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Jan. 4, 2022

Key of C Major Harmonic Workout

Key of C Major Harmonic Workout

Greetings, JazzPianoSkills Fam!

Welcome to 2022, a fantastic year of jazz piano podcast episodes, jazz piano lessons, jazz piano courses, and jazz piano masterclasses. Additionally, I have a tremendous lineup of guests that will share their insights and guidance with the JazzPianoSkills community throughout the year, plus some exciting new JazzPianoSkills services to launch. So, get ready to experience a ton of jazz piano growth - get prepared to discover, learn, and play jazz piano!

We kick things off with the first of a twelve-episode series that focuses on developing our harmonic jazz piano skills. I am devoting an entire podcast episode specifically to harmonic development within each of the twelve keys of music (one key each month). Our educational approach will isolate each chord of each key of music to diversify and solidify our jazz piano voicing skills. Our jazz piano voicings will focus on four methods I use extensively when playing in both ensemble and solo settings. The four jazz piano voicings approaches I use are:

1. Classic Blocks (Root Position and 3 Inversions)
2. Traditional 3-Note Left-Hand Shells
3. Contemporary 3-Note Left-Hand Shells
4. Two-Handed 5-Note Shapes

So ready or not, here we go! Once we systemically and strategically construct each chord of the key using my four voicing approaches, we will then apply each voicing approach to what are universally considered the two most common chord progressions in all of jazz. I am speaking of none other than the II-V-I Progression and the III-VI-II-V-I Progression.

Key of C Major Harmonic Workout

Podcast Episode
Season 4, Episode 1
January 4, 2022

  • Chords belonging to the Key of C Major
    • I Chord: C Major 7 (CM7)
    • II Chord: D Minor 7 (D-7)
    • III Chord: E Minor 7 (E-7)
    • IV Chord: F Major 7 (FM7)
    • V Chord: G Dominant 7 (G7)
    • VI Chord: A Minor 7 (A-7)
    • VII Chord: B Half Diminished 7 (B-7b5)

  • Jazz Piano Block Voicings
    • CM7
      • Root Position (CEGB)
      • 1st Inversion (EGBC)
      • 2nd Inversion (GBCE)
      • 3rd Inversion (BCEG)
    • D-7
      • Root Position (DFAC)
      • 1st Inversion (FACD)
      • 2nd Inversion (ACDF)
      • 3rd Inversion (CDFA)
    • E-7
      • Root Position (EGBD)
      • 1st Inversion (GBDE)
      • 2nd Inversion (BDEG)
      • 3rd Inversion (DEGB)
    • FM7
      • Root Position (FACE)
      • 1st Inversion (ACEF)
      • 2nd Inversion (CEFA)
      • 3rd Inversion (EFAC)
    • G7
      • Root Position (GBDF)
      • 1st Inversion (BDFG)
      • 2nd Inversion (DFGB)
      • 3rd Inversion (FGBD)
    • A-7
      • Root Position (ACEG)
      • 1st Inversion (CEGA)
      • 2nd Inversion (EGAC)
      • 3rd Inversion (GACE)
    • B-7b5
      • Root Position (BDFA)
      • 1st Inversion (DFAB)
      • 2nd Inversion (FABD)
      • 3rd Inversion (ABDF)

  • Traditional Jazz Piano Shell Voicings
    • CM7
      • 3-7-9 (E-B-D)
      • 7-3-5 (B-E-G)
    • D-7
      • 3-7-9 (F-C-E)
      • 7-3-5 (C-F-A)
    • E-7
      • 3-7-9 (G-D-F)
      • 7-3-5 (D-G-B)
    • FM7
      • 3-7-9 (A-E-G)
      • 7-3-5 (E-A-C)
    • G7
      • 3-7-9 (B-F-A)
      • 7-3-5 (F-B-D)
    • A-7
      • 3-7-9 (C-G-B)
      • 7-3-5 (G-C-E)
    • B-7b5
      • 3-7-9 (D-A-C)
      • 7-3-5 (A-D-F)

  • Contemporary Jazz Piano Shells Voicings
    • CM7
      • 3-6-9 (E-A-D)
      • 7-3-6 (B-E-A)
    • D-7
      • 1-4-7 (D-G-C)
      • 5-1-4 (A-D-G)
    • E-7
      • 1-4-7 (E-A-D)
      • 5-1-4 (B-D-G)
    • FM7
      • 3-6-9 (A-D-G)
      • 7-3-6 (E-A-D)
    • G7
      • 3-6-9 (B-E-A)
      • 7-3-6 (F-B-E)
    • A-7
      • 1-4-7 (A-D-G)
      • 5-1-4 (E-A-D)
    • B-7b5
      • 1-4-7 (B-E-A)
      • 5-1-4 (F-B-E)

  • Two-Handed Jazz Piano Voicings
    •  CM7
      • LH 3-6 | RH 2-5-1 (7)
      • LH 7-3 | RH 6-9-5
    • D-7
      • LH 1-4 | RH 7-3-5
      • LH 5-1 | RH 4-7-3
    • E-7
      • LH 1-4 | RH 7-3-5
      • LH 5-1 | RH 4-7-3
    • FM7
      • LH 3-6 | RH 2-5-1 (7)
      • LH 7-3 | RH 6-9-5
    • G7
      • LH 3-7 | RH 3-6-9
      • LH 7-3 | RH 6-9-5
    • A-7
      • LH 1-4 | RH 7-3-5
      • LH 5-1 | RH 4-7-3
    • B-7b5
      • LH 1-5 | RH 7-3-5
      • LH 5-1 | RH 4-7-3

Enjoy this podcast episode exploring a Key of C Harmonic Workout. Listen to the podcast episode for additional insights and detailed practicing instruction. If you are a JazzPianoSkills Member, download and use the Podcast Packets (Illustrations, Lead Sheets, and Play Alongs) for this episode to help you maximize your musical growth.

Thanks for being a JazzPianoSkills Member. I am pleased to help you discover, learn, and play jazz piano!

Warm Regards,
Dr. Bob Lawrence
JazzPianoSkills