Simplified Foundations Practice Guide
We have 2 practice planners for our jazz piano foundations course.
This is the simplified practice guide which focuses on the most important theory needed to progress. These theory areas are:
- Learning the 12 major scales numerically (1-2-3-4-5-6-7)
- Forming a basic understanding diatonic 7th chords in major keys
- Using this information to construct and recognise the 12 major 251s
The objective of this simplified practice planner is to equip you with the essential knowledge needed to progress onto the subsequent courses on Chord Extensions, Rootless Voicings, & Altered Harmony.
Advanced Foundations Practice Guide
The second practice planner in this course is more advanced and the exercises and drill variations covered in that planner can be studied over many months or even many years.
A Key Based Approach To Practice
In this practice routine we will go through all of the drills in the same key, and then move onto the next key. You will find a PDF practice planner in the downloads section of the page which outlines the 6 drills and also contains a circle of fifths diagram showing the major keys and their corresponding key signatures.
The 6 Essential Drills
- Drill 1 – Play the major scale over 2 octaves
- Drill 2 – Flatten the 3rd & 7th to play the Dorian mode over 2 octaves
- Drill 3 – Play the major triad inversions over 2 octaves
- Drill 4 – Play the minor triad inversions over 2 octaves
- Drill 5 – Play the diatonic 7th chords of major scale (M/m/m/M/D/m/m7b5)
- Drill 6 – Play the 3-note 251 progression in type A and type B
Lesson Downloads
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Foundations Practice Guide (simplified) File Type: pdf -
Major Scale Fingerings PDF File Type: pdf
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Major Scale Diatonic 7th Chords File Type: pdf
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3-Note 251 Progressions PDF File Type: pdf
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Whole Step 3-Note 251s – Type A File Type: pdf
Related Lessons
In this lesson we build upon the 3-note voicings introducing 9ths and 13th to drill the 251 progression in whole steps around all 12 keys.
We introduce the concept of whole-step 251 drills, and how they can be an interesting alternative to drills around the circle of fifths.
We have explored major, minor, and dominant chords, now it’s time to put them all together in the most common progression in jazz; the 251 progression.
Practice Tips
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Start in C Major and move counter clockwise around the circle.
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Each time you complete the 6 drills for a specific key, add a tally mark next to that key on the circle.
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This helps us to keep track of our progress and ensure that we building a strong and even foundations by practicing all keys equally.
Hello @Hayden
These drills are great for a beginner – thank you. On following the above session my question on drills 3 and 4 would be: do I do the triads in both hands or just the right as you did in the video?
Thanks Donna
Hi Donna 👋
Great question.
My suggestion would be to just focus on the right hand triad inversions and arpeggios.
When playing upper structure triads, for example, the triad is always voiced in the right hand and so being able to both clearly visualise and comfortably manoeuvre/invert the triad shapes in the right hand is essential. The same applies when arpeggiating a triad up the keyboard, it’s usually played with the right hand.
For left hand work I would recommend focusing on rootless left hand voicings which we study in the course on “Mastering Left Hand Voicings”. When playing jazz piano, it’s far more common to play 3 or 4 note rootless structures in the left hand than it is to play triad shapes.
Check out the 6 practice-focused lessons in our rootless voicings course for more information: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/left-hand-voicings/
I hope that helps Donna and let me know if you have any other questions :–)
Cheers, Hayden
Thank you Hayden – that’s great. Also good to have something for my left hand which is obviously weaker!
Cheers Donna
Hi Hayden,
Beginner here…can you explain better this “Learning the 12 major scales numerically (1-2-3-4-5-6-7)”? I’m used to memorize the notes (Do, Re,…), so what do you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Alex,
In jazz music it is best to think in terms of numbers. With any chord voicing, I think in terms of numbers, ie. the “So What Chord” is built from the tones 1 and 4 in the left hand, and 7, 3, and 5 in the right hand. Check out the lesson here – https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/so-what-chord-voicing/ – and also check out the other chord voicing lessons in the chord extensions course: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-piano-lessons/extended-chords-voicings/ – this will help you to see why thinking in terms of numbers is important.
I didn’t learn music using the Fixed Do System, and so it is difficult to comment. I know that in jazz education we do not learn in terms of Do, Re.. etc… – and so check out the lessons above and you will see why using numbers is more efficient and effective.
Cheers, Hayden
When I’m playing Dorian mode, is it OK to think of it as the second degree of another major scale. In other words if I’m playing E-flat Dorian, I can see that it is the same notes as D-flat major. It seems that’s easier for me to think about fingering. Or should I be thinking about in terms of flattening the third and flattening the seventh?
Hi Chad,
Yes that is totally fine. There are essentially 2 ways of learning modes, “the parent scale approach” which is what you are referring to, and the “functional approach” where we analyse the characteristic tones of the mode. I recommend students to follow whichever method is more logical for them. It helps to have an appreciation of both viewpoints, but ultimately it’s 2 ways of looking at the same thing. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions.
Cheers, Hayden
Just a quick comment, first I love Everything thus far. I’ve been playing a little but started from the very start, never can brush up enough no practice enough.
I did notice a error tho, at “TC” 13:52 in on the Ab diatonic drill you called the Ab major a minor chord. It’s Major chord progression we know the “Tonic” is major and the Bb is a dom7 etc. its a easy fix just replace the “vo”. I’ve been in the television production field out here in LA for 36yrs+ thats why i used “TC” timecode, “VO” voice over etc.
I’ve learned so much just don’t want you look bad, There’s so much material on here it’s easy to over look a thing here and there. Love the site
Hi Charles,
Thanks for letting me know about the VO mistake – I will correct this.
I shared some tips in this post on how to approach the lessons for new students: https://community.pianogroove.com/t/which-song-next/8459/3
Also I will be hosting a seminar tomorrow at 12 noon EST where we explore “Listening and Transcription” and how to incorporate this into your practice time. You can add to your calendar here: https://www.pianogroove.com/live-seminars/how-to-transcribe/
I also hosted a seminar in December where we discuss practice related tips and I mentioned the drills in this lesson, you can find the recording of that seminar here in case you missed it: https://www.pianogroove.com/live-seminars/how-what-to-practice/
Hope to see you in the seminar tomorrow!
Cheers, Hayden
Hi Hayden when are you having another live seminar for beginners? Sam
Hi Sam 👋
Thanks for getting in touch.
I am hosting a beginner jazz theory seminar on the 19th April.
This is a special edition for “Jazz Appreciation Month” and it is hosted on YouTube.
You can see more here: https://www.pianogroove.com/jazz-appreciation-month-2023/#lp-pom-block-13
Click “Register” to save your spot at the events.
Cheers. Hayden