VOICE LEADING AND PHRASE APPLICATION · 12 MIN SUGGESTED

Jazz Guitar Phrasing Across Chord Changes

Play one original line across named harmonic boundaries and retain its dominant-to-tonic resolution while changing one opening target.

Make the phrase acknowledge each chord · By Vincent Iannone · Updated 30 October 2026

How do you make a jazz line follow the chord changes?

A line follows the changes when it puts a chord tone of each new chord at the moment that chord arrives, the harmonic boundary. Between boundaries the line can move freely, but the notes that land on the change tell the listener which chord is sounding. In this lesson’s C-major phrase the line arrives on the third of Dm7, the third of G7♭9 and the fifth of Cmaj7, and the dominant’s last note, A♭4, falls a semitone to G4 as the tonic arrives. This is targeting, not restarting an arpeggio on every chord: the line stays one continuous melody that keeps meeting the harmony. Changing one target, such as starting on a root instead of a third, varies the phrase without breaking the connection.

The idea

The accompaniment changes at beats 0, 4 and 8. The original phrase arrives on Dm7’s third, G7♭9’s third and Cmaj7’s fifth at those boundaries. The last dominant note A♭4 falls to G4 at the tonic. This is melodic chord-tone targeting, not an instruction to restart a root-position arpeggio on every chord.

Put it under your fingers

1. Follow the worked line in G and identify its note at every chord boundary.
2. Play the C-major line; change only the first note from the ii chord’s third to its root.
3. Transpose the original line to F, then retrieve the C version with its A♭–G ending intact.

Make it yours

Play the line over the accompaniment. Then change only its first F to D and compare a third-led opening with a root-led opening. Keep the later A♭–G resolution intact; make up your own rhythm after the pitch check.