major 2-5-1 chord progression chord voicings

ii7-V7-IM7: ii7,9-V7,#9,b13-IM7,9 Chord Voicings

Lesson Goal: To add the V7,#9,b13 chord to your ii7-V7-IM7 voicing repertoire in all keys…

Applied to the ii7-V7-IM7 chord progression in the key of C Major…

  • Dm7 (D-F-A-C) + E (“the 9”) = Dm9
  • G7 (G-B-D-F) +A# (“the #9”) + Eb (“the b13) = G7,#9,b13
  • CM7 (C-E-G-B) + D (“the 9”) = CM9

Chord Voicing Variation #1

In the key of C Major (notice that all the roots are dropped from the right hand)…

piano-ology-jazz-school-major-2-5-1-chord-progression-9-sharp9flat13-9-chord-voicings-variation-1-notation
piano-ology-jazz-school-major-2-5-1-chord-progression-9-sharp9flat13-9-chord-voicings-variation-1-keyboard

By the way, if you think that this voicing sounds and feels “bluesy”, you are absolutely right… The two color tones are the two most important blue notes… Bb and Eb in the key of C!

Rootless Left Hand Voicing #1

Now play the right hand above as a rootless left-hand voicing, leaving your right hand free to play the melody or improvise…

piano-ology-jazz-school-major-2-5-1-chord-progression-9-sharp9flat13-9-chord-voicings-variation-1-rootless-keyboard

Chord Voicing Variation #2

In the key of C Major (notice that all the roots are dropped in the right hand)…

piano-ology-jazz-school-major-2-5-1-chord-progression-9-sharp9flat13-9-chord-voicings-variation-2-notation
piano-ology-jazz-school-major-2-5-1-chord-progression-9-sharp9flat13-9-chord-voicings-variation-2-keyboard

Rootless Left Hand Voicing #2

Now play the right hand above as a rootless left-hand voicing, leaving your right hand free to play the melody or improvise…

piano-ology-jazz-school-major-2-5-1-chord-progression-9-sharp9flat13-9-chord-voicings-variation-2-rootless-keyboard

Using your knowledge of the major scales and chord structure (and your ears of course), play this pattern in all keys around the cycle of dominants: C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, B, E, A D, G.

Aside: Is anybody interested in the notation for all keys?

Learning by doing in this manner will build an enormous scale and chord vocabulary that integrates visio-spatial keyboard awareness, ear training, technique, and rhythm… and lays a solid foundation for fluent improvisation.

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