Jazz Piano Fundamentals

JAZZ PIANO
FUNDAMENTALS
BOOK 1: MONTHS 1-6
Edited by Gail Lew

Engraving by Kim Groves Brand
Design by Kelly DiBernardo Rupert
ISBN 978-1-7351695-3-8
© 2021 Jeremy Siskind Music Publishing
All Rights Reserved. International copyright secured.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,

in any form or by any means, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise)
without prior written permission of the author (Jeremy Siskind).
Visit Jeremy Siskind online at

www.jeremysiskind.com
CONTENTS
i. Introduction
ii. Using this Book
iii. Tune Bank
iv. Principles for Learning Jazz
Unit 1 Getting Oriented...........................................................................................................9
Unit 2 Comping Basics...........................................................................................................23
Unit 3 Introducing the ii-V-I .................................................................................................35
Unit 4 Going Deeper with the ii-V-I ....................................................................................51
Unit 5 “Evening in Lyon” .....................................................................................................61
Unit 6 Introduction to Type A/B Voicings ............................................................................81
Unit 7 The Blues Form.........................................................................................................101
Unit 8 Playing Bass in Two ..................................................................................................113
Unit 9 “Blues for Sammie” .................................................................................................133
Unit 10 Introducing Altered Dominants...............................................................................153
Unit 11 More Altered Dominants .........................................................................................167
Unit 12 Improvising with Altered Dominants ..................................................................... 181
What Now?............................................................................................................... 196
What’s Next? ............................................................................................................ 197
Index ......................................................................................................................... 198

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the beginning
Welcome of your jazzofpiano
to the beginning journey!
your jazz piano journey!
Pursuing jazz piano jazz
Pursuing is uniquely
piano isrewarding and uniquely
uniquely rewarding andfrustrating. On one hand,
uniquely frustrating. jazz hand,
On one pianists have
jazz an incredible
pianists have an incredible
freedom offreedom
expression and the ability
of expression to play
and the either
ability alone
to play or with
either a group.
alone or withJazz harmony
a group. Jazz isharmony
incredibly colorful, colorful,
is incredibly
jazz rhythm is rhythm
jazz vibrant and diverse,
is vibrant andand improvisation
diverse, is an immediate
and improvisation and powerful
is an immediate and means
powerful of self-expression.
means of self-expression.
However, at the sameattime,
However, jazz piano
the same is difficult!
time, jazz piano isItdifficult!
requiresItexcellent
requirestechnique, a mastery of
excellent technique, harmony,
a mastery of intricate
harmony, intricate
coordination between the
coordination hands,the
between encyclopedic historical and
hands, encyclopedic theoretical
historical knowledge,knowledge,
and theoretical a great ear,a and
greata passion
ear, andfor
a passion for
communication.
communication.
Some say, Some
“Jazz can’t be learned.”
say, “Jazz can’t be Ilearned.”
disagree.II’m not a blind
disagree. optimist.
I’m not a blindIoptimist.
have taught hundreds
I have taught of studentsofatstudents
hundreds all at all
levels. Some students
levels. Somehave gone have
students on togone
successful careers andcareers
on to successful meaningful self-expression
and meaningful and some have
self-expression givenhave
and some up given up
after just aafter
few weeks of study.
just a few weeks of study.
Here is what
Hereyouis need
what to
youknow:
needlearning
to know:jazz is veryjazz
learning much like much
is very learning
likea learning
language.a No amountNo
language. ofamount
studyingofcan
studying can
make you make
fluent you
in French,
fluent inHindi, or Chinese
French, Hindi, orinChinese
a week orin aeven
weeka month.
or evenIta takes years
month. of immersion
It takes to learn a to learn a
years of immersion
language. Jazz is similar.
language. Jazz is similar.
To make matters
To makeeven moreeven
matters interesting, the best jazz
more interesting, themusicians are like poets,
best jazz musicians creating
are like poets,new wordsnew
creating andwords
turns of
and turns of
phrase, remaking simple grammar and vocabulary into something beautiful and surprising.
phrase, remaking simple grammar and vocabulary into something beautiful and surprising.
Of course,Ofmycourse,
dream my
for dream
you is that you isbecome
for you a great
that you becomepoet of thepoet
a great language
of theoflanguage
jazz. Butofbefore youbefore
jazz. But try to impro-
you try to impro-
vise poetryvise
in this newinlanguage,
poetry this new you absolutely
language, need to master
you absolutely need the grammar,
to master the the vocabulary,
grammar, the pronunciation,
the vocabulary, the pronunciation,
and the accent.
and the accent.
This book This
teaches you
book from many
teaches angles,
you from manyjustangles,
like you’d
just learn to speak
like you’d learna to
language:
speak a language:
• Rote •Exercises like Licks,likeii-V-I
Rote Exercises Exercises,
Licks, and Coordination
ii-V-I Exercises, ExercisesExercises
and Coordination mirror themirror
practice
the practice
of learningof “set phrases”
learning “set inphrases”
a language. Jazz musicians
in a language. actually call
Jazz musicians these call
actually elements
these part of our
elements jazzof our jazz
part
“vocabulary.” These areThese
“vocabulary.” perfectareopportunities to build muscle
perfect opportunities to buildmemory, hone jazz hone
muscle memory, style,jazz
practice
style, practice
two-handed coordination,
two-handed and get used
coordination, andtoget
theused
feel to
of the
jazzfeel
phrases in phrases
of jazz your hands.
in your hands.
• Controlled Improvisation
• Controlled ExercisesExercises
Improvisation in each chapter
in eachare like conversational
chapter prompts or
are like conversational repetitive
prompts or repetitive
grammatical structures.structures.
grammatical These timed exercises
These timedget you improvising
exercises with a specific
get you improvising withfocus, bothfocus,
a specific teaching
bothyou
teaching you
to achieve to
“flow” while
achieve improvising
“flow” and forming
while improvising andgood habitsgood
forming through
habitsshifting
throughyour focus.your focus.
shifting
• Written• Exercises reinforce and
Written Exercises test your
reinforce andunderstanding of elementsofofelements
test your understanding musical of
“grammar,” guaranteeing
musical “grammar,” guaranteeing
that you intellectually understandunderstand
that you intellectually all the concepts
all thepresented.
concepts presented.
• Practicing Tunes is like
• Practicing Tunes writing extended
is like writingessays or having
extended essays full conversations.
or having While practicing
full conversations. tunes, you tunes, you
While practicing
apply the skills
applyyou
thehave
skillslearned
you have in learned
dry exercises
in dryand start making
exercises music,
and start even
making if it iseven
music, still aifwork in progress.
it is still a work in progress.
• Guided • Listening Assignments
Guided Listening immerse you
Assignments into the
immerse world
you into of
thea world
nativeof
speaker,
a nativelike watching
speaker, liketelevision
watching television
or listeningortolistening
podcaststoinpodcasts
a foreigninlanguage.
a foreign Spending
language. time with listening
Spending time withassignments helps you to
listening assignments pickyou to pick
helps
up the style,
uprecognize
the style, common
recognizegestures
commoningestures
the music, andmusic,
in the gain meaningful perspectiveperspective
and gain meaningful about the history
about the history
of the music.
of the music.
3
The bad news: just like learning a language, learning jazz can’t be achieved through any quick fix. Think of this
book as your first semester of language learning. By the time you finish this book, you should know enough to
successfully play in a small jazz combo. However, while these twelve units cover a lot of ground, you will find you
still have a great deal to learn. Unfortunately, twelve units does not give us enough time to explore minor chord
harmony, modal jazz, or solo piano playing.
The good news: many of you are coming into this study with excellent technical skills. You might be a very skilled
pianist, you might already have a good ear, or you might have listened to a lot of jazz. Your preexisting skills will
give you a leg up to learn this language quickly!
4 JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS

USING THIS BOOK
USINGEachTHIS
unit in thisBOOK
book is designed to be studied and practiced for about two weeks. At this rate, you would com-
plete the book in six months. Of course, there is no such thing as “one size fits all.” Some students might be able
Each unit intothis bookonly
practice is designed to bea studied
a few hours and practiced
week whereas for about
others might twoto
be able weeks.
spendAt this rate,
hours everyyou
daywould com-themselves
immersing
plete the book in six months. Of course, there is no such thing as “one size fits all.” Some students
in practice. Some learn faster and some learn slower. Consider about thirty hours of practice (about might be able two hours
to practice per
onlyday)
a fewashours a week whereas others might be able to spend hours every
being a good benchmark for how much time you should spend on each unit. day immersing themselves
in practice. Some learn faster and some learn slower. Consider about thirty hours of practice (about two hours
per day) as being a good Each chapter has
benchmark forQR
howCodes
muchthat
timelink
youtoshould
instructional
spend on videos
eachandunit.correct answers to written exercises.
If you’ve never scanned a QR code, for most phones, the process is as easy as opening your camera
Each chapter andhas QR Codes
centering the that link to
QR code oninstructional videos
the screen. You canand correct
practice answers
with this QRto code,
writtenwhich
exercises.
will send you to
If
Scanyou’ve
Here never scanned a QR code,
a welcome page for the book. for most phones, the process is as easy as opening your camera
for Test
and centering the QR code on the screen. You can practice with this QR code, which will send you to
Scan Here aIfwelcome page for thethe
book.
for Test you prefer to access supplementary materials from a home page rather than from the QR codes, bookmark
the following page, which has links to each unit page:
Use this book alongside a Sixth Edition Real Book (paper or eBook editions are both fine). Depending
https://jeremysiskind.com/jazz-piano-fundamentals-main-page/
on the format, the book costs about $20 or $30. The Real Book is a collection of lead sheets that most
every jazz musician ownsalongside
Use this book at some point in their
a Sixth career.
Edition RealEach
Bookunit, at least
(paper one ofeditions
or eBook your assignments willDepending
are both fine).
Scan Here be to practice tunes from The Real Book while applying specific concepts from that chapter. This
on the format, the book costs about $20 or $30. The Real Book is a collection of lead sheets that QR most every
for Real Book
code takes you to a link to buy the book from Amazon (although please consider buying from your local
jazz musician owns at some point in their career. Each unit, at least one of your assignments will be to
music store).
Scan Here practice tunes from The Real Book while applying specific concepts from that chapter. This QR code takes
for Real Book
you to a link to buy the book from Amazon (although please consider buying from your local music store).
Although I’m personally fascinated by solo jazz piano playing (full disclosure: I have written a nearly-two-hun-
dred-page book called
Although I’mPlaying Jazz Pianobyonsolo
Solo fascinated
personally the jazz
subject),
pianoitplaying
makes (full
moredisclosure:
sense to start
I haveyour jazz journey
written a nearly-two-hun-
learning howdred-page book called Playing Solo Jazz Piano on the subject), it makes more sense to start playing
to play in a band. There are three main reasons. First, playing in an ensemble is easier than your jazz journey
solo. Second,
learning how to play in a band. There are three main reasons. First, playing in an ensemble is easierin
learning is more fun and social with others. Third, many opportunities for newer musicians come than playing
the form ofsolo.
ensembles.
Second,To simulate
learning is the
more experience of playing
fun and social with a band,
with others. Third,the textopportunities
many will frequentlyforsuggest
newerthat you come in
musicians
practice with
thea form
play-along. A play-along
of ensembles. is a recording
To simulate of bass,ofdrums,
the experience playingand
withsometimes
a band, thepiano created
text will for practice
frequently suggest that you
purposes. Play-alongs are fantastic educational tools because they force you to play with a steady beat, prepare
practice with a play-along. A play-along is a recording of bass, drums, and sometimes piano created for practice
you to play purposes.
with a band, and alloware
Play-alongs youfantastic
to hear educational
the harmonic context
tools provided
because by theyou
they force bass.
to play with a steady beat, prepare
you to play with a band, and allow you to hear the harmonic context provided by the bass.
There are a number of places you can find play-alongs. For free play-alongs, search the name of the
piece plus the words
There are “backing
a numbertrack” on YouTube.com.
of places You will likely
you can find play-alongs. Forfind
freea play-alongs,
couple of different play-name of the
search the
along options for plus
piece mostthe of words
the pieces in The
“backing Real on
track” Book. For about $15,
YouTube.com. Youyouwillcan own
likely thea gold
find standard
couple of different play-
Scan Here for play-alongs, the iRealPro app.
along options for most of the pieces in The Real Book. For about $15, you can own user
The iRealPro app has thousands of tunes and allows the to standard
the gold
for iRealPro
adjust
Scan Herethe tempo, style, andthe
for play-alongs, key.iRealPro
Search forapp.
the The
iRealPro app wherever
iRealPro you download
app has thousands apps and
of tunes or scan thethe user to
allows
for iRealPro
QR code toadjustvisit the iRealPro webpage.
the tempo, style, and key. Search for the iRealPro app wherever you download apps or scan the
QR code to visit the iRealPro webpage.
Although lots of frequently asked questions are included in the text, there is no way to anticipate every
question that might arise.
Although Infrequently
lots of an ideal world,
askedyou will work
questions arethrough
included this
in book withthere
the text, a teacher, receiving
is no way at
to anticipate every
least one lesson per unit.
question A teacher
that might arise.can
Inhelp you world,
an ideal to correct
youcourse if you
will work have misunderstood
through this book with aateacher,
concept,receiving at
Scan Here give you feedback
least oneonlesson
your style and Aarticulation,
per unit. teacher cansuggest
help youwhen you might
to correct courseneed to slow
if you have down or speed a concept,
misunderstood
for Lessons
up your
Scan Here curriculum, and guide you to further resources. I offer lessons at a special
give you feedback on your style and articulation, suggest when you might need to slow rate for students
down or speed
for Lessons
who have purchased this book. Scan the QR
up your curriculum, and guide youcode and use
to further the codeI“JPFUNDA2021”
resources. offer lessons at a to schedule
special rate afor students
lesson withwho a $10have
discount.
purchased this book. Scan the QR code and use the code “JPFUNDA2021” to schedule a
lesson with a $10 discount.
Each unit ends with a Guided Listening section. I have created Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube
playlists with all of
Each theends
unit Guided
with Listening
a Guided tracks together.
Listening Feel
section. free created
I have to listen Spotify,
on yourApple
preferred music
Music, and YouTube
platform. playlists with all of the Guided Listening tracks together. Feel free to listen on your preferred music
Scan Here for
Listening Playlists platform.
Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS 5
TUNE BANK
This is your Tune Bank. These are tunes from The Real Book that you should focus on throughout your studies
with this book. Tune Bank tunes were selected because they focus primarily on the harmonic progressions
covered in this book.
Alright, Okay, You Win Mood Indigo
Afternoon in Paris Never Will I Marry
All the Things You Are Nostalgia in Times Square
Always Recorda-Me
Blue Room Satin Doll
Broadway So Nice (Summer Samba)
Central Park West Sophisticated Lady
Dancing on the Ceiling Stompin’ at the Savoy
Days and Night of Waiting The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
Easter Parade Take Five
Four There’ll Be Some Changes Made
Giant Steps Time Remembered
Groovin’ High Topsy
Half Nelson Tune Up
Here’s that Rainy Day Well You Needn’t
I Could Write a Book West Coast Blues
Lady Bird Wives and Lovers
Misty

PRINCIPLES FOR LEARNING JAZZ
Below, you will find important principles for learning jazz. Please take the time to consider each of these princi-
ples and review them every so often throughout the learning process.
1. Learn Rules, Then Break Them

I know, I know, jazz is supposed to be something you “feel.” Thelonious Monk breaks all the rules, so why
shouldn’t you?
The answer to that question is that without structure, you are not going to learn much. There will be plenty
of time to break rules down the road, but you have to really master the rules to even know how you might
break them effectively.
If we return to the language metaphor from the introduction, the rules are the grammar of a language. Poets,
rappers, playwrights, and novelists must all know how to speak the language fluently before they create their
own variations.
2. Make a Mess, Then Clean It Up

I hate to say it, but your playing is probably not going to sound amazing very often during these first six
months. But please don’t let that stop you from playing! Please go make a great big mess at the piano as you
pursue jazz and improvisation and as time goes on, with the help of this book, fellow musicians, and maybe a
teacher, you will learn how to tidy it up. But if you wait until everything comes out perfectly, you will never
get started.
3. Ask “What If” Questions

While there is a great deal of information stuffed into these pages, limiting yourself to only what is in the
book is going to be, well, limiting. To get beyond the information given, every time you learn something new,
ask yourself as many “what if” questions as you can think of, and pursue each of them. Does a certain phrase
sound good on dominant chords? Great! “What if” you tried it on a major chord? Does it sound good to add
the thirteenth above your chord? Great! “What if” you tried adding the eleventh too? Does a lick sound really
good as eighth notes? Great! “What if” you tried it with triplets or sixteenth notes? Great students never
simply stop at the information being presented.
4. If It Sounds Good, It Is Good

How do you know whether these “what if” scenarios are working? If it sounds good, it is good! While you
should trust your teacher, the rules presented in this text, and the guided listening examples to hone your
ear and educate yourself about the jazz style, you also have to trust your ears. Not only will it help you to sort
through successful and unsuccessful “what if” questions, but it will also help you develop a unique sound as
an artist, a sound that is based on the sounds that you like.
5. Practice Succeeding…
Ultimately, you want each element of your practice session to stretch your abilities but not to overwhelm
you. If practicing is the process of building habits, practicing poor execution will build the habit of poor
execution. Modify overwhelming activities until you can execute them successfully, building a habit of success.
The three ways to modify an exercise in piano practice are:

a. Shorten – Work on a smaller amount of music at a time. Instead of trying to tackle eight measures,
tackle two measures. Instead of trying to play a whole piece, just play the first line of music.
b. Slow Down – Find the tempo at which you can play the exercise successfully, then raise the tempo
up gradually to your goal.
c. Simplify – Change or simplify the exercise. Play just one hand at a time instead of playing hands
together. If the exercise is supposed to be done in all twelve keys, practice just two keys for now.
Disregard the articulation until you master the notes.
6. …or Push Yourself

If material is too easy, ask yourself “What If” questions to make the exercises stretch you a bit more. The three
suggestions below will provide you with ideas to challenge yourself and allow you to move forward at a more
rapid pace in your study of jazz.
a. Add Pieces or Keys – If you can successfully play an exercise over one piece or key, choose more
tunes from the tune bank or practice until you have mastered it in all twelve keys. If you can do it
in all major keys, try some minor keys too.
b. Accelerate – Bump up the tempo until you are going blazing fast!
c. Add Elements – Add a left-hand pattern or right-hand phrase, add ornaments, try with a faster
subdivision of meter, practice over a difficult piece or chord progression.
7. Practicing Without a Metronome is Like…

…playing tennis without a net. Without a net, you are just hitting tennis balls wherever. Without a metronome,
you are just playing notes wherever you want. Without a metronome, you don’t have any metric to measure
whether you are succeeding at your exercise. Unless the text specifically prompts you to practice out of time,
practice with a metronome.
8. Play with Others

I know it sounds scary now, but play with others as soon as possible. Jazz is social music and you will learn so
much by playing in an ensemble. Not only will your bandmates give you new ideas for listening, practicing, and
growth, but playing in an ensemble will reinforce your ability to stay in time and follow the form. To return to
the language metaphor, it is important to actually have conversations with others regularly instead of always
studying alone. By the time you reach Unit 6, you should be highly qualified to contribute to an ensemble.
9. Don’t Give Up
Learning jazz is a long process. Simply sticking with it even when practicing feels hard is one of the most crucial
keys to success. If you keep practicing and trust the process, progress will come.
I look forward to hearing the musical poetry that you add to the jazz tradition! I wish you many happy hours of
practicing, listening, and experimenting at the piano!
Jeremy

Unit 1
Getting Oriented Scan Here for
Unit 1 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 1 – Drone Improvisation

In the course of learning to become a skilled jazz improviser, a student must learn many new things. Throughout
the course of this book, you will learn about scales, modes, arpeggios, non-chord tones, upper extensions, and much
more.
An equally important part of becoming a better jazz improviser is learning to apply many things you probably
already know about music. To this end, in the first few units, you will be practicing drone improvisations, impro-
visations over an unchanging accompaniment pattern. During these drone improvisations, you will practice creating
improvisations that ascribe to some of the most fundamental tenets of good melody-making.
Ground Rules
• Spend 5-10 minutes a day doing drone improvisations.
• Always use a timer with your drone improvisations. Otherwise, the improvisations can seem
endless and unfocused. One or two minutes is a good amount of time for each point of focus.
• Always have a goal or focus for your drone improvisation. If you are not focused, the time you
spend improvising will merely reinforce your previous habits, the antithesis of growth.
• Drone improvisations can be practiced out of time to allow you to explore without the constraints of
metronomic rhythm. Keep the mood meditative. This is not the time to show off your flashy technique.
For now, play a low fifth in the left hand. Repeat as necessary when the sound fades.
? 44
w
w
In the right hand, improvise using the C major scale, the white keys on the piano. Focus on the three points below
for this unit. Even though these points might seem simple, take one at a time and give them your full attention for
your short improvisation.
UNIT 1 GETTING ORIENTED 9

Points of Focus
1. Are you really listening to yourself as you play?
Listen to each note. Is it tense? Resolved? Beautiful? Ugly? Is it leading somewhere? Stable? Boring? Intriguing?
How is your melody? Singable? Curvy? Flat? Jagged? Don’t judge yourself as you play, but examine your
melodies in the same way a fascinated scientist might watch an exciting experiment, with rapt attention.
2. Do your phrases have a clear beginning and ending?

Good melodies happen in phrases, not in endless streams. While you improvise, focus on creating a clear sense
of when you are playing a phrase and when there is space in between phrases. Practice taking your hand all the
way off the piano in between phrases. How long can you wait in between phrases? Could you try giving each of
your phrases a dynamic shape? The most common shape is to crescendo slightly to the middle of the phrase and
then decrescendo from the middle to the end.
3. What kinds of rhythms are you using?

Most of us have rhythms that we default to if we are uncomfortable. For some, this means long notes whereas for
others this means a constant stream of eighth notes. Listen to yourself and ask yourself what kinds of rhythms
you use most commonly (just observe, don’t try to control). Then, add whatever element might be missing. Maybe
you could use more triplets? More long notes? Some syncopation, that is, prominence of offbeat notes? Later,
you will be given lots of clear direction about rhythm, but for now, begin to become conscious of your habits.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: This is pretty easy for me. Can I skip it?
A: Drone improvisation isn’t meant to be easy or hard. It is meant to be habit-forming. If you find it easy…great!
Keep doing it! Just like eating healthy or taking a bath in the morning is not difficult but needs to be done,
drone improvisations reinforce good musical habits when done consistently. If it is so easy that your mind
wanders, then you are not doing it correctly – focus up and see how creative you can be within the confines of
the exercise.
Q: Can I use pedal?

A: In general, you are not going to use any pedal for anything in this book…with the exception of these
drone improvisations. Your drone improvisations can have a “new age” sound and be as pretty and
pedal-drenched as you want them to be.
For everything else in the book, please stay off the pedal. It is not needed!

Swing Feel Basics 1
Swing is the standard rhythmic feel for jazz. With over one hundred years of history, hundreds of subgenres,
and different regional interpretations, swing is not simply one thing. In fact, it is a living concept that changes
depending on tempo, region, subgenre, and the individual musician.
With that in mind, the following are good rules to get you started with swing, but only by combining these rules
with intensive listening can you achieve a nuanced sense of swing rhythm.
1. The beat should be divided into three parts.

Instead of dividing the beat equally in half, as in music with straight eighth notes, in swing music, the beat is
divided into three equal parts. As a result, any note on the offbeat should be played on the third part of the
beat. As you become accustomed to swing feel, you will probably have to mentally subdivide each beat into
three (“one-two-three, two-two-three, three-two-three, four-two-three”). Said another way, any swing piece
in 4/4 time might feel like it is in 12/8.
2. Pairs of eighth notes are uneven.

Because the beat is divided into three instead of two, eighth notes can’t possibly be even. When playing a
string of eighth notes, the eighth notes on the beat should be played on the first of the three subdivisions, but
the offbeat eighth notes should be played on the third subdivision of the beat (sometimes called the third
partial of the beat). Regardless of whether an offbeat eighth note is all by itself or paired with an eighth note
on the beat, it should still be played on the third partial of the beat.
Swung Eighths
j
Straight Eighths
j
3 3
&4 œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙
4
œ
1 2 3 2 2 3 3
Swung Eighths
& 4 ‰ œj ‰ œj ˙ j
Straight Eighths
Œ j Œ œ ˙
3 3
œ
4
1 2 3 2 2 3 3
3. The offbeat receives more weight than the note on the beat.
Here is the tricky part! Whereas classical and pop musicians generally give slightly more emphasis to notes
on the beat compared to notes off the beat, jazz musicians put extra weight on the shorter, offbeat eighth
note. For many musicians from a classical background, this is very unintuitive and requires a great deal of
focused practice.
To reinforce this principle, many students find it helpful to use scat syllables. Scat syllables are nonsense
words that can be used to sing jazz melodies in place of lyrics. For a pair of eighth notes, use the scat syllables
“doo-VAH,” singing the “doo” for the longer, unaccented eighth and the “VAH” for the shorter, accented
eighth.
Swung Eighths - Swung Eighths -
Correct Accents Incorrect Accents
&4
3
j
3
j 3
j
3
j
œ- œ œ- ˙ œ œ- œ ˙
4
œ œ-
"doo - VAH doo - VAH doo"

In notating the difference between the two eighth notes, this book uses a tenuto to show that the weight goes
on the offbeat. A tenuto was chosen instead of an accent mark because accent marks usually indicate a harsh or
disruptive articulation change, a bigger emphasis than is needed.
4. Eighth notes are played legato.

Jazz musicians play consecutive eighth notes as long, legato phrases with no space in between. Space is only
placed between consecutive eighth notes for special effect. Legato phrasing includes repeated notes, which
should be played without allowing the key to come all the way up. Even for repeated notes, no space should be
heard between consecutive eighth notes.
Swung Eighths - Swung Eighths - Swung Eighths -

Correct Articulation Incorrect Articulation Incorrect Articulation
&4 œ
3
j
3
j 3
j
3
j 3
j
3
j
œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙ œ. œ. œ. ˙
4
œ œ.
Coordination Exercise 1
Throughout this book, you will be learning coordination exercises, scale exercises written with the goal of helping
solidify the relationship between your right and left hands.
This exercise has two parts. In the first part, repeat every other note of a major scale to create the three-part
subdivision of the beat needed for swing feel. Your left hand will keep time with quarter notes so that you are able
to clearly feel the beat. Practice emphasizing the note on the third partial of the beat as notated below.
- œœ -œ œ œ -œ œ œ œ -œ œ œ -œ œœ -œ
-
œ œœ œ œœ -
œ
3
& 4 œ œœ œ- œœ œ- œœ œœ œ
3 3
œœ
- œ- œœ œ œ
3 3 3
œ œ-
4
{
3 3 3 3 3
3 3 -
?4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3
When you are ready, remove the repeated note but continue to hear it in your head. Keep your focus on emphasiz-
ing the note on the third partial of the triplet. You are now playing the equivalent of swung eighth notes.
-
œ œœ -œ œ œ -œ œ œ œ -œ œ œ -œ œœ -œ
-
œ œœ œœ -
œ
3
& 4 œ œœ œ- œœ œ- œœ œœ œ
3 3
œœ
- œ- œœ œ œ
3 3 3
œ œ-
4
{
3
3 3 3 3
3 3 -
?4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3

FAQ
Q: I’m playing the accents but I find myself playing loudly. Am I doing it right?
A: Yes, but consider making the nonaccented notes softer. If your unaccented note is played at a mezzo forte
dynamic, you have no choice but to make your accents forte or fortissimo. The quieter the basic tone, the
easier it is to create a variety of accents without feeling like you are pounding on the piano. A mental trick is
to think about deemphasizing the note on the beat to create the “doo-VAH” effect rather than emphasizing
the offbeat note.
Swing Exercises
Play the simple passages below. Focus on your swing rhythm and articulation. Subdivide the beat into three parts,
place the weight on the offbeat eighth notes (it often helps to write in tenuto markings over the appropriate notes),
and practice speaking “doo-VAH” along with the correct eighth notes. Remember that no matter where the phrase
starts, “doo” always goes with eighth notes on the beat and “VAH” always goes with offbeat eighth notes.
For now, you can play these exercises with just one hand at a time or keep time using repeated quarter note C’s
in your resting hand. In the next unit, you will be learning some stylistically-appropriate accompanying patterns.
Though these exercises seem simple, vigilantly listen for the correct articulation and beat subdivision.
A
&4 œ œ œ œ ˙ Œ Ó ‰ j
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ ˙
4
B
j Œ ‰ œj œ œ
& 4 ‰ œ œ œ œj œ ™ Œ œ œ j Ó
œ œ
Ó
4
œ œ™
C
&4 Ó Œ ‰ œj œj Ó
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ ™ œ œ œ
4
œ™
D
& 4 ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ œ Ó
4
œ œ œ œ
E
j
&4 Œ œ œ œ œ™ Œ œ œ œ œ j ‰ œj œ
œ œ œ œ™ ˙
4
œ ˙

Chord Symbol Basics
Chord symbols are a short-hand notation that quickly present the chords to a song. Chord symbols are perfect for
jazz because they are specific enough to give musicians a shared sense of the harmony, but open-ended enough
to give musicians a chance to create their own interpretation. Jazz musicians mainly work from what’s called a
lead sheet, a form of notation that presents the melody of a song with chord symbols above the staff. The Real
Book is a collection of lead sheets.
It is important to remember that chord symbols give information rather than instructions. Just because a chord
symbol lists a specific extension or alteration, it doesn’t mean that everyone in the band needs to play it. Chord
symbols convey as much as possible in a small space but it is up to the individual player to decide how to interpret,
voice, and color chords for themselves.
Most jazz chord symbols have a four-part form:
1. The first part lists the root of the chord, the note upon which the chord is built. In jazz, the root of
the chord is always presented as a capital letter, unlike in classical music where minor chords are often
designated with a lower case letter.
2. The second part describes the sonority of the basic triad. There are five primary options:
• Major triad. No symbol used.
• Minor triad. Symbol is “m,” “min,” or “-”
• Suspended triad. Symbol is “sus.” A suspended triad is a triad in which the fourth note
of the scale replaces the third.
• Diminished triad. Symbol is “o” or “dim.” A diminished triad is a minor triad with a
lowered fifth.
• Augmented triad. Symbol is “+.” An augmented triad is a major triad with a raised fifth.
3. The third part is a superscript number that indicates the fourth note of the chord. For a triad, a
three-note chord, there will be no third part because the chord only has three notes. There are three
primary options:
• Major seventh. Symbol is “maj7” or “∆7.”
• Lowered/dominant seventh (a minor seventh interval about the root). Symbol is a
superscript numeral “7” only.
• Major sixth above the root. Symbol is a superscript numeral “6.”
Sometimes, higher odd numbers like “9,” “11,” or “13” will be used in place of a “7,”
typically to indicate that a specific interval above the root is part of the melody of the piece.
4. The fourth part indicates alterations or extensions that need to be added above the normal chord
symbol. These are typically enclosed in parentheses to avoid confusion with the other parts of the chord.
Often times, these take the form of easy-to-follow instructions. (b5) means to lower the fifth by a half
step. (#9) means to raise the ninth by a half step. This book will cover alterations in depth starting in
Unit 10.

Here are a few chord symbols with four-part analysis:
C∆7
a. C = the root of the chord. The chord is based on C.
b. There is no symbol indicating a triad type, which indicates that the triad is major.
c. The symbol “∆7” is used to indicate the fourth note. This indicates a major seventh.
d. There is no indication of an extra alteration or extension.
The notes of this chord are C, E, G, and B.
Ebm7
a. E-flat is the root of the chord.
b. The “m” indicates that the triad is a minor triad.
c. The superscript “7” with no extra symbol indicates that the seventh is a lowered/dominant seventh,
a minor seventh interval above the root.
The notes of this chord are E-flat, G-flat, B-flat, and D-flat.
F7(b9)
a. F is the root of the chord.
b. There is no symbol indicating a triad type, which indicates that the triad is a major triad.
c. The superscript “7” with no extra symbol indicates that the seventh is a lowered/dominant seventh, a
b
minor seventh interval above the root.
d. The ( 9) indicates that the ninth of the chord should be lowered by a half step.
The notes of this chord are F, A, C, E-flat, and G-flat.
C#6
a. C-sharp is the root of the chord.
c. The superscript “6” indicates the major sixth of the scale is the fourth note added.
The notes of this chord are C-sharp, E-sharp (F), G-sharp, and A-sharp.
D
a. D is the root of the chord.
c. There is no symbol or numeral indicating a fourth note, meaning the chord is a triad.
The notes of this chord are D, F-sharp, and A.

FAQ
FAQ
Frequently Asked
Asked Questions
Questions
Frequently
Q:: For
Q the chord symbol “Eb ” how do I know whether E-flat is the root or if the “b7” means it
Why does the ii-V-I work?7
A: isA an
fewEreasons!
chord First,
with the
a lowered
bass notesseventh?
move in fifths, which is very appealing to the ear in Western music (think
of the circle of fifths). Second, the chords are all diatonic to the home key, meaning that they don’t require
A: The fourth note Third,
any accidentals. of a chord
the ii will
is a never be altered
predominant, the using
V is a adominant,
flat or a sharp.
and theItI isis indicated
a tonic, sousing the symbols
the chords have a
discussed – superscript numeral “7” for a lowered/dominant seventh, “maj7,” or “∆7,” for a major seventh.
natural flow.
Q: IAre
have studied
ii-V-I figured bass.
progressions Shouldn’t
always in major b6” indicate an E-flat chord in first inversion?
“Ekeys?
A: This is a totally
Actually, different
no. Later in yoursystem.
studies,Disregard anything you
you will encounter know
minor aboutwhich
ii-V-I’s, figured
arebass. In chordmore
significantly symbol notation,
complicated
inversions are indicated
than the major areslashes.
ones youby learningTonow.
indicate an inversion,
For now, focus onwrite the chord,
the major draw
ii-V-I’s. a slash,
There and then
is plenty write the
to learn.
desired bass note. For example, Dm7/F is a D minor seventh chord with F in the bass, or as jazz musicians
Q: In the examples above, why is the I chord held for two measures?
might say “D minor seventh over F.”
A::Why
Q This is common practice. Even though ii-V-I progressions have three chords, they are usually
are there multiple ways to indicate the same chord? Do they mean anything different?
organized into a two- or four-measure phrase because musicians generally prefer phrases with an even number
A: Because
of measures.
jazz has its roots in folk traditions, differences are often regional. Although jazz educators
have done their best to standardize chord notations, different musicians can’t agree on a single notation. The
Q : different symbols simply
If a progression looksmean
like that people
a ii-V-I butwere
hasintroduced to chord
a major sixth symbols
chord in different
instead ways. seventh
of a major
chord as the I chord, is it still a ii-V-I?
A: Yes.Essential
Three The major Chord Types
sixth chord (which looks like C6) is just a slightly different flavor of major chord, but it still can
still be a I in a ii-V-I progression.
Don’t feel overwhelmed by all of the possible combinations of these elements. For the vast majority of this book,
you will be dealing with three crucial chord types.
1. Major Seventh Chord

Possible Chord Symbols Using C as the Root: Cmaj7, C∆7
Three Ways to Find It:
• Select the first, third, fifth, and seventh notes of the major scale based on the root of the chord.
• Combine a major triad based on the root with a major seventh. The major seventh is the note one
half step below the root.
• Stack intervals starting from the root. First, use a major third, then add a minor third, then another
major third.
Sound: Bright but with a little more nostalgia than a simple major triad
CŒ„Š7 FŒ„Š7 GŒ„Š7 B¨Œ„Š7 D¨Œ„Š7 BŒ„Š7

? 44 w
w #w w bbw
w ###w
w
w w
w
w
w
w
w
w bw
w
w w
w w
w
w

2. Dominant Seventh Chord
Possible Chord Symbols Using C as the Root: C7
• Starting with a major seventh chord based on the root, lower the seventh by a half step.
• Combine a major triad based on the root with a minor seventh. The minor seventh is the note
two half steps below the root.
• Stack intervals starting from the root. First stack a major third, then add a minor third, then
another minor third.
Sound: Tense, like it wants to resolve. Familiar to those with classical experience.
C7 F7 G7 B¨7 D¨7 B7
? 44 bw bw bb w
w
w
w bw
w
w
w
w
w bw
w
w bww
w ##w
w
w
w
w w
3. Minor Seventh Chord

Possible Chord Symbols Using C as the Root: Cm7, C-7, Cmin7
• Starting with a major seventh chord based on the root, lower the third and the seventh by a
half step.
• Combine a minor triad based on the root with a minor seventh. The minor seventh is the note
two half steps below the root.
• Stack intervals starting from the root. First, stack a minor third, then add a major third, and
another minor third.
Sound: Not quite the melancholic sad we associate with minor. A little ambivalent or undecided.
C‹7 F‹7 G‹7 B¨‹7 D¨‹7 B‹7

? 44 bbw
w bbbw bbbbw
w #w
w
w bbw
w
w
w bw
w
w
w
w
w
w w
w w
w
w

Written Practice
Write out the correct notes for the three main chord types as indicated below.
F7 AŒ„Š7 B‹7 G‹7 A¨Œ„Š7 DŒ„Š7

?
7 E7 E¨‹7 C7 D¨‹7 F‹7 D7

?
13 E‹7 B¨Œ„Š7 C©‹7 A‹7 B¨7 EŒ„Š7

?
19 F©7 F‹7 D7 G‹7 B‹7 C©Œ„Š7

?
Practicing Major, Minor, and Dominant Chords

The sooner you get lightning-fast at decoding these chords symbols, the faster you will be able to move on to the
more fun parts of playing jazz. To that end, practice the following:
1. Create flash cards for all thirty-six major, minor, and dominant seventh chords (one for all twelve
possible roots for major, minor, and dominant seventh chords) with the chord symbol on the front
and the correct notes for the chord on the back. Practice looking at the chord symbol and playing the
chord. Then check the back to double-check you have the correct notes. As you get good, practice with
a metronome to see how quickly you can locate the correct notes.
2. A vamp is a section of a piece that’s repeated until a cue to move on. Compose your own short vamp
pieces by selecting four flash cards and playing each chord for two measures, repeating the progression
until it feels solid. Experiment with styles! Use familiar styles like broken chords or oompah or create
your own style. As you get comfortable with the chords, challenge yourself to find the chords faster by
playing the chords for only one measure each, then two beats each, and then for only one beat each.
3. Leaf through The Real Book searching for major, minor, or dominant seventh chords. Wherever you
see one of those chords, play it! If you’d like to play full tunes, search for the tunes in the Tune Bank.
The Tune Bank contains tunes that use major, minor, and dominant seventh chords almost exclusively.

FAQ
Q: Should I be playing all of these chords in root position or should I use inversions
to keep them closer together?
A: For now, simply play them stacked up in root position. Later, you will learn how to put these chords into fancy
voicings and manipulate them in countless ways. Practice with these chords in the left hand or doubled in both
hands. If you are comfortable with inversions, you are welcome to practice putting these chords in inversions,
but correct inversions are not a priority at this stage of your jazz education.
Q: Does the overall key signature play any role in determining the correct notes
for a chord?
A: No! The key signature is irrelevant to the notes of a chord and the notes of a chord do not change based on
the key of a piece. A C major seventh chord has the notes C, E, G, and B whether it is in the key of C major,
F major, B major, or G-sharp major.
Q: How high or low should I play these chords?

A: Later, I will be giving you very specific rules about the best register for different kinds of jazz voicings. For
now, trust your ear. On my piano, I find that chords sound too low as the lowest note approaches F2. On the
high end, work to keep out of the melody range. Keep the highest note lower than G4. For a point of reference,
middle C is C4.
Q: I see chords in parentheses in some of the pieces in The Real Book.

What does that mean?
A: Great question! Parentheses are used for two types of chords:
1. Parentheses are used for a turnaround, a single chord or short progression intended to facilitate
repeating back to the beginning of a piece. Turnarounds are usually written in parentheses because
they should be played every time except for the very last time. The last time through, the turnaround
should not be played because the chords designed to repeat back to the beginning will disrupt the sense
of an ending.
2. Parentheses are sometimes used for alternate chord changes, a substitute harmonic option to the
standard chords. These changes are included because as different musicians have recorded pieces, they
have harmonized the melodies with different chord progressions. Sometimes these different harmoni-
zations are very similar and sometimes they are wildly different. Great jazz musicians often know many
different harmonizations for a single tune. For now, knowing alternate chord changes isn’t important.
Disregard the chords in parentheses.

