major 6th
&
Ó ‰b# ....
oeoeoe oe
..
oe oe
Ó ‰b
C7 b9
+11
oe oeoe oe
FΔ
major 6th
&
‰ oe oej oe oe oe
˙˙˙
˙˙˙
GΔ E-7 A-7 D7
oe oe oe #oej oe #oej
˙˙˙
#˙˙˙
oe ˙.
˙˙˙
˙˙
˙#
GΔ G#º
minor
7th
&
J oe b oe nJ oe
oe #oe oe #oe n
#oe ##oeoeoe oe oe
n#noeoe oe oe
F#-7 B7alt
˙. oe #oe
oe
##oeoeoe oe
oe ##oeoe oe oe
B -7 E7
minor 7th
CHAPTER ONE
ascending major seventh
2nd and 3rd notes of
Joe Henderson’s “Serenity”2l
descending major seventh
bar l7 of Wayne Shorter’s “This Is For Albert”22
ascending octave
Billy Strayhorn’s “Daydream”23
descending octave
2nd and 3rd notes of
Freddie Hubbard’s “Birdlike”24
2l Joe Henderson, In ‘n Out, Blue Note 4l66.
22 Art Blakey, Thermo, Milestone 47008.
23 Steve Lacy, Soprano Sax, Fantasy/OJC l30.
24 Freddie Hubbard, Ready For Freddie, Blue Note 4085.
Intervals and Triads — Review
&
oej boe oe
‰ OE
J oe
oe. oeoeoej‰ oe b
OE ‰boeoeJ Ó
Dø
˙‰
bboeoeoe...
‰ noeoe..
major G7alt
7th
&
bb b bboe˙.. oe oe oe boe oe oe
oe
oe oe
bb ˙.
Db9sus
boe boe 3 oe˙
˙
major
7th
&
oe. bbboeoe oe
oej ˙˙˙˙
˙OE oe oe
b˙OE b oe boe
FΔ Gb7+11
octave
& oeJ
? boeoe oe
F7
‰ oe oe oe oe ‰ oej
˙˙˙ oeoe oe
... boeoeoe oe
Bb7
boe oe boe
˙˙˙˙
octave
Melodic intervals greater than an octave in
tunes are rare, but a few examples are shown here:
ascending minor ninth
bars 53-54 of Wayne Shorter’s “Wild Flower”25
descending minor ninth
bar l8 of Benny Golson’s
“I Remember Clifford”26
ascending major ninth
2nd and 3rd notes of Duke Ellington’s
“I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good”27
descending eleventh
l5th bar of Joe Henderson’s
“Inner Urge”28
25 Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 4l94.
26 The Jazztet, Meet The Jazztet, Argo 664.
27 Donald Byrd, Mustang, Blue Note 4238.
28 Joe Henderson, Inner Urge, Blue Note 4l89.
&
34
34
oeoeoe oe
oe oe oe
bn
# .... oej oe b
b˙ oe oe oe
bb
oe b
BbΔ+5 ....
˙˙˙˙˙
˙E.b9sus
minor
9th
&
bb
oe oe
oe oeoe oe
oe oe
oe ˙˙˙˙ b b oeoe oe
˙˙
oe oe #oe oe
Aø D7alt
oe oe oe
bb
G -7 C7alt
oe oe
oe b oe oe oe
oe oe oe
oe oe
..
.˙˙ b N˙
minor
9th
&
oe oe
oe
oe oe
oe oe oe
major
9th
b oe oe
oe bb oe
#oe oe oe oe
BbΔ
oeoe oe
oe oe
oe
Gboeoeoe
bb noe oe
oe
#oe oe oe oe
&
oe. oej oe oe oe oe
bw
DbΔ+4
boe. oej oej oe.... oe oe oe
˙ oejboe.
oe oe oe
11th oe.... oej oe
CHAPTER ONE
9
descending major thirteenth
bar 24 of Billy Strayhorn’s
“Chelsea Bridge”29
29 Joe Henderson, The Kicker, Milestone 9008.
Figure 1-2
Figure 1-3
Figure 1-4
Figure 1-5
Inverting intervals
ne of the skills a pianist must have is the
ability to invert intervals quickly. When you
invert an interval, you take the bottom note an
put it on top, or vice versa. A new interval
results, and the rules for inverting intervals
are simple.
