Harmonic Exercises for Jazz Piano

By Stanislav Borisov

The purpose of this book is to develop your knowledge of the voice-leading used in jazz harmony and extend your technical abilities in that direction. The exercises will help you to learn the basic way of building chords, develop the technical abilities of the left hand and gain a better understanding of the logic in the harmonic movement.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781326544140

Book preview

Chapter One: Basic II-V-I exercises

a) Major keys II-V-I exercises:

Practise the exercises in all keys.

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b) Minor keys II-V-I exercises:

Practise the exercises in all keys.

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Chapter Two: Left hand II-V-I exercises

a) Left hand II-V-I exercises with two voices: Major keys

Practise the exercises in all keys.

*If your left hand is small and you cannot play some of the intervals (i.e. major 10th) without filling tension, just move the bass note an octave higher. *

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The Dominant and its substitutions: Left hand II-V-subV-I progressions with two voices.

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These exercises reverse the position of the dominant and its substitution.

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b) Left hand II-V-I progressions with two voices and melodic movements.

Practise the exercises in all keys.

These exercises are more advanced than the previous ones and they primarily have creative purposes. Every II-V-I progression is different and has a melodic movement that leads to the next one. You will have to transpose the 1st example half step lower to complete the rest of