Video Thursday: It Don't Mean A Thing

 It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
Words & Music by Duke Ellington, 1932
Recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, 1966

I absolutely love music from the swing era. You might be interested in an article 
by Lee Evans that I shared with readers on my other blog. I've been asked to do a 
tutorial on this song and even though I've slowed the speed down in my video, 
I'll post another video showing all these fancy chords at a later date. For now, 
here are the chord progressions to this lively song.
 

You'll find an easy version to the song here. I've posted the chord chart below.

Em           D        C           C7   B7
What good is melody, what good is mu - sic

Em           D         C           C7   B7
If it ain't possessin' something sweet?

Em           D       C            C7   B7
It ain't the melody, it ain't the mu - sic --

        Em                   D        C        C7   B7
There's something else that makes the tune complete.


   Em            B+          Em7            Em6
It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing --

A7               D7               G6               C7  B7
Doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat.

   Em            B+            Em7          Em6
It don't mean a thing, all you got to do is sing --

A7               D7               G6
Doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat.


Dm7          G7                CM7/6             CM7
It makes no diff'rence if that rhythm's sweet or hot,

Em7            A7     D7             C7   B7
Just give that rhythm ev'rything you got.


   Em            B+   Cdim   Em7   Cdim      Em6
It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing --

A7               D7               G6               Gdim
Doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat,

A7               Cdim                  G6
Doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-waaaa.

+++++++++++++++++

Now, in the Hal Leonard Jazz Book that I recommended yesterday, 

here are the piano chords. 

Gm    Gm/F   Eb7  D7  Gm  Gm/F    Em7b5 Eb7
What good is melody, what good is mu - sic

Gm    Gm/F   Em7b5      Eb7   D7#5  Gm
If it ain't possessin' something sweet?

Gm/F         Eb7 D7  Gm Gm/F      Em7b5 Eb7
It ain't the melody, it ain't the mu - sic --

Gm      Gm/F      Em7b5     Eb7       A7/E Eb7  D7
There's something else that makes the tune complete.


   Gm                  Gm/F  Eb7    D7      Gm
It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing --

C7/G               Gb7b5           Cm7/F        Bb6
Doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat.

D7#5  Gm  Gm/F  Em7b5   Eb7    D7#5   Db7   C7
It don't mean a thing, all you got to do is sing --

C7/G             Gb7b5              Cm7/F                      Bb6
Doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat.


F#dim7   Bb7                                     Eb
It makes no diff'rence if that rhythm's sweet or hot,

F#dim7 C7      F#dim7  C7             F7   G7
Just give that rhythm ev'rything you got.


D7#5 Gm              Gm/F   Eb7    D7        Gm
It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing --

C7/G             Gb7b5               Cm7/F6                Bb6 D7#5
Doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat,

C7/G               Gb7b5                Bb6
Doo-wat doo-wat, doo-wat doo-wat, doo-waaaa.


If you love jazz and have always wanted to learn this style of playing, 

you may be interested in Jazz101 and Jazz201

Warmly,

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

The Mixolydian Mode and the Sus Chord

Image via Wikipedia

Over the past few days I received emails from readers asking me to talk about  suspended chords. I personally have learned so much from The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine. Are you familiar with this great music theory book? Another resource that I have purchased from Hear and Play is their theory book 300 Page Course Book

G Mixolydian is the scale, or mode, that is usually played over a Gsus chord. So you're playing all white notes: G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G. the difference between G7 and Gsus, the two chords that share the same g Mixolydian mode, is as follows: Pianists and guitarists voice sus chords so that the 4th doesn't sound like an 'avoid' note. A good definition of a sus chord is "a V chord in which the 4th doesn't sound like an 'avoid' note.

The "sus" in the chord symbol refers to the suspended 4th of the chord, in this case the note C. In traditional harmony, the 4th of a sus chord usually resolves down a half step to become the 3rd of a dominant 7th chord.

G/CFA = G sus
G/BFA = G7
In contemporary music, the 4th often doesn't resolve, which gives sus chords a floating quality.

On the piano, play the G Mixolydian mode first over the Gsus chord voicing in the left hand and then over a G7 chord and you'll hear the difference. Play the C by itself over each chord and the difference is more pronounced.

GCF/G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G  ... then play GBDF/G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G

Gsus = GCF/C
G7 = GBDF/C

Sus chords have been an everyday sound in jazz only since the 1960's, although Duke Ellington and Art Tatum were playing them in the 1930's and 1940's.

Students are constantly asking me "how do you voice a sus chord?" Here's a common G sus voicing:
G/CFA  Play the root (G) with your left hand while playing the major triad a whole step below the root (in this case F major) with your right hand. Note that the triad is in second inversion, meaning that the 5th of the triad (C) is on the bottom, instead of the root (F). Triads often sound strongest in second inversion. This voicing resolves so smoothly...
G sus = G/CFA  then play C/BEG

Listen to another common Gsus voicing:

G/CEFA   then play C/BDEG

Here's a different inversion:

G/FACE  then play C/GABD

Sus chords create tension and want to be resolved. (released)

Comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you enjoy your stay at LadyD Piano.

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It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

• When a major interval is made smaller by a half step, it becomes a DIMINISHED INTERVAL The Diminished Chord is a Minor chord with the 5th made smaller by one half step. For more information on identifying chords:
• Hear and Play Audio Chords Series to learn qualifying terms http://www.hearandplay.com/441295/hpchords.html
• Learn "stupid chords" from Jonathan Powell's Dvd http://www.hearandplay.com/441295/gkurban.html
• Audio Course with Jon Powell http://www.hearandplay.com/441295/gkurban625.html

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