GUIDED LISTENING 1 –
“Freddie Freeloader” by Miles Davis Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
Stop! Don’t even think about skipping the guided listening activities. They are the most important part of the book!
Jazz is, at its core, an aural tradition. Any study of jazz without gobs and gobs of listening is truly futile. Take this
seriously and it will pay off.
I recommend that you listen to each suggested track at least twenty times. Good jazz musicians listen repeatedly to
their favorite tracks until they can effortlessly sing all of the melodies and improvised solos. Listen not just to the
soloist and not just to the pianist, but let your ear wander to different instruments.
“Freddie Freeloader” is the second track from Miles Davis’ 1959 album Kind of Blue.
Miles Davis (1926-1991) was an American trumpet player and arguably the most influential musician in jazz
history. Not only was Davis a virtuoso trumpeter and an improviser of immense creativity, but he was one of the
best bandleaders and most creative innovators in jazz history. Many historians assert that Davis’ groups remained
at the pinnacle of the artform for five different eras of jazz history, a stunning accomplishment. Alumni of his band
include some of the most legendary jazz musicians of all time, including John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock,
Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, and many more.
Kind of Blue (1959) is generally considered to be the greatest jazz album of all time. Critics and listeners love the
album because of first, the lineup of players, which comprises many of the greatest musicians of all time on their
instruments; second, the tunes, many of which have become standard fare for musicians; and third, the important
stylistic shifts launched by this album, which will be discussed later in this book.
Although a jazz performance can be many things,

PERSONNEL ranging from a fully-notated orchestral piece to a
completely improvised avant garde set of noises,
Miles Davis, trumpet most traditional jazz performances follow a sandwich
format that resembles the following:
John Coltrane, tenor saxophone
Cannonball Adderley, alto saxophone

Head
Wynton Kelly, piano
(this is the only track that Kelly plays on; the great pianist Solo
Bill Evans plays on the rest of the album)
Solo
Paul Chambers, bass
Solo
Jimmy Cobb, drums
Solo
(more solos as necessary)
Head

The ensemble first performs the head, the main melody, once or twice. The length of the head is called a chorus.
The head in refers to the melody played at the beginning of the piece. The head out refers to the melody played
at the end of the piece.
After the head, the musicians take turns improvising solos, new melodies created over the same chord progres-
sion as the head. These solos might each last for one chorus or for multiple choruses. In general, the number of
choruses each musician improvises isn’t preset. Instead, a soloist cues the next soloist when they’re done impro-
vising. Because the chord progression is the same as for the head, each chorus of solo will be the same number of
measures as the head. Occasionally, on slower pieces, musicians might split a chorus, and take only a half chorus
each. It is not necessary for each soloist to improvise for the same number of choruses. Each one creates their own
spontaneous story.
Follow along with your Real Book as you listen to “Freddie Freeloader.” You will notice that although the head has
a first and second ending, making it twenty-four-measures long, a note at the end of the first ending instructs the
player to use only the first ending for solos, creating the twelve-measure form.
Here’s a map of the track, which you will notice, follows the sandwich format. Count the choruses along with the
track, remembering that each chorus is twelve measures long:
Head (24 measures, first + second ending) 0:00-0:44

Piano solo (Wynton Kelly, 4 choruses) 0:44-2:14
Trumpet solo (Miles Davis, 6 choruses) 2:14-4:30
Tenor saxophone solo (John Coltrane, 5 choruses) 4:30-6:21
Alto saxophone solo (Cannonball Adderley, 5 choruses) 6:21-8:13
Bass solo (Paul Chambers, 2 choruses) 8:13-8:55
Head (24 measures, first + second ending) 8:55-end
Here are a few tricks to help you follow along with the form of the recording:
• Use your finger to count the beats in each measure on the page. Tap four times for the four quarter
notes in each measure. In the first line, there are four measures of B-flat dominant seventh, so tap 16
times. In the next line, there are two measures of E-flat dominant seventh (8 taps) and two measures
of B-flat dominant seventh (8 taps). In the first ending, there is one measure of F dominant seventh (4
taps), one measure of E-flat dominant seventh (four taps), and two measures of A-flat dominant seventh
(8 taps). If you have trouble determining the quarter note, listen to the bass. The bass is playing quarter
notes for essentially this entire track.
• Play the chords softly along with the recording. Remember that in the solos, the musicians only take the
first ending. You can practice simply holding the chords for the appropriate length or repeating them
every quarter note, just like the tapping above.
• Sing the melody of the tune during the solos. Most jazz musicians actually keep the melody in the back
of their mind while they are improvising in order to help them keep the form of the tune.

UNIT 1 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 1 – Drone Improvisation 1
a. Are you listening to yourself?
b. Are you playing in phrases with clear beginnings and endings?
c. What kind of rhythms are you using?
2. Practice Coordination Exercise 1 in all twelve keys
3. Play through the Swing Exercises paying attention to your articulation
4. Practice finding Major, Minor, and Dominant Seventh Chords at the piano
a. Flash cards
b. Vamp piece
c. Real Book practice
5. Guided Listening 1: “Freddie Freeloader” by Miles Davis

a. Listen at least twenty times
b. Learn to follow the form of the tune during the head and solos

Unit 2
Comping Basics Scan Here for
Unit 2 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 2 – Drone Improvisation 2

Continue improvising in C with a simple fifth in the left hand for 1-2 minute focused sessions. This week, you have
two new prompts for focusing your practice:
Points of Focus
1. Use a variety of hand positions to create melodies with interesting shapes.
For many pianists, even advanced pianists, first improvisations usually take place in simple five-finger posi-
tions, with fingers on contiguous keys (i.e. C, D, E, F, G). To create melodies with a variety of shapes, a pianist
must vary their hand position. Pianists should cross over and cross under as they do when playing scales. They
should expand their hand to play larger intervals and then contract it in a new area (think of the melody for
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow”). They should also spread their fingers out to arpeggio position, with one key
in between each of the first four fingers (think C-E-G-B). As you play, experiment with each of these positions
and use them to make melodies that have a variety of intervals. Are you using sixths and sevenths as well as
seconds and thirds? How frequently are you changing directions?
2. Improvise in a call-and-response format.

Call and response is an essential element of African-American musical traditions, including jazz. Call and
response dates back to songs sung by slaves picking cotton and is essential to the cadence of the gospel church.
Although there aren’t specific rules for creating a call and response melody, consider that the call phrase and the
response phrase should be related and roughly equal in length. Leave ample space between the call and response
phrases to make them sound truly separate. A good rule of thumb is to rest between phrases for about as long
as you play each phrase.
Swing Feel Basics 2

Even though eighth notes are the focal point of swing music, other rhythmic units have stylized articulation that
defines the swing style.
1. Play a percussive accent on eighth notes followed by a rest.

When an eighth note is followed by a rest, it should be played with a short, percussive accent, an eight out of
ten in volume. For these eighth notes, use the scat syllable “DIT.”
UNIT 2 COMPING BASICS 23

Eighth notes followed by rests usually create syncopation by anticipating a note that would have been played
on the beat for a “straight” version of a melody. Anticipating a note means playing it an eighth note earlier
than expected. Examine the difference between syncopated and non-syncopated versions of “Mary Had a Little
Lamb” below:
Without Syncopation With Syncopation
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œœÓ
4
last note of phrase is anticipated
The accented eighth note is notated with both an accent and staccato in the phrases below. Note that tenuto
markings are placed on offbeat eighth notes that aren’t followed by a rest, as outlined in Unit 1.
j œ -œ œ > j >œ.
. -œ œ- œ >œ.
4 -
& 4 œ œ œ œ. Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ- œ Œ Œ ‰ J Ó
- > -
FAQ
Q: These phrases all end on offbeats. Is that necessary for the percussive accent?
A: Actually, yes! If a phrase ends on a beat, the last note is typically notated as a quarter note. Therefore, you won’t
find many eighth notes on the beat followed by a rest.
Q: The examples above are written as regular eighth notes. Should I be swinging them?
A: Yes! From here on out, please assume that eighth notes should be swung unless otherwise indicated. Practice
subdividing the beat into three parts, counting the subdivision out loud or in your head.
2. Quarter notes should be played long but not connected.

In a swing style, quarter notes are generally played long but not connected. This articulation is appropriate for
quarter notes on the beat or off the beat. Jazz musicians often talk about quarter notes as being “fat,” that is,
taking up the entire length of the beat. The term “fat” also suggests that quarter notes should feel slow, coun-
tering many musicians’ tendency to rush quarter notes. Use the scat syllable “daht” for quarter notes. “Daht”
represents quarter notes well because it has a long vowel but still has a clear ending.
3. Longer notes’ articulation is based on their entrance.

Swing articulation is less important for notes longer than a quarter note because as notes are held longer, the
musician has less ability to make them swing or not swing. These notes can be played legato.
The entrance of longer notes matters. Notes that enter on the offbeat should be played on the third partial of
the beat with a slight accent. Like offbeat eighth notes, say “VAH” for long notes entering on an offbeat. Notes
that enter on the beat should be played with no accent. Like eighth notes on the beat, say “doo” for longer notes
entering on a beat.
2424 JAZZ
JAZZ PIANO
PIANO FUNDAMENTALS
FUNDAMENTALS
4. Practice with the metronome on beats two and four.
Jazz musicians frequently practice with the metronome on beats two and four because it simulates the hi-hat
cymbals on the drumset. The hi-hat is a pair of foot-activated cymbals that face each other to create a crisp
timbre. In jazz, the hi-hat is used to consistently keep time on beats two and four in a swing style. Aligning with
the weak beats (two and four) rather than the strong beats (one and three) helps a musician to lay back on the
time feel, sounding more relaxed than nervous.
Here’s a chart reviewing articulation and scat syllables:
NOTE TYPE ARTICULATION SCAT SYLLABLE

Eighth note, on the beat Legato, unaccented doo
Eighth note, off the beat Legato, with weight; VAH
on the third partial of the beat
Eighth note, followed by rest Percussive accent (short) DIT
Quarter note Long but not connected daht
Long note, on the beat Legato, unaccented doo
Long note, off the beat Legato, with weight VAH
Examine the examples below for articulation and scat syllables. Speak and then play the examples with the metro-
nome, treating the clicks of the metronome as though they were the second and fourth beats of a four-four measure.
Always maintain the three-part subdivision of the beat.
&4 œ Œ ˙ Ó œ Ó ‰ œj œ œ-
œ- œ- - œ œ- œ œ- œ œ- œ >. -
4
daht daht daht doo VAH doo VAH doo doo VAH doo DIT VAH doo VAH
- ‰ œ -œj œ œ œ
5
& œ œ œ- œ Œ - -
Œ ‰ j œ
œ
Ó
œ œ œ- œ >œ. - - œ >œ.
>. >.
daht doo VAH doo DIT daht VAH doo VAH doo DIT daht doo DIT VAH daht doo DIT
-
9
& ‰ -œ ™ ˙ œ -œ œ œ. Œ ‰ œJ œ œ œ
- œ œ.
Œ œ- œ œ ˙
> > -
VAH doo VAH doo - DIT VAH doo VAH doo DIT daht doo VAH

Written Practice
Fill in the following examples below with yourœown scat syllables and articulation. Then practice playing them with
œ of theœmetronome
œ œ onœbeats˙two and four. Œ ‰ j œ œ œ œ
œ œ Œ placing
a&
4 Œon the articulation, Ó the clicks
focus
œ
œ œ œ Œ ‰ j œ œ œ œ
4
&4 Œ œ œ Œ Ó œ œ œ ˙
œ
4
œ œ œ œ œ
&4
4Œ
œ œ Œ Ó œ ˙ Œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ
5
œ ™ jÓ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Œ ‰ J J J œ œ Œ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ
5& œ
j œ œ œ œ œ œ
5&
œ œ Ó Œ ‰ J J J œ œ œ œ Œ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
™
œ ™ jÓ Œ ‰ J J J œ œ œ œ Œ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ
& œ
˙™ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ
9
9&
Œ Œ ∑
˙™ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ
9& Œ Œ ∑
˙™ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ
& Œ Œ ∑
FAQ
Q: In measure four, why is the first eighth note a “VAH” rather than a “doo”?
A: It comes on an offbeat. Offbeat eighth notes are always given the weight, whether they start the phrase or
arrive in the middle of a phrase.
Q: Are two eighth notes tied together a quarter note?

A: Yes! Often times, copyists use two tied eighths instead of a quarter to show the middle of the measure. Treat
it just like a normal quarter note – play long but not connected.
Q: Should the quarter note “dahts” be accented?

A: You should play quarter notes solidly, but you don’t need to play them with an accent. In terms of dynamics,
quarter notes can be played at a level between a “doo” and a “VAH.”
Q: When playing eighth-note triplets, should I place an emphasis on any of the triplets?
A: No. Just play them legato and even.
Q: What about sixteenth notes? What’s the correct articulation there?
A: Sixteenth notes can be played legato without any special accents or emphasis. Many jazz musicians place irregular
accents on sixteenth notes that reflect the shape of the melody, for instance, accenting leaps and turn-around
points, notes where the melody’s direction goes from ascending to descending or vice versa.

Comping Basics
Comping is a word used to describe how a chordal instrument creates their own accompaniment part. Depending
on who you ask, “comping” is said to be an abbreviation of either “accompanying” or “complementing.”
Comping is the result of three different inputs:
1. The lead sheet. The chord symbols give the accompanist instructions about the harmony and form.
2. The style. An accompanist will comp differently depending on whether they’re playing swing, ballad,
funk, bossa nova, or salsa. Different styles will guide the accompanist to different voicing types, rhythms,
and articulations.
3. The situation. Good musicians make different accompaniment decisions based on what’s happening
around them. For example, if there are many soloists in a row, an accompanist might choose to accompa-
ny each slightly differently to create contrasts. If the soloist is playing very busily, the accompanist might
choose to comp more sparsely. If a pianist is sharing the stage with a guitarist, the two instruments usually
take turns accompanying to avoid overlap.
When a professional-level jazz pianist comps, the result is something somewhat random sounding to the untrained
ear. Because good compers are always responding to the musicians around them, their comping is constantly
changing.
To learn to comp effectively, however, you should start with predictable comping patterns. As you progress in
your jazz piano journey, you will have more and more opportunity to mix and vary these comping patterns until your
comping sounds as unpredictable as that of the jazz greats.
The Charleston, your first comping pattern, is an incredibly important jazz rhythm with comps on beats one and
the “and of two.” Its name comes from James P. Johnson’s eponymous piece which launched a dance craze in the
1920s. Even though the rhythm is notated with one quarter note and one eighth note, play both chords equally
short.
CŒ„Š7
? 44 œœœ. œœœ.
œ ‰ œ Ó
J
The Reverse Charleston uses the same rhythmic pattern as the Charleston but starts an eighth note later. For
the Reverse Charleston, comp on the “and of one” and beat three. Again, even though the two chords are notated
differently, play them with equally short, crisp articulation.
CŒ„Š7
? 44 ‰ œœœ. œœœ.
œ Œ œ Œ
J

Practice these two comping patterns in the left hand while playing your major scales in the right hand. Line A uses
the Charleston pattern, Line B uses the Reverse Charleston, and Lines C and D mix between the two patterns.
Don’t forget your swing articulation in the right hand as you play the comping patterns in the left.
For now, comp only using short, staccato chords. Your comps should be as loud and as long as a brush hitting a
snare drum. Eventually, you will learn to mix long notes into your comping, but for now, please be vigilant and keep
your comps short.
A
œ œ œ œœ œœœœœ
œ œœœ œœ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ
œ œ
4
{ 4
.œ .œ
? 4 œœœ ‰ œœœ Ó
J
.œ
œ
.œ
œœ ‰ œœ Ó
œ
J
.œ
œ
.œ
œœ ‰ œœ Ó
œ
J
.œ .œ
œœ ‰ œœ Ó
œ œ
J
œœ œœœ œœœœœœœ
B
œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ
&4 œ œœœœ œœœ
4
{
?4 ‰
4
œœœ. œœœ.
œŒ œ
J
Œ
œœœ.
‰ œŒ
J
œœœ. œœœ. œœœ.
œ Œ ‰ œŒ œ Œ
J
œœœ. œœœ.
‰ œŒ œ Œ
J
œœœ œœœ œœœœœœ

C
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœœœœ
œ
4
{ . .
? 4 œœœœ ‰ œœœœ Ó
4 J
œœœ.
‰ œŒ
J
œœœ. œœœ. œœœ.
œ Œ œ ‰ œÓ
J
‰
œœœ. œœœ.
œŒ œ Œ
J
D
œ œ œ œ œœ œœœœœœ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœœ
œœœœ
4
{ . .
? 4 ‰ œœœœ Œ œœœœ Œ
4 J
œœœ.
œ ‰ œÓ
œœœ.
J
œœœ. œœœ.
‰ œŒ œ Œ
J
œœœ. œœœ.
œ ‰ œÓ
J

Comping Notations & Anticipations
Slash notation is used to indicate an improvised part. For chordal instruments, slashes usually indicate comping.
Each slash represents a quarter note during which the instrumentalist should improvise their part. In non-duple
time signatures, dotted slashes are frequently used to indicated dotted quarter notes.
CŒ„Š7
? 44
V V V V
Rhythmic notation is used to indicate specific comping rhythms. In rhythmic notation, round noteheads
are replaced by x’s. When you see this notation, you should stop comping freely and play the specific rhythm
indicated by the notation. This notation is generally used when the band is playing hits, rhythms that multiple
musicians play together.
• Normal x’s represent filled-in noteheads, such as quarter notes and eighth notes.
• x’s with a circle around them indicate open noteheads, such as half notes and whole notes.
• Chords for each comp are written above the notation. If no chord is provided, repeat the most recent
chord.
Written As Played As
D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7 B7 D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7 B7
œœœ ™™™ œœœ bœj œ #œœ
? 44 ‰ ¿ ™ Y ¿ ¿ ‰ ¿ ¿ ¿ ‰ œ™ ˙˙˙ bbœœœœ œ ‰ œœœ œœœ #n œœ
J ˙
When comping, anticipate any chord changes by an eighth note. In other words, change chords a half beat earlier
than actually indicated. For instance, in a measure with two chords, it is generally assumed the chords change on
beats one and three. But when comping using the Charleston pattern, play the first chord of the measure on beat
one and then anticipate the second chord of the measure for the comp on the “and of two.” Even though the chord
technically doesn’t start until beat three, pianists play this chord an eighth note early.
D‹7 G7 C‹7
? 44 œœœœ
j j F7
‰ œœ Ó
œœ bbœœœœ ‰ bœœœ Ó
œ
anticipation of G7 anticipation of F7
Comping on Jazz Standards

Practice comping the chords for at least three jazz standards found in The Real Book. Practice each piece four ways:
1. Comping with just the Charleston all the way through

2. Comping with just the Reverse Charleston all the way through
3. Alternate between the two comping patterns, comping two measures of Charleston and two measures
of Reverse Charleston
4. Alternate between the two comping patterns, starting with one measure of Charleston then one mea-
sure of Reverse Charleston

Practice first with just the left hand. Then, add the right hand, first playing pieces with long note melodies like
“Tune Up,” “Central Park West,” “All the Things You Are,” and “Mood Indigo.” Then, move on to tunes with more
active melodies like “Afternoon in Paris,” “Groovin’ High,” and “Surrey with the Fringe on Top.”
Listen vigilantly to whether your offbeats are truly on the offbeats. For many students, comps that should be on the
“and of two” drift to beat three and comps that should be on the “and of one” return to beat one. The syncopation
is essential to the style. Don’t lose it!
Coordinating comping patterns with melodies can be difficult at first. When becoming accustomed to an unfamiliar
hand coordination issue, pianists sometimes sketch in where the melody and chords align using rhythmic notation,
placing an “x” under every melody note or rest where the left hand will comp. Check that your right hand and left
hand are playing together wherever an “x” is written.
Charleston Reverse Charleston
j ‰ j œ œ œ œ ‰ œj bœ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7 D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7
& 4 ‰ œj œ œ œ œ ‰ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ
4
X X X X X X X X
Personalizing a Melody 1
The Real Book presents a cookie-cutter version of the melodies of standard tunes. It is understood that the musician
performing the piece will personalize the melody. To personalize a melody means to make it more expressive.
There are several ways to personalize a melody. Here are three ways to get started:
1. Change the rhythm.

Move notes originally written on the beat to the offbeats, placing them an eighth note earlier or later than
originally written. Frequently, when changing the rhythm of a jazz piece, phrases that end with long notes are
altered to end with short notes, creating the “doo-DIT” articulation you learned earlier.
Original Melody
&4 œ œ œ œ œ ˙
œ
4
j
Personalized Melody
&4 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
4
œ
later earlier earlier/shorter
than than than
original original original

2. Repeat melody notes.
Repeating longer notes to create flowing eighth-note rhythms can add a sense of swing to unsyncopated
melodies.
Original Melody
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
4
Personalized Melody
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
4
3. Add grace note slides.

Jazz musicians make melodies sound more vocal and personal by bending pitches. Pianists can’t properly bend
pitches, of course, but they can simulate a pitch bend by adding grace notes. Here are some tips to keep in
mind regarding grace notes for jazz piano:
• Grace notes that simulate a pitch bend should always lead into the main note by a half step.
• Unlike classical pianists, jazz pianists don’t try to play grace notes cleanly. In jazz, pianists allow their
grace notes various amounts of overlap with the main note.
• Pianists can use individual grace notes or multiple grace notes to create the pitch bend effect.
• Grace notes below the main note are used much more often than grace notes above the main note.
• Grace notes are typically used to emphasize more important notes, such as longer notes or notes on the
downbeat.
Original Melody Personalized Melody
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
4
j   
#œ œ#œ nœ#œ nœ#œ
FAQ
Q: Should I actually be sliding my fingers off of black keys in order to create grace note slides?
A: Probably not. Different jazz pianists play grace notes different ways, but the most sophisticated pianists, in my
opinion, usually use different fingers for the grace note and the main note. In a bluesy or boogie-woogie style,
it is more common to use the same finger and physically slide off of a key, but the technique is a little limiting
because it only works well going from a black key to an adjacent white key. Using different fingers will give you
more options in a wider variety of keys.

“Joy Spring” by Clifford Brown & Max Roach Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“Joy Spring” is the fourth track from Clifford Brown and Max Roach’s 1954 album, Clifford Brown and Max Roach.
The piece, an original composition by trumpeter Clifford Brown (1930-1956) is unique in its harmonic scheme
in which the key center ascends by half-step every eight measures, from F to G-flat to G. The track is most famous
for Brown’s trumpet solo, which mixes memorable bluesy melodies with windy virtuosic double-time passages.
Double-time is the device of using sixteenth notes as the primary rhythmic unit instead of eighth notes.
Sadly, although Brown’s career was very influential, it was very short. He died in a car accident at age 25. It is
quite remarkable that in his short lifetime he contributed memorable albums like Clifford Brown and Max Roach,
Study in Brown, and Clifford Brown with Strings, and wrote a handful of jazz standards, including “Joy Spring,”
“Sandu,” and “Daahoud.”
Max Roach (1924-2007), the co-leader of the band, was a trail-blazing drummer who helped to invent the bebop
drumming style and can be heard as a sideman for many of the greatest jazz musicians of the era including Charlie
Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Bud Powell. As a band leader in the 1960s, Roach contributed a memorable album,
We Insist! Freedom Now Suite, which focused on the theme of civil rights.
PERSONNEL Form
0:00-0:11 Introduction
Clifford Brown, trumpet
0:11-0:55 Head (32 measures)
Harold Land, tenor saxophone
0:55-0:58 Solo Break
Richie Powell, piano
0:58-1:44 Tenor Saxophone Solo (1 chorus)
George Morrow, bass
1:44-3:20 Trumpet Solo (2 choruses)
Max Roach, drums
3:20-4:08 Piano Solo (1 chorus)
4:08-4:56 Trumpet/Tenor trade fours with drums

(1 chorus)
4:56-5:41 Drum Solo (1 chorus)
5:52-6:37 Head Out
6:37-end Three-Time Tag and Ending

This piece follows a typical sandwich form, with a couple of modifications and additions. First, there is an
introduction that lasts about twelve seconds before the first head. At 0:55, saxophonist Harold Land takes a
solo break, a short, improvised section at the end of the head where the rhythm section, the piano, bass, and
drums, stops playing. Solo breaks are a shared custom of experienced jazz musicians and aren’t generally notated in
a lead sheet. They create momentum and excitement leading into a solo.
The musicians trade fours starting at 4:05. Trading fours is a technique in which musicians alternate improvising
for four measures at a time. Typically, as is the case here, instruments trade with the drums. Even when the musi-
cians trade fours, they are following the form of the tune. Although no one is actively playing the harmony during
the drum solos, the musicians hear the chords in their head during the drum solo and reenter at the appropriate
spot in the chord progression.
Trading fours is followed by a drum solo. Drum solos are usually played over the form of the tune. This drum solo
lasts for 32 measures, the length of one chorus. Musicians generally sing the melody of the tune in their head during
the drum solo, allowing them to come in correctly when it is time for them to reenter. Good drum solos usually
develop motifs and reference the rhythms on the melody. Pay attention to the drum solo and see what you can hear
that makes it a meaningful musical statement.
This piece uses a three-time tag ending, typical of many jazz performances. You can hear the ending around 6:30.
In a three-time tag, musicians repeat the ending phrase of the piece three times before doing a short fill and arriving
at the last chord.
Listen intently to the Richie Powell’s comping beneath the head and soloists. During the head, the piano, bass, and
drums play hits together (listen to 0:16, 0:21, 0:27, and 0:29 to hear some hits). Powell includes the Charleston and
Reverse Charleston in his comping. For example, you will hear the Charleston around 0:59, 1:02, 1:05, and 1:26 and
the Reverse Charleston around 1:13. Listen closely for the basics. What articulation is he using? Does his comping
change between soloists? About how frequently is he comping? Can you hear any interaction between Powell and
the soloists? Notice, for instance, at the beginning of Clifford Brown’s second chorus (2:32), when the trumpeter
moves to the bottom of his range, Powell moves higher in the range of the piano to provide a better complement.
Listen also to how he reacts to Max Roach’s commentary on the drums.
Do you hear any patterns in his comping? For instance, in the last measure of an eight-measure section, Powell
frequently plays on beats one and two with an accent on beat two. This helps to mark the form, signaling the end
of the eight-measure section to the other band members. While it is not necessary to mark the form, it helps give
bandmates confidence that everyone’s in the same place.
If you listen closely, you can hear Powell reinforcing some bass notes, which is relatively uncommon for a pianist.
At the end of each chorus, Powell plays a low C natural in the bass, a common technique known as a pedal point.
Named after organ pedals, a pedal point is a stable, unchanging bass note. In jazz, as in classical music, it is most
common to use a pedal point to emphasize the dominant (V) chord.
Finally, when Powell plays a solo starting at 3:20, he plays a melody in the right hand and comps for himself in the
left hand. This is typical for piano solos. In this case, Powell’s comping becomes less active as his right hand becomes
more active. There are some moments when you can hear a sort of tennis match between the right and left hands
as Powell creates a call and response between his two hands.

UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 2 – Drone Improvisation 2
a. Hand positions
b. Call and response
2. Fill out Written Practice and practice playing through examples
4. Select three jazz standards from The Real Book and practice playing the melody
while comping with Charleston & Reverse Charleston patterns
a. Comping with just the Charleston all the way through
b. Comping with just the Reverse Charleston all the way through
c. Alternate between the two comping patterns, comping two measures of Charleston and two measures
of Reverse Charleston
d. Alternate between the two comping patterns, starting with one measure of Charleston then one mea-
sure of Reverse Charleston
5. For your three jazz standards, practice personalizing the melody adding syncopation,
repeated notes, and grace note slides
6. Guided Listening 2: “Joy Spring” by Clifford Brown and Max Roach
b. Pay special attention to the piano comping, hits, and interactions

Unit 3
Introducing the ii-V-I Scan Here for
Unit 3 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 3 – Drone Improvisation in F and B-Flat

For this unit, practice improvising over drones in the keys of F and B-flat. As you change keys, improvise using
the major scale of the corresponding key. Although jazz musicians play in all keys, usually flat keys are studied first
because they are more agreeable for saxophonists and trumpeters, who often lead bands.
Drone in F Drone in Bb
? 44 w
w bw
w
Points of Focus
1. Use grace notes to add expression to your melodies.
In the last unit, you learned about using grace notes to personalize written melodies. Grace notes should also
be used to personalize improvised melodies. Remember that grace notes are typically added a half step below
the main note to simulate an expressive pitch bend or slide. As you improvise, use grace notes at places that
meaningfully add expression, such as a long note or an expressive leap. Experiment with using one, two, three,
or even four grace notes to ornament important notes.
2. Use repetition and sequences.

Although improvisations are spontaneous, good improvisations are still organized. Repetition is the most
meaningful way that an improvisation can sound organized. First, practice repeating your phrase verbatim.
Experiment with different lengths of rests in between your repetitions. You could wait four measures before
repeating yourself, two measures, one measure, or you could repeat yourself immediately after ending your
phrase.
Then, see if you can create sequences, groups of phrases that repeat the same rhythms and melodic shapes
starting at different pitch levels in the scale. Start simple with two- or three-note phrases, then get more complex.
Remember that sequences can go down or up by step or by bigger intervals.
At first, you might have to pause and think about how to sequence your motive. That’s okay! Write out some
sequences if it helps. But aim to get faster and faster until you can sequence simple motives spontaneously.
UNIT 3 INTRODUCING THE ii-V-I 35

Drone Improvisation in F
original motif sequenced up by step
œ œ œ
&b 4 œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ Œ
4
sequenced up by a fourth
œ œ œ œ ˙
original motif
&b 4 œ œ œ œ ˙ ∑ ∑
4
original motif sequenced down by a third
&b 4 Œ œ
œ œ œ
œ w Œ œ œ w
œ œ œ
4
FAQ
Q: Won’t I end up playing notes outside the scale if I make sequences?
A: No. Sequences can be both chromatic and diatonic. In a chromatic sequence, intervals are literally transposed
to create the exact same phrase in a different key center. In a diatonic sequence, the same general shape is
maintained without leaving the scale. For a diatonic sequence, an interval might change between a major and
minor third or between a perfect and diminished fifth based on where it falls in the scale. Focus on diatonic
sequences as you practice your drone improvisation.
The ii-V-I Progression

The ii-V-I (“two-five-one”) progression and its components makes up a high percentage of the harmonic
landscape of jazz standards. Because the progression is so common, jazz musicians spend a lot of time practicing
voicings and licks, short set phrases, for ii-V-I progressions.
The ii-V-I progression consists of:
1. A minor seventh chord based on the second degree of a major scale

2. A dominant seventh chord based on the fifth degree of a major scale
3. A major seventh chord based on the root of the major scale
major seventh minor seventh dominant seventh
chord starting chord starting chord starting
here here here
& œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
Root 2 3 4 5 6 7 (root)
ii-V-I progressions are named after the I chord, which defines the key center on which the progression is based.
Below, you will find ii-V-I progressions in C, F, and B-flat major.
ii-V-I in C Major
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
w w w
?4 w w w
4ww w
w
w
w
w
w w
w
ii-V-I in F Major
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
? 4 bw bw
w
4 ww w
w w
w
w w
w
w
w w w
ii-V-I in Bb Major
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
? 4 bbw
w w
bw
w
w
4 w w bw
w
w
w
w
w w
w
Later, you will be learning sophisticated voicings for your chords, but for now, as you practice your ii-V-I progres-
sions, alternate between playing chords in root position and second inversion, with the fifth on bottom. If you play
the inversions correctly, you will notice that either the bottom two notes move and the top two notes hold or the
top two notes move and the bottom two hold.
Play the ii-V-I progressions below, watching for the finger patterns described above and listening for the resolutions.
ii-V-I in C Major
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
w
? 44 w
w ww
w w
w w
w ww
w
w
w
w
w
w ww
w
w ww
w
w
w w w
w w
w
root second root second root second
position inversion position inversion position inversion
ii-V-I in F Major
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7 G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
w
? 44 w
b w b ww
w w
w
w w
w
w wbw bw
w w w w w
w w
w
w ww
w
w ww
w
w
ii-V-I in Bb Major
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 C‹7
b ww
b bF7w B¨Œ„Š7
b ww
? 44 bbw
w b ww
w w w w
w w
w w ww
w
bw
w
w w w w
w w w w
w w

FAQ
Q: Why does the ii-V-I work?
A: A few reasons! First, the bass notes move in fifths, which is very appealing to the ear in Western music (think
of the circle of fifths). Second, the chords are all diatonic to the home key, meaning that they don’t require
any accidentals. Third, the ii is a predominant, the V is a dominant, and the I is a tonic, so the chords have a
natural flow.
Q: Are ii-V-I progressions always in major keys?

A: Actually, no. Later in your studies, you will encounter minor ii-V-I’s, which are significantly more complicated
than the major ones you are learning now. For now, focus on the major ii-V-I’s. There is plenty to learn.
Q: In the examples above, why is the I chord held for two measures?
A: This is common practice. Even though ii-V-I progressions have three chords, they are usually
organized into a two- or four-measure phrase because musicians generally prefer phrases with an even number
of measures.
Q: If a progression looks like a ii-V-I but has a major sixth chord instead of a major seventh
chord as the I chord, is it still a ii-V-I?
A: Yes. The major sixth chord (which looks like C ) is just a slightly different flavor of major chord, but it still can
6
still be a I in a ii-V-I progression.

ii-V-I Practice
Although the ii-V-I is a relatively simple concept, you need to know these ii-V-I progressions inside and out – in
your brain, in your muscle memory, and in your ear.
Start by filling in the missing chord symbols and key centers for the ii-V-I’s given below. Remember that ii-V-I’s are
named after the key of the I chord rather than the first chord. Write out the notes of the chords as extra practice.
ii-V-I in D Major ii-V-I in Eb Major
E‹7 F‹7
?4
4
ii-V-I in B Major
ii-V-I in A Major
9 AŒ„Š7
?
ii-V-I in ( ) Major ii-V-I in ( ) Major
17 D7 GŒ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7

?
ii-V-I in ( ) Major ii-V-I in ( ) Major
25 C‹7 B7
?
For this unit, practice the ii-V-I exercises on the following page. These two examples are the same exercise, but
because they move in whole steps, each one only includes six of the twelve keys. In these exercises, after each ii-V-I,
the third and seventh of the major I chord are lowered to transform the chord from a major seventh chord into a
minor seventh chord. The minor seventh chord then becomes the ii chord of the next ii-V-I progression.
Note that when the chords get so low that they become muddy on the piano, the chords are written an octave higher
to avoid that lower, growly sound. Practice with the metronome, challenging yourself to go faster and faster.

A
ii-V-I in C Major ii-V-I in Bb Major
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7

? 4 ™™ w
w ww
w w
w w
w bbw
w b ww w w
4 w w w w
w w
w w
w w
w bw
w
w w
w
w
ii-V-I in Ab Major ii-V-I in Gb Major
9 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 A¨‹7 D¨7 G¨Œ„Š7

? bbw bbb ww bw w bbbbw
bw
w
w w
w w
bw
w
w
w
w
w
w
w bbbw
ww
w bbbw
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
ii-V-I in E Major ii-V-I in D Major
F©‹7
17 w #wB7w EŒ„Š7
## w w nnE‹7
w A7 DŒ„Š7
?# w
# w
w # ww w
w
w w
w
w w
w
w
#ww
w
w ## w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w ™™
B
ii-V-I in Db Major ii-V-I in B Major
E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7 C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7

bw bbb ww w w
? 4 ™™b bw
b w
w w
w bb w
w
w w
w
w
w
#w
#w
w ###ww
w
w ###w
w
w w
w
w
4 w w
ii-V-I in A Major ii-V-I in G Major
9 B‹7 E7 AŒ„Š7 A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7

? n#w
w
w #ww
w #w
#w
w
w nw
nw #w #w w
w w w
w w
w w
w ww
w w
w
w w
w
w
ii-V-I in F Major ii-V-I in Eb Major
17nbG‹7
w b ww
C7 FŒ„Š7
w w
F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
? w
w
w w
w w
w
w
w
w
w bb w
w
w
w bbww
w
w bw
w
bw
w
w
w
w
w ™™

Circle ii-V-I’s in the piece below. Then, put a square around any ii-V progressions without a I chord. These pro-
gressions are common too! Be careful – ii chords must always be minor seventh chords, V chords must always be
dominant seventh chords, and I chords must always be major seventh chords. There are nine full ii-V-I progressions
and seven ii-V progressions with no I chord.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 A7 D‹7 G7 E‹7 A7

?4
4 VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV
9 DŒ„Š7 G7 F©‹7 B7 EŒ„Š7 E‹7 A7 E‹7 A7 D‹7 G7

?
VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV VVVV
1 7 CŒ„Š7 C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7 E‹7 A7 E‹7 A7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7

?
25 CŒ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 D¨7 C‹7 F7 C©‹7 F©7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
?
Now, go through the following pieces in The Real Book, searching for ii-V-I’s or the components of ii-V-I’s.
• Afternoon in Paris
• All the Things You Are
• Broadway
• Central Park West
• Darn that Dream
• Here’s that Rainy Day
• Lady Bird
• Misty
• Stompin’ at the Savoy
• Tune Up
Choose two of these pieces to practice, paying special attention to playing the ii-V-I’s correctly, alternating between
root position and second inversion chords.

For this unit, practice your swung eighth notes with the ii-V-I progression played in the left hand in Charleston
rhythm. Notice that you will play the major scale of the I chord for the entire ii-V-I progression. Don’t forget to
swing your eighth notes with good articulation!
D‹7
œ œ œ œ œœœ G7 œœœœ
CŒ„Š7
œœœœ œ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœ
œ œ
4
{ œ œ
? 4 œœœ ‰ œœœ Ó
4 J
œœœœ ‰ œœœœ Ó
J
œœœ œ
œ ‰ œœœ Ó
J
œœœ œ
œ ‰ œœœ Ó
J
ii-V-I Licks
A lick is a short musical phrase. Jazz musicians usually learn licks in all twelve keys. ii-V-I licks, short phrases to
play over the ii-V-I progression, are a staple of most jazz musicians’ practice routines because there are so widely
applicable.
ii-V-I licks are divided into two types based on harmonic rhythm. A short-form ii-V-I has ii and V chords that
last for two beats each and a I chord that lasts for four beats. A long-form ii-V-I has ii and V chords that last
for four beats each and a I chord that lasts for eight beats. A short-form ii-V-I lasts for a total of two measures.
A long-form ii-V-I lasts for a total of four measures.
Short-Form ii-V-I in C
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
? 44
V V V V V V V V
Long-Form ii-V-I in C
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
? 44
V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
When practicing a lick, you should do four things:
1. Determine the correct swing articulation for the lick and practice accordingly.
2. Practice coordinating the lick in the right hand with comping patterns in the left hand.
3. Transpose the lick. Ultimately, you want to learn all licks in all twelve keys. However, depending on
your experience, it may take a while to gain comfort with transposition. Practice the transposition to
your comfort level, maybe starting with one key per day at first.
4. Apply the lick. Find places to intentionally play the lick in pieces that you are practicing. Be sure to
note whether the lick is intended for a short-form or long-form ii-V-I and apply accordingly. Practice
improvising before and after the lick to prepare to use it in a real improvised solo.

FAQ
FAQ
Q: Where do licks come from?
A: It is a simple-sounding question, but the answer is complex.
Q: Where do licks come from?
Many musicians learn licks from books or from social media. Historically, jazz musicians learned licks from
A: Itother
is a musicians, either question,
simple-sounding through mentorship, friendship,
but the answer or by studying their recordings (this is part of what we
is complex.
mean when we say that jazz is an aural tradition). In due time, I will be prompting you to take your own ii-V-I
Many musicians
licks from learn but
recordings, licksuntil
from books
you or from
are ready, social
I will media. Historically,
be supplying you with ajazz musicians
steady learned
diet of ii-V-I licks from
licks.
other musicians, either through mentorship, friendship, or by studying their recordings (this is part of what we
Q : Imean
had when we say that jazz is an aural tradition). In due time, I will be prompting you to take your own ii-V-I
a teacher say to me that learning licks was a waste of time because it prevents me
licks from recordings, but until you are ready, I will be supplying you with a steady diet of ii-V-I licks.
from really improvising “on the spot.” He said that the great jazz musicians
Q: don’t
I had ause licks. say to me that learning licks was a waste of time because it prevents me
teacher
A: from really
I totally improvising
understand “on theand
this perspective spot.” Heagree
I would said with
thatyour
theteacher
great jazz musicians
that the greatest poets of the music
don’t use licks.
did so much more than playing licks they had memorized and transposed.
A: II totally
look at understand
Learning
it this way: think
to rattle
of learning and
this perspective a lick as being
I would equivalent
agree to learning
with your teacher athat
“setthe
phrase” in apoets
greatest foreign language.
of the music
did so much moreoff “Hello,
than how
playing arethey
licks you?”hador memorized
“Where is the bathroom?”
and transposed.without thinking is very useful. These
set phrases are a chance to internalize grammar, practice details of correct pronunciation, and solidify elements
Ioflook
the at it this way:
language deepthink of learning
in your a lick asLearning
subconscious. being equivalent to learning
phrases like this is ana important
“set phrase” in a foreign
strategy language.a
for mastering
Learning
language. to rattle off “Hello, how are you?” or “Where is the bathroom?” without thinking is very useful. These
set phrases are a chance to internalize grammar, practice details of correct pronunciation, and solidify elements
That
of thesaid, one doesn’t
language deep inexpect
your to find “Hello, Learning
subconscious. how are you?” or similar
phrases like thisstandard phrases in
is an important the works
strategy of the greata
for mastering
novelists and poets. The question is hardly original or profound. But do all poets know how to say these phrases
language.
in their native tongue? Of course! Like these masters, you must first become fluent in jazz before ascending
That
to thesaid,
levelone
of doesn’t
artist orexpect
poet. to find “Hello, how are you?” or similar standard phrases in the works of the great
novelists and poets. The question is hardly original or profound. But do all poets know how to say these phrases
in their native tongue? Of course! Like these masters, you must first become fluent in jazz before ascending
to the level of artist or poet.
ii-V-I Lick 1
For the first ii-V-I lick, you will be guided through each of the four steps.
ii-V-I LickLick
Here is ii-V-I 1 1, written in C major:
For the first ii-V-I lick, you will be guided through each of the four steps.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
œ œ œ œ w
&4 œ œ œ
Here is ii-V-I Lick 1, written in C major:
4
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
œ œ œ œ w
&4 œ œ œ
4
1. Determine the best swing articulation and practice swinging the lick. On the next page, you will find the
lick with articulation and scat syllables. Be sure to practice exaggerating this articulation and thinking
about the three-part subdivision of the beat while playing.
1. Determine the best swing articulation and practice swinging the lick. On the next page, you will find the
lick with articulation and scat syllables. Be sure to practice exaggerating this articulation and thinking
about the three-part subdivision of the beat while playing.

