Jonah Dempcy

 

Jazz Resource Center

Nice primer on the various types of chord voicings for piano, as well as a transcription series including solos and arrangements by Brad Mehldau and Michael Brecker:

 

Variations on Diatonic Arpeggio Exercise

Here are a couple quick variations of the exercise I just posted:

var. 1: ascending arpeggios

For this practice, instead of each line beginning 3 7 [5 3 1] 6... it begins 3 1 [3 5 7] 6...



var. 2: simplified arpeggios to the root, without passing tones

This is a much simplified version of the arpeggio that honestly I should have posted first, but oh well. In this example it goes:

CM7: 1 7 [5 3 1] 6 5 4 3

D-7: 1 7 [5 3 1] 6 5 4 3

E-7: 1

...and so on.

 

Arpeggios to the Third, Diatonic Exercise

This pattern is a mix of 8th notes and triplets. It is best to listen to it first, to get an idea for it. Then, either try to learn it by ear, or read on to see what is technically happening.



Here are the numerical values for the pattern as 8th notes, with triplets in brackets:

CM7: 1 7 [5 3 1] 6 3 5 b5

D-7: 3 7 [5 3 1] 6 3 5 b5

E-7: 3 7 [5 3 1] 6 3 5 b5

FM7: 3 7 [5 3 1] 6 3 5 4

G7: 3 7 [5 3 1] 6 3 5 b5

A-7: 3 7 [5 3 1] 6 3 5 b5

B-7b5: 3 7 [5 3 1] 6 3 5 maj3

CM7: 3

All numbers are relative to the root of the chord, and remember to play the proper modes (Dorian for D-7, Phrygian for E-7 etc) .. The only time it goes out of a mode is for passing tones (ie: b5 of one mode leading into the 3 of the next one, and the maj3 of B over B-7b5).

Here are the first few chords with the diatonic arpeggio exercise spelled out:

CM7: C B [G E C] A E G Gb

D-7: F C [A F D] B F A Ab

E-7: G D [B G E] C G B Bb

FM7: A

etc...

 

Continuous Triplets Exercise

This continuous descending triplet pattern can be applied to any scale/key.

The pattern is 1 2 1, 7 1 7, 6 7 6 etc.

In this example (key of C) it goes: C D C, B C B, A C A, G A G etc...

 

4-Note Motif Added as 16ths to an 8th-note line

Here's a 4-note motif added as 16th notes to an 8th-note line.

The regular 8th note line is just descending the C major scale from C'' to C' (an octave lower). Here it is, spelled out alongside 4/4 rhythm markers:

1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a
C   B   A   G   F   E   D   C

In this example, we add the 4-note motif to 4 different places, first with C as the target note starting on beat 1, then with A as the target note starting on beat 2, then F as the target note starting on beat 3, and finally with D as the target note starting on beat 4.

Here it is with the added 4-note motif, written out:

1 e + a  2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a 1
C D C A# B   A   G   F   E   D   C

^added 4-note motif to beat 1, target: C

1 e + a 2 e + a  3 e + a 4 e + a 1
C   B   A B A F# G   F   E   D   C

^added 4-note motif to beat 2, target: A

1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a  4 e + a 1
C   B   A   G   F G F D# E   D   C

^added 4-note motif to beat 3, target: F

1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a 1
C   B   A   G   F   E   D E D B C

^added 4-note motif to beat 4, target: D

 

4-Note Motif Played as Continuous 16th-Notes

In this example a 4-note pattern repeats as 16th-notes like so:

C D C A#

B C B G#

A B A F#

G A G E

...and so on.




If you want to understand what is technically going on, let me explain the 4-note pattern one note at a time.

1st note: target note
2nd note: scale degree up
3rd note: target note again
4th note: half-step below next target note

Then start the whole pattern over a scale degree below the initial target note.

So, in C it would be:

1st note: C (target note)
2nd note: D (scale degree up)
3rd note: C (target note again)
4th note: A# (half-step below next target note)

and then the pattern starts over again with the target note as B. Really, it's quite simple once you've learned the pattern. The description makes it overly technical but in reality it's a common rhythmic motif in the jazz idiom, sometimes referred to as a "surround." It's especially common in classic swing and bebop, and players like Charlie Parker can be heard using this rhythmic motif quite often.

 

Practicing Scales in Thirds

Here's an easy practice for ascending a scale in thirds.

In this example we begin on C and play a third higher, than a scale degree lower, third up, scale degree down, and so on, repeating until we reach C an octave higher:



Now let's add a chromatic passing tone as every 3rd note, a half-step below the note it leads into. So, instead of C E D F E G... it would be C E C# D F D# E... and so on:



You can do this practice in any key, starting from any scale degree. Simply follow the pattern, adjusting it to fit whichever key you happen to be in.

You can also practice this as triplets, rather than 8th notes. Here's an example of the above thirds-and-passing-tones pattern played as triplets:

 

Adding chromatic passing tones to an 8th-note line

This is an 8th-note descending line in the key of C which places a chromatic passing tone a half-step below each scale degree.

The regular descending 8th note line (without added passing tones) would be:



In this case, we add chromatic passing tones a half-step below each note (in italics):

C A# B G# A F# G E F D# E C# D B C