A Level Jazz Theory Harmony Ear Training Workbook V3
Transcript of A Level Jazz Theory Harmony Ear Training Workbook V3
Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
Harmony, Theory and Ear
Training WorkbookIntervals 3
TASK 1: 10
TASK 2: 11
Inverting Intervals 13
Triads 14
TASK 3: 15
The Major Scale and the II-V-I Progression 16
TASK 4: 16
Modes of the Major Scale 17
The Ionian Mode and the Major 7th Chord 18
TASK 5: 18
The Dorian Mode and the Minor 7th Chord 20
TASK 6: 20
The Mixolydian Mode and the Dominant 7th Chord 22
TASK 7: 22
TASK 8: 24
The II-V-I Progression 24
TASK 9: 24
TASK 10: 25
Basic Voice Leading 26
Other Common Chord Progressions 27
TASK 11: 33
TASK 12: 33
TASK 13: 33
More Chords, Extensions and Scales 37
The Major Scale 38
The Lydian Mode and the Major 7th #4 chord 38
The Mixolydian Mode and the sus chord 39
The Phrygian Mode and the susb9 chord 40
The Melodic Minor Scale 41
The Minor II-V-I and II-V Progressions 441
Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Diminished Scale 44
The Half-Step/Whole-Step Diminished Scale and the V7b9 chord 45
The Whole-Step/Half-Step Diminished Scale and the Diminished Chord 45
The Whole Tone Scale 45
The Bebop Scales 47
The Bebop dominant scale 47
The Bebop Dorian Scale 47
The Bebop Major Scale 48
The Bebop Melodic Minor Scale 48
TASK 14: 48
The Blues 50
TASK 15: 55
Reharmonisation 56
Tritone Substitution 56
TASK 16: 57
TASK 17: 59
Ear Training 60
Websites and Apps 60
Transcribing 60
Further Resources 60
Useful Bits 61
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TASK 1: Play through each of these interval examples:
• On your instrument (to hear them)• On the piano (to see them)• Singing them (to internalise them)
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TASK 3: Go back over the list of intervals and triads above and establish a routine of singing them every day. (Breaking into manageable chunks throughout the week)
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Major Scale and the II-V-I Progression
The II-V-I chord progression is the most common chord progression in jazz, and being able to
recognise it aurally and visually is crucial to understanding how jazz tunes work. All chords are
formed from notes of a scale, and the original source of the II, V and I chords are the modes of
the major scale.
Here are some example II-V-I progressions.
TASK 4: Play through each example above and listen to the sound of the II-V-I progression
TIP: Make sure you can identify relationships between notes easily. Being able to spot ‘II’ and
‘V’ away from another note is very important.
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The Ionian Mode and the Major 7th Chord
TASK 5: Write out the following major 7th chords
C major 7th, F major 7th, Bb major 7th, Eb major 7th, Ab major 7th, Db major 7th, Gb major 7th, B
major 7th, E major 7th, A major 7th, D major 7th, G major 7th
Make sure you play them through on your instrument / piano too!
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Dorian Mode and the Minor 7th Chord
TASK 6:Write out the following minor 7th chords
C minor 7th, F minor 7th, Bb minor 7th, Eb minor 7th, Ab minor 7th, Db minor 7th, Gb minor 7th, B
minor 7th, E minor 7th, A minor 7th, D minor 7th, G minor 7th
Make sure you play them through on your instrument / piano too!
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Mixolydian Mode and the Dominant 7th Chord
TASK 7: Write out the following dominant 7th chords
C dominant 7th, F dominant 7th, Bb dominant 7th, Eb dominant 7th, Ab dominant 7th, Db dominant
7th, Gb dominant 7th, B dominant 7th, E dominant 7th, A dominant 7th, D dominant 7th, G dominant
7th
Make sure you play them through on your instrument/piano too!
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The I, II, and V chords – major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th – are the three most commonly
played chords in jazz. Since each chord has a perfect 5th, only the 3rd and the 7th are the
variables. They determine whether the chord is major, minor or dominant – that is, they
determine what’s called the quality of the chord. The following rules sum up the differences
between the three chords:
•Major 7th chords have a major 3rd and a major 7th
•Minor 7th chords have a minor 3rd and a minor 7th
•Dominant 7th chords have a major 3rd and a minor 7th
TASK 8: Learn the qualities of the major 7th, minor 7th and dominant 7th chords in order to be able to
construct or recognise them on any given note.
