§ Blues and Jazz Piano Improv
§ Best References for theory
§ Jazz Chord Progression for C major
- We fix the key to be C major.
- 2 5 1 chord progression.
- Dmin7, G7, Cmaj7, A7.
- Use extended notes, 9th.
- Dmin7 notes: D F A C + E
- G7 notes: G B D F + A
- Cmaj7 notes: C E G B + D
- A7 notes: A C# E G + B. Use Bb in this case as the flat 9th.
- Recall that the 9th is taken from the root (C major), but the 9th note for the given scale.
§ Melody: Approch pattern --- half step below
- Approach each note with the note that is a semitone below.
- Dmin7: C# -> D
- Dmin7: E -> F
- Dmin7: G -> A
- Dmin7: B -> C
- G7: F -> G
- G7: A -> B
- G7: C -> D
- G7: E -> F
- Cmaj7: B -> C
- Cmaj7: D -> E
- Cmaj7: F -> G
- Cmaj7: A -> B
§ Melody: Approach pattern / scale associated to a chord: Chordal tone + whole step
- For any given chord, eg. Cmaj7 = C E G B, one is allowed to use notes that are a whole step up from each of the notes.
- This gives us the notes: C D E F# G A B C. This is the C lydian scale.
- For the next one, Cmin7, we get C D Eb F G A Bb C. This is the C dorian scale.
- For Dmin7, we get D E F G A B C D. This is the D dorian scale.
- For G7, we get G A B C D E F G. This is the G mixolydian scale.
- For A7, we get A B C# D E F# G A. This is the A mixolydian scale.
§ Melody: Approach pattern --- chord scale above
- Play C major scale, approach from above before playing note
- Dmin7: E -> D
- Dmin7: F -> E
- Dmin7: G -> F
- Dmin7: A -> G
- G7: B -> A
- G7: C -> B
- G7: D -> C
- G7: F -> E
- Cmaj7: E -> D
- Cmaj7: F -> E
- Cmaj7: G -> F
- Cmaj7: B -> A
§ Melody: Approach pattern --- enclosures
- Approach from both sides, chromatically, before playing the main note.
- Dmin7: C# -> E -> D
§ Melody: Jazz rhythm
- (quaver (semiquaver semiquaver)) (quaver quaver)
§ Theory: Quickly counting intervals
- memorize: perfect 5ths
- minor 2nd: half step
- Major 2nd: whole step
- minor 3rd: whole step + half step
- Major 3rd: two whole steps
- fourth: perfect fifth - whole step
- tritone: perfect fifth - half step
- Perfect 5th: memorized
- minor 6th: perfect 5th + half step
- Major 6th: perfect 5th + whole step
- minor 7th: octave - whole step
- Major 7th: octave - half step
§ Melody: Walking Bass line
- We want the notes to be the root note of the chord
- For example, with the standard Dmin7, G7, Cmaj7, A7 progression, we would have:
- Play D, Play G, Play C, Play A
- We can move to the notes by leaping via 3rd / 5th / octave.
- But when we leap, we want to use notes from the chord.
- For example, to go from D -> G, we want to go as:
D F A, and then at the note, transition with a whole step or a half step, so we go via Gsharp G. - So, to go from D to G in four beats, we use
D F A Gsharpfollowed by the G.
§ Melody: Embellishments
- Tension and resolution notes
- resolution notes: root, 3rd, 5th
- tension notes: want to resolve to the closest resolution note.
- appogiatura: a note that is played before the resolution note, and is a half step above or below the resolution note. Decorate resolution notes with appogiatura.
- double appogiatura / turn: start on the resolution note, go to the note above, come back to the resolution note, go to the note below, and come back to the resolution note.
- In general, precede each resolution note with an ornament.
§ Technique: Playing Chords as one
- All keys must be struck at the same time.
- How to practice this?
- First find fingers to the notes
- Lock ones hands
- Apply pressure from arm /wrist that goes downwards.
§ Melody: Bossa nova
- reference: jazz tutorial bossa nova
- The rhythm is the key.
- For any chord where the 5th is natural, play the root note (1) and the natural fifth (5)
- For any chord where the 5th is , play the root note (1) and the natural fifth (5)
- crochet dot (1), quaver (5), crochet dot (1), quaver (5), crochet dot (1), quaver (5), crochet dot (1), quaver (5)
- For the usual jazz chord sequence of Dmin7, G7, Cmaj7, A7, we would play:
- To travel upward, just play 1->5. To go downward, go downward as 5->1->5 and so on.
- So, if we hold a Cmin7 for 2 measures, we can play as (dot denotes a longer note, prime is octave higher):
1. 5 5 1. 5 5 1' 5 - Dmin7: D A D A D A D A
- G7: G D G D G D G D
- Cmaj7: C G C G C G C G
- A7: A E A E A E A E (Can add color by playing A7b9)
§ Chord voicing for bossa nova: Rootless chord voicings (sophisticated)
- Key idea: leave out the root note, only keep 3 5 7 9.
- 3 5 7 9 (position A)
- 7 9 3 5 (position B) [7, 9 are octave lower ]
§ Chord voicing for bossa nova: Shell chord voicings (simple)
- Beginner chord voicings for jazz piano
- Distribute notes evenly
- Prefer voices to be higher rather than lower.
- We want the 3rd and the 7th. Fix the melody note and the chord note, and now figure out how to add the 3rd and 7th with a good spread.
- If holding a chord for two beats, then on the second measure, play the fifth of the chord, and re-shell.
- 3rd and 7th (position A)
- 7th and 3rd (position B)
§ Jazz chords + Pentatonic Scale [For later ]
- G pentatonic sounds consonant over all 3 of Dmin7, G7, Cmaj7
- That is, build the pentatonic scale over the 5th scale degree (since we are in C key, we will use G).
- G pentatonic has notes:
G Bb C D F
§ Blues Scale
-
C – E♭ – F – G♭ – G – B♭.
§ Basic Blues Chord Progression:
- C7, F7, D7.
- Recall seventh chord is 1, 3, 5 plus the octave key flattened .
| C7 | C7 | C7 | C7 |
| F7 | F7 | C7 | C7 |
| G7 | F7 | C7 | C7 |
§ Harmonizing
- https://pianowithjonny.com/piano-lessons/3-slow-blues-piano-improv-techniques/
- Haromize bottom 5 notes of blues scale with a higher C
§ Intervals to learn
- Perfect 5th.
- Minor 3rd: 3 half steps (makes up pentatonic scale).
§ Genres of Jazz I like