The first thing and possily the most important thing is the cycle of 5ths (or 4ths depending if you go up or don). 5ths (4ths) refers to intervals. Here is the cycle starting on C. 4 4 Basic Stuff That You HAVE To Kno C F B E A D C# # G (F#) # G (C) E A D B n This is important for many reasons. the main ones eing; First - it's the order of the key signatures; C (no flats, no sharps...f (one flat)...b (to Flats...and so on... Going ackards, the Key of C (no flats or sharps)...g (one sharp)...d (to sharps)...a (three sharps) and so on... Second - this cycle (hich you asolutely have to memorize) is the cycle that defines aout 90% of the chord progressions you ill encounter playing any kind of jazz or pop music. For example a simple Blues (in F) starts on F7 goes to B7 (up a 4th or don a 5th). 4 F7 B7 F7 B7 F7 B7 F7 16 There are many versions of the lues and most of the variations are done y incorporating a progression called the 2-5-1. Here is a 2-5-1 in the key of F (the key of the lues). G-7 C7 F 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 The chords are made up y uilding chords in thirds on each note of the scale like this; First in triads... 19 F(1--5) G-(2-4-6) A-(-5-7) B(4-6-8) C(5-7-2) D-(6-8-) E(7-2-4) F(1--5)
2 No e can start adding notes to the triads and get into all the hip jazz chords. Four note chords; It's important to kno that a triangle means it's a major 7th chord. means diminshed, and means it's half diminished or a minor 7 flat five. A minus sign (-) means minor. O ± 21 1 2 4 5 6 7 8(1) F^ G-7 A-7 B^ C7 D-7 E± F^ Continuing this ay y adding one more note e have 9th chords; 2 (1--5-7-9) (2-4-6-8-2) (-5-7-2-4 (4-6-8--5) (5-7-2-4-6) (6-1--5-7) (7-2-4-6-8) (1--5-7-9) F^9 G-9 A-9 * B^9 C9 D-9 E-9( 5) * F^9 25 * These ones don't ork. The B on top of the A-9 creates an impossile interval ith the A on the ottom. The same interval occurs in the E-7(5) eteen the F on top and the E on the ottom. That same interval occurs hen uilding 11th chords. It's the flat 9 interval eteen the B and the A that doesn't ork. F^11 * G-11 A-11 * B^(#11) ** C11 D-11 E-11( 5) *** F^11 * * * The #11 is the E natural. The 11 ould e E * * * Here the flat 9 interval is eteen the F near the top and the E on the ottom n
So that's ho e make the chords Every major and minor scale can e turned into chords the same ay So lets get ack to the 2-5-1. Rememer the cycle If you do you'll see that the 2-5-1 progression comes from that cycle. G-7 (the 2 chord) goes up a 4th (don a 5th actually) to C7 (the 5 chord) hich goes up another 4th to F (the 1 chord) 27 G-7 C7 F Before e go any further there are a fe givens that you must kno and rememer. 1.) A simple F chord symol alays includes a 6th and/or a major 7th. You proaly ould not play them all at once ut they are all part of the sound 29 F F6 F² 2.) The 9th in the 5 chord is almost alays flatted. The reason is that it's part of a moving melody ithin the hole progression. Note that the D in the 2 chord descends to a D in the 5 chord hich descends (again chromatically) to a C in the 1 chord. E E E % G-7 C7(9) F.) Relative minors (and majors). Every major key has a relative minor hich is a minor rd elo the major. For example; The relative minor of C major is A minor. They have the same key signature. These (in all keys) also must e memorized. This is not a small thing. It's an essential part of music and ill e a great help hen you're learning tunes. 5 # n C A-
