Understanding Jazz Theory (Part 2): Functioning Dominants & 3 Functioning V7 Alterations
In Part 1 in this “Making Sense of Jazz Theory” series we looked at 3 foundational concepts: the 4 Chord Families, Diatonic Harmony, and the Church Modes. If you haven’t checked that out yet, Click Here to read that first. Today we are going to be looking at the importance of understanding Functioning Dominants and […]
Understanding Jazz Theory (Part 1): 3 Most Important Jazz Theory Concepts For A Beginner
4 Chords Families While these are not the only chord families, these 4 are the main families that make up the diatonic series: Major 7th Symbols: M7, Ma7, Maj7, Δ7 Dominant 7th Symbols: 7, dom7 Minor 7th Symbols: m7, mi7, min7, -7 Minor 7 Flat 5 or Half-Diminished Symbols: m7(b5), min7(b5), ø7 Next, it is […]
Improving Solo Piano: Challenges & Orchestration Techniques
While playing solo piano can be incredibly liberating, it can also be an incredibly daunting task with all of the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic onus on you. Some of the main challenges of solo piano include: Establishing a 3rd Layer of Accompaniment that’s independent of the melody and the bass with only 2 hands. This […]