-œ œ -
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&4 œ
4 -
œ œ œ œ w
doo- VAH - doo - VAH doo - VAH
2. Practice with the Charleston and Reverse Charleston in the left hand. Remember to play the left hand
short and maintain your exaggerated swing articulation in the right hand. Don’t forget to anticipate the
chord on beat three when playing the Charleston.
œ œ œ œ w œ œ œ œ w
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
{ 4
.
œ
œ .
? 4 œœ ‰ œœœœ Ó
J
œœœ. œœœ.
œ ‰ œ Ó
J
œœœ.
‰ œ Œ
J
œœœ.
œ Œ
œœœ. œœœ.
‰ œ Œ œ Œ
J
3. Transpose the lick. There are many ways to transpose. Here are the most common:
a. Transpose each note individually. For instance, if you want to transpose the lick up a half step, to
the key of D-flat, transpose each note of the original lick up a half step. A half step above F is G-flat.
A half step above A is B-flat, etc.
b. Determine the relationship of each note to the chord. Is the note the third of the chord? The fifth?
The root? Then, replicate these chord tones for the chords in the new key.
œ œ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ œ w œ bœ w
&4 œ œ œ bœ bœ bœ
4
3rd 5th 7th 2nd/9th 3rd 5th (2nd/9th) 3rd 5th 7th 2nd/9th 3rd 5th (2nd/9th)
c.
Find the starting pitch by using one of the strategies above. Then, determine the intervals between
the notes of the original lick. For instance, from F to A is a major third. From A to C is a minor
third. Replicate this interval pattern in the new key.
Feel free to combine these three strategies in any way that is useful to you. Bear in mind that transposition can be
very slow at first but will get faster and faster with more practice.
4. Practice applying the lick. First, determine whether the lick is for a short-form or long-form ii-V-I.
Because ii-V-I Lick 1 has two beats each for the ii and V chords, it is a short-form ii-V-I lick. Where
should the lick go in the following chord progression? Here, the slash notation indicates melodic
improvisation, with each slash indicating a quarter note.
G‹7 C7 F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
&4 V
4
V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

Even though the first two measures use a ii-V progression, the lick fits best in measures three and four because
the harmony in these measures is a short-form ii-V-I. In the example below, the ii-V-I lick is written in the correct key.
œ œ œ œ w
G‹7 C7 F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
bœ œ b œ
&4 V
4
V V V V V V V
Practice playing just the lick where appropriate, then practice improvising leading into the lick and coming out of it.
Can the lick fit in the example below?
E‹7 A7 D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7
&4 V
4
V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
There are no full ii-V-I progressions here, only ii-V progressions without the I chord. The full lick won’t work
here, because the portion that fits with the I chord doesn’t fit with the harmony of this tune. However, you can
still practice playing the lick with this progression. Practice using only the first measure of the lick, the part that
corresponds with the ii and V chords, as demonstrated below.
4 œ œ #œ œ #œ œ œ œ
E‹7 A7 D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7
&4 œ nœ œ nœ V V V V V V V V
first half of lick in D major first half of lick in C major
FAQ
Q: In the example above, how can you know to use the lick in D major and C major?
A: You have to determine what the I chord would be for each ii-V progression. In other words, ask yourself, In
what key is E the second scale degree and A the fifth scale degree? The answer is D major. Then ask yourself,
In what key is D the second scale degree and G the fifth scale degree? The answer is C major.
Q: Can short-form ii-V-I licks be doubled to create a long-form ii-V-I lick and vice versa?
A: Not really. Besides having notes that work really well, each lick has a rhythmic fingerprint. Remember how
differently we articulate eighth notes and quarter notes? If you double the notes, the rhythmic intent changes
and the lick will no longer sound stylistically appropriate.

GUIDED
GUIDED LISTENING
LISTENING 3– 3–
“I Want
“I Want More”More” by Dexter
by Dexter Gordon
Gordon Scan Here for Scan Here for
Listening Playlists Listening Playlists
“I Want More” is theMore”

“I Want third track
is thefrom
final Dexter Gordon’s
track from 1962
Dexter album, 1961
Gordon’s album,
Dexter Doin’The
Calling… piece was
Allright. The composed
piece was composed
by Gordon. by Gordon.
Dexter GordonDexter (1923-1990)

Gordon (1923-1990)
was an American
was antenor saxophonist
American known for playing
tenor saxophonist known inforthe bebop
playing in and
the hardbop
bebop and hardbop
styles. Besides being
styles. a skilled
Besides melodist,
being a skilledGordon
melodist,is known
Gordon forishis suavefor
known sense of style,
his suave his of
sense impressive
style, his stature
impressive(about
stature (about
6’6”), and his magnetic
6’6”), and hischarisma.
magneticWith this unique
charisma. With thisskillset, it should
unique beitno
skillset, surprise
should he surprise
be no was cast he in the
waslead
cast role
in theforlead role for
a movie, ‘Round
a movie, ‘Roundfor
Midnight, which he
Midnight, forwas nominated
which he was for an Academy
nominated for anAward.
Academy TheAward.
movie, Theabout an aging
movie, about jazz
an aging jazz
musician in musician
Paris, is loosely
in Paris,based on thebased
is loosely life ofonpianist
the lifeBud Powell.Bud
of pianist Besides being
Powell. a stylebeing
Besides icon,aGordon wasGordon
style icon, a great was a great
student of the GreatofAmerican
student the GreatSongbook
Americanand was known
Songbook for reciting
and was known for the reciting
lyrics ofthe
a piece
lyricsfor
of the audience
a piece for the before
audience before
performing performing
the piece. Gordon wasGordon
the piece. also known for using
was also known quotes,
for using quotes,
snippets of other songs
snippets placedsongs
of other into placed
an improvised
into an improvised
solo to create a sort
solo of musical
to create a sortcollage.
of musical collage.
It is useful It
to isunderstand a little bit about
useful to understand a littlesome of thesome
bit about mostofimportant
the most styles of jazz
important so that
styles you so
of jazz canthat
begin
you tocan begin to
place artistsplace
in different
artists in different Bebop
categories. is a Bebop
categories. style developed
is a style by Charlie Parker,
developed Dizzy
by Charlie Gillespie,
Parker, DizzyBud Powell,Bud Powell,
Gillespie,
Thelonious Thelonious
Monk, and othersMonk, in and theothers
1940sinandthe1950s.
1940s Bebop was aBebop
and 1950s. reaction
wasagainst musicians’
a reaction againstdeference
musicians’todeference
audi- to audi-
ences and corporate
ences andinterests
corporate in the Swing
interests in Era
the Swing
in which Era
musicians
in whichstrived to make
musicians hitstobymake
strived playing
hitsmusic designed
by playing music designed
for dancing for
anddancing
singing.and
In the SwingInEra
singing. the(think
Swing1920s and 1930s),
Era (think 1920s andmusicians
1930s),generally
musicians played pieces
generally with pieces
played medium with medium
or slow tempos
or slowandtempos
highlighted songs designed
and highlighted songs to designed
be repetitive,
to bemelodic, and
repetitive, catchy. and
melodic, Thecatchy.
musiciansTheofmusicians
the bebop of the bebop
era put theera focusputontheindividual
focus on expression, playing complex
individual expression, playingpieces at fast
complex tempos
pieces withtempos
at fast ample with
opportunity for
ample opportunity for
improvisation. Although bebop
improvisation. is now
Although a widely-accepted
bebop musical style,
is now a widely-accepted at the style,
musical time itatwas
the an actitofwas
time rebellion,
an act ofmeant
rebellion, meant
to freak outtothefreak out theHardbop
“squares.” “squares.”was Hardbop
a reaction wastoa bebop
reactionin to
thebebop
1950sinandthe1960s,
1950s which retained
and 1960s, whichmuch of themuch of the
retained
richness of the bebop
richness oflanguage
the bebop but incorporated
language more gospelmore
but incorporated and blues-based melodies tomelodies
gospel and blues-based make thetomusic
makemorethe music more
appealing and accessible
appealing andtoaccessible
audiences. to audiences.
PERSONNEL Form Form

Dexter Gordon, tenor saxophone
0:09-0:50 Head In Head In
0:09-0:50
Kenny Drew, piano
0:50-2:56 Saxophone
0:50-2:56 Solo (3 choruses)
Saxophone Solo (3 choruses)
Paul Chambers, bass
2:56-4:19 Piano Solo (2
2:56-4:19 choruses)
Piano Solo (2 choruses)
Philly Joe Jones, drums
4:19-5:01 Head Out Head Out
4:19-5:01
5:01-end Outro (sameOutro

5:01-end material as Introduction)
(same material as Introduction)
The great trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (1938-2008) performs on the album, but doesn’t play on this track.
Interestingly, Horace Parlan (1931-2017) a legendary pianist from Pittsburgh, who performed with musicians
like Gordon, Charles Mingus, and Sonny Stitt, made a successful piano career despite having a right hand that was
largely crippled from polio.

It is now a good time to discuss the function of the various rhythm section instruments. Jazz typically uses the
upright bass as its lowest voice. The main job of the bass is to establish the root of the chord and play on the strong
beats of the measure. The bass is generally the least syncopated instrument in the jazz ensemble.
There are two main styles of bass playing in 4/4 swing. For bass in two, the bassist plays half notes, dividing the
measure into two parts. For bass in four or walking bass, the bassist plays quarter notes, dividing the measure
into four parts. Pianists can usually play both of these styles with their left hands, as the bass role often falls to the
pianist in an ensemble without a bassist. On the track “I Want More,” bassist George Tucker plays walking bass for
the entire track. Listen once through focusing on the basslines.
The drumset is a composite instrument, made from many different parts. As discussed in Unit 2, the hi-hat, a
foot-activated contraption in which two cymbals face one another, is the most predictable part of the drumset. It
plays on beats two and four of a 4/4 measure. The ride cymbal is the heart of a drummer’s swing beat. The most
typical ride cymbal pattern is given below. Great drummers might play this pattern literally or create their own
improvised variations, developing the pattern as a piece progresses.
&4 ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
4
The snare drum has a long tradition of virtuosic playing in both classical music and marching band music. In swing
music, the snare drum is generally used for comping. Just like the piano comps, the snare drum is used to play
rhythmic commentary without a set pattern, responding to the other musicians. If you listen closely, you can often
hear the snare drum comping in conversation with the piano comping. During the head, notice how drummer Al
Harewood matches some syncopated portions of the melody with snare drum comping.
The bass drum, which is played with a foot-activated pedal, is usually the least audible component of the drumset.
Sometimes, drummers feather the bass drum by playing it very lightly on all four beats to subtly support the
rhythm. Other times, drummers use the bass drum to comp, having conversations or playing complex figures
between the bass and snare drums.
As you listen to “I Want More,” focus on the walking bass and then each component of the drum set, particularly
the ride cymbal pattern, the hi-hat on two and four, and the snare drum comping. You will be hard-pressed to pick
out too much bass drum in this track.

GUIDED LISTENING 3 – (CONTINUED)
“I Want More” is a great track for practicing aurally identifying the ii-V-I progression. After an eight-measure
introduction, the form of the tune starts with a series of long-form ii-V-I’s. The chord progression is provided below.
Circle the ii-V-I and ii-V progressions that you find on the lead sheet below. As you listen, strive to hear the chord
progression underneath the main melody and the solos. Practice playing and/or singing the roots of the chords
during the head and solos. Can you comp your ii-V-I’s along with the recording?
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7

b b4
& b b 4 ™™ V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7

b
5
& b bb V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7
b
9
1.
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7
bb
13
&b b V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7
b
17
2.
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 A¨Œ„Š7
b
21
& b bb V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V ™™ V V V V V V V V

UNIT 3 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 3 – Drone Improvisation in F and B-flat
a. Grace notes
b. Sequences
2. ii-V-I Practice
a. Written practice
b. Pattern descending by whole steps
c. Two Real Book tunes
4. ii-V-I Lick 1
a. Learn the lick with good articulation
b. Practice coordination with comping patterns
c. Transpose to all twelve keys (or as many as possible)
d. Apply to your two Real Book tunes
5. Guided Listening: “I Want More” by Dexter Gordon
b. Listen five times focusing on the ii-V-I’s
c. Listen five times focusing on hearing the bass and drumset

Unit 4
Going Deeper with ii-V-I Scan Here for
Unit 4 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 4 – Building Rhythmic Vocabulary 1

Starting this week, practice swinging your drone improvisations. As before, stay on one chord and one major scale,
but now instead of holding the open fifth in a meditative drone, play it nice and short on all four beats to keep the
time and imply a swing feel.
? 44
œœ œœ œœ œœ
. . . .
This week’s improvisation exercise focuses on rhythm. Improvisers new to jazz improvisation are usually very
stressed about their note choices. Justifiably so! Hitting a wrong note is immediately identifiable. However, playing
with stylistically appropriate rhythms for a swing style is just as important to a successful jazz improvisation. Given
the complexities of swing articulation, you probably need to work intentionally to build a vocabulary of swing
rhythms for improvisation.
For now, you should focus on rhythms that start and end on offbeats. Rhythm 1 is a three-note phrase consisting of
three eighth notes. The articulation should sound like the mnemonic “VAH-doo-DIT” with the last note receiving
a percussive accent. The rhythm could start on any of the four offbeats of a 4/4 measure.
Starting on the Starting on the Starting on the Starting on the

“and of Four” “and of One” “and of Two” “and of Three”
> > > >
4-
& 4 ¿J ¿ ¿. Œ Ó ‰ -¿ ¿ ¿. Ó Œ ‰ -¿ ¿ ¿. Œ Ó ‰ -¿ ¿ ¿.
J J J
VAH doo DIT VAH doo DIT VAH doo DIT VAH doo DIT
Remember that rhythm and shape are entirely different issues. Practice creating different shapes from this simple
rhythm. The three notes could ascend, they could descend, they could make a “V” shape, a “ ” shape, or they could
move by leaps, steps, or any combination. Below are some of the many shapes one could make from this three-note
rhythm.
&4 j œ Œ Œ ‰ œJ œ œ Œ Œ ‰ œj œ œ Œ Œ ‰ œj œ Œ Ó
œ œ œ
4
UNIT 4 GOING DEEPER WITH ii-V-I 51

Practice Rhythm 1 as described below:
1. Practice for five minutes straight starting each three-note phrase on the “and of four” every
two measures.
& 4 œj
4
œ œ Œ Ó Ó Œ ‰ œj œ œ Œ Ó Ó Œ ‰ œj
j
& œ œ Œ Ó Ó Œ ‰ œ œ œ Œ Ó ∑
2. Practice for five minutes straight starting each three-note phrase on the “and of one” every
two measures.
4 œ œ œ Ó
&4 ‰ J ∑ ‰ œj œ œ Ó ∑
œ œ œ Ó ‰ œJ œ œ Ó
& ‰ J ∑ ∑
3. Practice for five minutes straight alternating between playing a phrase on the “and of four” and a
phrase on the “and of one.”
starts on the starts on the
4œ œ œ Œ ‰ œj œ œ Ó
starts on the
‰ œj
“and of four” “and of four”
Ó ∑ Ó Œ
“and of one”
&4 J
starts on the
œ Œ œ
“and of one”
& œ Ó ∑ ‰ J œ œ Ó ∑
4. Repeat steps one through three with phrases starting on the “and of two” and “and of three.”
5. Experiment with mixing phrases starting from all four possible offbeats.
All the while, check in to ask yourself:
• Is my articulation correct?
• Am I playing with a variety of shapes?

ii-V-I Practice
Each week, you will be practicing your ii-V-I’s in a new way. This week, create flashcards with the name of the key
center on the front. Write the correct notes for the three chords of the ii-V-I progression on the back.
Here’s an example flashcard:

Front: Back:
Bb m7 Eb 7 Ab maj7
Ab
A b Major
G G
F Eb Eb
Db Db C
Bb Bb Ab
Using the flash cards:
• Quiz yourself, seeing how quickly you can find the correct chord.
• As you quiz yourself, sort your cards into two piles – one for keys you know well and one for keys you
are still struggling with.
• Keep working on the flash cards for the difficult keys.
• If finding the chords is overwhelming at first, start with just three cards at a time. Master those three
cards before moving on to the next three.
Scales and Modes for ii-V-I Progressions

Besides the practical advantages of practicing ii-V-I progressions, identifying and studying ii-V-I’s is useful for
finding notes for improvisation.
For a ii-V-I progression, an improviser can use the major scale of the I chord to improvise over the entire progres-
sion. Actually, you already practiced this concept in Coordination Exercise 3 in which you played the major scale
for four measures while you comped with the chords of the ii-V-I progression in the left hand.
Here is a review of Coordination Exercise 3:
œ œ œ œ CŒ„Š7
œœœœ
œ œœœœ œ
D‹7 G7
œ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœ
œ œ
4
{
4 J
œœœœ ‰ œœœœ Ó
J
œœœ
œ ‰
œœœ
œ
J
Ó
œœœ
œ ‰
œœœ
œÓ
J
For naming purposes, jazz musicians often speak of this major scale as starting on each of the chords of the ii-V-I
progression. When you start the major scale from notes other than the root, the new scales are called modes. In
this book, the major scale that the mode is based on is referred to as the parent scale.

When a major scale starts on the second scale degree, it is called the dorian mode. Please note that modes are
always named after the note they start on rather than the parent scale. When the C scale is played starting on D,
it is called D Dorian. The dorian mode is generally what musicians use to improvise over a ii chord. To find any
dorian mode without thinking about the parent scale, take the major scale of the first note (D major, two sharps,
for D Dorian) and lower the third and the seventh notes.
When a major scale starts on the fifth scale degree, it is called the mixolydian mode. When the C scale is played
starting on G, it is called G Mixolydian. The mixolydian mode is generally what musicians use to improvise over a V
chord. To find any mixolydian mode without thinking about the parent scale, take the major scale of the first note
(G major, one sharp, for G Mixolydian) and lower the seventh note.
œ œ œ œ
D Dorian G Mixolydian
œ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
Finally, a “normal” major scale, starting on the first scale degree, is known as the ionian mode. C Ionian is simply
another name for a C major scale. Musicians use the ionian mode to improvise over I chords.
To review, you have learned two things that are equivalent:
1. When improvising over a ii-V-I progression, you can use the major scale of the I chord for all three
chords of the progression.
2. For naming convenience, jazz musicians think of modes starting on the root of each chord. For a ii-V-I,
use the dorian mode for the ii, mixolydian for the V, and ionian for the I. Even though it now seems
like you need three different scales, these three modes all share the same parent scale, the major scale
of the I chord.
There are two methods to find the correct notes of a mode:
1. Figure out the parent scale. Using the ii-V-I framework, determine the parent scale for each chord.
Remember, in the context of a ii-V-I, a minor seventh chord is always a ii, a dominant seventh chord
is always a V, and a major seventh chord is always a I. Then, start the scale from the root note of the
appropriate chord.
2. Starting with the major scale of the root, alter the appropriate notes to form the mode.
a. To create a dorian mode, lower the third and seventh from the major scale of the root.
b. To create a mixolydian mode, lower just the seventh from the major scale of the root.
c. To create an ionian mode, no changes are needed.
These two methods will give you the same result. Which one you use is a matter of personal preference.
Look at the modes of the ii, V, and I in E-flat major below and practice using both of the methods presented to
arrive at the same results.
F Dorian Bb Mixolydian Eb Ionian
œ bœ œ œ œ bœ
F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
& 4 œ œ bœ bœ œ œ b œ b œ œ b œ b œ
b œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ
4

Now, practice finding the modes as indicated below. In some examples, you are given the name of the mode. In
others, you are given a chord symbol and you must choose the correct mode. Remember – dorian goes with minor
seventh, mixolydian goes with dominant seventh, and ionian goes with major seventh.
F Dorian Ab Dorian A Mixolydian
&
4 G Ionian B Dorian Bb Mixolydian
&
7 C Mixolydian D Ionian Eb Dorian
&
10 C‹7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7
&
13 A7 C©7 FŒ„Š7
&
16 E‹7 F‹7 A¨7
&
19 DŒ„Š7 B¨‹7 G‹7
&

FAQ
FAQ
Q: Wait, what? The modes seem to make things so much more complicated!
They hurt my brain! What’s the point?
A:: Wait,
Q Actually, once you get used to the modes, they make things much simpler. Think of all the steps you need to get
what? The modes seem to make things so much more complicated!
from seeing a Gm7 to figuring out you should improvise using the F major scale. Once you master the modes,
They hurtmore
it is much my direct
brain!toWhat’s theand
see a Gm7 point?
determine to use the G Dorian mode.
A: Actually, once you get used to the modes, they make things much simpler. Think of all the steps you need to get
Q: Are
fromthere seeingother
a Gm7modes than
to figuring outdorian, mixolydian,
you should andtheionian?
improvise using F major scale. Once you master the modes,
A: itYes!is much more direct to see a Gm7 and determine to use the G Dorian mode.
Starting the major scale from any different note will create a new mode. Other scales also have their own
modes if you start from different notes. The modes of the melodic minor scale are actually very important for
Q: Are
advanced therejazz
other modes For
improvisers. thannow,
dorian, mixolydian,
mastering and ionian?
dorian, mixolydian, and ionian is the most important thing for
A: Yes! Starting the major scale from any different note will create a new mode. Other scales also have their own
your musical development.
modes if you start from different notes. The modes of the melodic minor scale are actually very important for
Q: Ifadvanced
I’m improvising usingFor
jazz improvisers. thenow,
modes, doesdorian,
mastering that mean I have
mixolydian, andto startis with
ionian theimportant thing for
the most
fiyour
rst musical
note ofdevelopment.
the mode?
A:: IfAbsolutely
Q I’m not! The modes are merely a way of finding the set of notes that fit best with the chord. There is
improvising using the modes, does that mean I have to start with the
no expectation that you will start anywhere in particular.
first note of the mode?
Q
A: Okay, so does
Absolutely thismodes
not! The meanarethat foraany
merely wayminor seventh
of finding the setchord,
of notesI that
should improvise
fit best usingThere
with the chord. the is
dorian modethat
no expectation andyouforwill
any dominant
start anywhere seventh chord I should improvise using the mixolydian
in particular.
mode?
Q
A:: Okay, so does this mean that for any minor seventh chord, I should improvise using the
Great question! You are on the right track. What you said is true-ish, but actually because chords can
dorian modefunctions,
have different and foritany dominant
is not seventh
quite this simple. In chord I should
major keys, improvise
the diatonic using
ii, vi, and the mixolydian
iii chords are all minor
mode?
seventh chords. Each one of these chords needs to be treated a little bit differently because they have different
A: functions. Similarly, dominant seventh chords could be V chords, but they could also be chords with secondary
Great question! You are on the right track. What you said is true-ish, but actually because chords can
dominant functions like V/V, V/vi, V/ii, etc. These chords all need to be treated a little bit differently as well.
have different functions, it is not quite this simple. In major keys, the diatonic ii, vi, and iii chords are all minor
seventh chords.
At this point in Each one development,
your jazz of these chordsthese
needs to be treated
distinctions a little
aren’t bit differently
important. As youbecause
progressthey have
as an different
improviser,
functions. Similarly,
we will explore moredominant
scales andseventh
modeschords
that fitcould bewith
chords V chords, but functionalities.
different they could also be chords with secondary
dominant functions like V/V, V/vi, V/ii, etc. These chords all need to be treated a little bit differently as well.
At this point in your jazz development, these distinctions aren’t important. As you progress as an improviser,
we will explore more scales and modes that fit chords with different functionalities.

For Coordination Exercise 4, practice playing the Reverse Charleston comping pattern in the left hand while play-
ing each of the modes for the chords of the ii-V-I. There are two versions – ascending and descending. Transpose
to all keys. If Coordination Exercise 4 is easy for you to play as written, practice mixing Reverse Charleston and
Charleston comping patterns in the left hand.
A
œœ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
œ œ œ œ œ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœœ œœœ
œœœœ
4
œ œ ˙
{? 44 ‰ œœœœ Œ œœœœ Œ
J
œ
J
œ
‰ œœœ Œ œœœ Œ ‰
œœœ
œ
J
Œ
œœœ
œ Œ ‰
œœœ
œ
J
Œ
œœœ
œ Œ
B
œœœœœ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
4œœœœ œœœ œœœœœœ œœ ˙
&4 œœœœ œœ œœ
{? 44 ‰ œœœœ Œ œœœœ Œ
J
œ œ
‰ œœœ Œ œœœ Œ
J
œ œ
‰ œœœ Œ œœœ Œ
J
œ
‰ œœœ Œ
J
œœœ
œ Œ
ii-V-I Lick 2
ii-V-I Lick 2 is a long-form ii-V-I lick designed to remind you of the parent scale for a ii-V-I progression. Remember
the four stages of practicing a lick – determine the correct articulation, practice with comping patterns, transpose
to all twelve keys, and apply the lick to tunes.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&4 Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ œj œ ∑
J œ œ w
4

GUIDED LISTENING
GUIDED 4– 4–
LISTENING
“So What” by Miles
“So What” by Davis
Miles Davis Scan Here for Scan Here for
Listening Playlists Listening Playlists
Like “Freddie Freeloader,”

Like “So What,” composed
“Freddie Freeloader,” “So What,”bycomposed
Miles Davis, is a track
by Miles from
Davis, is ahis 1959
track album,
from his 1959
Kindalbum,
of Blue.Kind of Blue.
Form Form
PERSONNEL 0:00-0:33 Introduction
Miles Davis, trumpet 0:33-1:31 Head (32 Measures,
0:33-1:31 Head (32AABA)
Measures, AABA)
Cannonball Adderley, alto saxophone 1:31-3:24 Trumpet
1:31-3:24Solo (3 Choruses)
Trumpet Solo (3 Choruses)
John Coltrane, tenor saxophone 3:24-5:15 Tenor Saxophone
3:24-5:15 TenorSolo (2 Choruses)
Saxophone Solo (2 Choruses)
Bill Evans, piano 5:15-7:05 Alto Saxophone
5:15-7:05 AltoSolo (2 Choruses)
Saxophone Solo (2 Choruses)
Paul Chambers, bass 7:05-8:01 Piano Solo (1Piano
7:05-8:01 Chorus)
Solo (1 Chorus)
Jimmy Cobb, drums 8:01-8:55 Bass Solo/Head
8:01-8:55 BassOut
Solo/Head Out
(1 Chorus Combined)
(1 Chorus Combined)
“So What” is“So

a unique
What”track for twotrack
is a unique mainfor
reasons.
two mainFirst, the melody
reasons. First,isthe
a call-and-response between thebetween
melody is a call-and-response bass and the
the bass and the
rest of the band. Miles
rest of Davis Miles
the band. claimsDavis
that he wrote
claims thehepiece
that wrote after
thehaving a conversation
piece after in a bar where
having a conversation in ahis
barfriend
where his friend
kept replyingkept
“so what” to “so
replying anything
what”he
to said. It is he
anything worth
said.noting that Davis
It is worth notingoften
that fabricated
Davis oftenthis sort of thing,
fabricated including
this sort of thing, including
claiming to write many
claiming to songs
write that
manywere actually
songs that werewritten by his
actually bandmates.
written by his Regardless
bandmates.ofRegardless
whether the story is true,
of whether the story is true,
one can easily
oneimagine the imagine
can easily bass embodying
the bass Davis’ role in
embodying the conversation
Davis’ and the responding
role in the conversation and the chords reenacting
responding chords reenacting
his partner’shis
dismissive
partner’sresponses.
dismissive responses.
Second, there are only

Second, twoare
there chords
only –twoDm7 and –Ebm7.
chords Dm7 You know from
and Ebm7. You this
know unit thatthis
from theunit
modesthatthat
the match
modes with
that match with
these chordsthese
are Dchords
dorianareand DE-flat
doriandorian. A stable,
and E-flat barely-moving
dorian. harmonic approach
A stable, barely-moving harmonic is typical
approach of music from
is typical of music from
the modal jazz
the modal jazz
era of the 1960s,
era ofwhich was largely
the 1960s, whichinitiated by Kind
was largely initiated In modal
by Kind
of Blue. of Blue.jazz,
In the traditional
modal jazz, thetension
traditional tension
and release of
andV-Irelease
and ii-V-I
of V-Iprogressions is replaced by
and ii-V-I progressions is colorful
replacedshifting chords
by colorful without
shifting the clarity
chords withoutofthe
dominant and
clarity of dominant and
tonic functions.
tonicFrequently, as in “So What,”
functions. Frequently, “So harmonic
as in the What,” therhythm,
harmonic thatrhythm,
is, the rate
thatofis,change
the rateofofthe harmony,
change of the harmony,
is much slower in modal
is much slowerjazzinthan
modalin previous
jazz thaneras of jazz. eras
in previous Because modal
of jazz. jazz works
Because modalonjazzsuch a different
works on suchharmonic
a different harmonic
system than system
other types
than of jazz,types
other pianists actually
of jazz, haveactually
pianists a wholehave
set of voicings
a whole setspecifically
of voicingsdeveloped
specificallyfor modal jazz,
developed for modal jazz,
which you will learnyou
which later.
will learn later.
Look at the lead

Looksheet
at theforlead
“Sosheet
What” forin“So
TheWhat” in TheYou
Real Book. Realwill see You
Book. that will
the piece starts
see that thewith
piecea starts
repeated
witheight-mea-
a repeated eight-mea-
sure section sure
that section
stays onthat D minor, moves
stays on up a half
D minor, movesstep
uptoa E-flat minor
half step for eight
to E-flat measures,
minor for eightand finally returns
measures, to returns to
and finally
D minor for D eight measures.
minor for eight measures.
in AABA
“So What” is“So What” form,
is in AABA
one ofform,
the most
one common forms
of the most for a jazz
common piece.
forms for aInjazz
an piece.
AABA Inform, an eight-measure
an AABA form, an eight-measure
A section repeats twice at the beginning followed by a contrasting B section, commonly called the bridge.
A section repeats twice at the beginning followed by a contrasting B section, commonly called the bridge. Then,
Then,

the A section is repeated to finish the piece. Each of the four sections is typically eight measures, for a total of thir-
ty-two measures. The three A sections are usually identical with the exception of the endings, which can be slightly
different. One unique element of this recording is found in the backgrounds for the piano solo. Backgrounds are
chords played by horn players (trumpet/saxophone/trombone) behind another soloist. They can be preplanned or
spontaneous.
It can be hard for musicians to keep track of where they are in the form on AABA tunes because the piece ends
with an eight-measure A section and then repeats back to the beginning where two more A sections start the piece.
Musicians need to be very vigilant to know whether they are on the last A section, the first A section, or the
second A section at any given time. Practice following along with the form as you listen to “So What,” taking care
not to get lost in the three consecutive A sections.
As you listen, notice how the personality of each horn player comes out in their solo. Davis sounds effortlessly
cool and casual, relaxed and nonchalant. Davis is known for being able to say a lot without using many notes. John
Coltrane’s solo is much more intense and virtuosic with flurries up and down the instrument. Cannonball Adderley
conveys a sense of joy and lightness with his happy tone and his use of vocal techniques like pitch bend and vibrato.
UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 4 – practice three-note swing rhythm starting on each offbeat
2. ii-V-I Practice – flashcards
3. Written Practice on scales and modes
4. Coordination Exercise 4
5. Practice ii-V-I Lick 2
6. Choose two new Real Book tunes from the Tune Bank. Circle the ii-V-I’s, learn the
chords, practice comping with the melody, and apply your ii-V-I licks where they fit.
7. Guided Listening: “So What” by Miles Davis
b. Follow along the AABA form, until you can reliably predict where the bridge will come (listen for the
change of chord)
c. Pay attention to the three horn solos, listening for the different personalities and thinking about how
each musician conveys their own personality through their improvisation

Unit 5
Evening in Lyon Scan Here for
Unit 5 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 5 – ii-V-I Improvisation

This week, practice improvising over ii-V-I progressions using the correct scales and modes. To match the piece you
will be working on in this unit, practice improvising over ii-V-I progressions in C major, B-flat major, A-flat major,
and B major.
When improvising over ii-V-I’s, it is still important to listen intently to yourself (remember the very first improvi-
sation prompt from Unit 1 – “Are you really listening to yourself as you play?”). Even though the notes of the scale
belong to the same key center as the chord progression, each note has a different sound against each chord. Some
notes are very tense and need resolution, most notably the fourth scale degree really wants to pull down towards
the third on major and dominant chords. Activate your ear to tell you where notes want to resolve.
Practice improvising in three stages:
1. Exploratory. Play out of time, holding the three chords and making melodies freely above them.
2. In time, swinging, long-form ii-V-I’s. Remember that a long-form ii-V-I holds the ii and V chords for
four beats each and the I chord for eight beats. Hold the chords and put the metronome on beats two
and four (usually half note = 60 beats per minute is a good place to start). Improvise with your best
swing feel, perhaps using the rhythms you learned in the last unit.
3. In time, swinging, short-form ii-V-I’s. Remember that a short-form ii-V-I holds the ii and V chords for
two beats each and the I chord for four beats.
If you feel confident and creative improvising in these three stages, experiment with improvising while comping
with Charleston and Reverse Charleston rhythms.
Long-Form ii-V-I in C Short-Form ii-V-I in C

?4 w
w ww
w w
w w
w ˙˙˙
˙˙˙˙ w
w
4ww w w
w w
w ˙ w
w
Long-Form ii-V-I in Bb Short-Form ii-V-I in Bb
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
? 4 bbw
w bww
w w
w w
w bb˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ w
4 w w w bw
w w
w bw
w
w
Long-Form ii-V-I in Ab Short-Form ii-V-I in Ab
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7
? 4 bbw w w w bbb˙˙˙˙ b˙˙˙˙ w
4 bww
w bbbww
w bw
b w
w w
w
w bw
b w
w
Long-Form ii-V-I in B Short-Form
UNIT 5 ii-V-I in B IN LYON
EVENING 61
C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7 C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7
? 4 # n#w
w # w
## ww ###w
w w
w # UNIT 5 EVENING IN LYON
˙˙˙ ##˙˙˙ #w
## w
61
4 w w w w
w w
w #˙ ˙ w
w
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
? 4 bbw
w bww
w w
bw
w
w b˙
b ˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ w
w
4 w w w w
w w
w bw
w
Long-Form ii-V-I in Ab Short-Form ii-V-I in Ab
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7
? 4 bbw w bw w b˙
bb˙˙˙ b˙˙˙˙ bw
4 bww
w bbbww
w w
bw
w
w
w
w
w
bw
w
Long-Form ii-V-I in B Short-Form ii-V-I in B
C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7 C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7
? 4 # n#w
w # w
## ww ###w
w w
w #˙˙˙ ##˙˙˙ #w
## w
4 w w w w
w w
w #˙ ˙ w
w
ii-V-I Lick 3
ii-V-I Lick 3 is designed for a short-form ii-V-I. Notice the interesting shape created by the leap on the “and of
three.” You will be applying it immediately in the piece for this unit.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
4 œ œ œ œ œ œ
&4 ‰ J œ ∑
Contrafacts & “Evening in Lyon”

A contrafact is a jazz piece created by writing a new melody based on the harmony of any existing chord progres-
sion. Interestingly, although melodies can be legally protected by copyright, chord progressions cannot. Anyone is
free to borrow or steal any set of chords for their own tune. Besides the advantages created by this legal loophole,
writing a contrafact is practical. Since experienced rhythm sections likely already know the chord changes to a jazz
standard, if you play a melody instrument, you can easily debut your new tune at any jam session by telling the band
to play the chords of the original tune while playing your new melody.
The musicians of the bebop era were masters of writing contrafacts. Saxophonist Charlie Parker wrote many famous
contrafacts including “Donna Lee” (based on the chord changes of “Back Home Again in Indiana”), “Ornithology”
(based on the chord changes of “How High the Moon”), and “Scrapple from the Apple” (based on the chord chang-
es of “Honeysuckle Rose”), among many others. Later, you will learn about rhythm changes, a whole subgenre of
jazz pieces based on the chord changes of George Gershwin’s piece “I Got Rhythm.”
Sometimes, contrafacts are used to create inside jokes. Thelonious Monk wrote his famous tune “Evidence” over
the chord changes of the piece “Just You, Just Me.” Apparently, Monk concluded that “just you” and “just me”
combined makes “just us,” which sounds like “justice.” And what do you need to get “justice”? Evidence! Later,
saxophonist Joshua Redman took the rhythms from Monk’s contrafact to create his own piece, which he entitled
“Jazz Crimes.”
For this unit, you will learn a contrafact entitled “Evening in Lyon,” which is based on the John Lewis piece,
“Afternoon in Paris.” Practicing “Evening in Lyon” will provide you with the chance to go through the process of
learning a new tune from scratch and to review everything you have learned so far.
The lead sheet for “Evening in Lyon” appears on the following page.

Evening in Lyon
Jeremy Siskind
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7

j
& 4 #œj ™™ œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œJ bœ œ œ œ œ ‰# œj œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œ bœ œ œ œbœ ‰ j
4
nœ
1. 2.
j
5 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
& bœ œ œ ˙ œ œ œnœ œ œ w Ó Œ ‰ j ™™ w Ó ‰ œ œœ
œ #œ
j œ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 A‹7
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ jœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
17
& œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
21 D‹7 G7 C©‹7 F©7 D‹7 G7
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ j
œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ #œ
j
25 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7

j
& œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œJ bœ œ œ œ œ ‰ # œj œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ ‰ j
nœ
29 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 < D‹7 G7 >

& œ ˙ œ œ œ nœ œ œ w ∑
œ bœ œ
UNIT 5 EVENING IN LYON 63
Approaching a New Tune
There is much to do when learning a new jazz piece like “Evening in Lyon.” Below is a list of steps you should take,
listed in chronological order.
1. Determine the form.

In this case, the form is AABA, which you should recognize from the Guided Listening from Unit 4. The three
identical A sections are eight measures each. The first two A sections start at the very beginning and end with
the first and second ending. The last A section starts at measure 25. The B section (“bridge”), which begins at
measure 17, is also eight measures long. Jazz charts typically surround the bridge of a piece with double barlines
to help the musician easily recognize the form.
2. Play the melody with correct articulation in the right hand while holding the root of
the chord in the left hand so that you can hear the harmony.
The first eight measures are presented below with swing articulation written below the melody and the root note
held in the left hand. Continue practicing the rest of the piece using this format with the metronome on beats
two and four. Don’t hesitate to write in the swing articulation if necessary.
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7
-œ b-œ
& 4 #œj ™™
œ œ- œ œ. Œ ‰
J œ œ- œ œ ‰ j
>.
{
4
- > # œ-
VAH doo VAH doo DIT VAH daht doo VAH doo DIT VAH
? 44 ‰ ™™
w ˙ ˙
B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7

‰ œj b-œ
3
& œ -œ œ œ. Œ œ œ- œ bœ. ‰ j œ ˙
- œ bœ- œ -
{
> > n œ-
doo VAH doo DIT VAH daht doo VAH doo DIT VAH doo VAH doo VAH
?
bw b˙ b˙ bw
1.
6 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& œ- œ- œ nœ œ œ- w Ó Œ ‰ j ™™
#œ
{
-
daht daht doo VAH doo VAH VAH
? ™™
˙ ˙ w ˙ ˙

3. Identify any ii-V-I and ii-V progressions. Practice playing the chords with your left hand.
At this stage, if writing out the chords helps you to go faster, by all means write them out. Remember to play your
ii-V-I progressions with smooth voice leading, alternating between root position and second inversion chords.
Put the metronome on beats two and four and practice playing the melody in the right hand while holding chords
in the left. The A section is written below. Continue playing the melody with good swing feel and articulation.
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7

j
& #œj ™™ œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œJ bœ œ œ œ œ ‰# œj œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œ bœ œ œ œbœ ‰ j
{
nœ
? ‰ ™™ w w
w
w bb˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙˙ w
w
w bb˙˙˙ b˙˙˙
bw b˙ ˙
1.
A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& œ bœ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ nœ œ œ w Ó Œ ‰ j ™™
#œ
{
? bw
bww
w
˙˙˙
˙ ˙˙˙˙ w
w
w
w
˙˙˙
˙ ˙˙˙˙ ™™
4. Coordinate the melody in the right hand with comping in the left hand.
Practice comping both the Charleston and Reverse Charleston patterns with the melody. Remember that you
can write out the chords or use “x” notation to indicate where the chords match up with the melody. Below, you
will find the first four measures with a Charleston comping pattern and then with a Reverse Charleston comping
pattern. Remember that jazz musicians regularly anticipate chords when the comp arrives an eighth note before
the chord changes.
Charleston
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
& 4 #œj œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œJ bœ œ œ œ œ ‰ j œ œ œ Œ ‰ œj bœ œ œ œbœ ‰ j

#œ œ
4
nœ
{
? 4 ‰ œœœœ ‰ œœœœ ‰ Œ ‰ bbœœœœ ‰ œœœœ ‰ Œ ‰
4 J
Reverse Charleston
J
œ œ bœ œ
bœœœ ‰ œœœJ ‰ Œ ‰ bbœœœ ‰bœœœ ‰ Œ ‰
J
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7

j
& 4 #œj œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œJ bœ œ œ œ œ ‰# œj œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œ bœ œ œ œbœ ‰ j
4
nœ
{
? 4 ‰ ‰ œœœœ Œ œœœœ Œ ‰bbœœœœ Œ œœœœ Œ
4 J J
‰
œœœ Œ œœœ Œ
bœJ œ ‰b
bœœœ Œ œœœ Œ
bœJ œ

5. Experiment with personalizing the melody using some of the devices outlined in
Unit 2.
The example below shows one possible personalized version of the A section melody of “Evening in Lyon.” You
will learn many more devices for melody personalization in the next section of Unit 5.
j
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
4 j ™™ j œ Œ ‰ œ bœ œ œ ‰ j œ Œ ‰ j ‰ bœ
& 4 #œ œ œ œ# œ
J œ nœ j
œ # œ œ œ œ#œ
 nœ œ œ œbœ ‰n œj
grace note repeated grace note added
slide note slide syncopation
1.
5 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& œ#œ œ ˙ œ œ œj œ œ œj œ nœ nœ#œj œ w Ó Œ ‰ j ™™

œ b œ j j
#œ #œ
grace note repeated notes +
grace note grace note
slide slide
slides
Personalizing a Melody 2
1. Add ghost notes.
Ghost notes are notes deemphasized to such a degree that they are nearly inaudible. Ghost notes are used to
keep the time and emphasize swing feel. Think of ghost notes like the tiny hop a jump-roper takes between
jumps to maintain their timing. Generally, ghost notes are played with the thumb. The root, third, or fifth of the
chord is typically used for a ghost note. Ghost notes are rarely notated, but if they are, they are indicated either
with an “x” notehead, or by placing parentheses around the note.
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7

j
& #œj ™™ œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œJ bœ œ œ œ œ œ ‰# œj œ œ œ#œj œ Œ ‰ nœ bœ œ œ œbœ
bœ œ nœ
ghost
note ghost ghost
note note
1.
5 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& œ bœ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ nœ#œj œ w Ó Œ ‰ j ™™
œ œ #œ
j
#œ
ghost
notes

2. Add octaves and double notes to emphasize important moments.
Octaves and double notes can be added above or below a melody note to provide extra emphasis. It is most
common to use the root, third, or fifth of the chord as a double note. Double notes are often used in combina-
tion with a grace note slide.
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
& #œj ™™ œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œ bbœœ œ bœœ #œj œœ œ ‰ j œ œ#œj œ Œ ‰ nœj

œ J #œ œ œ
octave double double note + octave
note grace note slide
1.
5 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& bœ œ œ œbbœœ‰ j bœ œ#œj bœœ ˙˙ œœ œœ j œ œ œ œ w Ó Œ ‰ j ™™

#œ
bœ œ œ # œ n œ nœ w
double note +
octave grace note slide double notes forming a melodic line
double
note
Notice that in measures seven and eight, the double notes form a sort of melody, creating smooth voice leading
by moving stepwise from C to B to A.
3. Add turns to decorate a descending or flat melody.

