Chord Tones and Targeting

A triad has three chord tones; a seventh chord has four. For this progression, write them out before adding scale notes.

A target can be any of those notes. Starting with the third or seventh makes many jazz chord changes particularly clear, because these notes help distinguish the chord's quality.

Compare Cmaj7, C7 and Cm7. All three contain the root C and fifth G. Cmaj7 has E and B; C7 has E and Bb; Cm7 has Eb and Bb. The third and seventh carry the differences between those three chord types.

They need context, though. E and B alone do not identify Cmaj7 uniquely, and Dm7 and Dm7b5 share the same third and seventh. Roots, bass movement and other chord tones still matter. Guide tones are a useful way to simplify harmony while you practice.

Use a slow accompaniment on your instrument or a backing track with one bar each of Dm7, G7 and Cmaj7. The short player above demonstrates the chord order; for the following exercise, count a full four beats per chord.

A chromatic approach reaches the target by a half step. To reach E, try D# followed by E. D# is outside C major, but the short move to E gives it a clear role.

An enclosure approaches a target from both sides. Try F, D#, E. Play F on beat 4 and D# on the "and" of 4, then land on E on the next beat 1. The first two notes surround E before it arrives.

Play that figure slowly against Cmaj7 on your instrument. Compare it with D, E. The destination is the same; the chromatic approach adds a sharper moment of tension before it.

No. Putting a chord tone on beat 1 is a useful practice constraint because the new chord and your arrival coincide. Music also uses accented non-chord tones, delayed resolutions and phrases that cross the bar line.

Once you can make the simple landing clear, try arriving on E one eighth note late. Hear how that delays the resolution. A target is a choice about timing, not just a pitch name.

A root can make an ending very clear. A fifth can be a strong sustained note, and an altered fifth may define the chord's sound. Their usefulness depends on the phrase.

Thirds and sevenths are especially helpful when you want to outline changing seventh chords with little movement. If the music stays on one chord, rhythm, register and repetition may matter more than demonstrating its quality again.

Choose one target for each chord and record a short take. Listen for the moment the harmony changes: does your phrase arrive, deliberately wait or pass straight through? Repeat the take with fewer approach notes if you cannot hear the targets.