The “Major” Line Cliché

The minor line cliché is a chromaticism used in the minor key. Essentially, a note in the harmony “walks” down from the root, to the major seventh, to the minor seventh. It can continue chromatically until it reaches the fifth. The Beatles used this device a number of times. It’s fairly common; it’s not called a “cliché” without cause.

In this lesson, we’ll explore a similar chromaticism that can be used in the major key between the fifth and the sixth. This chord technique can be heard on standard Bossa Nova tunes such as “Lucky Southern”.

Note that we want to play the moving or changing note in a way that is both easy to finger and sounds nice. Drop 3 in root position is one good choice, as the moving note is on the top line. This is not too difficult to play.

Major Line Cliché: Drop 3, root on 6^th

F^maj7

F^maj7♯5

F⁶

F^maj7♯5

Major Line Cliché: Drop 3, root on 5^th

F^maj7

F^maj7♯5

F⁶

F^maj7♯5

Major Line Cliché: Drop 2, root on 6^th

These voicings are certainly a little more challenging.

F^maj7

F^maj7♯5

F⁶

F^maj7♯5

Key Exercises

• Learn, memorize, and apply the pattern.
• Record yourself playing the pattern.
• Improvise a melody based on the pattern. Be sure to either adjust your major scale to a major ♯5, or simply avoid tones 5 and 6 altogether.