When you invert an interval:
• major becomes minor
• minor becomes major
• perfect remains perfect
• tritone remains tritone
and the old and new intervals add up to “nine.”
Look at figure 1-2. If you invert a major third,
C with E on top, it becomes E with C on top, a minor
sixth. Major becomes minor, and three plus six add
up to nine. In figure 1-3, a minor second
inverts to a major seventh. Minor becomes
major, and two plus seven add up to nine.
Now look at figure 1-4. A perfect fourth
becomes a perfect fifth. Perfect remains
perfect, and four plus five add up to nine. In
figure 1-5, a tritone inverts to another tritone.
Because a tritone is right in between a fourth
and a fifth, you could say it is “four and a
half,” and four and a half plus four and
a half equal nine.
Practice singing the intervals, both ascending and descending. Sing the
melody,
or “head,” of standards, bebop, and other jazz tunes while listening to
records. Practice
tips
Intervals and Triads — Review
&
oe oe
oe oe oe
oe
3 3 boeoeoe b oe oe
oe# oe oe
oeoe oe
oe
oe oe oe boe oe oe
3
3
G -7
oeoe oe
bb
boe oe boe boe oe oe#oe 3
major
13th
bbboeoeoe oe
OE Ó
Db7+11
ww
& # #w w
tritone tritone
tritone remains tritone
4 1/2 + 4 1/2 = 9
& ww ww
major 3rd minor 6th major becomes minor
3+6=9
& bww bw w
minor 2nd major 7th minor becomes major
2+7=9
& ww
ww
perfect 4th perfect 5th perfect remains perfect
4+5=9
10
Thelonious Monk Photo © by Lee Tanner
CHAPTER ONE
11
TTriads
riads are formed by stacking one third on top of
another. There are four possible combinations:
major third and minor third, minor third and major
third, two minor thirds, and two major thirds. A
major third with a minor third on top of it forms a
major triad. A minor third with a major third on top
forms a minor triad. Two minor thirds make up a
diminished triad. Two major thirds form an
augmented triad. All four triads are shown in
figure 1-6.
Play figure 1-6 and listen to the effect each
triad has. Be aware of your emotional response to
each triad. In program music (music for TV, movies,
the theatre) harmony is used to enhance whatever
emotional response a scene demands. A major triad
sounds happy, strong, or triumphant. A minor triad
may sound sad, pensive, or tragic. A diminished
triad suggests tension, agitation. An augmented
triad has a floating quality, suggesting, among other
things, Bambi emerging from the mist at dawn
(seriously). Although these have become clichés,
they still work, otherwise TV and movie composers
wouldn’t continue to use them. These emotional
responses apply to seventh chords as well, the next
chords you will learn about. It’s no accident that sad
tunes such as Benny Golson’s “I Remember
Clifford,” John Lewis’ “Django,” and the Raye-
DePaul standard “You Don’t Know What Love Is” are
written in minor keys, or that Bix Beiderbeck’s “In A
Mist”30 uses augmented chords. As you play, you
elicit an emotional response in your listener, your
fellow musicians, and yourself. Be aware of it.
Figure 1-6
30 Freddie Hubbard, Sky Dive, CTI 60l8.
Intervals and Triads — Review
& www bwww bbwww #www minor 3rd
major 3rd
major 3rd
minor 3rd
minor 3rd
minor 3rd
major 3rd
major 3rd
C major triad C minor triad C diminished triad C augmented triad
12
Triads are often inverted. An inversion is a
chord with a note other than the root on the bottom.
Figure 1-7 shows both a C major and a C minor
triad in their three possible positions: root position,
as the term implies, with the root on the bottom; first
inversion, with the third on the bottom; and second
Figure 1-7 inversion, with the fifth on the bottom.
ractice
tips
Play the major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads in all keys
and all inversions. P
& www ww
w www
& bwww bww
w bwww
root third fifth
root third fifth
root position first inversion second inversion
root position first inversion second inversion
CHAPTER ONEmajor 6th
&
Ó ‰b# ....
oeoeoe oe
..
oe oe
Ó ‰b
C7 b9
+11
oe oeoe oe
FΔ
major 6th
&
?