Turns provide a little bit of color and character to the melodic line. For a descending turn, ascend by a
diatonic step and restate the original note before moving to the next note.
Original With Descending Turns

&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ œ œœœ œ œ œœœ ∑

œ
4
turn turn

For a flat turn, add a half-step lower neighbor to the end of a descending turn to avoid repeating the main
note twice in a row.
Original With Flat Turns Added

&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ w
4 œ œ œ#œ œ œ nœ œ œ#œ œ œ w
turn turn
Notice how turns have been added to the melody of “Evening in Lyon” in the example below.
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7

j
& 4 #œj ™™ œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œJ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ j œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œ bœbœ œ œ œ œbœ ‰ j
4
#œ nœ
descending descending
turn turn
1.
5 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& œ ˙ œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ w Ó Œ ‰ j ™™
œ bœ œ #œ
two “flat” turns

Improvising on “Evening in Lyon”
Now that you’ve gained some fluency with the melody and chords for “Evening in Lyon,” it is time to start working
on improvising over the form.
1. First, determine which scales you will use to improvise over this piece. Since this tune is so full of ii-V-I
progressions, it is useful to diagram the major key centers, as shown below.
C Major Bb Major Ab Major
C Major Evening
EveninginBbinLyon
Major
Lyon Ab Major
CŒ„Š7 C Major C‹7 F7 Bb Major
B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 Ab Major
E¨7
C Major Bb Major Ab Major
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
& 4 ™™™™ V VCC Major
Jeremy Siskind
Jeremy Siskind
4
& 44 ™ V V V V C‹7
CŒ„Š7 Major C‹7
V V V V F7V VBb Major F7 Bb Major
B¨Œ„Š7
V V V V V V V V Ab Major
B¨‹7 Ab Major
E¨7
CŒ„Š7 V V V V B¨Œ„Š7 V V V V V V V V B¨‹7 E¨7
&
& 44 CŒ„Š7
4 ™
CŒ„Š7
™ VV CVVMajorVV VV C‹7
C Major C‹7 F7
VV VV F7VV VVBb Major
Bb Major B¨Œ„Š7
VV VV VV VV B¨‹7
B¨Œ„Š7
B¨‹7
VV AbVVMajor E¨7
VV VV
Ab E¨7
Major
& ™ V V V V C‹7 V 1 . V F7C Major 1 . 2.
& 4(AbCŒ„Š7
(Ab ™™™Major)
CŒ„Š7 V VV B¨Œ„Š7 V VV VV 2. VV B¨‹7VVCB¨‹7 V E¨7VVE¨7 VV
4 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
Major
V V V V V V V V V
&&
Major) 1. C Major 2. C Major
4 4™™ (Ab™ Major) 1 . C Major 2.
V
45 4A¨Œ„Š7 ™
(Ab V
V
Major)V
V D‹7V G7 V
VD‹7 V G7 V CŒ„Š7 V
CŒ„Š7 V
V C Major V D‹7 V V
G7
V V D‹7 V G7 V CŒ„Š7 V V2.V V V CC VMajor
CŒ„Š7 V V VV V
MajorV
5 A¨Œ„Š7
5&A¨Œ„Š7
1.
1 . C Major ™™ CŒ„Š7
2.
5&
(AbV Major)
V V V D‹7
V V G7
V V CŒ„Š7
V V V V D‹7
V V G7
V V ™ V V V CCVMajor Major
V V V V
A¨Œ„Š7
(Ab
V Major)
V V V D‹7
V V G7
V 1
V . CŒ„Š7 C Major D‹7 G7 ™ CŒ„Š7
2.
1 .V V V V V V V V ™ V 2. V V V V V V V
&(Ab
5&A¨Œ„Š7
5(Ab Major)
A¨Œ„Š7
VVMajor)
VV VV VV D‹7D‹7
VV VV G7 G7
VV VV CŒ„Š7 VVC Major
CŒ„Š7 VVC Major D‹7
VV VV D‹7VV VV G7 VV VV ™™ CŒ„Š7
G7 VV VV VVC Major
CŒ„Š7 VVC Major
VV VV VV VV
5 &
5 A¨Œ„Š7&
A¨Œ„Š7 VV VV VV D‹7 VV D‹7VV G7VV G7VV CŒ„Š7
VV CŒ„Š7VV VV VV VCCVD‹7 V
Major
D‹7 VG7 V V CŒ„Š7
V V V V ™ CŒ„Š7
G7 ™
™
™™ V V V V V V V V
V V V V V V V V
&&
Major
V
1 7 D‹7V V V V V V VG7 V V V V C V V
CŒ„Š7
Major V V ™ V™
™ V VVA‹7 V VV VV VV VV V
V
1 7 D‹7
V V V V V V G7 V V V V V
C V
Major
CŒ„Š7 V V V V V
1&
A‹7
1&
7 D‹7 V V V V G7V V V V CŒ„Š7
C Major V V V V A‹7V V V V
7 D‹7
V V V V G7V V V C Major CŒ„Š7
VC Major V V V V A‹7 V V V V
1&
1&
7 D‹7 V VV VV VV G7VV VV VV VV CŒ„Š7 G7 C CŒ„Š7
Major V VV VV VV A‹7 A‹7V VV VV VV
7 D‹7 V V V
17 &
1 7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&
A‹7 C Major
D‹7V V V V C MajorG7 V V V V V
CŒ„Š7 BVMajor
V V VA‹7CVVMajorVV VV
&& V V
V V V V V V C VMajor
21 VD‹7 V
V V C Major
G7
V V V
V V V V V V VC©‹7 V V BVMajor
V BVMajorV
VF©7V V V D‹7V V
V V VC Major V V V
G7 V
21 D‹7
C Major V
G7 C©‹7
V B Major
F©7 D‹7
V
C Major
G7
& D‹7
& V V V C VMajor
21 D‹7
V V V V C Major C G7
Major V V V V C©‹7 C©‹7
V B Major
B F©7
VB Major
V V D‹7
Major D‹7V CCVMajor
C G7
MajorV V
21 G7V V V V V V F©7
V V V V G7
Major
V V
21
21
&
& D‹7
D‹7V V V VC Major
V V V V G7 G7V V V V C©‹7 G7V V V V C©‹7
V V B Major
V V F©7F©7
C©‹7
F©7
V
V V D‹7 V D‹7
D‹7
V C Major
V V G7G7VV VV
V G7
21 D‹7
21 &
&
D‹7V V VV VV G7VV VV VV VV Bb Major C©‹7
V VV VVF©7 VV VVD‹7 VV AbVVMajor G7 V
& V (C Major)
(C Major)
V V V V V V V V BbVMajorV V V V V AbV MajorVV
V V
&25 CŒ„Š7
V(C Major) V V V C‹7 V V VF7 V Bb B¨Œ„Š7 V V V V B¨‹7
Major V VAb E¨7 V V
Major
25 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 Bb B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 Ab E¨7
&CŒ„Š7
(C Major) Major Major
&Major)
25 (CVMajor)
CŒ„Š7
V V V C‹7 C‹7
V V F7 V BbV Bb
F7
B¨Œ„Š7
V V V V B¨‹7
Major
B¨Œ„Š7
V VAbAbMajor
B¨‹7
E¨7
V V
Major
25 (CVMajor) V V V V V V V V V V V V V Ab E¨7
V V
&
(C Major
Bb Major Major
&CŒ„Š7
(CCŒ„Š7
Major) C‹7 F7 BbB¨Œ„Š7
Major B¨‹7 Ab
E¨7 Major
25
25 CŒ„Š7
25
V V
V V V V C‹7C‹7 V V V V
V V F7 F7V V B¨Œ„Š7V V V V
V V V V B¨‹7
B¨Œ„Š7
V V V V
V V E¨7E¨7
B¨‹7
V
V VV
&& &
25 CŒ„Š7
V (AbVVVMajor)
(Ab Major) VVV VV V VV V C‹7 VV V VV V F7VV V VV VB¨Œ„Š7 VV V CCVVMajorV V VB¨‹7
V V E¨7
VVV
&29 A¨Œ„Š7
V V
Major V V V V VV VV
V(Ab Major) V V V D‹7 V V G7V V CŒ„Š7 V CVMajorV V < D‹7 V VG7 > V V
(Ab Major)
29 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
C Major < D‹7 G7 >
&A¨Œ„Š7 V V << D‹7 V >> V
&(AbVMajor)V V V V V V V V VC Major
(Ab
29 (Ab Major)
V Major)
Major) V V V D‹7 V V G7 V V CŒ„Š7 C Major
V C VMajor V V G7
29 A¨Œ„Š7
(Ab D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 C Major
V V < V V V> V D‹7 G7
&
&
29 A¨Œ„Š7
29 A¨Œ„Š7
VV VV VV VV D‹7D‹7 D‹7 G7
VV VV G7 G7VV VV CŒ„Š7 VV VV VV VV < D‹7
CŒ„Š7 D‹7
< UNIT VV> > IN
G7
VV 5 VVEVENING
G7 V LYON
G7 >V
29 A¨Œ„Š7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7
< G7 69
&& &
29 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7
V VVV VVV VVV VV V VV V VV V VV V VV V VV V VV V VV V VV UNIT VVV 5VEVENING
V VVV VINVV LYON 69
& V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
2. Next, practice the scales in rhythm to get a sense of where the harmonies change. Practice the scales
for each key center in rhythm while comping with your left hand. This should feel familiar from your
Coordination Exercises. The A section is notated for you, but practice the bridge as well, writing the
scales out, if necessary.
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ
œ œ œ bœ
{
bœ œ
? œœœœ ‰
œœœ
œ Ó bbœœœœ ‰ œœœœ Ó
J J
3 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7
& œ b œ œ œ œ bœ b œ b œ œ œ bœ b œ b œ œ œ bœ
{
bœ œ bœ bœ œ bœ bœ œ
? œœœ ‰ œœœ Ó bbbœœœœ ‰ bœœœœ Ó b œœœ ‰ œœœ Ó
bœ œJ J bœ œJ
1.
6 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™™
{
œ œ œ
œ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œ
? nœœœ œ
‰ œ Ó œ ‰ œ Ó œ ‰ œœœ Ó ™™
J J J

3. If you find this exercise useful, there are lots of possible variations. Letter A shows the scales in descend-
ing rather than ascending form. Letter B shows the scales being played in their “mode” forms, that is,
starting on the root of each chord. Note that, as the harmony moves two times per measure, you will only
be able to play four notes of each scale. Generally, in this case, jazz musicians choose to play the root,
second, third, and fifth of the scale, as the fourth is an unresolved place to end. Letter C shows the scales
alternating directions, with stepwise connections between them.
A
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ bœ œ
4
bœ bœ bœbœ
{
? 44 œœœ
œ ‰
œœœ
œÓ
J
bbœœœœ ‰œœœœ Ó
J
œœœ ‰ œœœ Ó
bœ œJ bbbœœœœ ‰ bœœœœ Ó
J
B
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ bœ bœ
œ œ bœ œ œ œ
œ œ
b œ œ œ bœ œ b œ œ b œ œ
4
bœ œ
{
J
bbœœœœ ‰ œœœœ Ó
J bœ
œœœ ‰ œœœ Ó
œJ bbbœœœœ ‰ bœœœœ Ó
J
C
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4 œ œ œ œœœœ bœ œ œ œ bœ
œ œ b œ b œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ
bœ bœ œ œ bœ bœ
4
œ œbœbœ
{
J
bœ
b œœœ ‰œœœœ Ó
J bœ
œœ
œ ‰
œœ
œœ Ó
J
bœ
bbœœœ ‰ bœœœœ Ó
J

4. Once you feel comfortable and confident with the scales for each key center, it is time to dive in and
improvise over this form. Using a metronome on beats two and four, hold the left-hand chords and create
some melodies using the scales in rhythm.
Force yourself to complete a thirty-two-measure improvisation even if what you are doing seems “bad”
or “boring.” If you get lost, attempt to continue and get back on track. You have to make a mess first in
order to clean it up. It will take time to get comfortable and to craft your improvisation into something
truly artful. Once you have found your bearings, shift your focus to each of the improvisation prompts
you focused on for the first few units. Play a thirty-two measure solo while focusing on each prompt
individually:
• Are you listening to yourself?

• Are you playing phrases with clear beginnings and endings?
• Are you using rhythmic variety?
• Are you using a variety of hand positions including crossing over and crossing under and spread-
ing out your hand for large intervals?
• Can you improvise in a call-and-response format?
• Are you using grace note slides to simulate pitch bends?
• Are you using repetition or sequences?
• Are you swinging?
• Can you incorporate Rhythm No. 1 in your solo?
It might seem a little weird, but spending time improvising while shifting your focus is really good practice. By
staying focused, you will build new positive musical habits that allow you to focus on increasingly complex and
interesting concepts. The key is that the practice must be focused. Without focus, you are only reinforcing your bad
habits, the opposite of effective practicing!
5. In order to practice incorporating licks into “Evening in Lyon,” you will script a solo. Scripting a solo
means planning out certain parts of the solo while leaving other parts open for improvisation. When
scripting a solo, use a lick about once every four measures, aiming for variety. Remember to distinguish
between short-form ii-V-I licks and long-form ii-V-I licks and be sure to transpose the licks into the
correct keys for the ii-V-I’s.
A sample script for “Evening in Lyon” is given on the next page. Since the first and second A sections
will be scripted differently, the solo script is no longer written with a first and second ending. The slashes
indicate time to improvise, with each slash representing a quarter note.
FAQ
Q: What do I do with the A minor seventh chord in the fourth measure of the bridge? It’s not
part of any ii-V-I’s that I can see.
A: Good observation! Here, the A minor seventh chord is functioning as the vi chord of C major. Because the
chord is diatonic in C, you can improvise using the C major scale.
Although an A minor seventh chord often functions as the ii chord in G major, because there are no
other chords from G major in the surrounding area, we can be confident this chord belongs to the key of C in
this context.

ii-V-I Lick 1 (in Bb)
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4 ™™ V V V V bœ œ bœ œ œ œ œ V V V V
4
V V V V
ii-V-I Lick 3 (in C)
A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7

‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ
5
& V V V V V V V V V V V V
ii-V-I Lick 3 (in Ab)
9 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
& V V V V ‰ œ bœ bœ œ bœ œ
V V V V V V V V J bœ
1 3 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 A‹7

‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œj œ œj œ
17
& Œ
œ œ w
V V V V
ii-V-I Lick 1 (in B) ii-V-I Lick 1 (in C)
D‹7 G7 C©‹7 F©7 D‹7 G7

œ œ œ
21
#œ œ #œ œ
& V V V V V V V V œ #œ œ œ nœ
ii-V-I Lick 3 (in Bb)
25 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
& V V V V ‰ œJ œ bœ œ œ œ œ V V V V V V V V
29 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 < D‹7 G7 >

œ œ œ œ œ V V V V
& V V V V œ œ V V V V
As you learn more and more licks, you will be able to create more and more complex and varied scripts. For now,
make two different scripts and practice them until you can smoothly incorporate the licks into your improvisation.
The blank staff paper below is provided for you to write your solo scripts.
Evening in Lyon - Solo Script 1

CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4
4
5 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
&
9 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&
1 3 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&
17 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 A‹7
&
21 D‹7 G7 C©‹7 F©7 D‹7 G7
&
25 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&
29 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 < D‹7 G7 >

&
Evening in Lyon - Solo Script 2
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4
4
5 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
&
9 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&
1 3 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&
17 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 A‹7
&
21 D‹7 G7 C©‹7 F©7 D‹7 G7
&
25 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&
29 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 < D‹7 G7 >

&

6. Your last assignment for this unit is to compose a dream solo on the chord changes of “Evening in Lyon.”
A dream solo is a written-out “improvisation” that represents how you would want to improvise if you
had unlimited time to stop and think about your solo.
If you think about it, practicing a dream solo makes perfect sense. As you are still learning, it can seem
impossibly hard to both invent and perform a coherent improvisation in rhythm. In your learning stages,
it is useful to separate out the inventing and performing stages. Take some time to invent a solo that
you are proud of. Then, learn to play it with fluency and great swing articulation. Finally, combine the
perfect right-hand solo with comping in the left hand, practicing your composition with the same focus
you would give to a classical piece.
Feel free to incorporate ii-V-I Licks 1, 2, and 3 into your dream solo. As you are writing, check whether
your solo is fulfilling the focus prompts listed on page 72. Remember that rests are equally important as
notes and should be included in your dream solo.
The blank staff paper on the next page is provided for you to write both the right and left hands of your
dream solo. Happy composing!

Evening in Lyon - Dream Solo
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4
{
4
? 44
5 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
&
{
?
9 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&
{
?
1 3 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&
{
?

17 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 A‹7
&
{?
21 D‹7 G7 C©‹7 F©7 D‹7 G7
&
{?
25 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&
{?
29 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 < D‹7 G7 >

&
{?

“An Afternoon in Paris” by Kenny Barron Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“An Afternoon in Paris,” composed by John Lewis, is the sixth track from Kenny Barron’s 1991 album, Invitation.
Remember that “Evening in Lyon” is a contrafact based on the chords of a piece called “Afternoon in Paris” by John
Lewis. Since you are now accustomed to the changes, it will be instructive to listen to a version of this piece by a
quartet led by the great pianist Kenny Barron.
Kenny Barron (1943-) is a pianist from Philadelphia who is strongly associated with the bebop style. His first
important gig was playing with Dizzy Gillespie, a trumpet player who is one of the originators of bebop. Barron’s
multi-decade career has been diverse and wide ranging, including touring with saxophone legend Stan Getz (more
on him later) and leading the Classical Jazz Quartet, a group that interprets classical repertoire in jazz styles.
PERFORMERS Form
0:00-0:47 Head In (32 measures, AABA)
Ralph Moore, saxophone
0:47-2:18 Bass Solo (2 choruses)
Kenny Barron, piano
2:18-3:55 Saxophone Solo (2 choruses)
David Williams, bass
3:55-5:30 Piano Solo (2 choruses)
Lewis Nash, drums
5:30-6:19 Trading Fours (1 chorus)
6:19-7:06 Head Out
7:06-7:19 Ending
By now, you should recognize much of what you hear in Kenny Barron’s “An Afternoon in Paris.” (This tune is
usually titled simply “Afternoon in Paris,” but Barron’s recording adds “An” to the beginning). The sandwich form is
very typical, except that the bass takes the first solo instead of being relegated to the typical role of last soloist. You
might also recognize that the bass sound is a little bit different than what you have previously heard. Bassist David
Williams subscribes to a sonic template of a more treble-heavy bass sound that came to prominence in the 1980s
and 1990s. The sound allows the listener to hear more of the pitch of the bass but gives less bottom end and less
emphasis on the attack of each note.
You should also hear that instead of playing each of the chords of the bridge, the band chooses to interpret the
bridge with a pedal point, with the bass staying on a G instead of moving. A few times throughout this recording, for
instance at 4:00-4:05, 4:25-4:30 and 4:58-5:50, you can hear Barron playing with a double-time feel, using sixteenth
notes rather than eighth notes as his main rhythmic unit. You can also hear Barron cleverly inserting a quotation of
the piece “Four,” which is most closely associated with Miles Davis, at 5:08-5:12. Listen to the melody of “Four”
and then go back to Barron’s solo to see if you can hear the quotation.

Listen also for the way that Barron gives his melodies a vocal character. You can hear grace notes (4:08, 4:36, 4:39),
turns (3:58, 4:47), and octaves (4:31). Pay attention to all of the beautiful “doo-DIT” phrase endings that Barron
includes to add rhythmic energy.
Play along with this track to practice improvising over “Evening in Lyon.” Strive to get to the place where you can
play with the track without looking at the music. Staying with the form takes practice, so log some hours! The best
jazz musicians have the melody of the piece going on in their subconscious while they are improvising so that they
don’t lose track of where they are. Experiment with letting your ears wander to each different instrument, even as
you improvise.
UNIT 5 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 5 – ii-V-I Practice; Practice in C major, B-flat major,
A-flat major, and B major
2. Practice transposing ii-V-I Lick 3 to all twelve keys
3. Evening in Lyon – Head
a. Play melody with good swing articulation against held roots
b. Find chords
c. Practice coordination of comping and melody
d. Practice personalizing the melody
4. Evening in Lyon – Improvisation
a. Practice scale exercises
b. Improvise, while shifting your focus to each focus prompt
c. Create at least two “scripts” for your solo and practice executing them smoothly
d. Write and practice a dream solo
5. Guided Listening 5: “An Afternoon in Paris” by Kenny Barron
b. Play along with the recording. Play your dream solo and improvise
c. Strive to stay with the form with and without the music in front of you

Unit 6
Introduction to Type A/B Voicings Scan Here for
Unit 6 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 6A – Building Rhythmic Vocabulary 2

This week, you will continue building your rhythmic vocabulary by practicing Rhythm 2, which mixes quarter notes
and eighth notes. Remember that quarters should be played “fat” – long but not connected, taking up the whole
beat, but with a clear space before the next note.
This week, practice improvising over ii-V-I’s in F, E-flat, and G, using the rhythm below:
& 4 ¿J ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ Œ
4
The example below shows the rhythm with articulation and scat syllables written in:
4 -¿ -¿ -¿ ¿ >¿. Œ
&4 J
VAH daht daht doo - DIT
As you did in Unit 5, practice this rhythm starting on every possible beat. The original rhythm starts on the “and of
four.” The example below shows the same rhythm starting on the “and of one,” “and of two,” and “and of three.” In
the second and third scenarios, the rhythm spills over into the next measure. Don’t let that deter you. It is common
for phrases to last for multiple measures.
Starting on the Starting on the Starting on the

“and of One” “and of Two” “and of Three”
& 4 ‰ ¿J ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ Œ ‰¿¿ ¿
J
¿¿Œ Ó Ó ‰ ¿¿
J
¿ ¿¿Ó
4
Practice repeating each rhythm in isolation, then practice alternating between two of the rhythms until you can
use this rhythm with complete confidence. Alternate between this rhythm and Rhythm 1, making sure to practice
starting on different beats.

Improvisation Exercise 6B – Arpeggios
Arpeggios, melodies that spell out the notes of a chord, are key to a convincing approach to jazz improvisation.
Arpeggios connect chords and melody, create interesting melodic shapes, and strengthen voice leading between
the chords of a progression.
The most common arpeggio in jazz starts on the third of the chord and arpeggiates up to the fifth, seventh, and
ninth. The ninth is an upper extension equivalent to the second scale degree of the major scale. The example below
shows these 3-5-7-9 arpeggios over a ii-V-I in F major.
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
œ œ Œ bœ œ œ Œ Œ Œ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
bœ œ œ œ œ
3 5 7 9 3 5 7 9 3 5 7 9 3 5 7 9
To practice these arpeggios, first simply play the 3-5-7-9 arpeggios for the chords of a ii-V-I progression in F, E-flat,
and G to etch the arpeggios into your muscle memory. Then, replace one arpeggio at a time with scalar improvisa-
tion, as indicated below. Stay on each exercise for a few minutes before moving to the next one.
A
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
œ œ Œ
& 4 ™™ V V V V œ œ bœ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ ™™
œ œ œ œ
4
(Improvise - F major scale)
B
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
& 4 ™™ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ
œ œ œ Œ ™™
œ œ œ œ
4
bœ
V V V V
C
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
& 4 ™™ œ œ œ œ Œ œ b œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ
œ œ
™™
œ
4
bœ
V V V V
(Improvise - F major scale) œ
D
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
œ œ Œ
& 4 ™™ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ Œ V V V V ™™
œ œ
4
bœ (Improvise - F major scale)

Strive to lead smoothly into and away from each arpeggio rather than suddenly jumping between the improvisation
and pre-planned sections. Practice maneuvering in and out of these arpeggios in this week’s three keys.
Then, practice replacing two measures with improvisation, as outlined below.
A
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
& 4 ™™ V V V V œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ ™™
œ œ œ œ
4
V V V V
B
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
&4 ™™ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ
™™
œ œ
4
bœ
V V V V V V V V
(Improvise - F major scale) œ
C
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
œ œ Œ œ œ Œ
&4 ™™ œ œ œ œ bœ V V V V ™™
4
bœ
V V V V
D
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
œ œ Œ
&4 ™™ V V V V œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ Œ V V V V ™™
4
(Improvise - F major scale) œ (Improvise - F major scale)
UNIT 6 INTRODUCTION TO TYPE A/B VOICINGS 83

FAQ
FAQ
Q
: Why do you call it the ninth and not the second?
A:: Why
Q Chordsdo
are built
you callbyitstacking the odd-numbered
the ninth notes from a scale. While classical chords usually stop after
and not the second?
just three or maybe four notes, in jazz, we select seven notes, all the way up to the thirteenth note of a scale
A : (we would
Chords arekeep
built going if we could,
by stacking but starting with
the odd-numbered thefrom
notes fifteenth note,
a scale. the classical
While notes of chords
the scale repeat
usually starting
stop after
from number
just three one). Even
or maybe thoughinthe
four notes, ninth,
jazz, eleventh,
we select sevenand thirteenth
notes, all the are
wayequivalent to the second,
up to the thirteenth notefourth, and
of a scale
œ w
sixth notes of the scale, respectively, we always refer to the odd numbers when we’re talking about chord
(we would keep going if we could, but starting with the fifteenth note, the notes of the scale repeat starting tones.
œ œ
from number one). Even though the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth are œ w
w
w
œ equivalentœto the second,1113 fourth, and
& œ œ œ
sixth notes of the scale, respectively,
œ we always
œ w
w
w
œ refer to the odd numbers when we’re talking about97chord tones.
œ
œ7 œ9 œ w
w
w
5
œ 13 3
& œ1 œ5 w
œ œ
œ3 w
œ 11
1
w
œ 9
2
œ4 œ6 œ8 10 11 12 13 14 7
5
œ 3
1
Q: 1Wait,2 I thought
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
an arpeggio was a warmup that goes up and down the piano for multiple
Q: octaves?
Wait, I thought an arpeggio was a warmup that goes up and down the piano for multiple
A: octaves?
It is true that pianists practice arpeggios that span the range of the piano as a technical warmup. Just like a scale
could be one octave or many octaves, an arpeggio can be played up and down the piano as a technical exercise
A: Itorisintrue
a more
that limited
pianistsrange as aarpeggios
practice part of a that
melody.
span the range of the piano as a technical warmup. Just like a scale
could be one octave or many octaves, an arpeggio can be played up and down the piano as a technical exercise
Q or in aismore
: Why the limited
3-5-7-9 range as a part so
arpeggio of aimportant
melody. in jazz? Why not start from the root?
A:: Why
Q Although the 3-5-7-9
is the root is important in terms
arpeggio of building ain
so important chord,
jazz?it Why
is the least colorful
not start notethe
from to play in an improvisa-
root?
tion because it is already being played by the bass. Therefore, the root doesn’t create much harmonic richness,
A: Although
either consonant
the rootorisdissonant.
importantItinisterms
ideal of
to start froma the
building third
chord, it because thecolorful
is the least third provides
note to aplay
consonant harmony
in an improvisa-
with the root.itIncluding
tion because is alreadythe ninth
being addsby
played color
theand character.
bass. Therefore, Analyze Charlie
the root Parker’s
doesn’t createpiece
much“Donna Lee”
harmonic in The
richness,
Real Book
either to see or
consonant justdissonant.
how oftenIt some
is idealjazz greatsfrom
to start use the
thisthird
3-5-7-9 formula.
because the third provides a consonant harmony
with the root. Including the ninth adds color and character. Analyze Charlie Parker’s piece “Donna Lee” in The
Q RealI Book
: Do to see
always just to
have how often
play some jazzthe
through greats
scaleusetothis 3-5-7-9
find formula.
the ninth of the chord?
A:: Do
Q Actually, for major,
I always haveminor, andthrough
to play dominant the
seventh chords,
scale the the
to find ninth is always
ninth a whole
of the step above the root of the
chord?
chord. Beware the keys of E and B! Students often struggle to find the correct ninths in these keys because
A: although themajor,
Actually, for root isminor,
a whiteand
key, the ninthseventh
dominant is a black key. the
chords, Make sure
ninth to play aan
is always F-sharp
whole stepas the ninth
above of any
the root E
of the
chord and
chord. a C-sharp
Beware for of
the keys theEninth of any
and B! B chord.
Students often struggle to find the correct ninths in these keys because
although the root is a white key, the ninth is a black key. Make sure to play an F-sharp as the ninth of any E
chord and a C-sharp for the ninth of any B chord.

ii-V-I Lick 4
ii-V-I Lick 4 fits with the first two measures of a long-form ii-V-I. This lick is designed to practice a 3-5-7-9 arpeggio,
a turn, as described in Unit 5, and a fingering maneuver that might be less intuitive for some improvisers.
œ œ œ œ œ œ
D‹7 G7
4‰ j œ œ Œ Ó
3
&4 œ œ œ #œ
See the turn on beat four of the first measure? Remember that a turn goes up to a diatonic neighbor above the
main note and returns back through the main note. The A-sharp right before measure two is a lower chromatic
neighbor, a note that leads into a chord tone from a half-step below. In this case, the A-sharp is ornamenting the
B natural on the downbeat of measure two.
Many improvisers naturally start on their thumb when playing an ascending phrase like ii-V-I Lick 4. In this case,
starting with the thumb will place your hand in an awkward position and make it difficult to play this phrase
accurately. In the key of C, try crossing your second finger over your thumb, as indicated below:
œ œ
D‹7 G7
œ œ
2 3
4‰ j œ œ œ œ Œ Ó
1 3 5
&4 œ œ œ #œ
2 5 4 3 4 3 2 1
Although the fingering will change depending on the key, a cross-over will be the best solution in every key. Below,
ii-V-I Lick 4 is written in two other keys that require different fingerings. Notice that in the key of D-flat major, it
is necessary to put your thumb on a black key.
Bb Major
œ Œ
C‹7 F7
œ
1
œ œ
3 3 4 3 2
‰ j b œ œ œ Ó
3
œ
3 5
&4 œ bœ œ #œ
2 5 4 1
4
Db Major
E¨‹7
j b œ œ b œ œ œ œ bœ A¨7
& 4 ‰ œ bœ bœ nœ œ Œ Ó
5
2 1 2 3 5 4 3 4 3 2 1
4
3

Two-Handed Type A/B Voicings
It is time to learn your first jazz voicing. A voicing is a way of arranging notes to make a chord more pleasing,
resonant, or stylistically appropriate. Don’t confuse chord voicings with the art of voicing at the piano, in which
certain notes of a chord are played louder than others.
Two-handed Type A/B voicings are designed for playing in an ensemble, specifically when a bassist is playing a
bassline and another instrumentalist or vocalist is serving the melodic role. Because these voicings don’t use the root
of the chord, it is important to practice them with play-alongs so that you can hear the root. See the introduction
for more information on play-alongs.
Type A/B voicings place the chord’s essential tones, the thirds and sevenths, in the left hand. The third and
seventh are called essential tones because they are absolutely necessary to hear the harmony. With just the root,
third, and seventh, it is possible to identify the chord as a major seventh, minor seventh, or dominant seventh.
In a Type A voicing, the third is placed below the seventh. In a Type B voicing, the seventh is placed below the
third. These terms aren’t musically important, but they are useful to keep track of voice-leading patterns as you
learn.
Type A Type B
CŒ„Š7 CŒ„Š7
w
w 37
? 44 w
w 73
In the right hand, play the color tones of the chord, the fifth and the ninth. Later on, since these notes aren’t
essential, you will learn to use different combinations of color tones, but master the fifth and ninth for now. In Type
A voicings, the ninth is placed below the fifth. In Type B voicings, the fifth is placed below the ninth. Keep the right
hand and left hand as close together as possible. There will typically be just a third between the top note of the left
hand and the bottom note of the right hand.
Type A Type B
CŒ„Š7 CŒ„Š7
w
&4 w
w9 w 95
4 5
{ ? 44 w
w3
7
w
w3 7

Taken as a whole, the formulas for these voicings are:
Type A Type B
5 9
9 5
7 3
3 7
It is important to play any chord or voicing in the ideal register, or range of the piano. Chords can get muddy when
they are placed too low, or they can get in the way of the melody if they are placed too high. For Type A/B voicings,
keep the lowest notes roughly between middle C (C4) and the C below middle C (C3). The top three notes may be
placed above C4. Just keep track of the register of the lowest note.
Keep lowest note of voicing

between these two notes
˙
? 44 ˙
In the example below, Type A and Type B voicings are written out for different chord types. Practice writing them
out yourself and check that your answers match those given. In the second measure, since the lowest note is a C,
the note on the border of the ideal register, the voicing is acceptable in either position given below.
F‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7 E¨‹7 B¨7

˙˙ 9
& w
w 59 ˙˙ 9 w
w 95
bw
w5
w
w 95
{
5 9
bw # ˙˙ 3 bbw
#w bw
5
? w3
b #˙˙ 37 w 37 w3 w 37
7 7
7
Type A Type B Type B Type A Type B

Practice finding the correct Type A/B voicings for the chords listed below. To help you form the voicings correctly,
the exercise prompts you to stack the chord tones in root position first and then arrange them into a Type A or Type
B voicing. The first one is done for you.
G‹7 E¨Œ„Š7 A7
& w
w
{ bw
Stacked in Stacked in Stacked in
? bw
w w
root position: root position: root position:
w
w
w
Type B Type A Type A
D¨Œ„Š7 G7 B¨7
&
{
?
Type B Type B Type A
E‹7 C‹7 EŒ„Š7
&
{
?
Type B Type A Type A

ii-V-I’s with Type A/Type B Voicings
For ii-V-I’s, alternating between Type A and Type B voicings yields the smoothest voice leading. In fact, if you think
of the notes in pairs – the two inner notes and the two outer notes – one pair stays the same and the other steps
down from one chord to the next.
A ii-V-I progression can start with either a Type A or Type B voicing but then should alternate, either from Type A
to B to A or from Type B to A to B.

w w w
& w
w w
w w
w w w w
{
? w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
These ii-V-I progressions will always move downwards. In the second example above, the Type B voicing for the D
minor seventh chord has a C on bottom, the note that is right on the border of being too high or too low. Although
the voicing could technically be played starting on either C3 or C4, the higher voicing works better, because the
progression moves downwards. Starting on C4 rather than C3 gives you some room to move down.
Here are some ii-V-I progressions from other keys written in ABA and BAB format.
ii-V-I in Eb Major ii-V-I in Bb Major

F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
w
& ww w
w bw
w w w
w w
w
{ bw
? w
b
Type A
bw
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
bb w
w
Type B
bw
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
ii-V-I in D Major ii-V-I in G Major

E‹7 A7 DŒ„Š7 A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
& #w
w w
w w
w w
w w
w w
w
{
? w
w
Type A
#w
w
Type B
##w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
#w
w
Type A
#w
w
Type B

It is essential to practice ii-V-I progressions using these voicings so that you are prepared with good voicings when
you see the progression in tunes. Below, a series of ii-V-I progressions is arranged like the exercise you did in Unit
3. Now, you should play the exercise using Type A/B voicings rather than root position chords. To master all of the
ii-V-I progressions you have to practice four ways:
a. Letter A, set 1, starting on Type A

b. Letter B, set 1, starting on Type B
A
c. Letter C, set 2, starting on Type A
d. Letter D, set 2, starting on Type B
AD‹7
The staves below haveG7 CŒ„Š7so that you can write C‹7
been left blank F7 First, write
in your voicings. B¨Œ„Š7
them out and practice
& 4 ™™
readingii-V-I
the voicings,
in C Majorthen practice completing the exercise without
ii-V-I in looking
Bb Majorat your notes.
{
4
AD‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
& ™™ in C Major
? 4 ™™
{
4 ii-V-I ii-V-I in Bb Major
4
4 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
&
4 ™™ Type A Type B
? 44 ™™
Type A Type A Type B Type A
{
4
Type A Type B Type A Type A Type B Type A
? 4 ™™
4
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 A¨‹7 D¨7 G¨Œ„Š7
&ii-V-I in Ab Major
{
ii-V-I in Gb Major
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 A¨‹7 D¨7 G¨Œ„Š7
&
?
{
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 A¨‹7 D¨7 G¨Œ„Š7
&
?
{ ?
Type A
ii-V-I
Type
F©‹7
in E
Type B
A Major Type B
B7
Type A
Type A
EŒ„Š7
Type A
ii-V-I
E‹7
Type B
in DAMajor Type B
Type
A7
Type A
Type A
DŒ„Š7
&ii-V-I in E Major ™™
{
ii-V-I in D Major
F©‹7 B7 EŒ„Š7 E‹7 A7 DŒ„Š7
& ™™
?
{
F©‹7 B7 EŒ„Š7 E‹7 A7 DŒ„Š7

™™
& ™™
?
{
™™
90 JAZZType
PIANO
A FUNDAMENTALS
Type B Type A Type A Type B Type A
? ™™
B
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
& 4 ™™
{
4
? 4 ™™
4
Type B Type A Type B Type B Type A Type B
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 A¨‹7 D¨7 G¨Œ„Š7
&
{
?
F©‹7 B7 EŒ„Š7 E‹7 A7 DŒ„Š7
& ™™
{
?
™™

C
E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7 C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7
& 4 ™™
{
4
? 4 ™™
4
B‹7 E7 AŒ„Š7 A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
&
{ ?
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7 F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
& ™™
{ ?
™™

D
E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7 C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7
& 4 ™™
{
4
? 4 ™™
4
B‹7 E7 AŒ„Š7 A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
&
{
?
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7 F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
& ™™
{
?
™™

lead to the smoothest voice leading.
FAQ Type B. Generally, when the bass is moving in the circle of fifths, alternating between Type A and Type B will
A: No! WithinAsked
Frequently a ii-V-I progression,
Questionsyou will create the smoothest voice leading by alternating between Type A and
Q : When I apply these voicings to a tune, should I start on Type A or Type B?
QA: Should I always alternate between Type A and Type B?
: You get to choose! Usually, I choose a voicing with the lowest note in the middle of that range between C3 and
C4. Remember that Western harmony tends to move downwards, so it is better to start a little higher, rather
than a little lower, to give yourself some room before you reach the lower parts of the range.
Q: What do I do if I hit the bottom of the range or go beyond it?

to the up!
A: Jump bottom of the range, don’t go lower. Jump up instead.
Like a typewriter, go back to the middle or top of the range. You can jump up by simply moving up
when the progression is in the middle of resolving a tension, like from V chord to a I chord. But when you get
an octave or by flipping voicing type from A to B or vice versa. If you want to be sophisticated, avoid jumping
when the progression is in the middle of resolving a tension, like from V chord to a I chord. But when you get
to the bottom of the range, don’t go lower. Jump up instead.
an octave or by flipping voicing type from A to B or vice versa. If you want to be sophisticated, avoid jumping
A
Q: Should I always alternate between Type A and Type B?
A:: No!
JumpWithin
up! Likea ii-V-I
a typewriter, go back
progression, to thecreate
you will middle or top of thevoicerange.
the smoothest Youbycanalternating
leading jump up bybetween
simplyType
Type B. Generally, when the bass is moving in the circle of fifths, alternating between Type A and Type B will
movingA andup
Q: What do I do if I hit the bottom of the range or go beyond it?

lead to the smoothest voice leading.
In other cases, consecutively using Type A or Type B multiple times in a row might create the smoothest voice
leading. Generally, it is best to stay on the same type consecutively when the root of the chord stays the same or
moves by step. As you work on voicings for tunes, move to the voicing type that creates the smoothest voice leading.
Q: Is there a specific fingering I should use for these voicings?

than a littleisn’tlower,so important
A: Fingering to give yourself some room before you reach the lower parts of the range.
for these voicings because you won’t be making legato connections when you’re
C4. Remember that Western harmony tends to move downwards, so it is better to start a little higher, rather
comping. When I practice these voicings, I minimize movement by using my second and fourth fingers as well
A
as my pinkies and thumbs. For now, work on getting the notes right and don’t stress too much about fingering.
Q:: I’m
You get to
playingchoose! Usually,
a tune thatIhas
choose a voicing
a diminished with the lowest
chord. How note in
can the
I fimiddle of
nd a Type that
A/Brange between
voicing forC3a and
diminished chord?
Q: When I apply these voicings to a tune, should I start on Type A or Type B?

