Frank J Peter Chords, Jazz School

Jazz School: Chord Voicings: Minor 7 “Root Plus Definitive Tones”

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Playing the root plus the two definitive tones (b3,b7) as an arpeggio in the left hand makes for a nice accompaniment pattern for ballads…

The 1-b3-b7 Pattern

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The 1-b7-b3 Pattern

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piano-ology-jazz-school-chord-voicings-c-minor-7-root-plus-definitive-tones-v2-keyboard

Homework

Using your ears and knowledge of scales and chord structure, “transpose” this voicing to all spellings in three musically-useful patterns:

  1. Chromatically Ascending: C > Db > D > Eb > E > F > Gb > G > Ab > A > Bb > B > C.
  2. Chromatically Descending: C > B > Bb > A > Ab > G > Gb > F > E > Eb > D > Db > C.
  3. Cycle of Dominants: C > F > Bb > Eb > Ab > Db > Gb > B > E > A > D > G > C.

Doing so will develop an enormous chord vocabulary that you will know by ear, intellect, eye, and muscle… laying a rock solid foundation for fluent improvisation.

learn more… Jazz Chords: Minor 7, add 9