4 9 Blues in F Piano So let's get ack to the lues and see ho 2-5-1's ork. Basically, a 2-5-1 is a ay of getting from one place to another. For example: We're in F and e ant to go to B so e use the 2-5-1 (of B) )to get there. F7 B7 F7 B7 n n Bass n 45 F7 C7 B7 F7 n n n So e're in F and in the 5th ar e are going to B so the ay e'll do it is to put a 2-5 in ar 4 to get to the 1 chord (B7) in ar 5. n 51 Blues in F Piano F7 B7 F7 C-7 F7 B7 n n Bass n 57 Same thing in the last ar. We're repeating ack to F7 ut e're already in F so, to make it interesting and not have three ars in a ro the same, e put a 2-5 in the last ar. F7 C7 B7 F7 n n G-7 C7
5 6 Bass Blues in F Piano * F7 B7 F7 * n C-7 F7 B7 It's orth noting that in the left hand only one note changes hen going from C-7 to F7 (Only one note changes in the right hand also ut that doesn't effect the harmony) n * n 69 No e're going to add another chord and create the other most important chord progression, the 1-6-2-5. We'll ack up in the cycle (that you have no memorized) from the G-7 in the last ar and put in a 2 chord (D7) to eats in front of it. F7 C7 B7 n n 1 6 2 5 F7 D7(9) G-7 C7 # # 75 There's one more thing that you need to kno aout the 2 chord and that is that it doesn't alays HAVE to e a MINOR 7th. It can e (and often is) a 7th (dominant) chord. So ack to the Blues... There are quite a fe different ays to play the lues. Here's another one. Piano C-7 F7 B7 F7 B7 F7 B7 n n Bass n 81 F7 B7 A± D7(9) G-7 C7(4) C7(9) F7 D7(9) G-7 C7(9) # # # # #
6 87 Hoever, for the time eing, I think e'll just play a simple lues hich ill go like this... F7 B7 F7 F7 B7 B7 Pno. Bass n n n # n 9 Pno. Bass F7 D7(10) (6) n n # G-7 C7(4) F7 D7(10) (6) # # G-7 C7(1) (10) n So there are a fe ne things here...it's still a simple lues ut not quite as simple as efore. 1.) In ar 8 e have a flat 10 chord. This sounds exactly the same as a sharp 9 chord ut the F natural is actually a flat 10. (The tenth ould e an F sharp) so the F natural has to e called a flat 10. 2.) We also have a flat 6 hich is the B. B natural is the 6th. I like to e consistent ith sharps and flats..) In ar ten e have a C7(4) chord hich is my ay of riting a (sus4) chord. A sus (suspended) 4th means that the chord has a 4th in it instead of a rd. In this case its an F instead of an E. Another ay of riting it ould e G-7/C. 4.) The last chord is a flat 1 ith the flat 10. 99 Pno. n D7(10) (6) n # C7(4) C7(1) (10) n
7 Up to no e've only een dealing ith hole notes and half notes ut oviously, no piano player ould ever restrict himself to anything as simple as that. The main thing the pianist has to do is to play the harmony ut it has to sing too, so I'll make a fe suggestions as to ho to get that sing feel to happen. No experienced player ould ever come to the gig having orked out in advance hat he as planning to play ut e have to start somehere so...first something easy (at least it looks easy). One simple rhythm played over and over. All it is is a dotted quarter folloed y an eighth note. Ho easy is that Pno. Bass 102 F7 B7 F7 F7 B7 B7 -. -. -. -. -. -. J J J J J J J J J J J J n n n Pno. 108 F7 F7 C7 B7 F7 F7 -. -. -. -. -. -. J J J J J J J J n J J J J n #
