Jazz Piano Workshop Handouts

Below is a link to some handouts for a jazz piano workshop that I ran for the ABRSM. Topics include voicings, change running, modes, swung quavers, nomenclature, lines & practice routine. I use these regularly in my lessons so I thought that you might find it useful. Please drop me an email on mark@jazzpiano.co.nz if you use this material, many thanks Mark

Jazz Piano Workshop Handouts

Autumn Leaves

Please note that the melody is written in a simplified form, and is a guide only, embellishments & syncopation are expected.

Modes for Autumn Leaves
scales & modes are a group of notes, a pool if you like from which you can draw your ideas.

C Dorian mode (2nd mode of B flat major scale, or c major scale with lowered 3rd and 7th)

F Mixolydian mode (5th mode of B flat major scale, or f major scale with lowered 7th)

Bb major scale

Eb lydian mode (4th mode of B flat major scale, or E flat major scale with raised 4th)

A Locrian #2 mode (6th mode of C jazz minor scale, or natural minor scale with lowered 5th)

D superlocrian mode (7th mode of E flat jazz minor, also called altered and half whole scale)

G jazz minor scale (melodic minor ascending)

G dorian mode, or c mixolydian mode (same notes)

F dorian mode, or b flat mixolydian mode (same notes)

Jazz Swing Quavers
Now play the slurred notes at full value (don’t shorten) but with less emphasis.
This is an exaggerated rough guide to jazz swing feel and phrasing note length, weight of accent etc are all open to personal interpretation the shape of the melody and use of different rhythms will also determine the articulation used .
The only real way to get an idea of jazz swing is by listening to recordings made by great players.

Voicings For Autumn Leaves

Chords can be divided into 3 groups, major, minor, and dominant
Learn to recognise a major ii v i progression & the qualities of the chords involved (m7, 7, Maj7)
Learn to recognise a minor ii v i progression & the qualities of the chords involved (m7b5, 7(alt), Min7
Your chord must contain at least the 3rd and 7th (guide tones)
Build your chord from either the 3rd or the 7th upwards (there are usually 2 voicings per chord)
Avoid playing the root in your voicings
Keep movement between chords to a minimum (just like J.S. Bach!!)
Extend the m7 and maj7 chord to the 9th with the 5th
Extend the dominant chord to the 13th using the 9th (omit 5th)
Use alterations on the dominant chord especially in a minor ii v i

Nomenclature of jazz chords
There are 3 types of chord group, major, minor, and dominant. When you are reading chord charts you will need to be able to recognise which symbol belongs to which group. Often beginning improvisers get confused between a dominant chord and a major chord, whilst only a semitone different, the function of the chord is ENTIRELY different.

Here are common ways major chords are written

Here are common ways minor chords are written

Here are common ways dominant 7 chords are written

Here are the 2 ways a half diminished chord is written

Please note that jazz use extensions such as 9th, and 13th rather than 2nd and 6th to imply that the interval is ADDED to the existing chord and doesnt replace a note. e.g. C9 means a C7 plus a 2nd, Csus2 would imply that the 3rd is replaced by the 2. A C6 chord is just a c triad with the 6 added, however a C13 is a dominant chord. Jazz musicians will usually play a C7 with either a 9th or 13th anyway, so C7, C9, & C13 are the same practically.

Blues scales for Autumn Leaves

G blues – This is a good blanket scale to use when your brain aches from thinking too much!

B flat blues – you may wish to try this scale over autumn leaves, see what you think!

Change running exercises

Digital pattern exercises
1235 321 1235 321etc.

Jazz lines (ideas)

What makes a solo interesting?
Repetition, Sequence, Dynamics, Range (high, low etc), Accents, Rest and Silence, Rhythmic Variation
Variety (but not too much), Blues scale, Tension and Release, Motifs
Knowing where the guide tones are (3 and 7)
Trills, Glissandos, Swoops, Staccato etc
Emphasise pretty sounding notes, 7ths, 9ths, #4ths
Always try to buiid your solo, tell a story and make it go somewhere

Above all of this, the main thing you need to do is LISTEN, it helps swing feel, improvisation, style
and generally helps you build a solid jazz vocabulary!

What do I do now?
Practise Swing rhythms over familiar scales
Practice major 251 in both hands through cycle of 4ths, best choice
Practice major 251 in left hands through cycle of 4ths, play 251 exercise in right
hand practising swing rhythms
Seperate Chords types and practise through cycle, chromatically and randomly until
you know the chords quickly
Practise minor 251 in left hand , best choice
Practise minor 251 in left hand, play 251 exercise using Locrian #2, Superlocrian, and Jazz Minor scales

Buy a real book and play chords from any tune making yourself fluent with your new jazz voicings
Buy Jamey Aebersold backing tracks and play along either with chords & tune or try soloing
over the changes too!
Just play, be creative, listen and have fun playing jazz!
There is a huge recourse of jazz tutorial material available to buy and study, or book a series of private
lessons from a tutor, study at one of the jazz courses available in both Auckland based universities.