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Piano notes#

Chords#

For a major chord, there are 4, then 3 half steps from the root. For a minor chord it is 3, 4.

The best way to build up chords is using the scale for that chord.
However, let us consider it relative to the major scale for now.
Remeber that scales are labelled (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, ...)
For major chords, it is just the 1, 3, and 5.
For 7th chords, it is assumed (unless stated otherwise, as in Cmaj7) that the 7th is flat.
So Cmaj7 is C E G B
C7 is C E G Bb (this is also called dominant due to its sound)
Cm7 is C Eb G Bb

To build up further chords, just follow the scale! It is assumed that you play the notes in between (e.g. C11 would have the 7th and 9th played as well).
I've never seen any higher than C13

This brings up an interesting way to play chords, by playing the notes from these large chords in any kind of inversion!
E.g to play Dmin11 (D F G C E G) (let us label octaves by 1...)
Play D1, F2, G2, C3, E3, G3 so that would be like playing C major over D minor.

Further to inversions, the notes can be played anywhere! As long as you have the notes.
So you have the chord tones and the scale.
You can restructure your chords so that you are not really moving the hand around.
This also leads to really nice voicings.

Voicings#

You can play an entire scale as a voicing.
A voicing in general is a bunch of notes from a scale.
The upper extensions are the things added to the chord outside of the original.
He plays a sharp 11 with the Cmaj7 because of the lydian scale.
So you can just stack thirds on top of eachother - then you end up playing the whole scale but in two octaves.

A really interesting thing to do is to move the chord progression down by using voicings!
E.g. Fminor7 with dorian scale
Bb Mixolydian (but allowing many things)
Eb Lydian
(this is a 2 5 1 in Eb)
You don't have to think in scales for this though, just think of a chromatic movement of the chord.
As such, the motions are as simple as possible.

An example of the 2 5 1 6 in Eb
Play Fmin7 Bb7 Ebmaj7 C7, then make easier with Fmin7, Bb7 (2nd inversion) Ebmaj7 C7 (1st inversion)
Remember that the C7 and Bb7 are dominant chords (so they want to resolve to the 1 and 2 respectively)
Note that they chromatically are moving by the same amount.

The same voicing works on the five chord as well as a tritone (three whole steps) substition.
You can roll a tenth!

For moving around, you could move chromatically, in whole steps, around the circle of fifths. etc.

To follow up on voicings, the most important part of chords are the 3rd and the 7th.
Comping stands for accompanyment
You can keep the melody in mind even when improvising to try and have a similar feel!

Scales#

The formula for a major scale is ROOT, W W H W W W H (think of C here)
The formula for a minor scale is ROOT, W H W W H W W (think of A here)

The pentatonic scale is made of five notes only - think of the black keys!
For C major, leave out the F and B

Modes#

A mode is a modification to the major scale. For example, for C major scale (all white keys), you could start the scale on any other key.
Doing so loads to modes. For instance, start C major on D leads to two ideas for the same thing:
The second mode of C major, and D dorian.
So modes of one scale, lead to new scales for different notes.

Ionian mode#

The "regular" mode is the ionian mode. This is just the major scale.
It can accompany major chords. But maybe not that commonly (at least in jazz).

Dorian mode#

Flat 3 and flat 7 gives a dorian.
Think of the second mode of C major for this one!
This is the go to option over a minor 7th chord.
It contains all of the chord tones and fills the rest in very nicely.
A minor is seen very commonly as the 2 in a 2 5 1.

All modes with steps#

C Ionian (major) — CDEFGABC
(intervals: Note - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Whole - Half)
Feel: Very bright, the fourth sounds bad.

D Dorian — DEFGABCD - Flat 3 and Flat 7
(intervals: Note - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole)
Feel: Melancholy yet optimistic, jazz and blues.

E Phrygian — EFGABCDE - Flat 2 Flat 3 Flat 6 Flat 7
(intervals: Note - Half - Whole - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole)
Feel: Dark

F Lydian — FGABCDEF - Sharp 4
(intervals: Note - Whole - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Half)
Feel: Floaty, Wonder, grandiosity - widely used. The first can sound bad.

G Mixolydian — GABCDEFG - Flat 7
(intervals: Note - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole)
Feel: Jazz, funk, blues; major with an edge.

A Aeolian (minor) — ABCDEFGA - Flat 3 Flat 6 Flat 7
(intervals: Note - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole)
Feel: (minor of course, as it is the natural minor scale). Downtempo balads and sadness.

B Locrian — BCDEFGAB - Flat 2 Flat 3 Flat 5 Flat 6 Flat 7
(intervals: Note - Half - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Whole)
Feel: Unsettling and spooky, not that often used.

Common chord progressions#

2 5 1 (jazzy / poppy) or 2 5 1 6 for a loop (other options 6dim or Bdom sharp 9 over C in Eb)
1 5 6 4 (very poppy)

Eb is very good in jazz.

Try this?
G B D F A C# E resolve to C D G B E F# B C# F# G#

Things to know#

  • The circle of fifths
  • chromatic walkdown (tritone substition)
  • Fifth diminsished

Practice tips#

Quotes#

Let's talk about this in a live stream because there's a lot to it. To identify chord progressions, what you'll be listening for are two things, primarily. First, you need to identify root motion as an indicator of likely chord progression. Often, you can listen for the bass, as the bass quite commonly plays the root of a chord, especially in a lot of pop music and such. However, this is sometimes tricky because there's no rule that says the lowest note you're hearing has to be the root of the chord. Sometimes, we can play a chord but put that chord's 3rd on the bottom. To help in those situations, you'll then want to apply your knowledge of functional harmony. i.e. "What is the most likely chord to use in this particular scenario based on the context directly surrounding it?" In addition to root motion, you'll also need to know the quality of the chords. Are they minor? Major? Dominant? etc.

If this initially sounds like a lot, that's ok! The place to start is with ear training and identifying intervals. This is what will help you learn melodies, also. Being able to hear 2 notes and know that they are, for example, a 4th apart is essential in being able to identify chord qualities, root motions, melodies, etc. We'll have entire courses to help you with this, but basically you're familiarizing your ear with the sound of different intervals so that you can recognize them easily no matter what component of the song you're listening for. Ear training will also help with quickly identifying chord qualities. In a split second, you'll hear when something is minor, major, whether the 7th is minor or major, what the upper extensions are, etc. All of these things help to give more context to the overall harmony and will help you fill in the blanks.

The more you do this, the more you'll see recurring patterns and you'll be able to recognize things almost as they're happening! It's how musicians can almost play along with songs they've never heard.

Improv#

  1. Listen back and take bits out that I liked, and then write these out.
  2. Try and keep a steady rhythm even though going on the fly.
  3. Better pedal work so as not to leave a gap between transititions.
  4. My feel of the music seems to be good.
  5. Try not to play the same chords quite as often.
  6. Tone, where are the highs and lows - build into tone shifts.