‰ oe oej oe oe oe
˙˙˙
˙˙˙
GΔ E-7 A-7 D7
oe oe oe #oej oe #oej
˙˙˙
#˙˙˙
oe ˙.
˙˙˙
˙˙
˙#
GΔ G#º
minor
7th
&
J oe b oe nJ oe
oe #oe oe #oe n
#oe ##oeoeoe oe oe
n#noeoe oe oe
F#-7 B7alt
˙. oe #oe
oe
##oeoeoe oe
oe ##oeoe oe oe
B -7 E7
minor 7th
CHAPTER ONE
ascending major seventh
2nd and 3rd notes of
Joe Henderson’s “Serenity”2l
descending major seventh
bar l7 of Wayne Shorter’s “This Is For Albert”22
ascending octave
Billy Strayhorn’s “Daydream”23
descending octave
2nd and 3rd notes of
Freddie Hubbard’s “Birdlike”24
2l Joe Henderson, In ‘n Out, Blue Note 4l66.
22 Art Blakey, Thermo, Milestone 47008.
23 Steve Lacy, Soprano Sax, Fantasy/OJC l30.
24 Freddie Hubbard, Ready For Freddie, Blue Note 4085.
Intervals and Triads — Review
&
oej boe oe
‰ OE
J oe
oe. oeoeoej‰ oe b
OE ‰boeoeJ Ó
Dø
˙‰
bboeoeoe...
‰ noeoe..
major G7alt
7th
&
bb b bboe˙.. oe oe oe boe oe oe
oe
oe oe
bb ˙.
Db9sus
boe boe 3 oe˙
major
7th
&
oe. bbboeoe oe
oej ˙˙˙˙
˙OE oe oe
b˙OE b oe boe
FΔ Gb7+11
octave
& oeJ
? boeoe oe
F7
‰ oe oe oe oe ‰ oej
˙˙˙ oeoe oe
... boeoeoe oe
Bb7
boe oe boe
˙˙˙˙
octave
Melodic intervals greater than an octave in
tunes are rare, but a few examples are shown here:
ascending minor ninth
bars 53-54 of Wayne Shorter’s “Wild Flower”25
descending minor ninth
bar l8 of Benny Golson’s
“I Remember Clifford”26
ascending major ninth
2nd and 3rd notes of Duke Ellington’s
“I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good”27
descending eleventh
l5th bar of Joe Henderson’s
“Inner Urge”28
25 Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 4l94.
26 The Jazztet, Meet The Jazztet, Argo 664.
27 Donald Byrd, Mustang, Blue Note 4238.
28 Joe Henderson, Inner Urge, Blue Note 4l89.
&
?
34
34
oeoeoe oe
oe oe oe
bn
# .... oej oe b
b˙ oe oe oe
bb
oe b
BbΔ+5 ....
˙˙˙˙˙
˙E.b9sus
minor
9th
&
bb
oe oe
oe oeoe oe
oe oe
oe ˙˙˙˙ b b oeoe oe
˙˙
oe oe #oe oe
Aø D7alt
oe oe oe
bb
G -7 C7alt
oe oe
oe b oe oe oe
oe oe oe
oe oe
..
.˙˙ b N˙
minor
9th
&
oe oe
oe
oe oe
oe oe oe
major
9th
b oe oe
oe bb oe
#oe oe oe oe
BbΔ
oeoe oe
oe oe
oe
Gboeoeoe
bb noe oe
oe
#oe oe oe oe
&
oe. oej oe oe oe oe
bw
DbΔ+4
boe. oej oej oe.... oe oe oe
˙ oejboe.
oe oe oe
11th oe.... oej oe
CHAPTER ONE
descending major thirteenth
bar 24 of Billy Strayhorn’s
“Chelsea Bridge”29
29 Joe Henderson, The Kicker, Milestone 9008.
Figure 1-2
Figure 1-3
Figure 1-4
Figure 1-5
Inverting intervals
ne of the skills a pianist must have is the
ability to invert intervals quickly. When you
invert an interval, you take the bottom note an
put it on top, or vice versa. A new interval
results, and the rules for inverting intervals
are simple.