A : Good question. To review, diminished seventh chords are indicated with a tiny circle before the “7,” like Co7.The
process for creating a voicing for a diminished seventh chord is pretty much the same as for other kinds of
chords. Take the third and seventh of the diminished chord in the left hand. Be careful because diminished
sevenths often look like sixths. In the right hand, play the fifth (diminished sevenths use a flat fifth, as compared
FAQ
to the major scale) and instead of a ninth, play the root for the fourth note of the voicing. Here are a few

examples:
Cº7 E¨º7 Bº7 Dº7 Gº7 Eº7
& bw bw
w 5Root w bw
w Root bw
w Root w 5Root w Root bw
w Root
{
5 5
bw
5
∫ w7 w3
? b∫w bbw
5
w 73 bw 3 bw
w7
7
w3 7 bw
w3
3 7
Type A Type A Type A Type B Type B Type B

Below, you will find Type A/B voicings written out for “Evening in Lyon.” One of your assignments this week
will be to write voicings for two tunes from the Tune Bank.
Evening in Lyon
With Type A/B Voicings
Jeremy Siskind
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4 ™™ w ˙˙ ˙ w ˙˙
w ˙
{
4
˙ w b˙
? 44 ™™ w
w
b˙
b˙ ˙˙ w
w
b˙
b˙ ˙˙
Type A Type A Type B Type A Type A Type B
1. 2.
5 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
™™ w
& bw n˙˙ ˙˙ w
w
˙˙ ˙˙
w w
w
{
bw
˙˙ ˙˙ w ˙˙ ˙˙
? w
w w ™™ w
w
w
w
Type A Type A Type B Type A Type A Type B Type A
17 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 A‹7
& w
w w w w
w
w w
{? w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
21 D‹7 G7 C©‹7 F©7 D‹7 G7
& w
w w
w ##˙˙ # ˙˙
˙˙ n˙˙
{ w
? w
Type A
w
w
Type B
˙˙
Type A
#˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type B

25 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
& w ˙˙ ˙˙ w ˙˙
w b ˙˙
{
w
? w
w bb˙˙ ˙˙ w
w bb˙˙ ˙˙
29 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& bw n˙˙ ˙˙ w
w
˙˙ ˙˙
{
bw
? w ˙˙ ˙˙ w ˙˙ ˙˙
w w
Practicing Ear Training with “Evening in Lyon”

Training one’s ear is an essential part of being a good improviser. Improvising without being able to hear what you
are about to play in your head is kind of like stumbling through an unfamiliar space in the dark. Hearing music in
your head before you play it is called audiation, and the best way to test how well you are hearing a chord progres-
sion is by singing. Although you might not be a singer and you might not even like singing, it is a foundational tool
for training your ear. So don’t be shy!
First, practice singing the roots of the chords for “Evening in Lyon.” It doesn’t matter what octave or register you
sing the notes in, as long as you sing the root note of each chord. At first, play the line at the piano and then sing
the note. Then, strive to sing each note before you play it on the piano, only using the piano to confirm that you
have sung the correct pitch.
The first eight measures are written for you below. Remember, you can sing this in any register.
1.
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
? ™™ w ˙ ˙ w ˙ ™™
˙ bw b˙
b˙ bw ˙ ˙
Next, practice playing the root but singing the third of the chord. Again, at first, feel free to help yourself by playing
the note before singing it, but strive to sing the pitch before playing it. It is not important whether you go up or
down from one pitch to the next. Do whatever is comfortable for your voice.

Sing 1.
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7
& ™™ w b˙ ˙ w b˙ ˙ w ˙ w ˙
™™
˙ ˙
? ™™ w
Play
˙ bw b˙ b ˙ bw ˙ ˙ w ˙ ˙
™™
{ ˙
Finally, get a little creative with your singing. While still playing the roots, create improvised connections between
the thirds of the chords using your voice. These could be scales associated with the chords, chromatic scales, some
repeated notes, or anything else you hear. The important thing is that you land on the third of each chord as it
arrives. Three possibilities for the first four measures are given below.
Sing
A
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4 ˙ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ
4
?4 w
Play
˙ ˙ bw b˙
4 b˙
B Sing
j
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
&4 œ œ œ œ œ b œ ™ bœJ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ bœ ™ b œ œ œ
4
œ
?4 w
Play
˙ ˙ bw b˙
4 b˙
Sing
C
CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7
bœ
& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ bœ bœ œ œ bœ bœ
4
?4 w
Play
˙ ˙ bw b˙
4 b˙
See how many different variations you can invent. Ask yourself “What If” questions to create more and more
variations. What if each note were repeated? What if the first melodic gesture were to skip up by an octave? What
if the main rhythm consisted of quarter-note triplets? What if there were turns or lower chromatic neighbors? These
connected thirds will help guide your future improvisations.

“Think of One” by Thelonious Monk Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“Think of One,” written by Thelonious Monk, is the eighth track from Monk’s 1963 album Criss-Cross.
Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) possessed a singularly unique voice in the history of jazz and recorded music. A
pianist who thrived in the cracks between the harmony, Monk was capable of making even the most traditional
melodies sound strange and even the strangest melodies sound appealing.
Although Monk was present for the birth of the bebop era and collaborated with the great bebop musicians, his
music is different than that of his peers. Monk took all of the complex colorations of bebop and created his own
musical lexicon that embraced unusual intervals, unintuitive rhythms, and odd forms, all while sounding hip and
mysterious. Although many listeners assume Monk was simply a “sloppy” pianist, those who have studied his music
know that his choices were intentional and he executed these choices with impressive precision and inimitable style.
Monk is thought of as one of the great jazz composers despite only having written about 70 short pieces in his career.
Each piece feels like a bit of a riddle as Monk dwells on motifs, employs obscure intervals, mixes rhythmic units,
and creates labyrinthine melodies. Monk was known for writing the middle part of the tune, the bridge, first and
then filling in the A sections afterwards.
PERFORMERS Form
0:00-0:02 Intro (bass scale)
Charlie Rouse, saxophone
0:02-0:48 Head In (32 measures, AABA)
Thelonious Monk, piano
0:48-2:19 Saxophone Solo (2 Choruses)
John Ore, bass
2:19- 4:34 Piano Solo (3 Choruses)
Frankie Dunlop, drums
4:34-end Head Out
The melody for “Think of One” is a great example of Monk’s eccentricities. The melody of the piece is almost
completely based on a repeated “F.” Instead of the syncopations usually associated with jazz rhythm, Monk mostly
places the F squarely on the beat. The last phrase of the A section melody is a machine gun burst of five sixteenth
notes, an unusual rhythmic unit for jazz melodies. Besides the oddness of the rhythm, notice the interval for these
sixteenth notes. The notes are arranged in a tritone, a diminished fifth, one of the most dissonant, unsingable
intervals in all of music. In the bridge (starting at 0:25), instead of providing a musical contrast, Monk continues to
dwell on the sixteenth note F’s, twisting and turning around the note until the melody feels like it has been turned
inside out.
Besides the composition, notice Monk’s comping style, which is spare and stabbing behind Charlie Rouse’s angular
solo. In his comping, Monk often references the melody and drops out for large periods of time. As he starts his solo,
Monk’s obsession with the original melody continues and his first chorus is more of a variation than a brand-new
melody. His tone on the piano is percussive. He doesn’t play with lightness or legato, but with an up-and-down
finger-heavy, disconnected approach.
Monk’s music is often an acquired taste for listeners. The first few listens to Monk’s music can be jarring. His
playing contradicts so many of the expectations of jazz music and it doesn’t sound “pretty,” in the traditional sense of
the word. And yet, Monk embodies jazz. His playing exudes uncompromising self-expression, rhythmic complexity,
and lightning-quick spontaneity. With patience and openness, you will learn to appreciate the richness of his music.

UNIT 6 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 6A – Building Rhythmic Vocabulary
2. Improvisation Exercise 6B – Arpeggios
3. Two-Handed Type A/B Voicings
a. Written practice
b. ii-V-I practice – four sets; write out and work to play quickly, from memory
c. Choose two tunes you have already played. Write out and practice your Type A/B voicings. Your goal
is to be able to look at the lead sheet and execute your voicings from memory so that you start to form
associations between the chords and the voicings without having to read the notation.
4. Practice your singing ear training exercises on “Evening in Lyon” (and other tunes!)
a. Sing the roots of the chords
b. Play the roots, sing the thirds
c. Create improvised or preplanned connections between the thirds of the chords
5. Guided Listening 6: “Think of One” by Thelonious Monk
b. Listen for the ways in which the composition defies traditional norms of jazz
c. Pay attention to Monk’s unique style of comping

Unit 7
The Blues Form Scan Here for
Unit 7 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 7 – Blues Scale

The blues scale is a set of six notes that is used by jazz musicians to improvise over many different types of chord
progressions. As compared to a major scale, the blues scale includes the root, the lowered third, the fourth, the
raised fourth, the fifth, and the lowered seventh. Blues scales in C, F, and G are written below.
œ bœ œ œ œ
Blues Scale in C Blues Scale in F Blues Scale in G
&4 œ bœ œ b œ b œ nœ œ b œ œ #œ œ
b œ œ #œ œ
4
œ
R b3 4 #4 5 b7 (R) R b3 4 #4 5 b7 (R) R b3 4 #4 5 b7 (R)
One application for the blues scale is to improvise over a ii-V-I progression. When improvising over a ii-V-I, use the
blues scale of the I chord for the entire progression. For example, for a ii-V-I in C major, use the C blues scale for
the D minor seventh, G dominant seventh, and C major seventh.
Really listen to yourself as you improvise using the blues scale. Although the blues scale is designed to create rubs,
it usually sounds best to arrive at less-tense notes as phrases end. When in doubt, end phrases on the first note of
the scale, the root of the I chord.
Learn the blues scale in the keys of C, F, G, and B-flat. In your left hand, play simple, stacked voicings for a ii-V-I
progression, comping with the Charleston rhythm. In the right hand, improvise using the appropriate blues scale,
listening intently to whether each note sounds tense or resolved.
Stacked Voicings for ii-V-I in C Major

D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
? 44 œœœœ ‰ œœœ
œ Ó œœœœ ‰ œœœœ Ó œœœ
œ ‰
œœœ
œ Ó
œœœ
œ ‰
œœœ
œ Ó
J J J J
UNIT 7 THE BLUES FORM 101

FAQ
Q: Wait, but I thought we were supposed to improvise using the major scale of the I chord for
a ii-V-I progression. What happened to that?
A: That is still true! This is another option. The best musicians mix between lots of different scales as they’re
improvising.
Q: I have been told there is both a major and minor blues scale. Is that true?
A: Kind of! I don’t like those terms because major and minor are terms from Western music theory and the blues
is not from the Western music tradition. However, some theoreticians call the blues scale presented above
the minor blues scale. The same scale starting on the second note is sometimes called the major blues
scale. I’ve also heard this “major blues scale” referred to as the “sweet” scale and the “bright blues scale.” As
compared to the major scale of the key, this scale contains the root, second, flat third, normal third, fifth, and
sixth. To avoid confusion, this book will refer to the blues scale already presented simply as “the blues scale”
and the “major” blues scale as the “sweet scale.”
bœ œ bœ
“Minor” Blues Scale in C “Major” Blues Scale in Eb “Major” Blues Scale in C
& 4 œ bœ œ #œ œ bœ œ bœ œ b œ nœ œ œ b œ nœ œ œ œ
4
R b3 4 #4 5 b7 (R) R 2 b3 3 5 6 (R) R 2 b3 3 5 6 (R)
notice this scale has the same notes as notice this scale has the same notes as
C “minor” blues scale the A “minor” blues scale
ii-V-I Lick 5 (Blues)

Double notes and turns are typical in the blues style. ii-V-I Lick 5 gives you the opportunity to practice these blues
staples. As you listen to Lick 5, you will probably notice that the lick almost sounds like it belongs in a minor key
rather than in C major. This is typical of the blues style, which mixes major and minor sounds.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
bœ
4 œ b œ œ œ œ bbœœ œ œ œ
&4 J œ œ œ #œj nœ œœ w
w
The recommended fingering for C major is given below. Practice flipping fingers 5 and 2 smoothly over your thumb
without any audible silence in between.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
bœ
5
4 œ b œ œ œ œbbœœ œ œ œ
5
œ œ #œj nœ œ w
5 5 1
&4 J
1 2 3
2 3
œ 2 1
œ 2 3 2
w
1
2
1

ii-V-I Exercise
Continue practicing your two-handed Type A/Type B voicings. This unit, you will tackle the voicings in three ways:
1. Practice ii-V-I’s in all keys, going up by half steps as written below. The example starts with Type A
voicings, but remember to start with Type B voicings as well.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7
&4 w w bw bw
w w w
w w
w w bw bbw
w w
w
4
{ 4
w
?4 w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
bw
bw
Type A
bw
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
E‹7 A7 DŒ„Š7 F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
& #w
w w w w w
w w
w bw
w w
w
w w w
{ ? w
w
Type A
#w
w
Type B
## w
w
Type A
w
w bb w
w
Type A
bw
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
2. Practice ii-V progressions without the I chords through the circle of fifths as indicated below. Practice
starting with both Type A and Type B, starting from both D minor seventh and E-flat minor seventh to
prepare for all possibilities.
ii-V in C ii-V in Bb ii-V in Ab ii-V in Gb
bbw bw
D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨‹7 D¨7
& w w w w w w w bw
w w w w w bw
{
bw bw
? w
w w
w bw
bw bw
w bbw
w bw
w
bw w
Type A Type B Type A Type B Type A Type B Type A Type B
3. Write out and practice voicings for two more tunes from the Tune Bank.

Blues Form
The blues progression is a twelve-measure chord progression that is used in all kinds of musical styles including
rock, pop, jazz, and the blues style. Jazz musicians play lots of pieces that use the blues progression including
standards like “Now’s the Time,” “Billie’s Bounce, “Blue Monk,” “Tenor Madness, “Things Ain’t What They Used to
Be,” and many more. About a quarter of jazz standards are blues tunes or some variation of the blues. It is important
for musicians interested in jazz to memorize the chord progression and practice executing it in every key.
The blues is traditionally divided into three four-measure phrases. Although different musicians add or change
chords to color the harmony in ways appropriate for a style or genre, the overall format remains as follows:
1. In the first phrase, the harmony hangs around the I chord.

2. The second phrase begins on the IV chord and returns to the I chord after two measures.
3. The final phrase starts with a cadence that returns the music to the I chord. In a rock blues, the cadence
is usually V-IV-I. In a jazz blues, the cadence is usually a ii-V-I progression.
The blues progression is unusual in that it uses dominant seventh chords for the tonic (I) and subdominant (IV)
chords. In Western music, dominant seventh chords are almost exclusively used as tense sounds designed to resolve
back to the tonic. However, the harmonic system used in the blues progression defies the traditions of Western
harmony. As you play the blues, you will find that within the context of the blues form, these dominant seventh
chords don’t sound like they need to resolve.
The example below shows a typical rock blues progression in F. The Roman numerals for the chords are given
below the staff.
F7
? b 4 ™™
4 V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
(I)
5 B¨7 F7
?b
(IV) (I)
9 C7 B¨7 F7 < C7 >

?b
V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V ™™
(V) (IV) (I) (V)

The next example shows a typical jazz blues progression in F. Notice, in addition to the change in cadence, the jazz
blues adds a quick move to the IV chord in measure two.
F7 B¨7 F7
? b 4 ™™
4 V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
(I) (IV) (I)
5 B¨7 F7
?b
(IV) (I)
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >
?b
V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V ™™
(ii) (V) (I) (ii) (V)
Remember that the chords in parentheses in the final measure are turnarounds, used to reset the music back to the
beginning for more repetitions. Turnarounds should be played every time other than the final repetition. Although
a simple V chord is used as the turnaround for the rock blues, a ii-V progression is more typical for the jazz blues.
Jazz musicians often add even more chords to the blues progression. If you want to see a blues progression with
many chords added, look up “Blues for Alice” in The Real Book. For now, it is important to master the simple jazz
blues progression presented above before graduating to more complex blues variations.
For this unit, practice the blues by completing three assignments:
1. Memorize the jazz blues form in C, F, G, and B-flat.

2. Write out and practice two-handed A/B voicings in those four keys. Empty staves are provided on the
next page.
3. Learn to play the blues heads “Blue Train” and “Blue Monk” with chords from The Real Book. Note:
For some reason, The Real Book wrote the chords to “Blue Monk” without sevenths. All of the chords
should be dominant seventh chords.

Blues in C
C7 F7 C7
&4
{
4
? 44
F7 C7
&
{9
?
D‹7 G7 C7 < D‹7 G7 >

&
{ ?
Blues in F
F7 B¨7 F7
&4
{
4
? 44
5 B¨7 F7
&
{9
?
G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >

&
{ ?

Blues in Bb
B¨7 E¨7 B¨7
&4
{
4
? 44
5 E¨7 B¨7
&
{
?
9 C‹7 F7 B¨7 < C‹7 F7 >

&
{
?
Blues in G
G7 C7 G7
&4
{
4
? 44
5 C7 G7
&
{
?
9 A‹7 D7 G7 < A‹7 D7 >

&
{
?

Comping Variations 1
So far, you know how to comp using the Charleston and Reverse Charleston patterns. In this unit, you will learn
some variations for these patterns.
1. Add a lead-in comp on beat four or the “and of three.”

After the Charleston and Reverse Charleston, you can add one more comp on beat four or on the “and of
three.” Put a nice accent on any comp on the “and of three” to highlight the syncopation. This lead-in comp is
particularly useful at the end of a four-measure phrase.
Charleston
‰ jŒ
D‹7 G7
j CŒ„Š7
j j
œ
&4 œ œ
œ œœ œ ‰ œ Ó œœ ‰ œœ ‰ œœ ™™ œœ ‰ œœ Ó
œ œ
{
4
>>
œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ
?4 œ ‰ œ Œ œ ‰ œJ Ó œ ‰ œ ‰ œ™ œ ‰ œ Ó
4 J J J
lead-in lead-in on
on four “and of three”
Reverse Charleston
j j j
‰bbœœj Œ œœ œœ ‰bbœœj Œ œœ Œ
E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7
&4 ‰ bœœ Œ œœ œœ ™™ ‰bbœœ Œ œœ Œ
{
4
>
bb œœ œœ >œœ™™ b œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
?4 ‰ J Œ J ‰ J Œ Œ ‰ J Œ ‰ J Œ Œ
4
lead-in on lead-in
“and of three” on four

2. Add a push-off, a group of two eighth notes in a row.
A push-off is the equivalent of the swing rhythm “doo-DIT,” two consecutive eighth notes with no space in
between, punctuated by a percussive accent. Below, you will find some ways to add push-offs to the Charleston
and Reverse Charleston.
Charleston
D‹7
j G7 CŒ„Š7
j j
& 4 œœ œœ ‰ œœ Ó œœ œœ œœ Ó œœ ‰ œœ Ó œœ œœ ‰ œœ Ó
4
>>. >>. >>.
{ œ œ. œ
?4 œ œ ‰ œ Œ Œ
4 J
push-off from
one to the
œœ œœ œœ.
push-off from
two to the
Ó
œœ œ
‰ œJ Ó
œœ
push-off from
œœ. œ
‰ œJ Ó
one to the
“and of one” “and of two” “and of one”
Reverse Charleston
j
‰bbœœj Œ œœ Œ ‰bbœœj Œ œœ œœ Œ
E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7
‰ bœœ Œ œœ œœ Œ
bbœœ
&4 œœ Œ œœ Œ
>>.
4
>>. >>.
{ ?4
4
b
b œœ
‰ J Œ
œœ œœ.
Œ
push-off from
three to the
bœœ œœ.
push-off from
one to the
œ
Œ œ Œ
œ
‰ œJ Œ œ Œ
œ œœ
‰ J Œ
œœ œœ.
Œ
push-off from
three to the
“and of three” “and of one” “and of three”
3. Change the articulation

Instead of playing both chords short, add a measure with long-short articulation, springing off the second chord
of the measure.
4 œ ‰ œj Ó j ‰ œj Œ œ Œ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&4 œ œ œœ ™™ œœ Ó œ œ
‰ œ™
œ™ œœ Œ
{
>>. >>.
œ œ
? 44 œ ‰ œ Œ Œ œœ ™™ œœ. œ œ œ™ œœ.
J J Ó ‰ œJ Œ œ Œ ‰ œ™ Œ
normal articulation long-short normal articulation long-short

Practice mixing these comping styles in your ii-V-I exercises and when comping on a blues form. One example
of comping for the ii-V-I exercises is given below.
jÓ j
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
‰ ‰ œ Œ œ œ Œ ‰ œ™ j
œ
&4 œ œ
œ œ œ œ. œ™ œœ Œ œœ ‰ œœ ‰ œœ ™™
{
4
> >. >.
? 4 œœ ‰ œœ Œ Œ œœ œœ >œœ. œ™ >œ. œ œ >œ. ™
4 J ‰ J Œ Œ ‰ œ™ œ Œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ™
J
Charleston - Reverse Charleston - Reverse Charleston - Charleston -
normal articulation push-off on 3 long-short lead-in on "and of three"
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
j ‰ œj Œ j
& 4 œœ œœ œœ Ó œœ ™™ œœ Ó œœ Œ œœ ‰ œœ Ó
{
œ
4
>.
> >>.
. œœ. Ó
? 4 bbœœ œœ œœ Œ Œ bœœ ™™ ‰ œœ Œ œœ Œ œœ ‰ œœ Ó
4 J J J
Charleston - Charleston - Reverse Charleston - Charleston -
push-off on 2 long-short normal articulation normal articulation
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7

j ‰ œj Œ
& 4 œœ œœ ‰ œœ Ó ‰ œ™ œœ Œ b œ œœ ‰ bœ ™ œœ Œ
{
4
>>. bœ ™ bœ œ b œ™
. >>. >>.
? 4 bbœœ œœ ‰ œœ Œ Œ ‰ bœœ ™™ œœ. Œ œœ ‰ œœ Œ œœ ‰ œœ™™ œœ. Œ
4 J J
Charleston - Reverse Charleston - Charleston - Reverse Charleston -
push-off on 1 long-short lead-in on 4 long-short
FAQ
Q: When do I use these variations?
A: There is no such thing as right or wrong when it comes to comping. Comping is all a matter of taste. Typically,
pianists choose to comp in a busier style when the melody or soloist is less active. Comping can also be used to
highlight musical phrasing, and pianists may choose to play a variation at the end of a phrase to signal that the
phrase is ending. The best way to learn about the nuances of comping is to pay close attention to how pianists
comp in the guided listening assignments.

“Pie Eye’s Blues” by Duke Ellington Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“Pie Eye’s Blues,” written by Duke Ellington, is the fourth track from Ellington’s 1959 album, Blues in Orbit.
The piece is an updated, up-tempo version of Ellington’s piece, “Flirtibird,” from his soundtrack to the film,
Anatomy of a Murder.
Duke Ellington is indisputably one of the most important, original, and prolific musicians in jazz history. A
bandleader, composer, arranger, and pianist, Ellington’s massive output includes large-scale symphonic works,
pieces for his long-running big band, popular songs, film scores, and jazz trio recordings. Although Ellington was an
excellent pianist, in a sense, his big band was his instrument. A big band is a large jazz ensemble usually consisting
of five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, and a rhythm section. One element that makes Ellington such
a remarkable composer is that instead of writing generically for a set of instruments, he wrote specifically for indi-
viduals, the unique members of his band. Many of these members were chosen for their highly individual sounds,
from the whimpering of lead alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges and the whinnying trombone soloing of “Tricky” Sam
Nanton, to the smooth as silk tone of long-time baritone saxophonist Harry Carney.
Form
PERSONNEL 0:00-0:18 Head (12-bar blues), piano melody
Duke Ellington, pianist, composer 0:18-0:35 Head 2
Ray Nance, trumpet
0:35-0:50 Head 3
Cat Anderson, trumpet
Shorty Baker, trumpet 0:50-1:40 Trumpet Solo (three choruses)
Britt Woodman, trombone 1:40-2:42 Tenor Saxophone Solo (four choruses)
Matthew Gee, trombone
2:42-3:12 Head + Tenor Solo Continues
Booty Wood, trombone (two choruses)
Jimmy Hamilton, reeds
3:12-end Ending
Johnny Hodges, alto saxophone
Russel Procope, alto saxophone
Paul Gonsalves, tenor saxophone
Harry Carney, baritone saxophone
Jimmy Woode, bass
Jimmy Johnson, drums
On “Pie Eye’s Blues,” once the band starts playing together around 2:42, you don’t hear Ellington playing the piano
too much. With approximately fifteen horn players filling in the harmonies, there is not much open space for the
pianist to play chords. When playing in a big band, a pianist must determine when their input is actually needed and
when it is creating too much clutter. When comping, one choice a pianist can make is silence. Jazz musicians some-
times jokingly refer to the choice not to play as strolling, as though a player is taking a walk instead of comping.

In a big band setting, backgrounds, accompanimental melodies or chords, are often used instead of comping
to accompany solos. The first backgrounds enter at 2:12, with a repeated trombone line accompanying the tenor
solo. After two choruses of increasing volume, the trombone background is replaced by the saxophones playing
the original melody behind a trumpet who hangs around the tonic note, E-flat, altering his sound using a mute. A
mute is an object put into the bell of a brass instrument to change the tone. In the final choruses, Ellington’s piano
is added in call-and-response fashion with the melody, bringing the piece to a climactic and cacophonous finale.
Besides listening to all of the interlocking parts of the big band, pay attention to the blues form. “Pie Eye’s Blues”
is a traditional twelve-bar blues. The melody is played three times at the beginning, which is a little unusual, but
works here because Ellington gives the melody to a different instrument each time. Memorize the melody and
continually sing it in your head even as the solos begin, noting the beginning of each chorus. Notice that changes in
the arrangement, such as entrances, backgrounds, and new soloists, generally happen at the beginning of a chorus.
As you listen, see if you can hear some spots where the soloists use the blues scale.
UNIT 7 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 7 – Improvise using the blues scale in the keys of C, F, G,
and B-flat major
2. ii-V-I Lick 5 – Remember the four elements of practicing a lick:
a. Learn the lick with good articulation
b. Practice coordination with comping patterns
c. Transpose to all twelve keys (or as many as possible)
d. Apply to tunes
3. ii-V-I Exercises
a. Practice ii-V-I’s in ascending half steps through all twelve keys
b. Practice ii-V’s without the I chord in the circle of fifths starting with both Type A & Type B
c. Write out and practice voicings for two more tunes
4. Blues Form
a. Memorize the jazz blues form in C, F, G, and B-flat
b. Write out and practice two-handed Type A/B Voicings in those four keys
c. Learn to play the blues heads “Blue Train” and “Blue Monk” with chords from The Real Book.
5. Comping Variations – practice incorporating lead-ins, push-offs, and long-short
articulations as you practice your voicings for ii-V-I progressions and the blues form
6. Guided Listening 7: “Pie Eye’s Blues” by Duke Ellington
b. Follow the blues form throughout “Pie Eye’s Blues”
c. Listen for the use of different instruments in the big band

Unit 8
Playing Bass in Two Scan Here for
Unit 8 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 8 – Call-and-Response Phrasing 1

Phrasing is an important part of being a good improviser. Having a variety of models to guide you regarding when
to play and when to rest can help you discover new avenues for improvisation. Practicing phrasing can also help you
to figure out how to integrate your left-hand comping with your right-hand improvisation.
This week, practice two common phrasing models based on the principles of call and response. In the Play One,
Rest One model, your right hand plays one measure and then rests for one measure as the left hand comps. For the
Play Two, Rest Two model, the right hand plays two measures before resting two measures for left-hand comping.
When practicing these models, you should be accurate, but you don’t need to be precise. It is totally acceptable to
start and end your phrases a little before or after the prescribed downbeat. Use this exercise to practice comping
variations as demonstrated in the examples below, which use both the E-flat major scale and the E-flat blues scale.
Play One, Rest One
bœ œ œ œ bœ Œ Ó Œ œ œ bœ bœ œ
F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
&4 Ó ˙ Ó
{
4
>œ.
?4 ∑ bbœœœœ œœœœ œ
bb œœœ œœœ œœœœ
4 ‰ J Œ Œ ∑ ‰ J Ó
Reverse Charleston Charleston with
push-off on beat 1
bœ œ bœ bœ bœ b˙
b
Œ ‰ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ
F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
&4 J Ó Ó
J bœ bœ ˙
{
4
bœœœ ™™™ œœœ Ó b œœœ œœœ œœœ

?4 ‰ ∑ bœ ™ œJ ∑ ‰b œ Œ œ œ
4 J
Charleston - Reverse Charleston -
long-short lead in on beat 4
Play Two, Rest Two
œ b œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ
F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
&4 ‰ J œ b œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑
{
4
?4 bb œœœœ œœœ œœœ ™™™ b œœœ ™™™ œœœ

4 ∑ ∑ ‰ œJ ‰ œ™ ‰b œBASS
UNIT 8 PLAYING ™ INœ TWO
Œ 113
Charleston -UNIT 8 PLAYING BASS

Reverse IN TWO
Charleston - 113
lead-in on “and of 3” long-short
F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7

{?4 ‰
4 ∑
bœœ ™™™
bœœ ™
œœ
œœ Ó
J
Charleston -
long-short
∑
bœ
J
œ œ
‰b œœ Œ œœ œœ
Reverse Charleston -
lead in on beat 4
Play Two, Rest Two
œ b œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ
F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
&4 ‰ J b œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑
{
4
b œœ œœ œœ ™™ b œœœ ™™™ œœ
?4 ∑ ∑ b œœ ‰ œœ ‰ œœ™™ ‰ œ™
b œœ Œ
4 J
Charleston - Reverse Charleston -
lead-in on “and of 3” long-short
4 bœ n
F‹7
œ b œ b œ bœ bœ bœ œ œ
B¨7
bœ ™
E¨Œ„Š7
bœ Ó
&4 ‰ J J ∑
œj
{?4
4 ∑ ∑
b œœœ
‰ œJ Œ
b
Reverse Charleston
œœ
œœ Œ b œœ
b œœ
œœ
Charleston -
œœ
>œ.
œœ
œ Ó
push-off on the “and of two”
Practice improvising over ii-V-I’s in E-flat, A-flat, and D major. You can use the major scale of the tonic key or the
blues scale of the tonic key for your improvisations.
ii-V-I Lick 6 (Blues)

ii-V-I Lick 6 is written to fit with the V chord of a long-form ii-V-I, although the same lick could be used in any
measure of a ii-V-I. Like the previous lick, this one uses double notes and turns.
4 ‰ j #œœ œ œ
G7 CŒ„Š7
&4 œ œ œœ œ #˙œ œ ™ Ó
J
Whereas the last lick focused on the “regular” blues scale, this lick uses the sweet scale that was discussed in the
previous chapter’s frequently asked questions. The sweet scale is composed of root, second, flat third, normal third,
fifth, and sixth as compared to the major scale.
Sweet Scale in C Sweet Scale in F Sweet Scale in D

œ
&
œ œ bœ nœ
œ œ œ œ bœ nœ œ œ œ œ #œ œ
œ
Notice that ii-V-I Lick 6 mainly uses the sweet scale but borrows the F on beat four from the regular blues scale.
It is common to mix between the two scales when playing the blues.

Basslines in Two
In jazz, basslines are melodies that establish the root of the chord and the strong beats of the measure. If there is
no bass player in a group, it is often up to the pianist to play the bassline. It is typically expected that pianists play
basslines when they accompany singers or other instrumentalists in a duo setting.
A bassline in two is composed of half notes. Bassists generally play in two for more relaxed tempos or at the
beginning of pieces before moving into the more-energetic walking bass feel, which is made up of quarter notes.
Bassists study their whole lives to play basslines that are melodically rich, varied, and support the harmony of a tune.
For now, you will start with simple formulas that you can mix to create basic basslines in two.
1. If the chords change every half note, play the root of each chord.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 FŒ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 D¨Œ„Š7
? 44 ˙ ˙ b˙ b˙
˙ ˙ b˙ b˙
root root root root root root root root
“‘
2. If the chords change every measure, do one of the following:

a. Play the root of the chord on the downbeat and the fifth on beat three.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
? 44 ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
root fifth root fifth root fifth root fifth
“‘
b. Play the root of the chord on the downbeat and the third on beat three.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
? 44 ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ ˙
root third root third root third root third
“‘
c. Play the root of the chord on the downbeat and a chromatic neighbor (either higher or lower)
to the next root on beat three.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
? 44 ˙ ˙ ˙ b˙ ˙
#˙ ˙ ˙
root neighbor root neighbor root neighbor root third
to G to C to C
“‘
UNIT 8 PLAYING BASS IN TWO 115

Notice that basslines can either ascend or descend when moving from beat one to beat three. Because of the voice
leading patterns in the circle of fifths, it often makes the most sense to alternate between ascending and descending.
Basslines should be played legato, without any space in between notes.
Note how low on the piano these basslines should be played (take the 8vb signs seriously!). Many pianists make the
mistake of playing basslines too high, but they should be played just about as low as possible on the instrument.
The lowest string of the bass is equivalent to the lowest E on the piano and the strings move up in fourths to A,
D, and G. Use those four notes as a guide to roughly determine how low you should play your bassline. From this
point forward, this book will no longer be writing “8vb” for each bassline, but please assume that you should play
all basslines an octave below where they are written.
Practice mixing freely between these three formulas on a blues form. If you stick to only one formula, your bassline
might be boring and predictable. Below, you will find one possible version of a bassline in two for a blues in E-flat.
Avoid playing the same note twice in a row because it is not very melodically satisfying. For example, in measure
two, avoid playing the fifth of the A-flat dominant seventh chord, E-flat, on beat three because the next note will
be E-flat as the root of the E-flat dominant seventh chord. If you must repeat a pitch, repeat it in different octaves
to mask the repetition.
E¨7 A¨7 E¨7

? bb 4 ™™ ˙ ˙ ˙
b4 ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ n˙
root third root third root fifth root neighbor
to A
5 A¨7 E¨7
? bb ˙
b b˙ ˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ n˙
root third root neighbor root third root neighbor
to Eb to F
9 F‹7 B¨7 E¨7 < F‹7 B¨7 >

? bb ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ™™
b ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
root fifth root third root fifth root root

FAQ
Q: All of these formulas have the root on beat one of every measure. Is there ever a time
when I can play something other than the root on the downbeat?
A: Yes! If you are itching to play something other than the root, a great place to try it is when a chord lasts for
more than one measure. For example, in measures three and four of the blues on the previous page, it would be
acceptable to play the E-flat only once, on the downbeat of measure three. Two good formulas for this scenario
are to play root-second-third-root, which always works, or to use a walk up, a formula of ascending whole
step, half step, half step, which works if the chords are moving in the circle of fifths.
Root-Second-Third-Root Walk Up
E¨7 E¨7 (leads to Ab)
? 44
b˙ ˙ ˙ b˙ b˙ ˙ #˙ ˙
root second third root
whole step half step half step
“‘
Q: I know you said that E is the lowest string of the bass. Are we allowed to go below that on
the piano?
A: Yes, absolutely. There is no need to limit our range as piano players to the range of the bass. That said, going
all the way down to the lowest three or four notes on the piano is probably going to sound too low and unchar-
acteristic of the bass sound. I would stay at the lowest C or above.
Q: Why do we play legato? Don’t bassists play pizzicato, which would sound short?
A: You are correct that bassists play pizzicato, but the strings on the bass are so long that a single pluck lasts for a
really long time. Even though bassists pluck their strings, the resulting sound is legato.
One-Handed Type A/B Voicings

For the past two units, you have been practicing Type A/B voicings that require both hands. These voicings are
appropriate when other instruments are playing both the bassline and the melody of the piece.
This unit, you will learn a version of these voicings that is appropriate to play with just one hand. These one-handed
type A/B voicings can be played in the right hand while the left hand is playing a bassline, or they can be played
in the left hand while the right hand is playing a melody or improvising.

Instead of four notes, when playing these voicings, you will only play three notes, the third and seventh plus either
the ninth or the fifth. Many of the rules you learned regarding two-handed voicings still apply:
• Type A voicings still have the third on bottom and Type B voicings still have the seventh on bottom.
• No matter which hand you use to play these voicings, keep the lowest note of the voicing between C3
and C4.
• Alternating between Type A and Type B will create the smoothest voice leading for a ii-V-I progression.
The formulas for the voicings are as follows:
Type A Type B
9 5
7 3
3 7
Here are some examples of one-handed Type A/B voicings for a variety of chords:
C‹7 G‹7 AŒ„Š7 F7 E¨Œ„Š7 B¨7 GŒ„Š7

w bw ##w bw
w 9 w 5 #w
w 9
? 44 bbw
w
9
7
3
w
w
5
3
7
w
w
5
3
7
w 7
3
bw
w
w
5
3
bw
w 3
7
w 7
3
7
Type A Type B Type B Type A Type B Type B Type A
Write out the voicings indicated on the next page. Pay close attention to the range, making sure to keep the lowest
note between C3 and C4. Even though you will eventually play these voicings in one hand, a grand staff has been
provided to avoid excessive ledger lines. The first three voicings are done for you.

F‹7 DŒ„Š7 G7 C7 A¨Œ„Š7 D‹7 E7
& 4 bw
w w
4
{
? 4 bw
4
Type A
w
##w
w
Type B
w
w
Type B Type A Type B Type B Type A
8 AŒ„Š7 B¨7 G‹7 CŒ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 A‹7
&
{
?
Type B Type A Type A Type A Type B Type A Type B
15 E‹7 FŒ„Š7 C‹7 A7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7 EŒ„Š7
&
{
?
Type A Type B Type B Type A Type B Type A Type A
22 DŒ„Š7 B¨‹7 FŒ„Š7 G¨7 AŒ„Š7 C©7 BŒ„Š7
&
{
?
Type B Type A Type A Type B Type A Type B Type A
ii-V-I Exercise
As with two-handed Type A/B voicings, alternating between the Type A and Type B forms will create the smoothest
voice leading for ii-V-I’s.

