand how color, motion, and good voice leading can quietly elevate everything we play. This approach helps us sound more expressive, more connected, and more intentional with every chord choice.

Key Learning Outcomes and Topics Covered

  • Understand the difference between harmonic enhancement and reharmonization

  • Learn how extensions add color without changing basic harmonic function

  • Apply 6, 9, 11, and 13 extensions to common progressions

  • Explore altered dominant sounds such as b9, #9, b13, and #11

  • Develop awareness of where extensions sound strong or problematic

  • Learn how burying color tones affects tension and rub

  • Understand basic tendencies and resolution of extensions

  • Connect color tones through smooth chromatic and diatonic voice leading

  • Recognize how chord naming relates to function rather than absolutes

  • Build a foundation for more advanced reharmonization concepts

Introduction

We begin by clarifying what is meant by harmonic enhancement versus true reharmonization. Rather than immediately replacing chords with new ones, we first learn how to enrich existing harmony by adding color tones that stay true to the original function. The lesson centers around a ii–V–I progression in D, a progression found in countless songs, making it the perfect place to explore how extensions behave in real musical contexts. By starting slow and focusing on sound, this lesson lays a clear and welcoming foundation for players at any level.

Lesson Summary

The lesson opens by establishing that harmony can be made more interesting in two main ways: by coloring the chords that are already there, and later by substituting entirely new harmonic ideas. Much of what players call reharmonization actually lives in this first category, where extensions add richness without changing the underlying structure.

We begin with seventh chords and explore the natural next layer of color, starting with the 9. We hear how placing the 9 on top of a chord creates clarity, while burying it inside the voicing creates a stronger rub. These choices are not theoretical rules but musical decisions based on texture and context. The lesson shows how the same extension can feel very different depending on placement.

From there we move into 6 and 13 sounds, learning where they feel natural and where they may reveal harmonic motion too early. We see how combining extensions, such as minor 7 with an added 6, can create smooth internal movement that sets up the next chord naturally.

Altered dominant sounds are introduced next, including b9, #9, b13, and #11. These colors are framed not as abstract alterations, but as tools for creating half step motion and satisfying resolution. The lesson emphasizes that these sounds work because they move somewhere, often by a single fret, which the ear finds deeply pleasing.

We also explore the role of the 11, learning why minor chords tend to love it, why dominant chords can soften when it is used carelessly, and why major chords usually resist it in traditional tonal settings. The concept of burying the 11 to create quartal textures is introduced as another way to control tension.

#11 sounds are then explained in both dominant and major contexts, including their connection to Lydian and melodic minor sounds. The lesson makes clear that naming a chord is far less important than understanding its function and sound. Chord names exist to communicate intent, not to win arguments.

Throughout the lesson, voice leading is presented as the unifying principle. Color tones only become meaningful when they move well. Smooth chromatic and diatonic motion between extensions is what makes harmony feel alive and musical, regardless of style or listener background. This lesson closes by framing extensions and altered sounds as the first step in a longer journey toward deeper harmonic freedom.

Soundbites

  • “Voice leading and color are really wed and bound together.”
  • “Random interesting notes on top of chords does not really do very much for our ears.”
  • “The name of the chord is probably less important than the sound, because the sound is the sound.”
  • “Good voice leading is something everybody appreciates, whether they know it or not.”

Closing Thoughts

This lesson sets the groundwork for harmonic fluency by focusing on sound, movement, and musical judgment rather than complexity. By learning how extensions behave and how they resolve, we gain control over color instead of guessing at it. As you work through these ideas, take your time, listen closely, and trust your ears. This is just the beginning, and from here we will continue exploring more ways to shape harmony with confidence and intention.

Keywords

  • Harmonic enhancement
  • Reharmonization
  • Harmonic fluency
  • Chord extensions
  • Voice leading
  • ii–V–I
  • Altered dominants
  • Chord color
  • Jazz harmony
  • Extensions
  • Chromatic movement
  • Diatonic harmony

Download

Adding Color to Basic Changes PDF