When you invert an interval:
• major becomes minor
• minor becomes major
• perfect remains perfect
• tritone remains tritone
and the old and new intervals add up to “nine.”
Look at figure 1-2. If you invert a major third,
C with E on top, it becomes E with C on top, a minor
sixth. Major becomes minor, and three plus six add
up to nine. In figure 1-3, a minor second
inverts to a major seventh. Minor becomes
major, and two plus seven add up to nine.
Now look at figure 1-4. A perfect fourth
becomes a perfect fifth. Perfect remains
perfect, and four plus five add up to nine. In
figure 1-5, a tritone inverts to another tritone.
Because a tritone is right in between a fourth
and a fifth, you could say it is “four and a
half,” and four and a half plus four and
a half equal nine.
Practice singing the intervals, both ascending and descending. Sing the
melody,
or “head,” of standards, bebop, and other jazz tunes while listening to
records. Practice
tips
Intervals and Triads — Review
&
oe oe
oe oe oe
oe
3 3 boeoeoe b oe oe
oe# oe oe
oeoe oe
oe
oe oe oe boe oe oe
G -7
oeoe oe
bb
boe oe boe boe oe oe#oe 3
major
13th
bbboeoeoe oe
OE Ó
Db7+11
ww
& # #w w
tritone tritone
tritone remains tritone
4 1/2 + 4 1/2 = 9
& ww ww
major 3rd minor 6th major becomes minor
3+6=9
& bww bw w
minor 2nd major 7th minor becomes major
2+7=9
& ww
ww
perfect 4th perfect 5th perfect remains perfect
4+5=9
10
Thelonious Monk Photo © by Lee Tanner
CHAPTER ONE
11
TTriads
riads are formed by stacking one third on top of
another. There are four possible combinations:
major third and minor third, minor third and major
third, two minor thirds, and two major thirds. A
major third with a minor third on top of it forms a
major triad. A minor third with a major third on top
forms a minor triad. Two minor thirds make up a
diminished triad. Two major thirds form an
augmented triad. All four triads are shown in
figure 1-6.
Play figure 1-6 and listen to the effect each
triad has. Be aware of your emotional response to
each triad. In program music (music for TV, movies,
the theatre) harmony is used to enhance whatever
emotional response a scene demands. A major triad
sounds happy, strong, or triumphant. A minor triad
may sound sad, pensive, or tragic. A diminished
triad suggests tension, agitation. An augmented
triad has a floating quality, suggesting, among other
things, Bambi emerging from the mist at dawn
(seriously). Although these have become clichés,
they still work, otherwise TV and movie composers
wouldn’t continue to use them. These emotional
responses apply to seventh chords as well, the next
chords you will learn about. It’s no accident that sad
tunes such as Benny Golson’s “I Remember
Clifford,” John Lewis’ “Django,” and the Raye-
DePaul standard “You Don’t Know What Love Is” are
written in minor keys, or that Bix Beiderbeck’s “In A
Mist”30 uses augmented chords. As you play, you
elicit an emotional response in your listener, your
fellow musicians, and yourself. Be aware of it.
Figure 1-6
30 Freddie Hubbard, Sky Dive, CTI 60l8.
Intervals and Triads — Review
& www bwww bbwww #www minor 3rd
major 3rd
major 3rd
minor 3rd
minor 3rd
minor 3rd
major 3rd
major 3rd
C major triad C minor triad C diminished triad C augmented triad
12
Triads are often inverted. An inversion is a
chord with a note other than the root on the bottom.
Figure 1-7 shows both a C major and a C minor
triad in their three possible positions: root position,
as the term implies, with the root on the bottom; first
inversion, with the third on the bottom; and second
Figure 1-7 inversion, with the fifth on the bottom.
ractice
tips
Play the major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads in all keys
and all inversions. P
& www ww
w www
& bwww bww
w bwww
root third fifth
root third fifth
root position first inversion second inversion
root position first inversion second inversion
CHAPTER ONEmajor 6th
&
?