˙ ˙˙ w ˙˙ ˙˙ w
w
? 44 ˙˙ ˙ w
w
˙ ˙ w
Type A Type B Type A Type B Type A Type B

Practice the familiar ii-V-I exercise below starting on both Type A and Type B voicings. Play the voicing in the right
hand while playing the root in the left hand. If you are ready, play a bassline in two instead of holding the root.
A
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
& 4 ™™
{
4
? 44 ™™
? 44 ™™
w w w w w w
bw w

9 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 A¨‹7 D¨7 G¨Œ„Š7
&
{ ?
?
bw bw bw w bw bw w
bw

1 7 F©‹7 B7 EŒ„Š7 E‹7 A7 DŒ„Š7
& ™™
{ ?
™™
? ™™
#w w w w w w w w

B
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
& 4 ™™
{
4
? 44 ™™
? 44 ™™
w w w w w w bw w
9 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7 A¨‹7 D¨7 G¨Œ„Š7
&
{
?
? bw
bw bw w bw bw w
bw
1 7 F©‹7 B7 EŒ„Š7 E‹7 A7 DŒ„Š7
& ™™
{
?
™™
? ™™
#w w w w w w w
w

C
E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7 C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7
& 4 ™™
{
4
? 44 ™™
? 44 ™™
bw bw w #w #w w w
bw

9 B‹7 E7 AŒ„Š7 A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
&
{ ?
?
w w w w
w w w w

17 G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7 F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
& ™™
{ ?
™™
? ™™
w w w w w bw w
bw

D
E¨‹7 A¨7 D¨Œ„Š7 C©‹7 F©7 BŒ„Š7
& 4 ™™
{
4
? 44 ™™
? 44 ™™
bw bw bw w #w w w
#w

9 B‹7 E7 AŒ„Š7 A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
&
{
?
?
w w w w w w w w

17 G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7 F‹7 B¨7 E¨Œ„Š7
& ™™
{
?
™™
? ™™
w w w w bw w
w bw

Practice the blues form in E-flat, F, and B-flat, playing a bassline in two in the left hand and holding or comping
one-handed shell voicings in the right hand. Playing the bass and one-handed shell voicings makes a great accom-
paniment for a singer or horn player. The example below provides one possibility. Remember to play the bassline
an octave lower than written.
E¨7
b œœœ œœ A¨7
œ œ œ E¨7
b œœœ œœ œœ b œœœ œœ œœ ™™
? bb 4 ™™ œ Ó bœœ œœ ‰ œœ Ó n œ œ ‰ œJ ‰ œ™
{
b 4 ‰ J J ‰ J Œ Œ
? bb 4 ™™ ˙ ˙ ˙
b4 ˙ ˙ ˙ n˙
˙
œœ ™™ b œœ ™™
A¨7 E¨7
5 œ œœ œœ œœ b œœ œœ œœ
? bb ‰ bœœ Œ œ Œ bœ ‰ œ ‰ œ™ nœ ‰ œ Ó œ™ œ Ó
{
b J J J J
? bb ˙
b b˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ n˙
˙
< F‹7 ™ >
F‹7
œœ œœ œœ B¨7 E¨7
œœ ™ B¨7
œ Œ ‰ œ™
9 œœ œœ œœ b œœœ œœ œœ
? bb œ œ ‰ œJ Ó œb œ œ Ó œ Œ ™™
{
b ‰ J Œ
? bb
b ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ™™
˙ ˙ ˙

Blues Improvisation
Improvising over the blues is an artform unto itself. Great blues players mix influences and styles to tell complex
stories over a simple chord progression. This section will give you a few suggestions to get started.
An AAB blues form is a key part of the blues tradition. When playing an AAB blues, start by improvising a simple
melodic phrase for four measures. This will be your “A” phrase. Remember and repeat this improvisation in the
middle four measures. Then improvise a contrasting phrase, your “B” phrase, for the final four measures. To make
the “B” phrase a substantive contrast, think about some different aspects of music:
• If your “A” phrase has long notes, use short notes in your “B” phrase.
• If your “A” phrase descends, make your “B” phrase ascend.
• If your “A” phrase starts on an F, try starting somewhere different for your “B” phrase.
Not only does an AAB blues make for a compelling and logical improvisation, but it also provides a great opportunity
to check whether you are truly listening to yourself as you play. For both practical and musical reasons, don’t try
to fill all four measures of your improvisation. Instead, use the Play One, Rest One or Play Two, Rest Two phrase
models, leaving ample space between your phrases.
Use the blues scale when creating an AAB blues. The blues scale is appropriate because it fits with the entire form
of the blues, not just one particular chord. An example is given below.
F7 B¨7 F7
“A” Phrase
j j
& b 4 ™™ ‰ œ bœ œbœ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ™ œ Ó ∑
4
3
B¨7 “A” Phrase Repeated F7

5
& b ‰ œj bœ œbœ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ™ œj Ó Ó Œ ‰ œJ
3
G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >

Contrasting “B” Phrase
bœ œ bœ œ bœ ‰ bœj bœ œ bœ
9
b j
& œ œ bœ n œ œ œ œ™ œ Ó ∑ ™™

Besides improvising using the blues scale, you can also use the arpeggios of each individual chord. First, practice
3-5-7-9 arpeggios as you did in Improvisation Exercise 6B.
b œ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙
nœ œ bœ œ œ bœ
F7 B¨7 F7
b
& 4 ™œ œ bœ œ ˙
œ œ
4 ™
bœ œ ˙ bœ œ ˙
5 B¨7 F7
&b b œ œ ˙ b œ œ ˙ nœ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ ˙ bœ œ ˙ œ œ œ
œ
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >
& b œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ™™
œ nœ
Practice some variations of the 3-5-7-9 arpeggio in the blues form. The variations can start on a different note,
change directions, repeat notes, change the rhythm, or add neighbor tone lead-ins. Practice these variations and
create your own. Here are a few options:
Start from Ninth,

Going Down Change of Rhythm Change of Direction Add a Neighbor Tone
œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ ˙ j œbœnœ œ ˙
Œ œ œbœ œ Œ
F7 F7 F7 F7
b
& 4
4 œ ˙ œ #œ œ
3 3
9 7 5 3 3 5 7 9 7 3 9 7 5 NT 3 5 7 9 9

Next, invert some of the arpeggios so that they voice lead smoothly from one chord to the next. The example below
shows a blues form with some arpeggios placed in inversions.
bœ œ ˙ œ ˙ bœ œ ˙ bœ œ ˙
F7 B¨7 F7
b
& 4
4 ™
™ œ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ
3 5 7 9 7 9 3 5 3 5 7 9 3 5 7 9
œ ˙ œ ˙ bœ œ ˙ bœ œ ˙
5 B¨7 F7
& b bœ œ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ
7 9 3 5 7 9 3 5 3 5 7 9 3 5 7 9
œ œ ˙ œ ˙ bœ œ ˙ œ œ
œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ nœ ™™
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >
œ œ œ
&b œ
3 5 7 9 7 9 3 5 3 5 7 9 3 5 7 9 7 9 3 5
Now, improvise solos over the blues form using only arpeggios. The key to making this sound musical is to create
longer phrases, connecting between the arpeggios of different measures. Notes on the “and of four” frequently
anticipate the arpeggio of the next measure. An example is given below:
œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ
F7 B¨7 F7
b
& 4 J
4 ‰ œ œ bœ œ™ J ∑ ‰ J œ œ œ bœ
9 7 5 3 7 5 3 5 9 7 5 3 R 7
anticipates Bb7 anticipates F7
œ œ bœ œ œ œ
Œ nœ œ bœ
5 B¨7 F7
&b œ bœ œ Ó
œ œ bœ œ
J œ œ
œ™
3 9 7 5 3 5 7 5 3 5 7 9 9 7 7 5 5 3 3
œ ˙ œ œ™ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
9 G‹7 C7 F7 <G‹7 C7 >
&b œ œ J ∑
3 5 7 7 3 5 3 9 7 5 3 5 7 R
anticipates Gm7

Finally, practice combining arpeggios and the blues scale in the same improvisation. At first, you
can plan out your phrases to have two four-measure phrases of arpeggio-based improvisation and one
four-measure phrase of blues scale-based improvisation. Practice using the blues scale at different points in the
blues form. Practice using the Play One, Rest One and Play Two, Rest Two phrase models to keep your
improvisation organized. In the two-chorus example below, the blues scale-based improvisation is placed in the
middle phrase in the first chorus and then in the final phrase in the second chorus.
arpeggios
œ bœ
œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ nœ œ bœ Ó Œ ‰ bœJ
F7 B¨7 F7
b
& 4
4 Œ Ó
blues scale
œ bœ œ
5
‰ nœ bœ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ™ œj Ó Œ ‰ œj bœ bœ œ nœ
B¨7 F7
&b nœ bœ bœ œ
3
J œ
arpeggios
9
n œ œ œ œ œ C7œ œ œ
G‹7
œ bœ œ œ bœ
F7 G‹7 C7
& b bœJ J bœ bœ œ ‰ J œ œœœ

œœŒ Ó
arpeggios
j œ bœ nœ œ œ œ œ
bœ nœ œ bœ
œ ˙
13 F7 B¨7 F7
& b ‰ #œ œ Œ Ó ∑
3
arpeggios
œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ Œ
17
œ œ œ œ
B¨7 F7
&b ‰ J ‰ J ‰ J Œ œ œ ∑
blues scale
œ bœ œ bœ
21 G‹7 C7 F7 G‹7 C7
& b ‰ J bœ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ ˙ Ó ∑
nœ œ

FAQ
Q: I’m doing everything you suggested and it doesn’t sound bad…but it doesn’t sound like
jazz. What’s wrong?
A: Well, it is hard to tell you exactly without hearing you play, but the biggest problems I hear from students at
this stage all have to do with rhythm and articulation. I would check the following aspects:
• How is your swing articulation? Are you heavy on the downbeats or are you doing a good job accenting
your “doo-VAHs?” Make sure to really listen instead of going by feel. In my experience, even very smart
students think they are getting the accents correct but in fact are accenting the downbeats.
• Where are you starting and ending your phrases? Remember from the Building Your Rhythmic
Vocabulary sections that in jazz, we start and end most phrases on offbeats rather than on the beat. If
your playing feels too “square,” place more of your phrase beginnings and endings on offbeats.
• Check your hand to make sure that you are utilizing a variety of hand positions and therefore improvis-
ing melodies with diverse intervals and shapes.
• Include grace notes, turns, and double notes. These simple ornaments can solidify the sense of jazz
style.
We have quite a lot of color to add in the next few chapters. If you have a really discerning ear, you might be
missing some of those colors. Be patient!
Q: Some of these notes sound really bad to me against the chords. Am I doing it wrong?
A: It is possible that you are doing it wrong, but I find that the dissonances created by the blues scale change
character depending on the tempo. If you dwell on them at a slow tempo as you are practicing, they will sound
highly dissonant. As you play at more medium tempos, you will find these dissonances are not too strident.
However, remember that even in the blues we like dissonances to resolve, so be conscientious about how and
where you are ending your phrases. When in doubt, end your phrase on the tonic note, which will always feel
resolved.
Q: I was told to use pentatonic scales to improvise over the blues. Was that wrong?
A: No! Actually, pentatonic scales are five-note versions of the blues scale and the sweet scale. The minor penta-
tonic scale is the blues scale without the raised fourth. The major pentatonic scale is like the sweet scale without
the raised second. The diagram below demonstrates the difference.
bœ bœ
F Blues Scale F Minor Pentatonic Scale F Sweet Scale F Major Pentatonic Scale
& b œ bœ bœ bœ nœ œ œ œ
œ b œ b œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Q: I really like the sound of the sweet scale. Can I use it just like the blues scale?
A: Not quite! The biggest difference is that as the blues progression moves to the IV chord, you have to change
keys and improvise with the sweet scale based on the IV chord.

“D. & E.” by Oscar Peterson Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“D. & E.”, a piece composed by pianist John Lewis, is the eighth track from the Oscar Peterson album, We Get
Requests.
Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) was a Canadian jazz piano virtuoso and influential jazz pianist. Known for his light
touch, incredibly fast technique, and penchant for the blues, Peterson released over 200 albums ranging from
orchestral suites to solo piano romps. His long-standing trio consisted of bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed
Thigpen. While both players are excellent, Ray Brown (1926-2002) deserves special mention as one of the best
and most influential bassists ever, performing with a wide range of musicians from Peterson and John Lewis (who
composed this piece), to bebop greats Bud Powell and Dizzy Gillespie. He also led his own trios which nurtured
the careers of many of the best pianists of the late twentieth century including Benny Green, Geoffrey Keezer, and
Larry Fuller.
Form
PERSONNEL 0:00-0:49 Head In (twelve-bar blues, twice)
Oscar Peterson, piano 0:49-3:32 Piano Solo (7 choruses)
Ray Brown, bass 3:32-4:18 Shout Chorus (twice)
Ed Thigpen, drums 4:18-end Head Out (twice)
“D. & E.” is a great track to appreciate great bass playing, including some bass in two, as well as to study the mixture
of blues scale-based improvising with arpeggio improvising.
Focus on the bass first. Brown improvises responses to Peterson’s calls in the first chorus, plays a bassline consisting
of mostly long notes in the second chorus, and then settles into a bassline in two for the beginning of the piano
solo at 0:49. Notice all the variation and personality that Brown puts into his bassline. Every measure is a little
bit different. He uses lots of eighth-note pickups to the notes on the strong beats and even plays short fills when
Peterson rests. It is truly artful! Notice that Brown goes into a walking bass feel in the third chorus of the solo,
around 1:40, just as Thigpen changes from playing with brushes to playing with sticks. It is a common custom to
simultaneously change to a four feel in the bass and sticks in the drums to increase the energy and change the feel
in the middle of a longer solo.
Listen to all the grace notes, double notes, and turns that Peterson uses. Throughout this solo, you can hear him use
both the sweet scale and the regular blues scale. Focus on the chorus starting at 2:23. Peterson starts by repeating
the flatted third, the most distinctive note of the blues scale. He then expands to play the blues scale up and down
in triplets before allowing the scale to bloom into a jubilant phrase of double notes and turns. Then, starting at 2:38,
Peterson plays arpeggios, clearly outlining the chords.
Finally, notice the shout chorus. A shout chorus, a term usually associated with big bands, indicates the climactic
moment of the piece, which usually features extended drum fills. Here, Peterson’s trio imitates a big band with
Peterson playing the role of brass by playing big block chords and Thigpen providing the drum fills. For the
repetition of the shout chorus, Peterson plays the same figure but moves his right hand up an octave to provide a
different texture, perhaps simulating different instrumentation.

UNIT 8 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise – practice Play One, Rest One and Play Two, Rest Two while
improvising over ii-V-I’s in in E-flat, A-flat, and D major
2. Learn ii-V-I Lick 6 in all twelve keys and apply to tunes
3. Practice playing a bassline in two for at least three different pieces from The Real Book
4. Practice your one-handed Type A/B Voicings
a. Complete the written practice
b. Practice the ii-V-I exercise (play a bassline in two in your left hand if you are ready)
c. Practice comping on a blues form in E-flat, F, and B-flat while playing a bassline in two in the left hand
5. Practice improvising over a blues form as follows:
a. Practice improvising an AAB blues with the blues scale
b. Practice arpeggios
i. 3-5-7-9
ii. Variations of 3-5-7-9
iii. Inversions for better voice leading
iv. Improvising using arpeggios
c. Practice mixing blues scale with scales and arpeggios
6. Guided Listening 8: “D. and E.” by Oscar Peterson
a. Listen to “D. and E.” at least twenty times
b. Focus on Ray Brown’s bassline in two
c. Study Oscar Peterson’s mixture of blues scales, scales, and arpeggios

Unit 9
Blues for Sammie Scan Here for
Unit 9 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 9 – Call-and-Response Phrasing 2

This week, continue practicing Play One, Rest One and Play Two, Rest Two phrasing with the two variations below.
Comp in your left hand using one-handed Type A/B voicings.
1. Practice starting your phrases at different points in the ii-V-I progression.

a. For Play One, Rest One, comp in the left hand in measures one and three and improvise in the right
hand in measures two and four.
b. For Play Two, Rest Two, start your two-measure phrase in the second, third, and fourth measure of the
four-measure phrase.
Practice improvising over ii-V-I progressions in G, A, and B-flat major. In your improvisations, feel free to use the
major scale of the tonic key, 3-5-7-9 arpeggios, and the blues scale of the tonic key.
Play One, Rest One
œ
‰ J #œ œ œ œ œ
A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
œ œ œ
&4 #œ œ œ ∑ œ œ œ œ Œ Ó
{
4
œœ œœ œœ ™™™ œœ
?4 ‰ Œ œ Œ
œ ∑ # œ œ Ó ∑
4 J J
Reverse Charleston, Charleston, long-short
Type B voicing Type B voicing
œœ #œ n œ œ œ
A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
&4 ∑ ‰ J œ bœ œ bœ œ œ Ó Œ œ #œ œ œ
{
4
œœ >œ. œœ >œ.
œœ # œœœ œœ œœ
3
?4 œ œ
‰ J Ó ∑ ‰ J Œ
œ
Œ ∑
4
Charleston w/push-off, Reverse Charleston w/push-off,
Type A voicing Type A voicing
starts in second measure

Play Two, Rest Two of four-measure phrase
‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ
A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
&4 ∑ ∑
œ ˙
UNIT 9 BLUES FOR SAMMIE 133
{
4
œœ ™™ œœ œœ œœFOR>œœ. SAMMIE
? 4 ‰ œ™ œ Œ
UNIT 9 BLUES 133
∑ ∑ #œ œ œ Ó
4
Charleston w/push-off, Reverse Charleston w/push-off,
starts in second measure

Play Two, Rest Two of four-measure phrase
‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ
A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
&4 ∑ ∑
œ ˙
{
4
œœ ™™ œœ œœ œœ >œœ.
? 4 ‰ œ™ œ Œ ∑ ∑ #œ œ œ Ó
4
Reverse Charleston, long-short, Reverse Charleston w/push-off,
Type B voicing Type B voicing
starts in third measure

of four-measure phrase
A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7
j #œn œ œ œ #œ œ
&4 ∑ ∑ ‰ #œ œ œ œ œ œ #œœ œ Œ
{
4
œœ œœ >œœ ™™
# œœœ œœ
? 4 œ ‰ œJ ‰ œ™ œ
3
4 ‰ J Œ Œ ∑ ∑
Charleston w/push-off, Reverse Charleston,
Type A voicing Type B voicing
starts in fourth measure
œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ etc.
A‹7 D7 GŒ„Š7 of four-measure phrase A‹7
4œ
&4 œ œ œ Ó ∑ ∑ ‰ J œœ œ œ œ Œ
{ œœ ™™ œœ œœ œœ >œœ. 3
?4 ∑ #œ ™ œÓ ‰#œJ Œ œ œ Œ ∑ ∑
4 J
Charleston, long-short Reverse Charleston w/push-off,
Type A voicing Type B voicing

2. Practice creating eight-measure phrases mixing Play One, Rest One with Play Two,
Rest Two. Here are a few ideas:
a. Play four measures of Play One, Rest One (two times total) then four measures of Play Two, Rest Two
(one time total)
b. Start with two measures of Play One, Rest One (once through), play four measures of Play Two, Rest
Two (once through), and then end with Play One, Rest One (once through)
c. Start with four measures of Play Two, Rest Two (once through), then play four measures of Play One,
Rest One (two times total)
A play one, rest one play one, rest one
bœ
C‹7 B¨Œ„Š7
& 4 œ bœ œ bœ œ œ Œ Ó Œ ‰ bœ bœbœ œ œ bœ nœ œ œ ∑
J 3
{
4
œœ œœ œœ ™™ œœ
? 44 ∑ ‰ bœJ Œ œ Œ ∑ œ™ œ Ó
J
Reverse Charleston, Charleston, long-short
Type B voicing Type A voicing
play two, rest two
bœ œ
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ bœ œ œ w
& Œ ‰ J œ bœ œ œ ∑
{
? ∑ ∑
œœ œœ >œœ.
œ œ œ Ó
Charleston w/push-off,
Type A voicing
œœ œœ >œœ.
‰ œ Œ œ œ Œ
J
Reverse Charleston
w/push-off,
Type A voicing
B play one, rest one play two, rest two
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
4 j
& 4 œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ Œ Ó™ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ Œ
{
bœ œ
? 44 ‰ œœ ™™ œœ
∑ ‰ bœ ™ œ Œ ∑ ∑
Reverse Charleston,
long-short,
Type B voicing
play one, rest one
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
& ∑ ∑ Œ œ nœ œ bœ Ó
œ#œ œ œ
{
>œ. œ
œ œœ œœ œœ œœ >œœ.
? bb œœ œœ œœ
‰ J Ó ‰ J Œ œ Œ
b œ ∑ ‰ œ Œ œ œ Œ
J

Type A voicing Type B voicing Reverse Charleston
{ ? 44 ‰ ∑
œœ ™ œœ
‰ bœ ™ œ Œ
Reverse Charleston,
long-short,
∑ ∑
Type B voicing
play one, rest one
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
& ∑ ∑ Œ nœ œ bœ Ó
œ#œ œ œ œ
{
>œ. œ
œ
? bb œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ >œœ.
œ ‰ œ Ó ‰ bœJ Œ œ Œ ∑ ‰ œ Œ œ œ Œ
J J
Type A voicing Type B voicing Reverse Charleston
w/push-off,
Type A voicing
play one, rest one (left hand first) play one, rest one (left hand first)
C
bœ
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
&4 Ó Œ ‰ bœ bœbœbœ nœ bœ œ Œ ∑ ‰ œJ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ
J 3
{
4
œ™ œœ œœ œœ >œœ.
? 44bb œœ ™™ œÓ ∑ ‰ œŒ œœŒ ∑
J J
Charleston, long-short Reverse Charleston w/push-off,
play two, rest two
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
& œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ Œ ∑ ∑
{? ∑ ∑
œœ œœ
‰ œ Œ œ Œ
J
Reverse Charleston,
Type A voicing
œœ
œ
>œ. œ
œœ ‰ œœ Ó
J
Charleston, w/push-off,
Type A voicing
ii-V-I Lick 7
ii-V-I Lick 7 is a short-form ii-V-I lick designed to solidify the work you did with arpeggios in the last unit.
Remember that 3-5-7-9 arpeggios can be played in inversions in order to create smooth voice leading and
convenient hand positions.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
œ œ œ œ œ ˙
& 4 œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
Here, the thirteenth (sixth) substitutes for the fifth of the dominant chord. As you will learn later, substituting the
thirteenth for the fifth is a common practice that adds more color to a dominant or major seventh chord.

The trickiest thing about this lick is the fingering. While it might be tempting to use your thumb twice in a row,
instead practice crossing over your thumb with your second finger to connect with a smooth legato. The fingering
for three different keys is given below. Avoid using the same finger twice in a row as you work through the fingerings
for other keys.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
& 4 œj œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
3
œ œ œ œ
2 1 3 5
œ œ
2 1
2 1 2 3 5
4
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ œ ˙
5
& 4 œj bœ œ bœ
3 2 5
œ œ œ
1 1 2 3
œ œ
2 3 1 2
4
B‹7 E7 AŒ„Š7
& 4 # œj œ #œ œ #œ œ #œ œ œ # œ œ #œ œ ˙
2 3 5 3 2 1 3 5
2 1 1 2
4
Practice playing your scales while comping with one-handed Type A/B voicings in all keys, as written below. This is
a great opportunity to practice adding lead-ins to your comping.
“”
Charleston/Starting with Type A
œ œ G7 œ œ œ œ œ CŒ„Š7
œœœœœ
œ œ œ œœœ œœœœœœœ
D‹7
4 œœ
&4 œ
œœ
{ œœ œœ œœ ™™
? 4 œ ‰ œ ‰ œ™
4 J
œœ œ
œ ‰ œœ ‰
J
œœ ™™™
œ
œœ
œ
œœ œœ ™™
‰ œ ‰ œ™
J
œœ
œ
œœ œœ ™™
‰ œ ‰ œ™
J
“”
Reverse Charleston/Starting with Type B
œ œ G7 œ œ CŒ„Š7
œœœœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œœœœ
D‹7
œ œœ
&4 œ œ œœ
{
4
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
?4 ‰ J Œ ‰ J Œ ‰ J Œ ‰ J Œ
4

Learning a Blues Tune
Like Unit 5, this unit will work through the steps you should take when learning a tune. You will be learning an
original blues piece called “Blues for Sammie” (named for the author’s black lab). Note that “Blues for Sammie”
adds a few more chords to the blues form you have already learned, including a ii-V progression in measure four
and a dominant seventh chord in measure eight.
Blues for Sammie

Jeremy Siskind
œ Œ
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
& b 4 œ ™™ œ œ œ
4 j ‰ œj bœ œbœ œ œ œ bœ œ Ó Ó Œ ‰ œj
œœ
3
œ Œ
5 B¨7 F7 D7
& b b œ œ œ ‰ œj bœ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ Ó ∑
œ œ
3
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >

& b ‰ œj bœ œbœ œ œ œ œ bœ œbœ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ™™
3 3
Notice that “Blues for Sammie” is an AAB blues with a slight alteration. Since the A on the downbeat of measure
one isn’t from the blues scale, it needs to be changed to an A-flat on the downbeat of measure five to match the
B-flat dominant seventh chord.

FAQ
Q: Are blues tunes considered contrafacts?
A: Great question! Although blues tunes match the technical definition for a contrafact, because they comprise
new melodies written over an established chord progression, we don’t usually think of them as contrafacts
because there isn't a notable original source for the chords. Instead, the blues is thought of as a standard chord
progression.
The steps you should take when learning this tune are listed below. Many should sound familiar to you from Unit 5:
1. Learn the melody in the right hand with good swing articulation while holding the roots in the left hand.
2. Practice personalizing the melody using grace notes, ghost notes, double notes, repeated notes, and
turns. Below, you will find one possible embellishment.
Blues for Sammie

Jeremy Siskind
j ™™ j œ œ œ œ œ Œ
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
b
& 4 œ #œ œ ‰ œj bœœ œbœ œ œœ œbœ œ œ œ œ Ó Ó Œ ‰ œj
œ
4
3
œ Œ
5 B¨7 F7 D7
& b bœ œ œ œ ‰ œj bœ œ bœ œ œœ œ bœ œ œ œ Ó
3
j
∑
œ
#œ
bœ œ
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >
& b ‰ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œbœœ œ œœ œ œ œ
j j j
∑ ∑ ™™
3 3

3. Play the melody in the right hand (with some personalization) with a bass in two in the left hand.
Manuscript has been provided below for you to write out your bassline, if necessary.
Blues for Sammie

Jeremy Siskind
œ
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
& b 4 œj ™™ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œj bœ œbœ œ œ œ
bœ œ œ œ
Ó Ó Œ ‰ œj
{
4
? 4 ‰ ™™
3
b4
œ œ Œ
5 B¨7 F7 D7
& b bœ œ ‰ œj bœ œ bœ œ œ œ
bœ œ œ œ Ó ∑
{ ?b
3
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >

& b ‰ œj bœ œbœ œ œ œ œ bœ œbœ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ™™
{ ?b
3 3
™™

4. Practice two-handed Type A/B voicings, writing them out if necessary in the blank manuscript provided
below. Practice comping using Charleston, Reverse Charleston, and variations.
Blues for Sammie

Jeremy Siskind
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
&b 4
{
4
?b 4
4
5 B¨7 F7 D7
&b
{
?b
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >

&b ™™
{
?b ™™

5. Figure out your one-handed Type A/B voicings, writing them out if necessary on the blank manuscript
provided below. Note that even though the voicings will be played in one hand only, staff paper with
both a treble and bass staff has been provided as the voicings tend to span the middle range between the
treble and bass staves.
Blues for Sammie

Jeremy Siskind
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
&b 4
{
4
?b 4
4
5 B¨7 F7 D7
&b
{ ?b
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >

&b ™™
{ ?
b ™™

6. Practice comping with one-handed voicings in the right hand while playing a bassline in two in the
left hand. Manuscript is provided for you below. If you can do this without writing out the bass,
that’s great!
Keep the voicings in the same place on the piano, with the lowest note between C3 and C4 even as you
play them with you right hand. You are leaving space for the melody.
Blues for Sammie

Jeremy Siskind
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
&b 4
{
4
?b 4
4
? 4
{ b4
5 B¨7 F7 D7
&b
{ ?b
?b
{
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >

&b ™™
{ ?b
?b
™™
™™
{

7. Practice comping with one-handed voicings in the left hand while playing the melody in the right hand.
Blank manuscript has been provided for you. Strive to keep both hands in their correct range.
Keep the voicings in the same register with the lowest note between C3 and C4 regardless of which hand
is comping. If you have issues with hand overlap, see the FAQ section on the next page.
Blues for Sammie

Jeremy Siskind
œ œ Œ
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
& b 4 œj ™™ œ œ ‰ œj bœ œbœ œ œ œ bœ œ
œœ
Ó Ó Œ ‰ œj
4
F7 B¨7 3 F7 C‹7 F7
& b 4 ‰ ™™
{
4
? b 4 ‰ ™™
4
œ Œ
5 B¨7 F7 D7
& b b œ œ œ ‰ œj bœ œ bœ œ œ œ Ó ∑
bœ œ œ œ
B¨7 3 F7 D7
&b
{?b
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >

j
& b ‰ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ™™
G‹7
3
C7
3
F7 < G‹7 C7 >
&b ™™
{?b ™™

FAQ
Frequently Asked ?
b {
4‰ J
4
Questions
b
falls in between melody notes
Reverse Charleston rhythm
œœ
Œ
œœ
Œ
b
‰
œœ œœ
JÓ
simultaneously w/melody notes
Charleston rhythm arrives
Q: Help! My hands are crashing into each other. Should I move the melody up an octave?
A: &b 4 ‰ œ Œ œ Œ œ ‰ œ Ó
4 j j
No. We generally resist changing the octave of a melody because we want to keep melodies in the range that
they would be sung by a singer or played by a horn like a trumpet or saxophone.
If your hands are crashing into each other, you have a few options, which are listed below in order from easiest
F7
fixes to more complex solutions.
F7
&b 4 œ œ œ Ó œ œœÓ
1. Choose your comping rhythms wisely. It is okay if your hands overlap a little as long as they don’t play
simultaneously. Get comfy having your thumbs share some territory and get strategic about comping.
For example, in measure three, using a Reverse Charleston rather than a Charleston allows you to stick
4
with a Type A voicing in the left hand.
F7
Good
F7
Bad
Good
F7 Bad
F7
&b 4 œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó
4
with a Type A voicing in the left hand.
For example, in measure
F7 three, using a Reverse Charleston rather than a Charleston allows you to stick
j j
F7
&Get
simultaneously.
4 ‰ œhaving
b 4 comfy Œ yourœ thumbsŒ shareœ some ‰ territory
œ Ó and get strategic about comping.
{ b œ wisely.œIt is okay if byour

1. Choose your comping rhythms
? b 44 ‰ œJ Œ
fixes to more complex solutions.
œ
Reverse Charleston rhythm
Œ
œ handsœoverlap a little as long as they don’t play
falls in between melody notes

œ œ
‰ J Ó
Charleston rhythm arrives
If your hands are crashing into each other, you have a fewsimultaneously
options, whichw/melody
are listed below in order from easiest
notes
they would be sung by a singer or played by a horn like a trumpet or saxophone.

A 2. Flip your voicing from Type A to Type B or vice versa. Although maintaining good voice leading is a
: No. Wepriority,
generally resist changing
sometimes you havethe octave ofyour
to change a melody
voicingbecause
to a lower form when possible, to avoid a crash.
we want
type to make to keep
it work melodies
on the in theyour
piano. Flip range that
voicing
Q: Help! My hands are crashing into each other. Should I move the melody up an octave?
Good Bad
FAQ
F7 F7
&b 4 œ
Frequently Asked Questions œ œ
Ó œ œ œ Ó
4
j
& b 4 œ ‰ œj Ó œ ‰ œ Ó
4
{ ? b 4 bœœ ‰ œœ Ó
4 J
Type B
b œœ œœ
‰ J Ó
Type A

3. Leave off the top note. Although it is nice to have a third note in the voicing, remember that the top note
is not essential, it is providing optional color. As long as the third and seventh are present, the voicing
will still work.
Good Bad
F7 F7
&b 4 œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ Ó
4
j
F7 F7
&b 4 ∑ œ ‰ œ Ó
4
{ bœ œ
? b 44 œ ‰ œJ Ó
no top note
b œœ œœ
‰ J Ó
with top note
4. Leave out a comp. The two comping patterns you have learned both have two comps per measure, but
there is no requirement to play twice per measure. Once per measure is just fine. If needed, leave out a
comp and play only once per measure.
5. Play the root and the seventh. If all else fails, pianists can move their left hand into a lower position and
comp using the root and the seventh instead of a Type A/B voicing. The root and the seventh should be
played low in the range to avoid overlap with melodies.
F7
&b 4 œ œ œ
Ó
4
{ ? b 4 bœ
4 œ
j
‰ œ Ó
œ
root and seventh
Improvising Over “Blues for Sammie”

From Unit 8, you are already familiar with exercises to prepare for improvising over a blues form. Practice these on
“Blues for Sammie.” Remember, these include:
1. Creating an AAB blues using the blues scale

2. Practicing 3-5-7-9 arpeggios, placing some arpeggios in inversions to create smooth voice leading
3. Practicing intentionally mixing arpeggios and the blues scale
4. Incorporating ii-V-I licks and blues licks in the appropriate places
Remember that for dominant seventh chords, you can improvise using the mixolydian mode, which is a major scale
with a lowered seventh. Minor seventh chords use a dorian mode, which is a major scale with a lowered third and
seventh.

Practice these three scale exercises, which are similar to those you practiced on “Evening in Lyon.” In the first
exercise, practice each mode ascending. In the second, practice each mode descending. In the last, practice each
mode starting from the third scale degree. Remember to use the first, second, third, and fifth of the mode when
the chords change twice per measure.
A
b œ œ b œ œ œb œ b œ œbœ œ
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
œ œ
& b 4 œ œ œbœ œ bœ œ œ œ nœb œ œ
œb œ œœœœœ
œ
4
œ œbœbœ œ œbœbœ
b œ b œ œ œbœ œ
5 B¨7 F7 D7
œ œ nœ œ œ
& b bœ œ bœ œ œ œ nœ b œ
œ nœ#œ œ œ
œ œ nœ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >
& b œ œ bœ œ œœœœ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œœœœ
B
œ œbœ œ œ œ
b œ b œ b œ
F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7
œœœœ œœœ œ œ œ nœ
&b 4 œœ œ œ œbœ œ œ œbœ œ œ
4
œbœ œ œ œbœ œ œ œ
bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
5 B¨7 F7 D7
&b œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ#œ nœ œ
œœœœœ œ bœ œ œ œœœœœ
9 G‹7 C7 < G‹7 C7 > F7
& b œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœ œ œ œœ œœœ

C
b
F7
œ œ œ œ B¨7 F7
b œ œ œ œ C‹7 F7
bœ
œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ
&b 4 œ œ œ œbœ œ œ b œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
5 B¨7
œ bœ œ œ n œ F7
D7
œ#œ
b
& œ bœ œ œ b œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ
œ bœ œ œ #œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
œœœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ
9 G‹7 C7 F7 < G‹7 C7 >
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& œœœ œ nœ œ œ œ
Practice all of these exercises in the right hand with left-hand comping using Type A/B voicings and with the left
hand playing a bassline in two. After mastering these exercises, practice improvising over “Blues for Sammie”
using the notes of these scales. Then, mix in the scalar approach with the arpeggios and blues scales you’ve already
practiced.
FAQ
Q: The mixolydian mode for the D dominant seventh sounds weird to me. Why?
A: Good ear! You are right that the mixolydian mode is actually a little off here. Buckle up for a nerdy theory
explanation. If you are not interested, go ahead and skip this section. It is not crucial to your understanding
right now.
The reason that the D mixolydian sounds a little weird is because the D dominant seventh is acting as a V of ii.
The chord is actually borrowed from the key of G minor. Although we have not addressed minor harmony yet,
you can probably figure out G minor necessitates a B-flat and, depending on which minor scale you choose,
an E-flat. These two notes will make the mode sound more appropriate for the key. Minor harmony will be
covered in the next level of this book series.

Putting it Together
Practice moving between these different elements in ways that will prepare you for real-world applications. Practice
the following exercises with a metronome or play-along, without stopping between choruses. You might need to
practice the transitions between choruses in isolation to master moving between elements
1. Accompanying in a Duo Setting

If you are accompanying a vocalist or horn player, it is up to you to play a bassline for the whole tune. Your left hand
will play a bassline throughout and your right hand will comp while the other musician plays or sings.
• Comp in right hand while left hand plays bass in two (four choruses)
• Improvise in right hand while left hand plays bass in two (four choruses)
• Comp in right hand while left hand plays bass in two (two choruses)
2. Leading a Trio
A typical jazz trio consists of piano, bass, and drums. If you are leading a trio, you never have to worry about
playing a bassline. Now, you should practice playing the melody and improvising in the right hand while your left
hand comps. Practice two-handed comping as though you are accompanying a bass solo. Practice with an F blues
play-along so that you can hear the bass.
• Play the melody in right hand while left hand comps (two choruses)
• Improvise in right hand while left hand comps (four choruses)
• Two-handed comping (two choruses)
• Play the melody in right hand while left hand comps (two choruses)
3. Playing in a Quartet
In a quartet, pianists do a lot of two-handed comping because the bassist covers the bassline and the fourth instru-
ment is often serving the melodic role. Practice with an F blues play-along so that you can hear the bass.
• Two-handed comping (four choruses)

• Improvise in right hand while left hand comps (four choruses)
• Two-handed comping (two choruses)

“Now’s the Time” by Charlie Parker Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“Now’s the Time” is a blues head by Charlie Parker. The same recording can be found on multiple compilation
albums, including as the first track of The Essential Charlie Parker.
Charlie Parker (1920-1955) nicknamed “Bird,” was an alto saxophonist who is the primary inventor of the bebop
style. Remember from Unit 3 that bebop is a complex musical style that rose to prominence in the 1940s and 1950s.
Bebop is known for difficult melodies, rich harmonies, fast tempos, and extended virtuosic improvisations. Bebop
has become the primary language upon which modern jazz styles are based. Parker composed a huge number
of pieces that have become jazz standards, many of them contrafacts, including “Blues for Alice,” “Donna Lee,”
“Anthropology,” “Scrapple from the Apple,” “Confirmation,” “Billie’s Bounce,” and this tune, “Now’s the Time,”
whose melody was later famously repurposed for a pop hit called “The Hucklebuck.”
PERSONNEL Form
Charlie Parker, alto saxophone
0:05-0:35 Head In (Twelve-Bar Blues, Twice)
Sadik Hakim, piano
0:35-1:48 Saxophone Solo (Five Choruses)
Curley Russell, bass
1:48-2:15 Piano Solo (Two Choruses)
Max Roach, drums
2:15-2:29 Bass Solo (One Chorus)
2:29-2:43 Drum Solo (One Chorus)
2:43-end Head Out (Twelve-Bar Blues, Once)
First, notice how much Parker varies the melody from the first statement to the second statement. Sing the melody
for the first statement and see if you can remember it. Then, listen to the second statement of the melody, beginning
at 0:20. Parker plays the first couple of measures, then departs from the melody with a completely different phrase.
It is common for jazz musicians to alter the melody when it is played twice in a row.
Parker’s playing is a great study in mixing blues styles. At some points in his improvisation, the intricacies and
virtuosity of the bebop style are prominent. At other times, Parker reminds the listener that he grew up in the rich
blues tradition of Kansas City and plays “down-home” or “dirty” blues licks. Listen to Parker’s third chorus, starting
at 1:03. His first lick is pure blues, including bending the pitch of the third scale degree to imitate a vocal inflection.
Then, as he approaches the cadence (1:10-1:14), he plays a lengthy, windy scalar line that hits colorful notes, typical
of bebop improvisation.
It is also worthwhile to listen to Max Roach’s drumming. Roach is one of the godfathers of bebop drumming and
the same drummer who co-led the band with Clifford Brown on “Joy Spring” from Unit 2. Bebop drummers were
known for dropping bombs, including accents large and small at unexpected places while accompanying soloists.
Listen to the way that Roach aggressively uses the bass drum and snare drum to energize and catalyze the band.

