The whole reason this course exists is because I couldn’t find anyone properly explaining the modern fusion changes anywhere. I kept seeing guitarists trying to solo over the modern backing tracks while outlining the wrong chords entirely — and that’s a problem worth fixing. Here, finally, are the changes that define the fusion sound of this tune.
What you’ll get out of this lesson
A clear breakdown of the modern/fusion changes as made famous by Greg Howe’s viral video, with a detailed look at each alteration and why it gives the tune its contemporary character.
Where the modern changes come from
The following changes were made famous by Greg Howe’s viral video, which you can see fully transcribed here:
My guess is that Howe came up with these changes himself. Here’s the full chart — see how many differences you can spot compared to the jazz version:
The key differences explained
- Chromatic passing chord: Many versions add a chromatic passing chord between the first two chords, or imply it in the bass. This is the A-7 to Ab-7 to G-7 movement. The Ab-7 is typically not outlined by the soloist — it lives in the bass and comping parts.
- Bmin7b5 replaced by B-11: The B minor 11 voicings in the track don’t use the fifth, so in practice we are still avoiding the dissonance rather than explicitly changing the fifth. There’s no natural 5 implying a departure from the b5 sound until bar 9.
- E7 alterations: All the E7 chords are now E7b9, or sometimes swapped for E7#9. These alterations give the dominant chord a more tense, unresolved quality.
- Bb7 becomes BbMaj7#11: This chord might seem even more random than the Bb7, but it makes harmonic sense. We have a ii–V–I into the key of F in bars 10 and 11 — the BbMaj7#11 is just a continuation of that cycle of fourths in F major.
- Turnaround: We now have a vi*–ii–V–i turnaround at the end rather than the simpler jazz version.
What gives it the modern sound
Notice how the minor 11 chords and the maj7#11 chord are central to the contemporary feel. Minor 11 chords suggest an open, floating quality — they avoid the b5 tension without fully committing to a natural 5. The maj7#11 (Lydian) sound adds brightness and a sense of harmonic ambiguity that sits perfectly in a fusion context.
Taking it further
Compare the modern changes side-by-side with the jazz version. Look at each bar and ask what has changed and what has stayed the same. The underlying harmonic skeleton is still recognisable — what’s different is the colour and tension that has been layered over it. Understanding that relationship will help you navigate both versions fluently.
Your homework
Go through the chart bar by bar and name each chord out loud, noting whether it’s minor, dominant, or major in quality. Then listen to a modern backing track and try to identify where the chromatic passing chord appears in the bass. Let’s get into scale choices next.