Ó ‰b# ....
oeoeoe oe
..
oe oe
Ó ‰b
C7 b9
+11
oe oeoe oe
FΔ
major 6th
&
‰ oe oej oe oe oe
˙˙˙
˙˙˙
GΔ E-7 A-7 D7
oe oe oe #oej oe #oej
˙˙˙
#˙˙˙
oe ˙.
˙˙˙
˙˙
˙#
GΔ G#º
minor
7th
&
J oe b oe nJ oe
oe #oe oe #oe n
#oe ##oeoeoe oe oe
n#noeoe oe oe
F#-7 B7alt
˙. oe #oe
oe
##oeoeoe oe
oe ##oeoe oe oe
B -7 E7
minor 7th
CHAPTER ONE
ascending major seventh
2nd and 3rd notes of
Joe Henderson’s “Serenity”2l
descending major seventh
bar l7 of Wayne Shorter’s “This Is For Albert”22
ascending octave
Billy Strayhorn’s “Daydream”23
descending octave
2nd and 3rd notes of
Freddie Hubbard’s “Birdlike”24
2l Joe Henderson, In ‘n Out, Blue Note 4l66.
22 Art Blakey, Thermo, Milestone 47008.
23 Steve Lacy, Soprano Sax, Fantasy/OJC l30.
24 Freddie Hubbard, Ready For Freddie, Blue Note 4085.
Intervals and Triads — Review
&
oej boe oe
‰ OE
J oe
oe. oeoeoej‰ oe b
OE ‰boeoeJ Ó
Dø
˙‰
bboeoeoe...
‰ noeoe..
major G7alt
7th
&
bb b bboe˙.. oe oe oe boe oe oe
oe
oe oe
bb ˙.
Db9sus
boe boe 3 oe˙
major
7th
&
oe. bbboeoe oe
oej ˙˙˙˙
˙OE oe oe
b˙OE b oe boe
FΔ Gb7+11
octave
& oeJ
? boeoe oe
F7
‰ oe oe oe oe ‰ oej
˙˙˙ oeoe oe
... boeoeoe oe
Bb7
boe oe boe
˙˙˙˙
octave
Melodic intervals greater than an octave in
tunes are rare, but a few examples are shown here:
ascending minor ninth
bars 53-54 of Wayne Shorter’s “Wild Flower”25
descending minor ninth
bar l8 of Benny Golson’s
“I Remember Clifford”26
ascending major ninth
2nd and 3rd notes of Duke Ellington’s
“I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good”27
descending eleventh
l5th bar of Joe Henderson’s
“Inner Urge”28
25 Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 4l94.
26 The Jazztet, Meet The Jazztet, Argo 664.
27 Donald Byrd, Mustang, Blue Note 4238.
28 Joe Henderson, Inner Urge, Blue Note 4l89.
&
34
34
oeoeoe oe
oe oe oe
bn
# .... oej oe b
b˙ oe oe oe
bb
oe b
BbΔ+5 ....
˙˙˙˙˙
˙E.b9sus
minor
9th
&
bb
oe oe
oe oeoe oe
oe oe
oe ˙˙˙˙ b b oeoe oe
˙˙
oe oe #oe oe
Aø D7alt
oe oe oe
bb
G -7 C7alt
oe oe
oe b oe oe oe
oe oe oe
oe oe
..
.˙˙ b N˙
minor
9th
&
oe oe
oe
oe oe
oe oe oe
major
9th
b oe oe
oe bb oe
#oe oe oe oe
BbΔ
oeoe oe
oe oe
oe
Gboeoeoe
bb noe oe
oe
#oe oe oe oe
&
oe. oej oe oe oe oe
bw
DbΔ+4
boe. oej oej oe.... oe oe oe
˙ oejboe.
oe oe oe
11th oe.... oej oe
CHAPTER ONE
descending major thirteenth
bar 24 of Billy Strayhorn’s
“Chelsea Bridge”29
29 Joe Henderson, The Kicker, Milestone 9008.
Figure 1-2
Figure 1-3
Figure 1-4
Figure 1-5
Inverting intervals
ne of the skills a pianist must have is the
ability to invert intervals quickly. When you
invert an interval, you take the bottom note an
put it on top, or vice versa. A new interval
results, and the rules for inverting intervals
are simple.