UNIT 9 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 9 – practice Play One, Rest One and Play Two, Rest Two
phrasing variations in G, A, and B-flat major
2. Practice ii-V-I Lick 7 in all twelve keys, paying special attention to fingering
4. Learn Blues for Sammie in the following ways:
a. Playing the melody in the right hand while holding the roots in the left
b. Personalizing the melody using grace notes, ghost notes, double notes, repeated notes, and turns
c. Playing the melody (with some personalization) with a bass in two in the left hand
d. Comping using two-handed Type A/B voicings
e. Comping using one-handed Type A/B voicings
f. Comping with the one-handed voicings in the right hand while playing a bassline in two in the left hand
g. Comping with the one-handed voicings in the left hand while playing the melody in the right hand
5. Practice improvising over a blues in F by:
a. Creating an AAB blues using the blues scale
b. Practicing 3-5-7-9 arpeggios, putting some in inversions to create smooth voice leading
c. Intentionally mixing arpeggios and the blues scale
d. Incorporating your ii-V-I licks and blues licks in the appropriate places
e. Practicing the mixolydian and dorian modes ascending, descending, and starting on the third scale degree
6. Practice putting elements together in the three ways discussed:
a. Accompanying in a duo setting
b. Leading a trio
c. Playing in a quartet
7. Guided Listening 9: “Now’s the Time” by Charlie Parker
a. Listen to “Now’s the Time” at least twenty times
b. Pay attention to Charlie Parker’s variations of the melody and his mixture of bluesy and bebop styles
c. Listen to Max Roach’s bebop drumming, especially the way he “drops bombs”

Unit 10
Introducing Altered Dominants Scan Here for
Unit 10 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 10 – Play What You Sing

This week’s improv practice focuses on connecting what you hear in your inner ear to what you play as you impro-
vise. Don’t skip this! Engaging your ear is a crucial part of growing as an improviser.
First, practice over a drone. As you hold a fifth in the left hand, sing a short phrase and then play a similar phrase to
the one you sang. You don’t need to have perfect pitch to do this. If the pitches don’t match exactly, that is fine. For
now, the important thing is that you match the shape and rhythm of your sung phrase and that you train yourself to
listen to your inner ear. As you grow as a musician, you will want to train your ear to be more and more accurate so
that what you sing and what you play essentially sync up.
Practice singing and playing over a short-form ii-V-I progression. In a swing feel, sing a two-measure phrase over
the progression while holding bass notes. Then, play a similar phrase for two measures. Practice in C, F, and E-flat.
sing a phrase play a similar phrase

?4
4 ˙ ˙
˙ w ˙ w
play
Next, practice these exercises with a timer, spending about ten minutes each practice session. Activating your inner
ear requires habit-forming practice. You must dedicate time, even if you don’t immediately notice improvements.
ii-V-I Lick 8
ii-V-I Lick 8 is a short-form ii-V-I variation on ii-V-I Lick 7 designed to match this week’s altered dominant theme.
Using the same shape as Lick 7, this lick adds altered tones on the V chord for more color and has a slightly more
colorful ending than Lick 7. As with Lick 7, be careful with your fingering, and avoid using the same finger twice in
a row. You might have to keep your thumb tucked under your hand for the smoothest possible fingering.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
4 œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ
œ nœ œ œ nœ ˙
3
&4 œ
UNIT 10 INTRODUCING ALTERED DOMINANTS 153

As a jazz pianist, it is important to be able to play a variety of melodies over a constant bassline. As you practiced
the “Accompanying in a Duo Setting” exercise in the last unit, you might have noticed that it is difficult to play a
bassline in your left hand while you improvise in your right hand.
The exercise below prompts you to play your major scale as a hemiola, a rhythmic pattern that doesn’t fit cleanly
into the meter, over a bassline in two. The scale is presented as alternating eighth notes and quarter notes, forming
a repeating one and a half beat pattern. As you practice in all keys, subdivide triplets and keep the metronome on
beats two and four to make sure your swing feel has a solid groove.
j j
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&4 œ œ œ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
4
{ ?4 ˙
4 ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
Altered Dominants 1
Altered dominant chords are a crucial source of color in jazz. Altered dominant chords are created by raising
or lowering the color tones of a dominant seventh chord by a half step. Raised or lowered tones are sometimes
indicated in the chord symbol, but musicians are also permitted and expected to alter dominant chords themselves
without any indication.
There are four primary alterations, some of which have enharmonic equivalents:
1. The flat nine is created by lowering the ninth of a chord by a half step. The flat nine is the most common
alteration because it voice leads chromatically in a ii-V-I and includes notes native to the parallel minor
key of the tonic. Listen to the sound of the flat nine by playing the roots of the chords, holding the pedal,
and playing the voicings below.

w
&4 w
w bw w w bw
w flat w
w
w added w
4 flat nine nine
{
added
w w w
?4 w w w w w w
4w w w

2. The sharp nine is created by raising the ninth of a chord by a half step. Because the sharp nine is
enharmonically equivalent to the minor third, it is often mistaken for that note. If a chord has both a
major third and a minor third, it is probably a dominant seventh chord with a sharp nine. The sharp nine
has a bluesy sound and is commonly used in funk pieces, like James Brown’s “I Feel Good.” Listen to
the sound of the sharp nine in a ii-V-I progression by playing the roots of the chords, holding the pedal,
and playing the voicings below.

w
&4 w
4
w #w
w added
sharp nine
w
w w #w
w sharp nine w
w
{
added
w w w w
w w w
?4 w w w w w
4
Now, play through the following measures of “I Feel Good” a few times so that you can hear a typical
voicing for a dominant seventh chord with a sharp nine used in a funk piece. The three-note voicing only
contains the third, seventh, and sharp nine.
‰ œj Œ
D7(#9)
& 4 ™™ Œ nœœ nœœ Œ Œ œœ ™™
{
œ
4
#œ œ #œ œ
? 4 ™™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ j ™
J J œ ™
œ
4
3. The sharp five and flat thirteen are enharmonically the same note. Like the flat nine, this note voice
leads chromatically in a ii-V-I. A chord with a sharp five can also be referred to as an augmented chord.
Augmented chords are indicated with a “+” sign. Listen to the sound of the sharp five/flat thirteen in a
ii-V-I progression by playing the roots of the chords, holding the pedal, and playing the voicings. For the
example, the altered tone is notated and named as a flat thirteen because it is part of a descending line
(for more information, read the Frequently Asked Questions on the next page).

w bw flat thirteen w
&4 w
w w
bw added
flat thirteen
w
w w w added w
4
{ ?4 w
4w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B

4. The flat five and sharp eleven are enharmonically the same note. A dominant seventh chord with
a sharp eleven is a typical sound to use at the end of the piece and is heard in jazz pieces like Duke
Ellington’s “Take the A Train.” Listen to the sound of the flat five/sharp eleven in a ii-V-I progression
by playing the roots of the chords, holding the pedal, and playing the voicings. In the example below,
the altered tone is notated and named as a sharp eleven because it is part of an ascending line (for more
information, read the Frequently Asked Questions below).

w #w w
& w
w w sharp eleven
w
w w w sharp eleven
w
#w
{
added added
w w w w
w w
w w
w
? w w w
Choose three tunes that you have already played and decide on altered tones for all of the dominant chords. Practice
playing Type A/B voicings, both one-handed and two-handed, incorporating the altered tones.
FAQ
Q: How do I know whether to call the note a flat thirteen or a sharp five?
What’s the difference?
A: The answer to this question is complex and really “nerdy.” It is not essential that you understand this at the
moment, so if it is going to be stressful, skip this explanation! The first difference is simply whether the note
ascends or descends. In any kind of music, sharps tend to ascend, flats tend to descend. Second, chords with
an altered upper extension still have a natural five. For example, a chord with a sharp eleven still has a natural
five, whereas a chord with a flat five does not have a natural five. Third, context can determine whether or not
a certain chord is appropriate. If a dominant chord is heading towards C minor, notating the note as a flat thir-
teen (E-flat) rather than a sharp five (D-sharp) makes much more sense because E-flat is the third in C minor.
Q: The voicings we learned don’t have elevenths or thirteenths.

What do I do with those notes?
A: In the voicings, treat them like a sharp five or a flat five. In other words, replace the fifth with the sharp eleven
or flat thirteen.

Q: Wait, so I really can just alter any dominant chord I want? Are there any limitations?
A: Essentially, yes. Please don’t wait for an invitation to alter dominant chords.
There are, however, some limitations. Remember to only alter dominant chords! Don’t try to alter major or
minor seventh chords. Be conscious of the melody. Avoid adding an altered tone that falls a half-step away from
a prominent melody note (one that is held or comes on a strong beat). Tempo is also a factor here. At a fast
tempo, most rubs will go unnoticed. At a slower tempo, it is important to be very conscious of accommodating
the notes in the melody as well as adjusting your alterations to chords played by soloists. Listening for these
tones and adjusting chords correctly takes lots of practice and skill.
In measure two below, don’t use a flat five/sharp eleven or sharp five/flat thirteen on the G dominant seventh
chord because it will clash with the D in the melody. In measure four, don’t alter the ninth of the F dominant
seventh because it will clash with the G in the melody.
Œ bœ œj bœ œj œ ™ bœ œ œ
D‹7 G7 C‹7 F7
&4 Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ
J
4
Q: In my one-handed Type A/B voicings, I’m playing only the fifth or the ninth.
How do I add an alteration?
A: Good question! For now, work with what you have. If you are playing the fifth, try to find a voicing with an
altered fifth. If that won’t work, you can also tuck an alteration into the middle of the voicing. Later, you will
learn four-note one-handed voicings so that you can include as many alterations as you want.
sharp eleven flat nine

tucked into the G7 tucked into the G7
middle w middle
? 44 #ww
w bww
w
w
Type A Type B
Q: I have seen some pieces with alterations on major seventh and minor seventh chords. Are
these incorrect?
A: No, they are not incorrect. There are ways to shade major seventh and minor seventh chords, but they can’t
be altered as freely as dominant seventh chords. For now, follow the directions provided by the chord symbols
for major or minor seventh chords, but feel free to make your own alterations for dominant seventh chords.

Written Practice
Write two-handed four-note Type A/B voicings for the indicated altered dominant chords.
B¨7(#9) E¨7(#11) G7(b13) D7(b5) A¨7(#5) D¨7(b9)
&4
4
{?4
4
7 A7(b13) B7(b9) C7(#9) A¨7(b13) E7(b5) B¨7(#5) E¨7(b9)
&
{?
1 4 B7(b13) C©7(b9) D7(#9) E7(b13) F©7(b9) G7(#9) E¨7(b13)
&
{?
ii-V-I Practice
Practice two-handed Type A/B voicings through all keys, first with flat nines, then with sharp fives/flat thirteens.
The first few keys are given to you below.
A
Type A ii-V-I's with flat nines added
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7
&4 w bw w w w bw w w w
w w w w w w w w w bbw bbw w
4
w w w
158
{ ?4 w
4w
w
w
Type A Type B Type A
JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS

w
w w
w bbw
w bw
w
Type A Type B Type A
w
w
w
w
bw
bw bw
w
Type A Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
B
Type A Type
Type A Type B
B Type
Type A
A Type A Type
Type A Type B
B Type
Type A
A Type A Type
Type A Type B
B Type
Type A
A
B
Type
Type B
B ii-V-I's
ii-V-I's with
withflat
flatnines
nines added
added
4w w
& 4 w bw w w w bw w w w
w w w w w w w bbw
w bbw
w w
w
{4
w
?4 w
Type
Type B
B Type
w
w
Type A
A Type
Type B
B
w
w w
w bb w
w bw
Type
Type B
w
B Type
Type A
A Type
Type B
B
w
w w
w bb w
w
Type
Type B
bw
w
B Type
Type A
A
w
w
Type
Type B
B
w
w
C
Type A
Type Aii-V-I's
ii-V-I'swith
withsharp
sharpfives/flat
fives/flatthirteens
thirteensadded
added
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
CŒ„Š7 C‹7
C‹7 F7
F7 B¨Œ„Š7
B¨Œ„Š7 B¨‹7
B¨‹7 E¨7 A¨Œ„Š7
&4 w bw w w ww
w ww
w bbw
w w w w w ww
ww ww
ww ww
ww bbbw
w bbw w
4
w w
{
?4 w
4w
Type A
Type A Type
w
w
Type BB Type
w
w
Type AA
w
w
b
bbbw ww
w bbww
TypeAA Type
Type TypeBB Type
TypeAA
ww
ww
ww
ww
bw
bbbw
ww bw
w
TypeAA Type
Type TypeBB
w
w
A
Type A
w
w
D
Type B ii-V-I's with sharp fives/flat thirteens added
4w
&4 w
bw
w w
w w
w w
w bw
w w w w bw bw w
w w w w bw w
{
?4
4
w
w w
w
Type B Type A Type B
w
w w
w bb w
w bw
w
Type B Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w bb w
w bw
w
Type B Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w

Bossa Nova and Samba
Besides playing in swing styles, jazz musicians commonly perform music in Brazilian styles, most often bossa nova
and samba. Stylistically, these two genres are very similar, but bossa nova is the slow or medium tempo version
and samba is the up-tempo version.
Brazilian styles are different than swing styles in many ways. First, Brazilian music should be played with even
eighth notes rather than swung eighths. However, most musicians still put the emphasis on the offbeats rather than
the downbeats when playing Brazilian styles. Even with even eighth notes, bossa nova and samba still feel a little
bit swung.
Second, comping rhythms and styles are different. Three bossa nova comping patterns are listed below.
1. Simple bossa nova rhythm

This is your easiest option when playing bossa nova.
? 44 ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿™
J
2. All off-beats
It is common to lightly play all the offbeats in bossa nova and samba. Give the music forward momentum by
anticipating each chord. Start your comping rhythm on the “and of four,” not the “and of one.” Some pianists
like to place light accents on the comps anticipating the strong beats, the “and of four” and “and of two.” When
emphasizing these two comps, use a down-up motion, dropping your weight on the “and of four” and “and of
two” and playing the “and of one” and “and of three” using a lift-off motion.
CŒ„Š7
œ œœ œœ œœ œœ D‹7œœ œœ œœ œœ G7 œœ œœ œœ œœ CŒ„Š7œœ œœ œœ œœ
? 44 œœ ‰ œJ ‰ œ‰ œ‰ œ ‰ œ‰ œ‰ œ‰ œ ‰ œ‰ œ‰ œ‰ œ ‰ œ‰ œ‰ œ‰ œ
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J
anticipate anticipate anticipate
next chord next chord next chord

3. The partido alto pattern
The partido alto (“middle part”) pattern is a two-measure comping pattern that traces its origin back to
Brazilian percussion. Although you should start by practicing it literally, it is common to hear guitarists and
pianists comp using variations of this pattern.
? 44 ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ‰ ¿ ‰ ¿ ™ ¿ ¿
J
Because the partido alto pattern is a two-measure pattern, you will commonly have to switch chords in the mid-
dle of the pattern (don’t try to change the length of the harmonic rhythm to match the pattern). The example
below shows that you should change chords beginning on the “and of four” on the first measure of the pattern
when the harmonic rhythm changes once per measure.
CŒ„Š7
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ D‹7 œœ ™™ œœ œœ
? 44 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ™ œ œ
J
change
here
Study the example below, which shows how to play the partido alto pattern when the harmonic rhythm changes
twice per measure. Notice that the second chord (A dominant seventh) is comped only once, whereas the other
chords are each comped twice.
CŒ„Š7 A7 D‹7 G7
œœ œœ œœ # œœœ n œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? 44 œ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ
J J
A7 played Dm7 starts G7 played
here here here
Because Brazilian music is generally guitar-based rather than piano-based music, comping needs to be light
and airy rather than percussive. Play with an upwards motion from your wrist and arm rather than striking
downwards into the keys. Whereas swing comping is typically staccato to imitate the percussiveness of a snare
drum, bossa nova comping can be held longer to simulate the vibrating strings of the guitar. However, the
pedal should still be avoided. Unlike in swing music, bossa nova and samba comping generally sticks with a
single comping rhythm for a whole section. Since Brazilian music is based on repetitive grooves, repetition of
a rhythmic pattern is expected.

Basslines for Brazilian music are very similar to swing basslines in two with slight stylistic differences. The first
difference has to do with emphasis. Whereas in swing music, bassists generally play the two notes in a measure
evenly, in Brazilian music, it is common to place more emphasis on beat three than on beat one, giving the music
the feeling of a backbeat. Secondly, bossa nova bassists commonly add skip beats, eighth notes anticipating the
strong beats, to their half notes. The example below shows a bassline and partido alto comping in a bossa nova style.
j
FŒ„Š7 G7
j
& b 4 œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ ‰ œœ ™™ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ ‰ œœ ™™ œœ œœ
{
4
œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ nœ ™ œ œ
? 4 j j j j
b 4 œ™ j œ œ™ j œ œ ™ j œ œ ™ j œ
œ -œ ™ œ -œ ™ œ -œ™ œ -œ™
j j
5 G‹7 G¨7 FŒ„Š7 G¨7
& b œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰bbœœ ‰bbœœ ™™ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰bbœœ ‰bbœœ ™™ œœ œœ
{
bœ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ
?b j j ™ j j j j
œ™ œ œ™ b œ b œ b œ œ™ œ œ™ œj œ ™ bœ bœ ™ b œj œ™ œ
- - - -
Learn “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Desafinado,” practicing all three comping patterns with play-alongs, using
two-handed Type A/B voicings. Then, practice playing the comping patterns in the right hand while playing a
Brazilian bassline in the left hand.

FAQ
Q: What if there’s a guitarist in the ensemble as I’m playing bossa nova music?
A: Great question! In most kinds of music, guitarists and pianists avoid comping at the same time because multiple
instruments comping simultaneously will make the music sound cluttered. Pianists and guitarists usually take
turns comping.
In Brazilian music, since the guitar is the key instrument, pianists usually allow guitarists to be the primary
comping instrument. When guitarists comp, pianists can play fills, short improvisations that fit in between
phrases of the melody.
Pianists can also lightly play guidetone lines, melodies created by stepwise connections of the chords’ thirds
and sevenths. Guidetone lines are usually played in octaves in the upper register of the piano. The diagram
below shows the two possible guidetone lines for a ii-V-I progression in C major, one starting on the third and
one starting on the seventh.
w w
w
&4 w w w
4
7th 3rd 7th 3rd 7th 3rd
Here is a guidetone line for a longer progression. In this example, all thirds are used because they create the
smoothest possible stepwise melody. The pianist should play the guidetones as indicated, using both hands, chang-
ing the rhythm, and adding passing tones, turns, or grace notes as they see fit.
“”
w
FŒ„Š7
˙ #œ n œ G7w w
J
&b 4 ‰
{
4
passing tone
&b 4 w ˙ ‰ #œ nœ w
J
w
4
3rd 3rd
:“;
5 bG‹7
w ˙™
G¨7
œ n œ b œ FŒ„Š7
w
G¨7
b˙
&b Ó
{
3
turn
& b bw ˙™ œ nœ bœ w Ó b˙
3rd 3rd 3 3rd 3rd

“Corcovado” by Stan Getz & João Gilberto Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“Corcovado” is the fifth track from Stan Getz and Joāo Gilberto’s 1964 album Getz/Gilberto.
Getz/Gilberto is a modern classic, a critically-acclaimed and best-selling album that almost single-handedly initiated
a bossa nova craze in the United States. Besides tenor saxophonist Stan Getz (1927-1991), already well-known for
a breathy tone and cool sense of swing, and guitarist/vocalist João Gilberto (1931-2019), a brilliant interpreter of
bossa nova who sings in a whisper and stretches phrases wildly across measure lines, this album brought compos-
er-pianist Antônio Carlos Jobim (1927-1994) into the American spotlight. Jobim is widely recognized as the most
influential composer of bossa nova music and many of his tunes have become jazz standards, including “The Girl
from Ipanema,” “Wave,” “Desafinado,” “How Insensitive,” “If You Never Come to Me,” “Dindi,” and many more.
The tune “Corcovado” features the haunting tones of Gilberto’s wife, Astrud Gilberto (1940-), who had never
sung professionally before this recording!
PERSONNEL Form
0:00- 0:30 First Half of Head, English
Stan Getz, tenor saxophone
0:30-1:05 Saxophone Solo (Half Chorus)
João Gilberto, guitar/vocals
1:05-1:32 Piano Solo (Half Chorus)
Astrud Gilberto, vocals
1:32-2:08 Second Half of Head, Portuguese
Antônio Carlos Jobim, piano/composer
2:08-end Saxophone Outro
Sebastião Neto, bass
Milton Banana, drums
On this recording, one never actually hears the entire melody of “Corcovado” performed straight through. Each
chorus is split in two. Astrud Gilberto sings the first half of the melody in English at the very beginning, then Stan
Getz finishes the chorus with a variation. For the second chorus, Jobim takes a solo over the first half before João
Gilberto sings the second half of the head in Portuguese.
Notice how incredibly light everything is. The piano melodies, the guitar comping, the saxophone fills, and both
vocal melodies are all performed with an airy tone and no harsh sounds anywhere. Even the drummer seems to be
barely touching the drum set. The theme of “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars” is very typical of bossa nova. Bossa nova
songs are stereotypically intimate, relaxing, filled with nature and beaches, and made to be performed at a whisper
rather than a shout. Notice that Jobim doesn’t really comp on the piano. Even during his solo, he leaves the comping
to Gilberto while he plays single-note melodies.
Notice Gilberto’s comping pattern on the guitar. He plays a variation of the basic bossa nova pattern. Pay attention to
the eighth notes. Listen to the repeated eighths the drummer plays on the hi-hat. Even though they are not swung,
the eighth notes are played with an accent pattern that gives them a sense of syncopation. Now, listen to Getz and
Jobim’s phrasing in their solos. Again, the eighth notes are syncopated but not swung. Their accents create a sense of
undulating rhythm. Study Jobim’s eighth-note line at 1:27. You can hear that he is placing accents on the syncopated
notes to give the phrase a rhythmic lift and solidify the groove.

UNIT 10 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 10 – Play What You Sing
a. Over a drone
b. Over a short-form ii-V-I
2. ii-V-I Lick 8
3. Coordination Exercise 6
4. Altered Dominants Practice
a. Complete written practice
b. Choose three tunes that you have already played and decide on altered tones for all of the dominant
chords. Practice playing Type A/B voicings, both one-handed and two-handed, incorporating the altered
tones
c. ii-V-I exercise
5. Learn “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Desafinado,” practicing each of the three
styles of bossa nova comping
a. Practice with two-handed voicings
b. Practice comping in the right hand while playing a bassline in the left hand
6. Guided Listening 10: “Corcovado” by Stan Getz and João Gilberto
a. Listen to “Corcovado” at least twenty times
b. Pay special attention to the dynamics and eighth-note feel in the bossa nova style
c. Listen to João Gilberto’s guitar comping and Antônio Carlos Jobim’s piano accompaniments

Unit 11
More Altered Dominants Scan Here for
Unit 16 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 11 – Neighbor Tones & Chromatic Enclosure

Neighbor tones are notes a step away from a chord tone that embellish that chord tone. Jazz musicians tend to
use primarily chromatic neighbor tones, neighbor tones just a half step away from the chord tone. You have also
already learned about the chromatic enclosure, where a musician leads into a target note by playing neighbor
tones a half step above and then a half step below the target.
Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Ó
CŒ„Š7
&4 bœ bœ œ œ
4
œ œ œ
chromatic chromatic chromatic
lower upper enclosure
neighbor neighbor
In general, neighbor tones are played on relatively weaker beats compared to the chord tones they target. While it
is possible to have accented neighbor tones that fall on the strong beat, it is relatively uncommon.
Less Awkward More Awkward
‰ j œŒ Œ Œ Œ Œ ‰ j
CŒ„Š7 CŒ„Š7
&4 bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ
4
œ œ œœ œœ œ œ
neighbor neighbor chromatic neighbor neighbor chromatic
tone tone enclosure tone tone enclosure
Practice improvising over a drone in the keys of C, E-flat, and G major, using chromatic neighbor tones and the
chromatic enclosure. Start by practicing using neighbor tones targeting the root, then practice neighbor tones
targeting the third and fifth of the chord.
UNIT 11 MORE ALTERED DOMINANTS 167

The example below shows a brief improvisation using chromatic neighbors and enclosures.
Improvisation Over an Eb Drone
œ œ ˙ œ
& 4 ‰ bœj œ bœ #œ Œ œ œ nœ bœ œ œ Œ
œ œ bœ œ
bœ
4
lower chromatic
lower chromatic upper enclosure
chromatic neighbor chromatic
neighbor neighbor
‰ nœJ bœ bœ œ bœ Œ
5
& œ #œ ˙ Ó Œ nœ œ bœ œ
œ ˙
lower upper chromatic
chromatic chromatic enclosure
neighbor neighbor
FAQ
Q: What exactly is a chord tone?
A: That is actually a really difficult question to answer. In jazz, you could make the argument that every note of
the scale is a chord tone because chords can have upper extensions all the way up to the thirteenth. For your
practice, think of the notes up to the ninth, the root, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth as chord tones.
Q: Do chromatic enclosures ever start from below and then go above a note?
A: Yes, but rarely. Stick to practicing the version that starts with the upper note first.
Q: In the section on turns, you said that upper neighbors are generally diatonic whereas lower
neighbors are generally chromatic! Are you now saying that’s not true?
A: Great memory! It is completely true, but practice using chromatic upper neighbors for now. There are two
reasons:
1. It is probably too complex to think about chromatic versus diatonic neighbors when you are in the middle
of an improvisation.
2. Practicing diatonic upper neighbors doesn’t add anything new to your improvisations because you
already use notes of the scale when improvising.

ii-V-I Lick 9
ii-V-I Lick 9 provides more practice on altered dominant chords. It uses the flat nine and the sharp eleven in an
arpeggio over the V chord.
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&4 Œ ‰ j j œ œj bœ œ ∑
œ œ bœ œ #œj œ œ nœ w
4
Besides the altered tones, this lick also uses the chromatic enclosure to lead into the downbeat of the second
measure. Ironically, because the chromatic enclosure is surrounding an altered tone, both notes are actually diatonic
in the key of C major.
Altered Dominants 2
The altered tones for dominant chords are frequently combined to create more complex and richly colorful altered
dominants. All four of the altered tones can be combined with one another, including both flat and sharp nine and
flat and sharp five.
The example below shows five possibilities for dominant seventh chords with multiple altered tones. Notice that the
voicings can consist of as many as six notes. Spend some time experimenting with different combinations of altered
tones for the V chord of a ii-V-I progression and find sounds that appeal to you.
#bw
G7 G7 G7 G7 G7
& 4 b#w bbw

w flat b#ww
w flat w
w flat #bb#w
ww
w flat
w sharp
4 nine, thirteen, sharp eleven,
{
nine, nine, sharp nine sharp eleven nine,
flat five flat thirteen
w w
?4 w w w w w
sharp nine,
4 w w w
flat thirteen
Type B Type B Type A Type A Type B
With all of the possible options, it is no wonder that jazz musicians have come up with various ways to codify and
simplify dominant chords with multiple altered tones.
The tritone substitution is an important concept in jazz harmony that provides a shortcut to using multiple altered
tones. The rule of the tritone substitution states that musicians can treat any two dominant chords with roots a
tritone apart as interchangeable. In other words, if a G dominant seventh is written, you can play a D-flat dominant
seventh instead. If an F dominant seventh is written, you can play a B dominant seventh instead. Notice that instead
of alternating between Type A and Type B voicings, when using the tritone substitution you should stick with a
single type throughout the entire ii-V-I. The tritone substitution only applies to dominant chords.

Original ii-V-I With Tritone Substitution
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 D¨7 CŒ„Š7
&4 w
w w
w w
w w
w bbw
w w
w
4
{ 4
w
?4 w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
Type A
bw
w
Type A
w
w
Type A
Original ii-V-I With Tritone Substitution
&4 w w
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 C‹7 B7 B¨Œ„Š7
w w
##w nnw
4 w w w
w w w
{?4 w
4
bbw
Type B
bw
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
bb w
w
Type B
#w
w
Type B
nw
w
Type B
There are three reasons why the tritone substitution works:
1. The tritone substitution creates a chromatically descending bassline. Harmonies with basslines that move
by step usually work because they create natural resolutions. Stepwise basslines are very effective and
common to most musical styles.
2. The chords have the same essential tones, just flipped. In the example in C major above, notice that both
the G dominant seventh and D-flat dominant seventh chords have F and B (enharmonically C-flat) as
the third and seventh. For the G dominant seventh, F is the seventh and B is the third; for the D-flat
dominant seventh, F is the third and C-flat is the seventh.
3. The color tones become altered tones and vice versa. The new fifth and ninth of the D-flat dominant
seventh are the flat nine and flat thirteen of the original chord. Therefore, even if the bassist still plays a
G, the chord will simply sound like a G dominant seventh with alterations.
Now, look back at ii-V-I Lick 9 from this unit. Notice the D-flat dominant chord outlined melodically against the
G dominant seventh. Outlining that chord could be viewed from two perspectives. On one hand, it outlines a G
dominant seventh chord with a flat nine and flat five. On the other hand, it outlines the root, third, fifth, and seventh
of the tritone substitution of G dominant seventh.

4 bœ bœ bœ bœ bœ œ œ
&4 œ
Musicians also use the shorthand flat in asharp
root “alt” chordthird flatto denote
symbol sharp anseventh
altered chord, a chord with multiple
alterations. The chord symbol for an “alt” chord might look like five
nine nine five “C7alt.” The altered chord technically goes with
(#11) (b13) tone or the super locrian) which is the
a scale called the altered scale (also known as the diminished-whole
seventh mode of the melodic minor scale. As shown in the example below, you should use the melodic minor scale
of the key a half-step above the root of the alt chord. The G altered scale, written below, is derived from the A-flat
The altered scale is a very unusual scale, but a very useful one. The scale is unusual because the “third” of the chord
melodic minor scale.
is in the fourth position in the scale! But it is useful because the notes of the scale hit all four altered tones plus the
4 chord. bœ bœ bœ bœ œ œ
& 4 œ bœ
third and seventh of the dominant
When playing an “alt” chord, pianists

root should sharp
flat choosethird
only notes
flat fromsharpthis scale,
seventhavoiding the natural fifth and natural
ninth. The pianist can choose to play all of the altered tones(#11
nine nine
or )only(b1highlight
five five
3) specific altered tones and omit others.
Below are multiple possible voicings for an “alt” chord. Many are similar to the voicings presented earlier.
The altered scale is a very unusual scale, but a very useful one. The scale is unusual because the “third” of the chord
is in the fourth position in the scale! But it is useful because the notes of the scale hit all four altered tones plus the
third and seventh of the dominant chord.
#bbwww
G7½ G7½ G7½ G7½ G7½
& b#ww bbww b##www #bb#www

When playing an “alt” chord, pianists should choose only notes from this scale, avoiding the natural fifth and natural
w
sharporfive,
ninth. The pianist can choose to play all of the altered tones only highlight specific altered tones andsharp
flat thirteen, omiteleven,
others.
{{
sharp nine, flat nine,
Below are multiple possible voicings for an “alt” chord.flat sharp
nine,are similar to the flat nine,
eleven, presented earlier.
w w
Many voicings
flat five flat thirteen sharp nine flat nine sharp nine,
? ww ww w w w
www sharp eleven,
flat thirteen
#bbw
G7½ G7½ G7½ G7½ G7½
& b#w #w w #bb#w

w sharp nine, bbww flat b# ww sharp w flat w flat
five, thirteen,
nine, flat nine, sharp eleven, nine,
w
flat five
w
flat thirteen
w sharp nine
w flat nine sharp nine,
w B
? Type w B
Type w A
Type w A
Type w
w
Type Bflat thirteen
Type B Type B Type A Type A Type B
FAQ
FAQ
Q: Can any member of the band choose to use the tritone substitution?
Q: Can
Won’tany member
that create of the band choose to use the tritone substitution?
chaos?
A: Won’t that create
Yes, anyone chaos?
can choose to use the tritone substitution! No, it won’t create chaos. Look at the diagram
on the next page. You will find that when one member of the band uses the tritone substitution but others don’t,
A: it flips “normal” color tones to altered tones and vice versa. That means the bassist, the comping instrument,
Yes, anyone can choose to use the tritone substitution! No, it won’t create chaos. Look at the diagram
and the soloist can all freely choose whether to play the original chord or the tritone substitution.
on the next page. You will find that when one member of the band uses the tritone substitution but others don’t,
it flips “normal” color tones to altered tones and vice versa. That means the bassist, the comping instrument,
and the soloist can all freely choose whether to play the original chord or the tritone substitution.

A B
&4 w
w w
w w
w w
w bbw
w w
w
4
{
(flat nine and
w w w w w w
(no altered tones) flat thirteen)
?4 w w w w w w
4
D‹7 tritone sub G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
?4
tritone sub
w bw w w bw w
4
C D
D‹7 tritone sub G7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 tritone sub G7 CŒ„Š7
& w
w bbw
w w
w
w
w w
w w
w
{
(plays Db7 with (plays Db7 with
? w w
flat nine and
w w w w
no altered tones)
w w w w
flat thirteen)
w w

?
w w w w
w w
• In Example A, the bassist makes the tritone substitution but the pianist doesn’t. The pianist plays a
dominant seventh chord with no alterations. This chord will sound like a D-flat dominant seventh with
a flat nine and flat thirteen.
• In Example B, the bassist makes the tritone substitution but the pianist doesn’t. The pianist plays a dom-
inant seventh chord with alterations. The chord will sound like an unaltered D-flat dominant seventh.
• In Example C, the pianist makes the tritone substitution but the bassist doesn’t. The pianist plays the
dominant seventh chord with no alterations. The chord sounds like a G dominant seventh with a flat
nine and flat thirteen.
• In Example D, the pianist makes the tritone substitution but the bassist doesn’t. The pianist plays the
dominant seventh chord with alterations. The chord sounds like an unaltered G dominant seventh.
As you can see, no matter the combination, using the tritone substitution will maintain the appropriate sound of a
dominant chord!
Q: The “alt” chord doesn’t make any sense. How can I choose which notes are in the chord?
A: Actually, in jazz, you are always choosing which notes are in a chord. Sometimes we choose to play the ninth,
the eleventh or thirteenth, whereas other times we leave these tones out. The “alt” chord is no different, it just
uses a much less familiar scale.

ii-V-I Exercises
Practice your ii-V-I progressions with tritone substitutions replacing the original chords. Practice first with
two-handed Type A/B voicings. These voicings will be identical to a G dominant seventh with a flat nine and flat
thirteen. You will observe that the smoothest voice leading for this progression is created by using three consecutive
voicings of the same type instead of alternating between Type A and Type B voicings.
D‹7 D¨7 CŒ„Š7 D‹7 D¨7 CŒ„Š7

w bw w w
&4 w
w bbw
w w
w w
w w bw w w
4
{ w
?4 w
4
Type A
bw
w
Type A
w
w
Type A
w
w
w
w
Type B
bw
w
Type B
w
w
Type B
w
w
Second, practice playing a bassline in two in the left hand and comping in a pattern of your choice with one-handed
Type A/B voicings in the right hand.
D‹7 D¨7 CŒ„Š7

œœ œœ b œœœ
b œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
?4 œ ‰ œ Ó ‰ œJ Ó œ ‰ œ Ó œ ‰ œ Ó
{
4 J J J
Type A Type A Type A
?4 ˙
4 ˙ b˙ ˙ ˙
˙ b˙ ˙
D‹7 D¨7 CŒ„Š7

œœ œœ bœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
? 4 ‰ œJ Œ œ b œœ œ œ œ œ œ
Œ ‰ J Œ Œ ‰ J Œ Œ ‰ J Œ Œ
{
4
Type B Type B Type B
?4
4 ˙ ˙ ˙
˙ b˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

When using multiple altered tones, it usually sounds best to resolve each note in a stepwise manner, creating a
five-note tonic chord. Practice these formulas for resolving altered dominant chords with flat thirteens, flat nines,
and sharp nines. Notice that the I chord uses the thirteenth, the scale degree equivalent to the sixth.
D‹7 G7½ CŒ„Š7 D‹7 CŒ„Š7

w bbwbw
G7½
&4 w
w bbbw
ww nw
w w w nw
ww
w
4
{ ?4 w
4w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
Practice both of these exercises in all keys going down by half steps. Start with a ii-V-I progression in C major, then
play a ii-V-I progression in B major, B-flat major, etc.
Comping Variations 2
Thus far, you have been comping using the Charleston and Reverse Charleston patterns, adding lead-ins, push-offs,
and long-short variations. In the section below, you will learn even more ways to vary your comping.
1. Play the Charleston or Reverse Charleston pattern in the second half of the measure,
starting on beat three or the “and of three.”
For the Charleston, the two comps will now fall on beat three and the “and of four.” Remember that comps on
the “and of four” anticipate the chord in the next measure. For the Reverse Charleston, the two comps fall on
the “and of three” and beat one of the following measure.
Charleston Starting on Beat 3
j
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&4 Ó
4 œœ ‰ œœ Ó œœ ‰ œœj Ó j
œœ ‰ œœ Ó œœ ‰ œœ
j
{ ?4 Ó
4
œ
œ ‰ œœ Ó
J
anticipation
œœ œ
‰ œJ Ó
anticipation
œœ œ
‰ œJ Ó
œœ œ
‰ œJ
Charleston Starting on the “and of 3”
‰ œj Œ Œ ‰ œj Œ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
j j
&4 Ó œ œœ œ œœ Œ ‰ œœ Œ œœ Œ ‰ œœ Œ
4
{ ?4 Ó
4
œœ
‰ J Œ
Reverse Charleston
œœ œ
Œ ‰ œJ Œ
œœ
Reverse Charleston
œ
Œ ‰ œJ Œ
œœ
Reverse Charleston
œ
Œ ‰ œJ Œ

2. Leave out a comp.
Using familiar comping patterns, leave out a comp and play only one comp per measure. Typically, pianists will
choose to play the offbeat comp rather than the downbeat comp because it creates more rhythmic energy.
Charleston
D‹7
j G7
j CŒ„Š7
‰ œj Ó j
&4 œ œ ‰ œ Ó
œ Œ ‰ œ Ó Œ œœ ‰ œœ Ó
œ œ
4
{? 4 œœ ‰ œœ Ó
4 J Œ
comp
œ
‰ œJ Ó Œ
comp
œ
‰ œJ Ó
œœ œ
‰ œJ Ó
omitted omitted
Reverse Charleston
jŒ ‰ œj Œ ‰ œj Œ ‰ œj Œ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
&4 œ‰ œ Ó œœ Œ œœ Œ Ó
œ œ œ
4
{? 4 ‰ œœ Œ
4 J Ó
comp
œ
‰ œJ Œ
œœ
Œ
œ
‰ œJ Œ
œœ
Œ
œ
‰ œJ Œ Ó
comp
omitted omitted
3. Use a sidestep to create harmonic motion.

Sidestepping is the technique of displacing a chord by a half step and then resolving it to the correct
chord. Sidesteps are usually placed on a relatively weaker beat and resolved to a relatively stronger beat (see
Frequently Asked Questions on page 175). Chords can be moved either a half-step down or a half-step up to
create a sidestep from below or a sidestep from above, respectively.
A sidestep can also be used to lead into a chord that hasn’t yet been stated. In measure two on the next page,
the chord on the “and of three” is a sidestep from above leading into the C major seventh chord in the next
measure. In measure three, the chord on beat four is a sidestep from below leading into the C major seventh.
Notice also the double sidestep in measure six, in which the C major seventh chord on the beat is displaced
by half-step twice before arriving at the correct chord on the downbeat. The example on the next page shows
typical places to use a sidestep.

Swing
j j ‰ œj Œ #œ œ Œ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
& 4 œœ ##œœ œœ Ó œœ ‰ œœ ‰ bbœœ ™™ œœ ‰ œœ Œ #œ œ #œ œ
{
#œ
4
œ œœ œœ œœ ™™
? 4 œ œœ Ó
œœ
‰ J ‰
œœ œ #œ
‰ œJ Œ # œ
œ œ
‰ œ Œ ##œœ œ Œ
4 J
sidestep sidestep sidestep
sidestep
anticipating anticipating
Cmaj7 Cmaj7
Partido Alto
j j j
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
j j j
& 4 œœ œœ œœ #œ œœ œœ œœ ™™ œœ bbœœ œœ œœ œœ bbœœ œœ œœ œœ ™™ œœ œœ
{
#œ
4
? 4 œœ œœ œœ #œ
œ œœ œœ œœ ™™ ## œœ nn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ™™ œœ œœ
4 J J J J J J
double sidestep
sidestep anticipating Cmaj7 sidestep
anticipating
G7
4. Use the four-four comping patterns to comp in three-four.

Because the vast majority of jazz music is played in four-four time, all the comping patterns you have learned
thus far have been in four-four meter. However, it is important to know how to comp for swing pieces in
three-four, which are sometimes called jazz waltzes. When playing in three-four, start with the equivalent of
the Charleston and Reverse Charleston in three-four. The patterns start the same but omit a beat at the end,
as shown below.
Three-Four Charleston
D‹7
j G7
‰ œj Œ
CŒ„Š7
‰ œj Œ ‰ œj Œ
& 4 œœ ‰ œœ Œ œœ œœ œœ
œ œ œ
3
{? 3 œœ
4
œœ
‰ J Œ
œœ œ
‰ œJ Œ
œœ œ
‰ œJ Œ
œœ œ
‰ œJ Œ
Three-Four Reverse Charleston
œ œœ ‰ œœ Œ œœ ‰ œœ Œ œœ ‰ œœ Œ œœ
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
& 4 ‰ œJ Œ J
3
J J
{ œœ
?3 ‰ J Œ
4
œœ œœ
‰ J Œ
œœ œœ
‰ J Œ
œœ œœ
‰ J Œ
œœ

FAQ
Q: How do I know whether a beat is weaker or stronger than another?
A: This is a complicated question. The strong beats in a four-four measure are generally beats one and three.
However, in jazz, we frequently anticipate these strong beats on the “and of four” and “and of two,” respective-
ly, to create substitute strong beats. You can tell that a note is acting as an anticipation if there is no note on the
strong beat following a note on the “and of two” or “and of four.” The two strong beats and their anticipations
are the strongest in the measure. After that, the beats (1, 2, 3, 4) are stronger than the offbeats (“ands”).
Q: Won’t the sidestep create dissonance? I mean, the chords used as sidesteps have all the
wrong notes!
A: Yes, but dissonance is a part of music. A very important part! Like a chromatic neighbor tone, sidesteps create
momentary tensions that are quickly resolved. They work best at medium or fast tempos. While it is great to
practice slowly, slow practice can convince you that dissonances are more problematic than they actually are at
the regular tempo. Trust the process and work on these chords. They add needed color.
Q: The Reverse Charleston starting on the “and of three” ends on beat one which is where
the Charleston starts. Can I combine these two patterns to create a two-measure comping
pattern?
A: Yes, absolutely, please do! I love it! The example below shows the combined comping patterns.
D‹7 G7 original CŒ„Š7 original
j j
‰ œj Œ j
Charleston Charleston
&4 Ó ‰ œœ Œ œœ ‰ œœ Ó Ó
œ œœ ‰ œœ Ó
4
{
? 44 Ó
œœ
‰ J Œ
Rev. Charleston
in second half
œœ œ
‰ œJ Ó Ó
œ
‰ œJ Œ
Rev. Charleston
in second half
œœ œ
‰ œJ Ó
of measure of measure
While we are combining comping patterns, the original Reverse Charleston ends on beat three which is where
the Charleston pattern starts if you move it to the second half of the measure. These are ripe for combining! The
example below shows the result.
Charleston in Charleston in
second half second half
4 ‰ œj Œ j
D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
‰ œj Œ ‰ œj
of measure
‰ œ ∑ ∑
of measure
&4 œ œœ œ œ œœ œ
{ œ
? 44 ‰ œ Œ
J
œœ
Rev. Charleston
œ
‰ œJ ∑
œ
‰ œJ Œ
œœ
Rev. Charleston
œ
‰ œJ ∑

“Remember” by Hank Mobley Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“Remember,” a song written by Irving Berlin, is the first track from Hank Mobley’s 1960 album, Soul Station.
PERSONNEL Form
0:00-0:42 Head In (AABA form)
Hank Mobley, tenor saxophone
0:42-3:05 Saxophone Solo (3 Choruses)
Wynton Kelly, piano
3:05-4:37 Piano Solo (2 Choruses)
Paul Chambers, bass
4:37-4:59 Bass Solo (Half Chorus)
Art Blakey, drums
4:59-5:19 Head Out
(Half Chorus – Bridge and Last A)
5:19-end Ending
Hank Mobley (1930-1986) was a hardbop tenor saxophone player known for his robust tone and ability to create
memorable melodies. Mobley got his start with the Jazz Messengers, an incredibly historically important group
initially founded by pianist Horace Silver but led for many decades by drummer Art Blakey (1919-1990), the
drummer on this album. Blakey turned the group into one of the primary training grounds for young jazz musicians.
Alumni of the Jazz Messengers include Lee Morgan, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson, Keith Jarrett, Benny Green,
Terence Blanchard, Wayne Shorter, and many other influential musicians. Joining Mobley and Blakey are two
musicians you have already met from Guided Listening 1, pianist Wynton Kelly and bassist Paul Chambers, who
are both known for playing in Miles Davis’ ensemble.
The piece “Remember” is interesting because it shows how jazz musicians can adapt a popular song into a swing
performance. The original piece, written by composer Irving Berlin, is a slow, tragic waltz in B-flat major, which
you can hear if you listen to the first half of Ella Fitzgerald’s version from The Irving Berlin Songbook. Mobley and
his group take that slow waltz and transform it into a medium swing piece in four-four time.
Mobley’s solo is one of the best-known solos in the jazz repertoire. He doesn’t rely on lightning-fast technique or
complex substitutions to create his solo, instead he improvises melodies that are singable and memorable. He also
develops motives, particularly forming sequences that descend chromatically with the chord changes. You can hear
these chromatic sequences from the very beginning of his solo (0:45-0:50), briefly in the second A section (0:58-
0:59), at 1:20-1:22, with two phrases at the beginning of his second chorus (1:31-1:33 and 1:35-1:37), at 1:44-1:49,
and again as the third chorus begins, 2:18-2:23.
Behind Mobley, the rhythm section swings with seemingly effortless intensity. Listen to Kelly’s comping. As Mobley
plays the repetitive melody, Kelly plays single comps in response, generally on the “and of two.” He often uses
multiple push-offs, pairing three or more eighth-note comps together (listen to 0:09, 0:19, 0:25, 0:30, and many
more spots). Listen to the way that Kelly’s comping fits like a puzzle into Mobley’s presentation of the theme and
complements his solo. Besides conveying intensity in the way that he plays time, Blakey is known among drummers
for what is called a press roll, a drum roll formed by a series of double strokes that ratchets up intensity leading
into a section. You can hear Blakey’s press rolls leading into the bridge during the head (0:21) and during Mobley’s
final chorus of solo (2:41).

