The 2nd golden rule: learning to play jazz piano.

learning to play Jazz Piano with Paul Abrahams

Golden rule number 2 when learning to play jazz piano:

Know all your 7th chords.

When studying jazz piano you must ensure that all 7th chords are under your fingers.

These are 4-note chords that have intervals of either a minor 3^rd or a major 3^rd.

A minor 3^rd has a gap of 3 half steps (semitones).

A major 3^rd had a gap of 4 half steps (tones).

There are four types of 7^th chords:

1. Major 7
2. Dominant 7
3. Minor 7
4. Minor 7, flat 5, also known as half diminished.
5. Diminished.

Construction

Major 7

• Notes 1 – 3: interval = major 3^rd
• Notes 3 – 5: interval = minor 3^rd
• Notes 5 – 7: interval = major 3^rd

Example: F major 7 = F + A + C + E

Dominant 7

• Notes 1 – 3: interval = major 3^rd
• Notes 3 – 5: interval = minor 3^rd
• Notes 5 – 7: interval = minor 3^rd

Example: F7 = F + A + C + Eb

Minor 7

• Notes 1 – 3: interval = minor 3^rd
• Notes 3 – 5: interval = major 3^rd
• Notes 5 – 7: interval = minor 3^rd

Example: F min7 = F + Ab + C + Eb

Minor 7, b5

• Notes 1 – 3: interval = minor 3^rd
• Notes 3 – 5: interval = minor 3^rd
• Notes 5 – 7: interval = major 3^rd

Example: Fmin7b5 = F + Ab + B + Eb

Diminished

• Notes 1 – 3: interval = minor 3^rd
• Notes 3 – 5: interval = minor 3^rd
• Notes 5 – 7: interval = minor 3^rd

Example: Fdim7 = F + Ab + B + D

Apart from the diminished, all these chords are contained within a major scale and can be constructed over each note of the scale. I call this ‘the family row.’

Here are these chords over the scale of F major.

• There are two major 7 chords. They occur over notes I and IV.
• There are three minor 7 chords. They occur over notes II, III and VI.
• There is one minor 7, b5 chord (half diminished). It occurs over note VII.

Learn and recognise these chords in all keys!

Now see what happens when we construct 7^th chords over a harmonic minor scale. More complex chords come into being.

Here are these chords over each step of the scale of D harmonic minor.

Compare the major and minor family rows and notice the following:

1.  In both the major and minor rows, V is a dominant 7 chord.
2.  In both the major and minor rows, II is a minor 7, but contains b5 in the minor row.

These points will become increasingly important when we examine chord structures.

To learn more about converting major scales into chords watch video lesson 1.

To learn more about minor scales and chords watch video lesson 2.

To learn more about the construction of 7^th chords watch video lesson 4.

All these topics are covered in eBook 1 of Learn Jazz Piano.

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