When you invert an interval:
• major becomes minor
• minor becomes major
• perfect remains perfect
• tritone remains tritone
and the old and new intervals add up to “nine.”
Look at figure 1-2. If you invert a major third,
C with E on top, it becomes E with C on top, a minor
sixth. Major becomes minor, and three plus six add
up to nine. In figure 1-3, a minor second
inverts to a major seventh. Minor becomes
major, and two plus seven add up to nine.
Now look at figure 1-4. A perfect fourth
becomes a perfect fifth. Perfect remains
perfect, and four plus five add up to nine. In
figure 1-5, a tritone inverts to another tritone.
Because a tritone is right in between a fourth
and a fifth, you could say it is “four and a
half,” and four and a half plus four and
a half equal nine.
Practice singing the intervals, both ascending and descending. Sing the
melody,
or “head,” of standards, bebop, and other jazz tunes while listening to
records. Practice
tips
Intervals and Triads — Review
&
oe oe
oe oe oe
oe
3 3 boeoeoe b oe oe
oe# oe oe
oeoe oe
oe
oe oe oe boe oe oe
G -7
oeoe oe
bb
boe oe boe boe oe oe#oe 3
major
13th
bbboeoeoe oe
OE Ó
Db7+11
ww
& # #w w
tritone tritone
tritone remains tritone
4 1/2 + 4 1/2 = 9
& ww ww
major 3rd minor 6th major becomes minor
3+6=9
& bww bw w
minor 2nd major 7th minor becomes major
2+7=9
& ww
ww
perfect 4th perfect 5th perfect remains perfect
4+5=9
10
Thelonious Monk Photo © by Lee Tanner
CHAPTER ONE
11
TTriads
riads are formed by stacking one third on top of
another. There are four possible combinations:
major third and minor third, minor third and major
third, two minor thirds, and two major thirds. A
major third with a minor third on top of it forms a
major triad. A minor third with a major third on top
forms a minor triad. Two minor thirds make up a
diminished triad. Two major thirds form an
augmented triad. All four triads are shown in
figure 1-6.
Play figure 1-6 and listen to the effect each
triad has. Be aware of your emotional response to
each triad. In program music (music for TV, movies,
the theatre) harmony is used to enhance whatever
emotional response a scene demands. A major triad
sounds happy, strong, or triumphant. A minor triad
may sound sad, pensive, or tragic. A diminished
triad suggests tension, agitation. An augmented
triad has a floating quality, suggesting, among other
things, Bambi emerging from the mist at dawn
(seriously). Although these have become clichés,
they still work, otherwise TV and movie composers
wouldn’t continue to use them. These emotional
responses apply to seventh chords as well, the next
chords you will learn about. It’s no accident that sad
tunes such as Benny Golson’s “I Remember
Clifford,” John Lewis’ “Django,” and the Raye-
DePaul standard “You Don’t Know What Love Is” are
written in minor keys, or that Bix Beiderbeck’s “In A
Mist”30 uses augmented chords. As you play, you
elicit an emotional response in your listener, your
fellow musicians, and yourself. Be aware of it.
Figure 1-6
30 Freddie Hubbard, Sky Dive, CTI 60l8.
Intervals and Triads — Review
& www bwww bbwww #www minor 3rd
major 3rd
major 3rd
minor 3rd
minor 3rd
minor 3rd
major 3rd
major 3rd
C major triad C minor triad C diminished triad C augmented triad
12
Triads are often inverted. An inversion is a
chord with a note other than the root on the bottom.
Figure 1-7 shows both a C major and a C minor
triad in their three possible positions: root position,
as the term implies, with the root on the bottom; first
inversion, with the third on the bottom; and second
Figure 1-7 inversion, with the fifth on the bottom.
ractice
tips
Play the major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads in all keys
and all inversions. P
& www ww
w www
& bwww bww
w bwww
root third fifth
root third fifth
root position first inversion second inversion
root position first inversion second inversion
CHAPTER ONEmajor 6th
&
Ó ‰b# ....
oeoeoe oe
..
oe oe
Ó ‰b
C7 b9
+11
oe oeoe oe
FΔ
major 6th
&
‰ oe oej oe oe oe
˙˙˙
˙˙˙
GΔ E-7 A-7 D7
oe oe oe #oej oe #oej
˙˙˙
#˙˙˙
oe ˙.
