Jazz School: [Minor] iiø7-V7-i Chord Progression: iiø7,b9-V7,b9-iM7,9 Chord Voicings

piano-ology-jazz-school-minor-2-5-1-chord-progression-flat9-flat9-9-chord-voicings-featured

Lesson Goal: To master common-practice iiø7,b9-V7,b9-iM7,9 chord voicings…

In order to achieve a jazzier sound, it is customary to add color tones to the basic seventh chords. A standard way to do so is to add “the 9” to each chord in the progression as follows:

  • Dø7 (D F Ab C) + Eb = Dø7,b9 (D F A C Eb)
  • G7 (G B D F) + Ab = G7,b9 (G B D F Ab).
  • CmM7 (C Eb G B) + D = CmM7,9 (C Eb G B D).

Variation #1 (notice that the chord roots are dropped in the right hand)…

piano-ology-jazz-school-minor-2-5-1-chord-progression-flat9-flat9-9-chord-voicings-variation-1-notation
piano-ology-jazz-school-minor-2-5-1-chord-progression-flat9-flat9-9-chord-voicings-variation-1-keyboard

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-minor-2-5-1-chord-progression-flat9-flat9-9-chord-voicings-variation-1-rootless-keyboard

Variation #2 (again, notice that the chord roots have been dropped in the right hand)…

piano-ology-jazz-school-minor-2-5-1-chord-progression-flat9-flat9-9-chord-voicings-variation-2-notation
piano-ology-jazz-school-minor-2-5-1-chord-progression-flat9-flat9-9-chord-voicings-variation-2-keyboard

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-minor-2-5-1-chord-progression-flat9-flat9-9-chord-voicings-variation-2-rootless-keyboard

Homework: Using your knowledge of the major scales and chord structure (and your ears of course), play this pattern in at least the following keys: E minor, A minor , D minor, G minor , C minor, F minor.

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 rock solid foundation for fluent improvisation.

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