UNIT 11 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 11 – practice using neighbor tones and the chromatic
enclosure
2. ii-V-I-Lick 9 – practice in all twelve keys and apply to tunes
3. ii-V-I Exercises for Altered Dominants 2
a. Two-handed voicings with tritone substitution
b. One-handed voicing in the right hand with bass in two and in left hand, with tritone substitution
c. Practice resolving chords with multiple altered tones
4. Choose two pieces from The Real Book list and practice:
a. Playing the Charleston/Reverse Charleston in the second half of the measure
b. Leaving out the onbeat comp of your comping pattern
c. Sidestepping
5. Learn “Alice in Wonderland” and “A Child is Born” from The Real Book and practice
comping in three-four using the two patterns presented
6. Guided Listening 11: “Remember” by Hank Mobley
a. Listen to “Remember” at least twenty times
b. Pay attention to how Hank Mobley plays melodic solos including sequences
c. Listen for how Wynton Kelly uses multiple push-offs when comping

Unit 12
Improvising with Altered Dominants Scan Here for
Unit 12 Videos
Improvisation Exercise 12 – Using the Altered Scale

In the last chapter, you were introduced to the altered scale, a collection of notes that includes all four altered tones
as well as a chord’s major third and dominant seventh. Remember that you can find the altered scale by playing the
notes of the melodic minor scale of the key a half-step above a chord’s root.
bœ œ œ
G7½
& 4 œ bœ bœ bœ bœ
4
root flat sharp third flat sharp seventh
nine nine five five
(#11 ) (b1 3)
In this unit, you will be exploring the altered scale for the dominant chord in the keys of C, F, B-flat, E-flat, and G
using a two-part drone. To begin, play just the root and fifth of the dominant chord in the left hand and practice
improvising out of time using the altered scale. Then, resolve to the tonic chord and improvise out of time using
the major scale. Because there are so many tense notes in the altered scale, it is crucial to listen for how each note
wants to resolve and to resolve it appropriately.
A sample improvisation is given below.
G7½
bœ bœ œ bœ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
CŒ„Š7
j b œ b œ
& 4 ‰ œ bœ bœ J œ nœ w
{
4
?4 w w
4w w w w
w w
b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ bœ œ œ b œ b œ bœ
G7½ CŒ„Š7
J œ nœ n œ œ œ œ™ ˙
&4 ‰ b œ ‰ J bœ bœ nœ nœ œ J
{
4
?4 w w
4w w w w
w w
UNIT 12 IMPROVISING WITH ALTERNATE DOMINANTS 181

ii-V-I Lick 10
ii-V-I Lick 10 uses the G altered scale over the V chord of the ii-V-I. Listen for the color created by using all four
altered tones. Studying Lick 10, you will also find two chromatic enclosures, a ghost note, and a turn. Hopefully,
this lick helps you to understand how you can put together different elements from this book to create a rich jazz
vocabulary.
œ œ œ bœ G7½
D‹7
œ
CŒ„Š7
œ bœ bœ bœ bœbœbœbœ
&4 Œ ‰ J
nœ
nœ œ nœ nœ œ œ bœ#œ œ œ Œ Ó
4
Improvising over Altered Dominants

When improvising over altered dominant chords, you can’t simply use the mixolydian mode (the major scale with
a lowered seventh). Altered dominant chords use different scales depending on their alterations. All of these scales
should be based on the root of the dominant chord. In other words, for a G dominant seventh chord, use a scale
starting on G.
1. For dominant seventh chords with an altered ninth (lowered, raised, or both), use the half-whole
octatonic scale. The half-whole octatonic scale is an eight-note scale alternating half steps and whole
steps, starting with a half step. The octatonic scale is sometimes referred to as the diminished scale or
half-whole diminished scale. Specific chord symbols have been invented for the examples below, but
these scales could go with any dominant seventh chord with an altered ninth.
G Half-Whole Octatonic Scale F Half-Whole Octatonic Scale Bb Half-Whole Octatonic Scale
4 bœ bœ nœ #œ œ œ œ
G7(b9) F7(#9) B¨7(b9)
œ bœ
&4 œ œ bœ bœ nœ œ œ bœ b œ b œ nœ œ œ œ bœ
Notice that the half-whole octatonic scale includes the root, the flat nine, the sharp nine, the major third,
and the dominant seventh, all of the most important notes for improvising over a dominant seventh
chord with an altered ninth.
2. For dominant seventh chords with an altered fifth (lowered, raised, or both), use the whole tone scale.
The whole tone scale is a hexatonic (six-note) scale consisting of all whole steps. Specific chords have
been invented for the examples below, but these scales could go with any dominant seventh chord with
an altered fifth.
G Whole Tone Scale F Whole Tone Scale Bb Whole Tone Scale
4 œ œ #œ #œ œ œ œ
G7(#5) F7(b5) B¨7[âÀ]
&4 œ œ œ #œ #œ #œ bœ
œ œ bœ œ œ œ #œ

3. For dominant seventh chords with a sharp eleven, use the lydian dominant scale. The lydian dominant
scale is a major scale with the fourth note raised and the seventh note lowered. It is sometimes called
the lydian mixolydian scale.
G Lydian Dominant Scale F Lydian Dominant Scale Bb Lydian Dominant Scale
4 œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ
G7(#11) F7(#11) B¨7(#11)
&4 œ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ
œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ
4. For dominant seventh chords with a flat thirteen, use the mixolydian flat six scale. The mixolydian flat
six scale is a major scale with the sixth and seventh notes lowered.
G Mixolydian Flat Six Scale F Mixolydian Flat Six Scale Bb Mixolydian Flat Six Scale
4 œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ bœ œ
G7(b13) F7(b13) B¨7(b13)
&4 œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ bœ bœ bœ
bœ œ œ b œ
5. For a chord with an altered ninth (raised, lowered, or both) plus another altered note, use the altered
scale. You learned the altered scale in the last unit. The altered scale is the seventh mode of the melodic
minor scale. Specific chords have been invented for the examples below, but these scales could go with
any dominant seventh chord with an altered ninth and one other altered tone or any dominant chord
with an “alt” chord symbol.
G Altered Scale F Altered Scale Bb Altered Scale
œ œ œ
G7[áÆ] F7[åÁ] B¨7½
bœ b œ b œ b œ b œ bœ ∫œ bœ bœ bœ bœ
&4 œ œ bœ b œ ∫ œ b œ bœ bœ
4
bœ b œ
Use the chart below to review the scales from this unit:
ALTERED TONE(S) SCALE HOW TO FORM

The ninth (raised/lowered/both) Half-whole octatonic scale Alternate half and whole steps
starting with a half step
The fifth (raised/lowered/both) Whole tone scale Use exclusively wholesteps starting
from the root
Sharp eleven Lydian dominant Start with a major scale, raise the
fourth and lower the seventh scale
degrees
Flat thirteen Mixolydian flat six Start with a major scale, lower the
sixth and seventh scale degrees
The ninth plus one other altered tone Altered scale Play the melodic minor scale based on
the note a half-step above the root

Practice writing the correct scales for the altered dominant chords listed below and then write an appropriate chord
symbol for the scales given. There will likely be a few different possibilities for appropriate chord symbols.
F7(b9) D7(b13) C7[âÄ] B¨7(#5)
&4
4
5 E¨7(#11) E7(b9) A7[âÀ] B7[áÆ]
&
9 B¨7(b5) F©7(#9) A¨7(b13) D7(#11)
&
1 3 C7[áÁ] D¨7(b5) E¨7½ E7(b13)
&
b œ œ b œ œ bœb œ
17
& œ œ#œ#œ#œ œ œ œ bœ œbœbœ∫œ b œ b œ bœ bœ œ œ

bœ b œ # œ œ œ œ
b œ œœ œ #œ œ œ#œ œ œ
21
& œœ œ œ œ œ b œ b œ œ œ b œ œ #œ #œ #œ #œ
œœœ œ œ #œ
œ œ#œ œ bœ bœ
25
& #œ#œ#œ œ #œ œ b œ b œ b œ œœ œ œ b œ
œ œ œ#œ#œ#œ œ bœ œ bœ œ

FAQ
Q: I am used to seven-note scales that have one note for each pitch. How do I know which pitch
FAQ
to give two notes for the octatonic scale and which pitch to leave out for the whole tone
scale?
A : Good news – it doesn’t really matter which pitches you include or exclude when writing scales that aren’t seven
notes. Write them in whatever way is easiest.
Q: I am used to seven-note scales that have one note for each pitch. How do I know which pitch
Q: When
to giveatwo notes
chord hasfor
anthe octatonicwhy
alteration, scale andI just
can’t which pitch
take thetomixolydian
leave out for theand
scale whole
altertone
that
scale?
note? For a flat nine chord, can’t I just take the regular mixolydian mode and lower the
A: second scale degree?
Good news – it doesn’t really matter which pitches you include or exclude when writing scales that aren’t seven
A: notes. Write
Not quite. them alterations
Simple in whateverwork
way to
is create
easiest.some scales, like the lydian dominant and mixolydian flat six. For
other scales, altering just a single note creates undesirable intervals between the surrounding notes. While the
Q: When a chord
scales match has anthey
the chords, alteration,
won’t be why can’t Iinjust
very useful take
terms the mixolydian
of making melodies. scale and alter that
note? For a flat nine chord, can’t I just take the regular mixolydian mode and lower the
Q: There
secondarescale
waydegree?
too many scales! How am I supposed to remember all of these?
A: Not quite.
I hear you! Simple
I know alterations
that this lastwork to create
chapter is a bitsome scales,dump.”
of a “scale like theThere
lydianisdominant and
no denying mixolydian
that flat
it will take six. For
repetitive
other scales,
practice altering just
to remember a single
these scalesnote
and creates undesirablewith
their relationships intervals between
chords. the surrounding
But here’s a little good notes.
news –While the
the half-
scales match
whole the and
octatonic chords, they won’t
the whole tonebe veryare
scale useful in terms ofscales,
symmetrical making melodies.
meaning that they are built on repetitive
interval patterns. Being a symmetrical scale means that the same set of notes is used for many different scales.
Q For example,
: There are waylooktoo
at the whole
many tone scales
scales! Howfor amG,I supposed
A, B, C#, D#/Eb, and F below:
to remember all of these?
A: I hear you! I know that this last chapter is a bit of a “scale dump.” There is no denying that it will take repetitive
œ œ œ œ œ œ
practice to remember these scales and their relationships
Tone Scale with chords. But
B here’s a little good news – the half-
4 œ œ #œ #œ œ œ
G Whole Tone Scale A Whole Whole Tone Scale
#œ #œ #œ œ
œ #œ
whole octatonic and the whole tone scale are symmetrical scales, meaning that they are built on repetitive
&4 œ œ œ
interval patterns. Being a symmetrical scale means that the same set of notes is used for many different scales.
For example, look at the whole tone scales for G, A, B, C#, D#/Eb, and F below:
œœ
C# Whole Tone Scale D# Whole Tone Scale F Whole Tone Scale
& 4 #œ œ œ#œ #œœ œœ #œœ #œ œ œ#œ #œœ œœ #œœ #œœ œ œ #œœ #œœ
G Whole Tone Scale A Whole Tone Scale B Whole Tone Scale
œœ œ#œ #œ œ
& #4œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
Notice anything?
C# Whole The scales all consist D#
Tone Scale of the same
Whole setScale
Tone of pitches, just starting in different
F Whole places. The whole tone
Tone Scale
& #œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ #œ #œ œ œ œ œ #œ #œ
scale repeats every whole step and there are only two different sets of pitches that make up all the whole tone scales.
#œ #œ œ
Similarly, the half-whole octatonic scale repeats every three half steps (every minor third). There are only three
different sets of pitches that make up all half-whole octatonic scales.
Notice anything? The scales all consist of the same set of pitches, just starting in different places. The whole tone
scale repeats every whole step and there are only two different sets of pitches that make up all the whole tone scales.
Similarly, the half-whole octatonic scale repeats every three half steps (every minor third). There are only three
different sets of pitches that make up all half-whole octatonic scales.

Q: Okay, I understand that there is a half-whole octatonic scale. Does that mean there’s a
whole-half octatonic scale as well?
A: I was going to wait to introduce that one, but since you asked, I will tell you about it. The whole-half octa-
tonic scale alternates half steps and whole steps starting with a whole step. It forms a very different scale!
Musicians use this scale for fully diminished seventh chords.
Q: You mentioned earlier that the altered scale is sometimes called the “diminished-whole
tone.” Why is that?
A: You have the tools to understand this now! The first four notes of the altered scale are the same as the first
four of the half-whole octatonic scale, also known as the diminished scale. The last four notes of the altered
scale are the same as the last four notes of the whole tone scale.
Q: Do the right hand and left hand need to match?

A: Now you have me excited! Usually, pianists prefer to create a match between their right hand and left hand.
However, there are certain musicians who consciously create contrasts between their two hands, mismatching
chords and scales to create layers of color with a little dissonance or funkiness. I would first aim to match
between the two hands, but later experiment with creating contrasts between the two hands and see if you
like what you hear.
Practicing Improvising Over Altered Dominants

You should practice improvising using these new scales in the following four ways. Practice playing one scale at a
time through the whole process to gain mastery and control before moving on to the next sound.
1. Hold down the bass note in your left hand and practice exploring your chosen scale
in your right hand.
Don’t worry about tempo or style. Simply investigate every part of the scale like you are looking into every nook
and cranny of a room you have just discovered. Set a timer for five or ten minutes and just sit and work with
the scale.
2. Practice playing the scales for a ii-V-I progression while comping the chords.
Notice that the whole tone scale and the octatonic scale don’t have the normal number of notes, so you will have
to adjust the exercise accordingly. The voicings start either with Type A or Type B depending on which leaves
the most room for the scales. The top note has been removed from some of these voicings to accommodate the
right hand.

ii-V-I in C with Octatonic Scale
D‹7
œ
G7(b9)
œ œ œ CŒ„Š7
& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œbœ#œ œ#œ œ œ œ œœœœ œœœœœœœ

œ œ
4
{ œ œ
? 4 œ ‰ œœ Ó
œ
œœ œ
œœ œœ œ
œœ œœ œœ
octatonic scale
J ‰JÓ ‰ Ó ‰œÓ
4 J J
ii-V-I in F with Octatonic Scale
G‹7
œœœ
C7(b9)
œ # œ œ œ b œ FŒ„Š7 œœ œœ
&4 œ œb œ œ œ œbœ#œ œb œ œ œ œb œ œ œ
œœ œœ
4
{ œ œ
? 4 b œœ ‰ œœ Ó bb œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ
œ ‰ œœ Ó
octatonic scale
‰JÓ œ œ ‰œÓ
4 J J J
b œ œ F7(b9)
ii-V-I in Bb with Octatonic Scale
œbœ œ œ
œ œ œ œbœ œœ bœ
b œ b œ bœ œ œbœ œ
C‹7 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ
&4 œbœ#œ œ œ œ bœ œ
4
{ 4
œ œ
? 4 bbœœ ‰ œœ Ó
J
œ
bœœ ‰ œœ Ó
œ
octatonic scale
J
œœ
œ ‰
œœ
œÓ
J
œœ œ
œ ‰ œœ Ó
J
3. Improvise over the ii-V-I progression using the altered dominant you are practicing.
Improvise using the dorian mode for the ii chord, your altered dominant scale for the V chord, and the major
scale for the I chord. You might want to write the scale out so that you can see the notes in front of you as you
improvise.
4. Practice improvising using the scale over a tune.

Choose a tune from The Real Book with some dominant chords and prepare to improvise on the dominant
chords by writing out the scales and practicing them up and down a few times, if needed. Then, improvise using
your chosen scale on every dominant chord in the tune until it becomes second nature.
Go through the scales one by one. It might feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t all have to be done at once. Each scale
you tackle will be easier and easier to learn.

Other Common Chord Progressions
So far, the curriculum of this book has been downright obsessed with the ii-V-I progression, and with good reason!
The ii-V-I progression is absolutely key to the jazz style. However, as you complete this book, there are other
progressions you should be aware of that will help you to read through lead sheets before beginning Book 2 of the
series.
1. The I-vi-ii-V (“one-six-two-five”) progression is incredibly common in jazz standards and pop music.
It moves from a major tonic chord to a minor chord based on the sixth scale degree, then to a minor
chord based on the second scale degree, and finally to the dominant chord based on the fifth scale
degree. The I-vi-ii-V progression is at the heart of well-known songs such as Hoagy Carmichael’s “Heart
and Soul,” George Gershwin’s “I’ve Got Rhythm,” Rodgers and Hart’s “Blue Moon,” and Leonard
Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” It is also commonly used for introductions and endings because it can be repeated
as an endless loop.
I-vi-ii-V in C Major I-vi-ii-V in F Major

CŒ„Š7 A‹7 D‹7 G7 FŒ„Š7 D‹7 G‹7 C7
& 4 ˙˙
4 ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
{? 4 ˙˙
4
Type A
˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
b˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
2. A variation of the I-vi-ii-V progression is the iii-vi-ii-V (“three-six-two-five”) progression, in which a

minor chord based on the third scale degree substitutes for the tonic. Because the music never settles
on the tonic chord, the iii-vi-ii-V feels even more cyclical and unstable. This progression can be played
with a minor iii chord or with a dominant iii chord.
Notice that for the iii chord, the root replaces the ninth in the voicing. The ninth of a iii chord is
traditionally avoided because it is outside of the overall diatonic key. For instance, the ninth of E minor
seventh is F-sharp which is outside of the key of C major. Although the ninth is sometimes played, it
tends to stick out from the progression. When a dominant chord is used as the iii, a flat nine is chosen
to fit with the diatonic scale.
iii-vi-ii-V in C Major iii-vi-ii-V in F Major

E‹7 A‹7 D‹7 G7 A‹7 D‹7 G‹7 C7
& 4 ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
4
{?4 ˙
4
˙
Type A
˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
b˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A

3. The diminished walk-up and the diminished walk-down are progressions that alternate between
diatonic and diminished chords. They are found in jazz standards like “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Have You
Met Miss Jones,” “Someday My Prince Will Come,” and “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado).”
Remember that voicings for diminished chords work just like voicings for other chords except that the
root replaces the ninth. To voice a diminished chord, play the third and seventh (which looks like the
sixth) in the left hand, as you would with any other type of chord. Then, place the flatted fifth and the
root in the right hand. In the example, the diminished walk-down ends with a ii-V-I to lend the progres-
sion a pleasant resolution.
Diminished Walk-Up in C
CŒ„Š7 C©º7 D‹7 D©º7 E‹7 Fº7 FŒ„Š7
˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ w
& 4 ˙˙ # ˙˙ #˙˙ w
4
{
? 4 ˙˙
4
Type A
#˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type A
#˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type A
#˙˙
Type A
w
w
Type A
Diminished Walk-Up in F
FŒ„Š7 F©º7 G‹7 G©º7 A‹7 B¨º7 B¨Œ„Š7
&4 ˙ ˙˙ #˙˙ ˙˙ b˙˙ w

˙ #˙˙ w
4
{
? 4 ˙˙
4
Type B
#˙˙
Type B
b˙˙
Type B
n˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type B
b ˙˙
Type B
nw
w
Type B
Diminished Walk-Down in C
FŒ„Š7 Fº7 E‹7 E¨º7 D‹7 G7 CŒ„Š7
& 4 ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
b˙˙ n˙˙ ˙˙ w
w
4
{
?4 ˙
4
˙
Type A
b ˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type A
b˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type B
w
w
Type A
Diminished Walk-Down in F
B¨Œ„Š7 B¨º7 A‹7 A¨º7 G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7
& 4 ˙˙ b˙˙ ˙˙ b˙˙ n˙˙ ˙˙ w

w
4
{
?4 ˙
4
˙
Type B
b ˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type B
b ˙˙
Type B
b˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
w
w
Type B

4. The backdoor ii-V-I (“backdoor two-five-one”) begins like a ii-V-I progression but resolves to a tonic
chord a whole step up from the V chord. Looked at another way, the progression uses a minor seventh
chord based on the fourth scale degree and a dominant seventh chord based on the lowered seventh
scale degree to resolve up to a tonic chord. The backdoor ii-V-I progression is found commonly in the
jazz repertoire, including in pieces like “Just Friends,” “I Should Care,” “Misty,” and “Stella by Starlight.”
Backdoor ii-V-I in C Major Backdoor ii-V-I in F Major

F‹7 B¨7 CŒ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7 FŒ„Š7
&4 ˙˙ ˙˙ w ˙˙ b˙˙ w
w w
4
{ ?4
4
bb ˙˙
Type A
˙˙
Type B
w
w
Type B
bb ˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
nw
w
Type A
The backdoor ii-V-I often uses a dominant chord with a sharp eleven. The following voicings show how
you could incorporate a sharp eleven and a natural thirteen to create a full-sounding voicing.
Backdoor ii-V-I in C Major Backdoor ii-V-I in F Major

F‹7 B¨7(#11) CŒ„Š7 B¨‹7 E¨7(#11) FŒ„Š7
w
& 4 ˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ww ˙˙ ˙˙˙ w
w
w
4
{ b˙
? 4b ˙
4
Type A
˙˙
Type B
w
w
Type B
bb ˙˙
Type B
˙˙
Type A
nnw
w
Type A
Practice these progressions in all keys and watch for them in jazz standards as you read through The Real Book.

Other Common Chords
You will likely see a few chords in The Real Book that haven’t been covered extensively in this book. Below, you'll
find a summary of these chords and how to play them.
1. Suspended chords
In suspended chords, also known as sus chords or sus4 chords, the fourth scale degree replaces the third.
Although the chord derives from the classical idea of a suspension, in which the tension created by the fourth
resolves to the third, suspended chords don’t always resolve in jazz. Unless the chord symbol specifically desig-
nates a major seventh, as in the final measure of this example, use a dominant seventh for a sus chord.
C7(“4) A7(“4) F7(“4) E¨Œ„Š7(“4)
&4 w w
w w w bw
4
w w
{ ? 4 bw
4 w
Type A
w
w
Type A
bbw
w
Type B
bw
w
Type B
2. Major sixth and minor sixth chords

In major sixth and minor sixth chords, the sixth scale degree of the major scale replaces the seventh. Sixth
chords are frequently used in place of major seventh chords when the root of the chord is in the melody.
Because the root is a half step away from the major seventh, the two notes clash. A sixth chord provides a much
more consonant solution. Note that even for minor sixth chords, the sixth degree of the major scale is used.
C6 A‹6 F6 E¨‹6
&4 w w
w w w bw
4
w w
{
?4 w
4w
Type A
#w
w
Type A
w
w
Type B
bw
w
Type B

3. Inversions
Remember from the beginning of the book that inversions are notated using a slash between the chord and the
bass note. It is appropriate to add the root next to the ninth of the voicing when you see an inversion since the
bass player is no longer playing the root.
CŒ„Š7/E A‹7/E F7/E¨ D‹6/B

ww
w
&4 w
ww w ww
w
4
ww
{
root
root root
w
added
added added
w w
root
?4 w w bw
w
added
4 w
Type A Type A Type B Type B
4. Slash chords
A slash chord is a chord with a bass note that is not part of the original chord. Instead of an inversion, a slash
chord is a mismatched pair of a chord and bass. For slash chords, you can also add the root next to the ninth in
your voicing.
CŒ„Š7/F A‹7/D F7/B D‹6/G

ww
w
&4 w
ww w ww
w
4
ww
{ ?4 w
4w
(bass plays F)
Type A
(bass plays D)
w
w
Type A
(bass plays B)
bw
w
Type B
w
(bass plays G)
w
Type B
5. Triads
Remember that when chord symbols don’t have an odd number at the end, they usually indicate a triad. When
voicing a triad, it is usually acceptable to play the ninth as a color note. Voice the root and fifth in your left hand
and the ninth and third in the right hand or voice the root and third in your left hand and the ninth and fifth
in your right.
C A‹ F D‹
& 4 ww third w ww third w

w ninth w fifth
4
{
fifth ninth ninth
w w w root
ninth
?4 w w third w fifth w third

4 w fifth
root
root
root

FAQ
Q: What about for one-handed voicings? Should I add the root into the left-handed voicing for
inversions and slash chords?
A: Yes! You can add the root next to the seventh for one-handed voicings.
Q: How should I voice triads for one-handed voicings?
A: Use a combination of the third, fifth, and ninth for one-handed voicings. Any order of these three notes will
sound good. See the example below.
C C C F‹ F‹ F‹
w ww w
? 44 w w bww bww
w bw
w
w ww
w w

GUIDED LISTENING 12–
“Cheek to Cheek” by Ahmad Jamal Scan Here for
Listening Playlists
“Cheek to Cheek,” composed by Irving Berlin, is the sixth track from the 1958 album Ahmad’s Blues.
Ahmad Jamal (1930-) is a jazz pianist known for his sparkling technique, radical use of space, embrace of dynamic
extremes, and creative trio arrangements. Miles Davis cited Jamal as being among his biggest influences, in partic-
ular with regards to using silence with intention. Jamal’s great trio, heard here, expertly mixed traditional jazz forms
with vamps, cued sections, and intricate grooves.
PERSONNEL Form
0:00-1:19 Head In (AABCA Form)
Ahmad Jamal, piano 1:19-2:05 ii-V-iii-vi Vamp
Israel Crosby, bass 2:05-2:30 Bass Ascends Chromatically
Vernel Fournier, drums 2:30-2:42 Vamp on G

2:42-4:09 Piano Solo on Form
4:09-end ii-V-iii-vi Vamp 2 and Ending
If you have never heard “Cheek to Cheek” before, listen to a couple of vocal recordings before listening to Jamal’s
deconstructive version (try the original Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers recording or the Ella Fitzgerald rendition).
Although “Cheek to Cheek” is a very traditional sounding song from a 1935 movie, it is an odd song with an unusual
form. The two sixteen-measure A sections are followed by two sixteen-measure B sections, an eight-measure
contrasting C section, and then finally one more A section.
The piece starts with two I-vi-ii-V progressions. Listen to Israel Crosby’s bassline and see if you can hear the pro-
gression. Because the piece is in the key of C major, the bass is moving from C to A to D to G. Notice that Jamal
plays the beginning of the melody but stops midway through and allows the listener to finish the melody in their
head. In the second A section (0:19), Jamal and Crosby repeat a variation of the I-vi-ii-V progression, replacing the
A and G chords with their tritone substitutions, for a new bassline of C-E-flat-D-D-flat. The bridge (0:38) starts
with ii-V-I progressions in C. Listen for D-G-C in the bass. Notice that Jamal doesn’t comp at all beneath the bridge
melody and again stops playing the melody about halfway through. The last A section (1:07) returns to the I-vi-ii-V
progression.
Starting at 1:19, the trio plays a lengthy extension of the ending, repeating a iii-vi-ii-V progression. The way they
play it, the ii receives the rhythmic emphasis, so it sounds like a ii-V-iii-vi (“two-five-three-six”) progression.
Listen for the bass moving from D to G to E to A as Jamal trades phrases with the drums. The trio then launches
into a passage where the bass ascends chromatically through all twelve keys (2:05-2:30) before settling on G, the
dominant of the original key of C major. Finally, at 2:42, Jamal starts improvising on the actual chord changes of
“Cheek to Cheek.”
Notice that Jamal’s improvisation is in the upper register and repetitive to a fault, sometimes apparently becoming
“stuck” on a single phrase or motive, as is evident from 3:23 to 3:39. After improvising for a full chorus, the band
again plays their ii-V-iii-vi extension starting at 4:09 and Jamal again returns to exchanging phrases with drummer
Fournier.
Take the time to appreciate the trio’s playfulness, lightness, and the intentionality of every note and phrase. Ahmad
Jamal’s music is so singular that it is almost its own genre of jazz. Even though no pianist has been able to imitate
him fully, his style has had far-reaching effects on all kinds of jazz artists.

UNIT 12 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Improvisation Exercise 12 – altered scale improv
2. Practice ii-V-I Lick 10 in all twelve keys and apply to tunes
3. Practice improvising using the half-whole octatonic scale, the whole tone scale, the
altered scale, the lydian dominant scale, and the mixolydian flat six scale, one at a
time
a. Explore the sound and notes of each scale while holding the bass note in your left hand
b. Practice playing the scale while comping the chords in a ii-V-I
c. Improvise using each scale in the context of a ii-V-I
d. Choose a tune from The Real Book and practice using the scale every time you get to a dominant chord
in the tune
4. Practice the I-vi-ii-V, the iii-vi-ii-V, the diminished walk-up/walk-down, and the
backdoor ii-V-I in all twelve keys
5. Look through The Real Book for suspended chords, major/minor sixth chords, inver-
sions, and slash chords and practice finding voicings for the chords as they come up
6. Guided Listening 12: “Cheek to Cheek” by Ahmad Jamal
a. Listen to “Cheek to Cheek” at least twenty times
b. Pay attention to the chord progressions introduced in this unit
c. Listen for Jamal’s use of space
d. Track the unusual form of “Cheek to Cheek”

WHAT NOW?
Before you move on to your next stage of study, choose ten tunes from the Tune Bank. For each tune:
1. Find and master two-handed Type A/B voicings. Alter all dominant chords. Using a play-along, practice
comping in rhythm using comping patterns and variations.
2. Find and master one-handed Type A/B voicings. Alter all dominant chords. Using a play-along, practice
comping and playing the melody with one-handed Type A/B voicings. Personalize the melody using
grace notes, ghost notes, turns, and rhythmic changes.
3. Practice playing a bassline in two in the left hand while comping with one-handed Type A/B voicings in
the right hand.
4. Practice improvising over the chord changes, utilizing:
a. Scales, including scales for altered dominant chords. Practice incorporating the blues scale in
addition to your major scales and modes.
b. Arpeggios, particularly 3-5-7-9 arpeggios with smooth voice leading as introduced in Unit 8
c. All of the ii-V-I licks (yes, go back and review all 10 licks!)
d. Your favorite concepts from your improvisation exercises, including:
• Building rhythmic vocabulary
• Play Two, Rest Two/Play One, Rest One
• Play what you sing
• Using neighbor tones
• Using grace notes
5. Choose two of the pieces from The Real Book. Write and practice:
a. A dream solo
b. A scripted solo
Mastery is a process rather than a destination. That said, the more you work these muscles, the more your positive
practices will become habitual.

WHAT’S NEXT?
In the second book of this series, you will learn about transcribing, solo piano basics, minor harmony,
other voicing types, introductions/endings, more comping patterns, scale patterns, other common jazz forms, and
improvisation games. Once the book is in print (2022), it will be available at
www.jeremysiskind.com/shop/
which you can visit by scanning this QR code:
Scan Here
to Visit Shop
If you enjoyed this book and want to go “all in” on solo jazz piano,
consider purchasing Playing Solo Jazz Piano by Jeremy Siskind, also available at
www.jeremysiskind.com/shop/, which you can visit by scanning the
QR code above.
WHAT'S NEXT? 197

WHAT'S NEXT? 197
INDEX
3-5-7-9 arpeggio, 82 bossa nova, 160 double sidestep, 175
AAB blues form, 126 bright blues scale, 102 dream solo, 76
AABA form, 58 call and response, 23 drone improvisation, 9
Ahmad Jamal, 194 Charleston, 27 dropping bombs, 150
altered (alt) chord, 171 Charlie Parker, 150 drum solo, 33
altered dominant chords, 154 chord tone, 168 drumset, 47
altered scale, 171, 183 chromatic enclosure, 167 Duke Ellington, 111
alternate chord changes, 20 chromatic neighbor tone, 167 essential tones, 86
anticipate (a note), 24 chorus, 21 expand (hand), 21
anticipate (a chord), 29 Clifford Brown, 32 feather (the bass drum), 47
Antônio Carlos Jobim, 164 color tones, 86 fill, 163
arpeggio, 82 comping, 27 five-finger position, 23
arpeggio position, 23 comping patterns, 27 flat five, 156
Art Blakey, 179 contract (hand), 21 flat nine, 154
Astrud Gilberto, 164 contrafact, 62 flat thirteen, 155
audiation, 96 coordination exercises, 12 flat turn, 68
augmented chord, 155 cross over, 23 Freddie Hubbard, 46
augmented triad, 14 cross under, 23 ghost note, 66
backbeat, 162 descending turn, 67 grace note slide, 31
backdoor ii-V-I Dexter Gordon, 46 guidetone line, 163
(“backdoor two-five-one”), 190
diatonic, 38 half-whole diminished scale, 182
backgrounds, 59, 112
diminished scale, 182 half-whole octatonic scale, 182
bass drum, 47
diminished triad, 14 Hank Mobley, 179
bass in two, 47, 115
diminished walk-down, 189 hardbop, 46
bass in four, 47
diminished walk-up, 189 harmonic rhythm, 58
bassline, 115
diminished-whole tone scale, 171 head, 21
bebop, 46
dominant seventh chord, 17 head in, 21
big band, 111
dorian mode, 54 head out, 21
Bill Evans, 20
double note, 67 hemiola, 154
blues progression, 104
double-time, 32 hi-hat, 47
blues scale, 101
double-time feel, 79 hits, 29

Horace Parlan, 46 Miles Davis, 20 Rhythm 2
(for rhythmic vocabulary), 81
ionian mode, 54 minor blues scale, 102
rhythm changes, 62
I-vi-ii-V (“one-six-two-five”) minor seventh chord, 17
progression, 186 rhythmic notation, 29
minor sixth chord, 191
ii-V-I (“two-five-one”) ride cymbal, 47
mixolydian flat six scale, 183
progression, 36
ride cymbal pattern, 47
mixolydian mode, 54
ii-V-I lick, 42
rock blues, 104
modal jazz, 58
ii-V-iii-vi (“two-five-three-six”)
root, 14
progression, 194 modes, 53
root-second-third-root
iii-vi-ii-V (“three-six-two-five”) mute, 112
(bass pattern), 117
progression, 188
neighbor tone, 167
samba, 160
introduction, 33
ninth, 82
sandwich format, 20
inversions, 192
octaves, 67
scat syllables, 11
iRealPro app, 5
one-handed type A/B voicings, 117
script a solo, 72
jazz blues, 104
Oscar Peterson, 131
second half of the measure
jazz waltz, 176
parent scale, 53 (comping), 174
João Gilberto, 164
partido alto, 161 sequence, 35
John Coltrane, 20
pedal point, 33 shape (of a melody), 51
Kenny Barron, 79
personalize a melody, 30 sharp eleven, 156
Kind of Blue, 20
play-along, 5, 86 sharp five, 155
lay back, 25
Play One, Rest One, 113 sharp nine, 155
lead sheet, 14
Play Two, Rest Two, 113 short-form ii-V-I, 42
lead-in (comp), 108
press roll, 179 shout chorus, 131
leave out a comp, 175
push-off, 109 sidestepping, 175
lick, 42
quote, 46 singing, 96
long-form ii-V-I, 42
Ray Brown, 131 Sixth Edition Real Book, 5
lydian dominant scale, 183
Real Book, 5 skip beat, 162
lydian mixolydian scale, 183
register, 87 slash chord, 10
major blues scale, 102
repetition, 35 slash notation, 29
major seventh chord, 16
Reverse Charleston, 27 slashes, 16
major sixth chord, 191
Rhythm 1 snare drum, 47
mark the form, 33 (for rhythmic vocabulary), 51
solo break, 33
Max Roach, 32
INDEX 199
INDEX 199
solos, 21 syncopation, 10 turn-around point, 26
sonority, 14 Thelonious Monk, 98 two-handed Type A/B voicings, 86
Stan Getz, 164 third partial, 11 Type A, 86
strolling, 111 thirteenth, 84 Type B, 86
strong beat, 177 three-time tag, 33 upright bass, 47
super locrian, 171 three-four, 174 vamp, 19
suspended triad, 14 trading fours, 33 vamp piece, 19
suspended chord (sus chord, triad, 14, 190 walking bass, 47, 115
sus4 chord), 191
tritone, 98 walk-up, 117
sweet scale, 102, 114
tritone substitution, 169 weak beat, 177
swing, 11
Tune Bank, 6 whole-half octatonic scale, 186
Swing era, 46
turn, 67 whole tone scale, 182
symmetrical scale, 185
turnaround, 20

Jazz Piano Fundamentals

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Jazz Piano Fundamentals

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Jazz Piano Fundamentals

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

JAZZ PIANO

Edited by Gail Lew

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,

Visit Jeremy Siskind online at

Unit 1 Getting Oriented...........................................................................................................9

Unit 2 Comping Basics...........................................................................................................23

Unit 3 Introducing the ii-V-I .................................................................................................35

Unit 4 Going Deeper with the ii-V-I ....................................................................................51

Unit 5 “Evening in Lyon” .....................................................................................................61

Unit 6 Introduction to Type A/B Voicings ............................................................................81

Unit 7 The Blues Form.........................................................................................................101

Unit 8 Playing Bass in Two ..................................................................................................113

Unit 9 “Blues for Sammie” .................................................................................................133

Unit 10 Introducing Altered Dominants...............................................................................153

Unit 11 More Altered Dominants .........................................................................................167

Unit 12 Improvising with Altered Dominants ..................................................................... 181

What Now?............................................................................................................... 196

What’s Next? ............................................................................................................ 197

Index ......................................................................................................................... 198

4 JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS

4 JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS

Alright, Okay, You Win Mood Indigo

Afternoon in Paris Never Will I Marry

All the Things You Are Nostalgia in Times Square

Blue Room Satin Doll

Broadway So Nice (Summer Samba)

Central Park West Sophisticated Lady

Dancing on the Ceiling Stompin’ at the Savoy

Easter Parade Take Five

Four There’ll Be Some Changes Made

Giant Steps Time Remembered

Groovin’ High Topsy

Half Nelson Tune Up

Here’s that Rainy Day Well You Needn’t

I Could Write a Book West Coast Blues

Lady Bird Wives and Lovers

6 JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS

6 JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS

1. Learn Rules, Then Break Them

2. Make a Mess, Then Clean It Up

3. Ask “What If” Questions

4. If It Sounds Good, It Is Good

JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS 7

JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS 7

6. …or Push Yourself

7. Practicing Without a Metronome is Like…

8. Play with Others

8 JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS

Improvisation Exercise 1 – Drone Improvisation

UNIT 1 GETTING ORIENTED 9

UNIT 1 GETTING ORIENTED 9

2. Do your phrases have a clear beginning and ending?

3. What kinds of rhythms are you using?

Q: Can I use pedal?

10 JAZZ PIANO FUNDAMENTALS

1. The beat should be divided into three parts.

2. Pairs of eighth notes are uneven.

UNIT 1 GETTING ORIENTED 11

4. Eighth notes are played legato.