8 So that should sing IF you play it right. Playing it right (ith a real sing feel) means that you have to "roll" your eighth notes. Which means that a simple scale (1) in eighths notes ould e played like this (2). Sometimes you ill see things ritten like this () ut it ill almost alays e played as triplets (in jazz). Most jazz composers rite it in the score if they ant "even" eighths. Otherise the eighths are rolled (or sung). 114 (1). (2) ().. J J J J So...hen e play the example (1) it's actually played like this (2) 117 (1) - - - - J J J J F7 B7 F7 F7 J J J J 121 (2) J J F7 B7 F7 F7 J J J J J J Pno. You can practice this feel y playing the triplets ith one hand (either one) and the chords (as ritten) ith the other. It ould e good to tap quarter notes ith your right foot. Do it sloly at first. 125 J J F7 B7 F7 F7 J J > ^ > ^ > ^ > ^ J J J J
Maye try practicing the rhythm only tapping on the tale ith your hands. Starting ith the right hand, all the accents are ith the right hand. 9 129 R L L R L R L R L R L L R L L R L R L R L R L L R L L R L R L R L R L L R L L R L R L R L R L L > > > > > > > > 1 Starting ith the leftt hand, All the accents are ith the left hand. L R R L R L R L R L L R L R R L R L R L R L L R L R R L R L R L R L L R L R R L R L R L R L L R > > > > > > > > As long as e're orking ith rhythm maye e should look at the most asic jazz drum rhythm, the cymal ride. 17 It looks like this... But it sounds like this... J J J J Rememer...hether you're a drummer or not you still have to keep time. If you can do this asic drum rhythm it ill make everything else you do sound etter. R.H. 141 L.H. L.F. R.F. Hi Hat ppp Right foot on ass drum real quiet ut VERY important j j j j j j J J J J j j 145 Same thing ut it looks easier. (it's all those triplets that make it look hard) Hi Hat ppp J J J J
10 Getting ack to our 2-5-1's and 1-6-2-5's... What's important aout them is not the numers or hat they look like or hat they are called. What's important is hat they SOUND like and the only ay you'll get to kno hat they sound like is to play them over and over on the piano until the sound sinks into your rain and memory. When you've done that and you can recognize them y the sound you ill e ale to spot them in tunes hen you hear them. It ill make learning tunes a lot easier. Having a good ear doesn't help much if you don't kno hat it is that you're hearing. It's like trying to understand a language you don't speak. You'll hear the ords ut you on't kno hat they mean. There are a lot of tunes that egin ith a 2-5-1. Here are a couple Gone With The Wind (Key E) 149 F-7 B7 E^ C7(9) F-7 B7 E^ It's You Or No One (Key F) 15 G-7 C7 F^ B7 A-7 D7 V V V V V V V V V V Many standard tunes start ith a 1-6-2-5. The most ovious one eing I Got Rhythm. Some others are The Way You Look Tonight, I'm Old Fashioned and Wonder Why. There are dozens more. I Got Rhythm 157 j j B^ G-7 C-7 F7 B^ G-7 C-7 F7 The Way You Look Tonight 161 J j F^ D-7 G-7 C7 V V V V V V V V
165 I'm Old Fashioned E^ C-7 F-7 B7 E^ C-7 F-7 B7 11 n n n n n n 169 Wonder Why C^ A-7 D-7 G7 C7(4) C7(9) F^ B7 177 17 There are a fe tunes ritten on the cycle of fifths (rememer that) The most ovious one is "All The Things You Are". Take note of the fact that the first chord is the relative minor (of A). F-7 B-7 E7 A^ D^ D-7 G7 C^ n n n 181 Another one is Dizzy Gillespies eop tune, "Woody'n You". Key "D". >. > n J J n G± C7(10) F± B7(10) V V V V V V V V V V V V 185. > > J n n E± A7(10) D^ V V V V V V J J n n n n n n n n n n