The II-V-I Progression
TASK 9: Think through the II-V-I in every key, you don’t need your instrument to do this.
II-V doesn’t have to end with I, and V-I doesn’t have to be preceded by II. Also, II chords, V
chords, and I chords often occur randomly, seemingly unconnected to the chords around them.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
TASK 10: Try playing through the above chord sequence on a piano (or other chordal instrument), feeling
and hearing the movements between the chords.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
Basic Voice Leading If you are playing these II-V-I progressions on a piano, you’ll want to voice the chords in a
certain way in order to bring out the ‘pull’ of each chord.
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We have seen that different types of chord can be formed from different modes of the major
scale. These are the modes and chords we know so far:
Ionian – Major 7th
Lydian – Major 7th
Dorian – Minor 7th
Aeolian – Minor 7th
Phrygian – Minor 7th
Mixolydian – Dominant 7th
There is one mode of the major scale we’ve not looked at yet, and from it we can create a new
chord quality.
The Locrian mode and the Half-Diminished Chord
If that is a half diminished chord, what is a diminished chord? Let’s explore that later.
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TASK 11: Using the table on the next page, learn the order of the modes of the major scale. This acronym will help:
I Don’t Play Lousy Music Any Longer (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian)
TASK 12: Analyse each mode of the C major scale and work out the tones and semitones, and the notes
the characterise the sound of each mode.
For example, the Dorian mode, starting on D, has a flattened third and flattened seventh if we
were to compare it directly to a D major scale.
TASK 13: Using your understanding of how each mode of the major scale is constructed, try and write out some of the modes in different keys:
•C Dorian – remember the Dorian mode is the 2nd mode (I Don’t), so if C is the second note,
you need to be thinking in Bb major. C Dorian is just the 2nd mode of the Bb major scale.
•C Aeolian
•F Mixolydian
•A Lydian
•Bb Phrygian
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
Here are the modes of the major scale, analysed and written out all starting on the note C, so
you can see the relationship between each note more clearly. You may find it easier to learn the
modes of the major scale in this way (eg Lydian has a #4, Mixolydian has a b7)
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
More Chords, Extensions and Scales In the early days of jazz, there were no courses in improvisation, jazz theory, and the like,
because there weren’t any jazz schools. Musicians improvised mainly off the melody of a tune,
and off the notes of a chord.
“On a D minor 7th chord, play D-F-A-C, the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th of the chord.”
In the 1930s, musicians such as Duke Ellington might say
“you can also play E-G-B, the 9th, 11th, and 13th of a D minor 7th chord”
These are called extensions. You learnt about the major scale, but only checked out the root,
3rd, 5th and 7th of each mode to discover what chord is derived from that mode.
E, the 9th of the D minor 7th chord, is a 2nd above D, is it not? G, the 11th, is a 4th above D. A B,
the 13th is a 6th above D. Why not call E, G, and B the 2nd, 4th and 6th? Because chords are
usually built in 3rds, and to keep this continuity going, numbers bigger than 7 are needed.
Remember:
•The 9th of a chord is the same note as the 2nd
•The 11th of a chord is the same note as the 4th
•The 13th of a chord is the same note as the 6th
We can now view the D Dorian mode like this:
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The reason jazz musicians think of scales, or modes, when they improvise is because it’s easier
than thinking in terms of chords.
If there seem to be endless chord possibilities in jazz, does that mean there must be endless
scales? No – you can interpret almost all chord symbols using just these four scales:
•The major scale
•The melodic minor scale
•The diminished scale
•The whole tone scale
The Major Scale We’ve already looked at some chords derived from the modes of the major scale, but let’s look
at a few more.
The Lydian Mode and the Major 7th #4 chord
We know that the mode starting on the fourth note of any major scale is called the Lydian mode.
