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Cmi 7-5 4 VOICE 12 POSITIONS

  • REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE FOUR NOTES IN Cmi7, the G/fifth is lowered one fret/half step to Gb/F#: C-Eb-Gb/F#-Bb


  • YOU MIGHT NOTICE THAT THIS FUNCTIONS AS Ab9 WITHOUT THE ROOT NOTE Ab. C is third, Eb is fifth, Gb is 7th, and Bb is 9th


  • THIS TONE COMBINATION ALSO CAN FUNCTION AS Ebmi6 CHORD. Eb/root, Gb/third, Bb/fifth, and C/sixth.


  • YOU MIGHT EXPERIMENT WITH RUNNING THESE NINTHS PARALLEL HARMONY BY MINOR THIRD(THREE FRET) INTERVALS.


  • ANALYSIS WILL HOLD IN MOST CASES
NOTE NAMES
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * Eb * C *
Gb * * * * *
* * * Bb * *
* * Gb * Eb *
* * * C * *
Bb * * * * *
* * * * Gb *
C * Bb Eb * *
* * * * * *
* * C * * *
Eb * * Gb Bb *
* * * * * *
NOTE ANALYSES
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * 3 * R *
-5 * * * * *
* * * 7 * *
* * -5 * 3 *
* * * R * *
7 * * * * *
* * * * -5 *
R * 7 3 * *
* * * * * *
* * R * * *
3 * * -5 7 *
* * * * * *
NOTE FINGERING
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * 1 * 1 *
2 * * * * *
* * * 3 * *
* * 1 * 1 *
* * * 2 * *
3 * * * * *
* * * * 1 *
2 * 3 4 * *
* * * * * *
* * 1 * * *
2 * * 3 4 *
* * * * * *


CMi7-5 4 STRING GROUPS NO OPEN STRINGS

E-D-G-B
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * Eb * C *
F# B * * * *
* * * Bb * *
* * F# B Eb *
* * * C * *
Bb * * * * *
B * * * F# B
C * Bb Eb * *
* * B * * *
* * C * * *
Eb * * F# Bb *
* * * * B *
D-G-B-E
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * Eb * C *
* B * * * F#
* * * Bb * *
* * F# B Eb *
* * * C * *
* * * * * Bb
B * * * F# B
* * Bb Eb * C
* * B * * *
* * C * * *
* * * F# Bb Eb
* * * * B *
A-D-G-B
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * * * * *
* B * * * *
* C * Bb * *
* * F# B Eb *
* * * C * *
* Eb * * * *
B * * * F# B
* * Bb Eb * *
* F# B * * *
* * C * * *
* * * * Bb *
* * * * B *
E-A-D-G
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * Eb * * *
F# B * * * *
* C * Bb * *
* * F# B * *
* * * C * *
Bb Eb * * * *
B * * * * B
C * Bb Eb * *
* F# B * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * B *
A-G-B-E
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * * * * *
* B * * * F#
* C * Bb * *
* * * B Eb *
* * * C * *
* Eb * * * Bb
B * * * F# B
* * * Eb * C
* F# B * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * Bb *
* * * * B *

This gets very deeply ambiguous and probably is one of the origins of Convergent Harmonic thinking. These forms should be cross referenced with the Mi6 and dominant ninth four string forms. The fingers will prove to have identical physical formations, but different harmonic "meanings."

It does prove to valuable for the arranger who is looking for effective and elegant harmonizations of melodies. The bottom line is simple. Each chord has powerful cadential functions, but capable of radiating in four different directions, the same way the diminished chord does. For example, the Cmi7-5 clearly can act as a II for a II-V-I in Bb, despite the fact it‘s technically not n the key. It’s done relentlessly in jazz. But it also resolves as a VII chord in Db, as well as acting as an Ab9 without the root. Even more interesting is that it can act as a very effective dominant partial in the key of G. Notice that the F# is a dominant third, Eb is a flat 9, C is the eleventh, and Bb can function as a +5 of the D7. An E major resolution can also be extracted under the analysis that F# is the fifth of B7, C is the flat nine, Eb/D# is the third, and Bb is the only note that is analytically disposable.

The point is not to analyze this stuff to death. I’ve already done that for us all. The point is to use these equivocal aspects of dominant function interacting with symmetrical harmony to explore which possibilities appeal to your ear. Whatever you do, don’t force your ear to hear resolutions that are strictly on paper.