˙˙˙
˙˙
˙#
GΔ G#º
minor
7th
&
J oe b oe nJ oe
oe #oe oe #oe n
#oe ##oeoeoe oe oe
n#noeoe oe oe
F#-7 B7alt
˙. oe #oe
oe
##oeoeoe oe
oe ##oeoe oe oe
B -7 E7
minor 7th
CHAPTER ONE
7
ascending major seventh
2nd and 3rd notes of
Joe Henderson’s “Serenity”2l
descending major seventh
bar l7 of Wayne Shorter’s “This Is For Albert”22
ascending octave
Billy Strayhorn’s “Daydream”23
descending octave
2nd and 3rd notes of
Freddie Hubbard’s “Birdlike”24
2l Joe Henderson, In ‘n Out, Blue Note 4l66.
22 Art Blakey, Thermo, Milestone 47008.
23 Steve Lacy, Soprano Sax, Fantasy/OJC l30.
24 Freddie Hubbard, Ready For Freddie, Blue Note 4085.
Intervals and Triads — Review
&
oej boe oe
‰ OE
J oe
oe. oeoeoej‰ oe b
OE ‰boeoeJ Ó
Dø
˙‰
bboeoeoe...
‰ noeoe..
major G7alt
7th
&
bb b bboe˙.. oe oe oe boe oe oe
oe
oe oe
bb ˙.
Db9sus
boe boe 3 oe˙
major
7th
&
oe. bbboeoe oe
oej ˙˙˙˙
˙OE oe oe
b˙OE b oe boe
FΔ Gb7+11
octave
& oeJ
? boeoe oe
F7
‰ oe oe oe oe ‰ oej
˙˙˙ oeoe oe
... boeoeoe oe
J
Bb7
boe oe boe
˙˙˙˙
octave
Melodic intervals greater than an octave in
tunes are rare, but a few examples are shown here:
ascending minor ninth
bars 53-54 of Wayne Shorter’s “Wild Flower”25
descending minor ninth
bar l8 of Benny Golson’s
“I Remember Clifford”26
ascending major ninth
2nd and 3rd notes of Duke Ellington’s
“I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good”27
descending eleventh
l5th bar of Joe Henderson’s
“Inner Urge”28
25 Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 4l94.
26 The Jazztet, Meet The Jazztet, Argo 664.
27 Donald Byrd, Mustang, Blue Note 4238.
28 Joe Henderson, Inner Urge, Blue Note 4l89.
&
34
34
oeoeoe oe
oe oe oe
bn
# .... oej oe b
b˙ oe oe oe
bb
oe b
BbΔ+5 ....
˙˙˙˙˙
˙E.b9sus
minor
9th
&
bb
oe oe
oe oeoe oe
oe oe
oe ˙˙˙˙ b b oeoe oe
˙˙
oe oe #oe oe
Aø D7alt
oe oe oe
bb
G -7 C7alt
oe oe
oe b oe oe oe
oe oe oe
oe oe
..
.˙˙ b N˙
minor
9th
&
oe oe
oe
oe oe
oe oe oe
major
9th
b oe oe
oe bb oe
#oe oe oe oe
BbΔ
oeoe oe
oe oe
oe
Gboeoeoe
bb noe oe
oe
#oe oe oe oe
&
?
oe. oej oe oe oe oe
bw
DbΔ+4
boe. oej oej oe.... oe oe oe
˙ oejboe.
oe oe oe
11th oe.... oej oe
CHAPTER ONE
descending major thirteenth
bar 24 of Billy Strayhorn’s
“Chelsea Bridge”29
29 Joe Henderson, The Kicker, Milestone 9008.
Figure 1-2
Figure 1-3
Figure 1-4
Figure 1-5
Inverting intervals
ne of the skills a pianist must have is the
ability to invert intervals quickly. When you
invert an interval, you take the bottom note an
put it on top, or vice versa. A new interval
results, and the rules for inverting intervals
are simple.