The Lydian mode has a #4 in it. Take a look at this example, all the chords are Major 7th #4, or
Lydian, chords. Jazz musicians often think of Lydian chords are very modern, but the chord in
the sixth bar of “Happy Birthday” (written in 1893) is a Lydian chord.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Mixolydian Mode and the sus chord
The fifth, or Mixolydian, mode implies a Dominant 7th chord, but it can also imply a sus chord.
The ‘sus’ in the chord symbol refers to the suspended 4th of the chord. In traditional harmony,
the 4th of a sus chord usually resolves down to become the 3rd of a dominant 7th chord. In
contemporary music, the 4th often doesn’t resolve, which gives sus chords a floating quality.
Here are some nice sus voicings:
You might see this same Gsus chord notated as G7sus4, Gsus4, Fmajor7/G, F/G or D-7/G. The
last three variations are slash chords, the left part of the symbol indicating to a pianist what
chord is to be played over the bass note indicated in the right part of the symbol. F/G describes
exactly what’s happening in figure 3-28 above. D-7/G describes the function of a sus chord,
because a sus chord is like a II-V progression contained in one chord. The II-V progression in
the key of C is D-7, G7.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Phrygian Mode and the susb9 chord
Because the Phrygian mode has a minor 3rd and a minor 7th, it can be played over a minor 7th
chord. In C major, this mode runs from E to E. C, the b6 of Eminor7, sounds very dissonant
against the chord.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Melodic Minor Scale The only difference between the major scale and the melodic minor scale is that the melodic
minor scale has a minor 3rd. (NB in classical theory, there are two melodic minor scales, one
ascending and one descending – the descending is identical to the Aeolian mode of the major
scale, so jazz musicians think of the ascending scale as the ‘melodic minor scale’)
However, melodic minor harmony sounds completely different – much darker and more exotic –
than major scale harmony. Let’s look at why:
The C Major scale
The C Melodic Minor scale
Notice the difference between the types of diatonic 4ths there are within each scale. In the
melodic minor scale, the last diatonic 4th sounds as a major 3rd. It also contains 2 tritones,
instead of 1 in the major scale.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
All seven of the above chords formed from the melodic minor scale have an interchangeability
to them. For the most part, there are no ‘avoid’ notes in the chords (unlike in major scale
harmony). This means that almost everything in any melodic minor key is interchangeable with
everything else in that key. Take a look at this:
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Minor II-V-I and II-V Progressions
The Diminished Scale A diminished scale comes in two forms: One alternates half-step/whole step, the other
alternates whole step/half-step. The diminished scale has two unique characteristics: it is an
eight note scale, and it is symmetrical – its interval pattern is regular.
This means that the G, A#, C# and E half-step/whole step diminished scales are all exactly the
same – they just start on different notes. Everything repeats at intervals of a minor 3rd.
Therefore, there are only three diminished scales:
•The one that starts on G, A#, C# or E
•The one that starts on Ab, B, D or F
•The one that starts on A, C, Eb or F#
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Half-Step/Whole-Step Diminished Scale and the V7b9 chord
This scale, running from G to G, goes with some kind of G chord. When a scale looks as though
it has both a minor and a major 3rd, the ‘minor 3rd’ is a really a #9. The complete chord symbol
for this would be G7b9,#9,#11. Most jazz musicians write this chord as G7b9, although G7#9 is
occasionally used.
Like their scales, these chords are largely interchangeable.
The Whole-Step/Half-Step Diminished Scale and the Diminished Chord
This scale is played over diminished chords. The symbol for a diminished 7th chord is the root
of the chord, followed by a small circle. Remember – a half diminished chord has a slash
through the circle.
Again, because everything repeats at the interval of a minor 3rd, these chords are
interchangeable. (F with Ab, B and D)
Beginning with the bebop era, jazz musicians began to replace diminished chords with V7b9
chords. Few modern jazz musicians actually write diminished chords into their tunes anymore.