12 189 Another is "The Best Thing For You" ritten e Irving Berlin. (This one and "Woody'n You" oth start on the tritone of the ritten key) # Key "C" # # # n F#± B7(9) E-7 A7(9) D-7 G7 V V V V V V V V V V 19 C^ A-7 D-7 G7 C^ V V V V V V V V V V V Let's do an anlysis of "All The Things You Are" using hat e kno aout the cycle, 2-5-1's Flat nines, relative minors 197 A (Relative Minor) F-7 B-7 E7 A^ (Cycle egins... n Counter-melody, just to make it interesting 201 (2) D^...Cycle ends) D± G7 C^ D-7 G7 (2,5 to C) (5) (1) (2,5 to C-) n n A2 205 (Cycle egins again in key of E (Cminor) (Second eight ars the same as first eight ut a 4th loer) C-7 F-7 B7 E^ n n 209 (2) (5) (1) A^...Cycle ends) A± (2,5 to G) D7(9) G^ n n n n
21 B (2) (5) (1) A-7 D7(9) G^ C^ n n n n 1 The original chord stays on G ut I like the Cmaj etter 217 n (2) (5) (1) (5) Goes to F-7 F#-7 B7(9) E^ C7(#5) (9) n n n # 221 C (1) F-7 B-7 E7 A^ (Cycle egins... n 225...Cycle ends one ar later D^ G7 C-7 Su for Amaj B...Su for F7 hich ould e in the cycle 229 (2) (5) B-7 E7(4) E7(9) A^ G7(9) C7(1) (10) n (1) This is a 2-5 ack to F-7 (1) n n ẇ n n n n
14 This kind of analysis is essential ith every tune you ever learn. Learning tunes is largely a case of really listening to hat's going on and Using everything you kno aout music to figure out hat it is. It's essential that you try to learn as much as you can the first time you hear a tune. Try to hear the form first. Is it a lues Ho long is it Does it have a ridge Is it an A-A-B-A tune or a tune ith to 16 ar sections Does it have a tag (An extea fe ars at the end) If there is a ridge here does it go ALWAYS rememer the CYCLE and start ith the knolege that most of the tunes you ill learn ill e ased on it. In other ords, F usually goes to B. Most of the tunes ill e made up of 2-5-1's and 1-6-2-5's. Use math, guess if you don't kno for sure ut guess ased on hat you kno aout theory. Learning music is the same as learning anything else. Music is all the same. It doesn't matter if it's Jazz or Classical. The rules and the theory are the same. It has to sound good and the jo of the musician is to make it sound as good as possile. But first let's learn the intervals...in the key of "C" (These too must e identifiale y sound) There are a fe (quite a fe, actually) chords that you HAVE to kno and e ale to identify y the sound. This idintification all egins ith the assumption; Major is happy, Minor is sad. 2 Minor 2nd (semitone) (Major) 2nd (Wholetone) Minor rd (Major) rd n n 27 (Perfect) 4th Aug. 4th Flat 5th * * Tritone (Three tones) * Perfect 5th * Aug.5th * Flat 6th # # 241 (Major) 6th (Dominant) 7th Major 7th Octave n n * 245 * Flat 9th 9th Sharp 9th * Flat 10th 10th n # n * One more thing you Have to kno is Enharmonics and ho they ork. An enharmonic is the sharp alternative to a flat and vice versa. B =A#, A=G# and so on
15 Here are the main chords that you must kno in order to play jazz. In the key of "C". You have to kno them in all 12 keys. It's important to kno that there are many different ays of riting the same chord. C^ For example CM7, Cmaj7 and are all major 7th chords. Each arranger has his on ay of riting chord symols. If you do encounter unfamiliar chord symols the est thing to do is simply to ask the andleader hat they are. 249 Major Minor Diminished Major 7 25 Minor Major 7 (dominant) 7th (Dominant 7 (sus4) Minor 7 Minor 7 flat five n 258 Major 9 (Dominant 7 (9) Minor 9 Minor 9 (flat 5) 262 (Dominant 7 (flat 9) (Dominant) 9 (flat 10) # Major 7 (Sharp 11) Minor 11 Minor 11 (flat 5) n If anyone ever said music as easy, ell... It isn't, ut it is the most fun you can ever have and it's orth all the hard ork hen you're finally ale to really play.