Chord progression question

[fonnet]

Thanks a lot Scott! I'll search another songs with II7(b9) to hear it in another context.

 

[fonnet]

The way I see it is a couple of leading tones resolving to chord tones.
B->up a half step to C
Ab->up a half step to A
F---F
It resolves in an interesting way to F.

Thanks! That's how I break down chord progressions I don't get. But here, I was bothered by the presence of the F in the B°, making an anticipation on the F and foremost making no leading tones that aims the root note of the F chord.

 

[mambo4]

I can hear that it resolves on F but I don't understand why!

I'd approach the question by comparing the voice leading :

in the V-I motion of C7 to F:
E moves a halfstep up to F
Bb moves a half step down to A
G moves a hole step down to A
C is static

in Bdim to F:
Ab moves a half step up to A
B moves a half step up to C
D moves a hole step down to C
F is static

while not identical, there is a lot similar of step-wise motion resolving to F maj, which is why it "resolves"
------
I think the songwriter never thought that out: probably just wanted to have a smooth chromatic motion between Bbmaj and Fmaj, so they just raised the Bb's root note for a measure, to get B-Bb-C

 

[fonnet]

Thank you Mambo4 and all of you, I can make a sense of it now !

 

[greenboy]

I'd approach the question by comparing the voice leading :

in the V-I motion of C7 to F:
E moves a halfstep up to F
Bb moves a half step down to A
G moves a hole step down to A
C is static

in Bdim to F:
Ab moves a half step up to A
B moves a half step up to C
D moves a hole step down to C
F is static

while not identical, there is a lot similar of step-wise motion resolving to F maj, which is why it "resolves"
------
I think the songwriter never thought that out: probably just wanted to have a smooth chromatic motion between Bbmaj and Fmaj, so they just raised the Bb's root note for a measure, to get B-Bb-C

Approaches like that are real common when say writing for horn sections in big bands too. Voice leading, ways to have each part flow interestingly for the players themselves... really, the seeds of a Harmolodic approach might be seen lurking there - or some relation to Medieval polyphony.

 

[Chris K]

Yeah. I used to watch people arguing about what the root was of some diminished chord when they four possible choices before the bass player might substitute something else below it anyway.

+1 & LOL

It's the other way around, in fact. In most dim chord cases, the bass note intented by the composer is also the root.

So f.e. Bbdim/E looks pretty stupid.

 

[JimmyM]

+1 & LOL

It's the other way around, in fact. In most dim chord cases, the bass note intented by the composer is also the root.

So f.e. Bbdim/E looks pretty stupid.

lol! yeah, no doubt.

 

[BillyIVbass]

Ah I always heard this A7 as a C#m7b5, but A7 sounds so much more manly.

 

[JimmyM]

Ah I always heard this A7 as a C#m7b5, but A7 sounds so much more manly.

it's also easier to write.

 

[greenboy]

+1 & LOL

It's the other way around, in fact. In most dim chord cases, the bass note intented by the composer is also the root.

Yeah, though what I meant there is playing a bass note that wasn't in the dim, making it an extension or inversion of something else entirely. If it leads well, and reads well...

So f.e. Bbdim/E looks pretty stupid.

Indeedy.