The Whole Tone Scale
Look at the 3rd and 7th of the scale. Because this scale has a major 3rd and a minor 7th, it goes
with a G7 chord. The alterations are the C# (the #11) and the D# (the #5). The complete chord
symbol would be G7#11 #5. The traditional shorthand for this chord is G7#5, often written with
a plus sign, as in G7+, and occasionally as G +7. The ‘+’ refers to the 5th, and has nothing to do
with the 7th.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
Because the whole tone scale is symmetrical, there are only two whole tone scale. The G and
the Ab. Again, there are no avoid notes in whole tone harmony so everything is interchangeable
within the harmony of a given scale. Anything you play on G7#5 will sound good on A7#5, B7#5,
C#7#5, D#7#5 and F7#5.
Whole tone harmony is not used very much.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Bebop Scales The bebop scales are traditional scales (the Ionian, Dorian and Mixolydian modes of the major
scale, and the melodic minor scale) with an added chromatic passing note. The bebop scales
were an evolutionary step forward. Louis Armstrong was playing the bebop dominant scale as
early as 1927, but they didn’t become an everyday part of the jazz language until the 1940s. All
bebop scales have an added chromatic passing note, transforming them from their seven note
origin into eight note scales.
The most commonly played bebop scales are the:
•Bebop dominant
•Bebop Dorian
•Bebop major
•Bebop melodic minor
The Bebop dominant scale This is the Mixolydian mode with a chromatic passing note added between the 7th and the root.
It is usually played over V chords and II V progressions.
The Bebop Dorian Scale This is a Dorian mode with a chromatic passing note added between the 3rd and the 4th notes.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
The Bebop Major Scale This is a major scale with a chromatic passing note added between the 5th and the 6th notes.
The Bebop Melodic Minor Scale This is a melodic minor scale with a chromatic passing note added between the 5th and 6th
notes.
TASK 14: Write out the Bebop scales in different keys
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
TASK 15: Write out the Blues scale in F, G, Bb and Eb.
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www.essential-music-theory.com
Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
Reharmonisation
Tritone Substitution Reharmonizing can mean replacing one chord with another, or using a substitute chord. A
substitute chord is just what is sounds like: a chord that substitutes for the chord written on the
lead sheet.
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
TASK 16: Play through the above Figures, the first four bars of Jerome Kern’s “All The Things You Are”.
Which chord progression sounds smoothest?
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
You need to be able to identify a tritone substitution. This becomes easier when you know why
they are used:
There are two reasons for playing tritone substitution on the melody of a tune:
•To create a chromatic bass line
•To make the melody note more interesting
A tritone substitution is when you replace a chord with a chord a tritone away from it. Usually it
is chord V that is replaced, creating a chromatic line towards chord I.
If you can see a chromatic bass line, you have likely spotted a tritone substitution!
TASK 17: Complete this table showing the tritone substitution over a II-V-I progression in each key.
KEY II VTritone Substitution
of VI
C Dm7 G7
Db Ebm7 Ab7
D Em7 A7
Eb Fm7 Bb7
E F#m7 B7
F Gm7 C7
Gb Abm7 Db7
G Am7 D7
Ab Bbm7 Eb7
A Bm7 E7
Bb Cm7 F7
B C#m7 F#7
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Jazz AoS: Harmony, Theory, Ear Training Workbook
Ear Training This workbook is filled with examples that should be played on your instrument, the piano, and
sung. Hearing (playing them on your instrument), visualising (playing it on the piano) and
internalising (singing) these chords, modes, intervals, shapes and harmonic ideas regularly is
going to help develop your musical ear.
Since jazz is a language learnt by ear, it only makes sense for you to improve yours!
Websites and Apps There are plenty of resources online to help you improve your musical ear.
Check out https://www.musictheory.net/exercises
And https://www.teoria.com/en/exercises/
There are also lots of apps for your mobile device you could download and use.
Transcribing This is an amazing skill to start to develop as a musician, and one all the great jazz players
have! Find a melody you really like and try and play it note by note on your instrument. You’ll
need to start slowly and simply – YouTube’s playback settings is a great help with this.
Further Resources There are so many resources available to help you and further your understanding.
Countless YouTube channels breaking down elements of Jazz theory
The Jazz Theory Book – Mark Levine (where much of this workbook was taken from)
http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/
Jamey Aebersold has a wealth of books and playalongs etc - http://jazzbooks.com/jazz/SFNT
https://www.apassion4jazz.net/
https://www.freejazzlessons.com/
https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/
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