When you invert an interval:
• major becomes minor
• minor becomes major
• perfect remains perfect
• tritone remains tritone
and the old and new intervals add up to “nine.”
Look at figure 1-2. If you invert a major third,
C with E on top, it becomes E with C on top, a minor
sixth. Major becomes minor, and three plus six add
up to nine. In figure 1-3, a minor second
inverts to a major seventh. Minor becomes
major, and two plus seven add up to nine.
Now look at figure 1-4. A perfect fourth
becomes a perfect fifth. Perfect remains
perfect, and four plus five add up to nine. In
figure 1-5, a tritone inverts to another tritone.
Because a tritone is right in between a fourth
and a fifth, you could say it is “four and a
half,” and four and a half plus four and
a half equal nine.
Practice singing the intervals, both ascending and descending. Sing the
melody,
or “head,” of standards, bebop, and other jazz tunes while listening to
records. Practice
tips
Intervals and Triads — Review
&
?
oe oe
oe oe oe
oe
3 3 boeoeoe b oe oe
oe# oe oe
oeoe oe
oe
oe oe oe boe oe oe
G -7
oeoe oe
bb
boe oe boe boe oe oe#oe 3
major
13th
bbboeoeoe oe
OE Ó
Db7+11
ww
& # #w w
tritone tritone
tritone remains tritone
4 1/2 + 4 1/2 = 9
& ww ww
major 3rd minor 6th major becomes minor
3+6=9
& bww bw w
minor 2nd major 7th minor becomes major
2+7=9
& ww
ww
perfect 4th perfect 5th perfect remains perfect
4+5=9
10
Thelonious Monk Photo © by Lee Tanner
CHAPTER ONE
11
TTriads
riads are formed by stacking one third on top of
another. There are four possible combinations:
major third and minor third, minor third and major
third, two minor thirds, and two major thirds. A
major third with a minor third on top of it forms a
major triad. A minor third with a major third on top
forms a minor triad. Two minor thirds make up a
diminished triad. Two major thirds form an
augmented triad. All four triads are shown in
figure 1-6.
Play figure 1-6 and listen to the effect each
triad has. Be aware of your emotional response to
each triad. In program music (music for TV, movies,
the theatre) harmony is used to enhance whatever
emotional response a scene demands. A major triad
sounds happy, strong, or triumphant. A minor triad
may sound sad, pensive, or tragic. A diminished
triad suggests tension, agitation. An augmented
triad has a floating quality, suggesting, among other
things, Bambi emerging from the mist at dawn
(seriously). Although these have become clichés,
they still work, otherwise TV and movie composers
wouldn’t continue to use them. These emotional
responses apply to seventh chords as well, the next
chords you will learn about. It’s no accident that sad
tunes such as Benny Golson’s “I Remember
Clifford,” John Lewis’ “Django,” and the Raye-
DePaul standard “You Don’t Know What Love Is” are
written in minor keys, or that Bix Beiderbeck’s “In A
Mist”30 uses augmented chords. As you play, you
elicit an emotional response in your listener, your
fellow musicians, and yourself. Be aware of it.
Figure 1-6
30 Freddie Hubbard, Sky Dive, CTI 60l8.
Intervals and Triads — Review
& www bwww bbwww #www minor 3rd
major 3rd
major 3rd
minor 3rd
minor 3rd
minor 3rd
major 3rd
major 3rd
C major triad C minor triad C diminished triad C augmented triad
12
Triads are often inverted. An inversion is a
chord with a note other than the root on the bottom.
Figure 1-7 shows both a C major and a C minor
triad in their three possible positions: root position,
as the term implies, with the root on the bottom; first
inversion, with the third on the bottom; and second
Figure 1-7 inversion, with the fifth on the bottom.
ractice
tips
Play the major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads in all keys
and all inversions. P
& www ww
w www
& bwww bww
w bwww
root third fifth
root third fifth
root position first inversion second inversion
root position first inversion second inversion
CHAPTER ONE