Exploring Jazz Piano: Part Two

Introduction

Hello and welcome to Exploring Jazz Piano Part Two. If you remember from Part One, we learned that:

• Major triads occur on 1, 4, and 5 (e.g., C, F, and G).
• Minor triads occur on 2, 3, and 6 (e.g., D minor, E minor, and A minor in the key of C).

In this chapter, we're going to explore seventh chords, which is the next logical step. We will also touch on:

• Modes
• Functional harmony
• 2-5-1 progressions

Everything you need to know to start playing jazz standards!

Major and Minor Seventh Chords

Looking at the scale of C major, which consists of all white notes:

If we play a four-note chord on every note of the scale, we get:

• I chord: C major 7
• II chord: D minor 7
• III chord: E minor 7
• IV chord: F major 7
• V chord: G7 (not A major 7, because it doesn't have an F#; it's a dominant seventh)
• VI chord: A minor 7
• VII chord: B half diminished (sometimes called B minor 7 flat 5)

Note: If it was B minor 7, it would have an F#. We need to flatten the fifth to make it F natural since F# is not in the key of C.

Chord Practice

Get into the habit of playing those chords. Whatever key you're in, practice those chords up and down.

You could name each chord as you play it:

• C major 7
• D minor 7
• E minor 7
• F major 7
• G7
• A minor 7
• B half diminished

This is quite easy in the key of C because we are dealing with white notes only. However, adding black notes (sharps or flats) can complicate things.

Chords in the Key of G

Here are the same chords in the key of G. Remember, you just need F# in the scale.

• 1 and 4: G major 7 and C major 7
• 2, 3, and 6: A minor 7, B minor 7, and E minor 7
• Dominant seventh chord: D7 (not a major seventh, it's a dominant seventh)
• Half diminished chord: F# minor 7 flat 5

We will play these chords in different keys at various points. Let's look at how to play these chords with both hands.

Two-Handed Voicings

Playing a chord down low can sound muddy; the notes may be too close together.

Open Voicing Techniques

• Move the two middle notes (in this case, B and D) up an octave:

  • This creates what I call a root 7 3 5 voicing.

• Another voicing is to take out the third and seventh, leaving the fifth in the left hand:

  • This is a root 5 3 7 voicing.

Both types of open voicing create a really nice, open sound.

Scale Practice

I'm going to play the whole scale of G using the root 7 3 5 voicing. I recommend practicing this with a metronome for timing.

Metronome click: At 100 beats a minute, I'll do two clicks of chord A.

1, 2, 3, 4.

Now with the second voicing (root 5 3 7), you will be playing an interval of a fifth in both hands.

Let's hear it:

2, 3, 4.

Practice those scales up and down in both hands like this, without looking at the music.

Daily Practice

Try this in a different key every day. You'll soon learn to play scales as four-note harmony, which is a fantastic skill to have!

Conclusion

Our first tune, Open Up, uses these voicings but in the key of F.

In preparation for this, practice the scale of F exactly the same way, along with the other lessons. Happy playing!