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2

251 Progression Syllabus

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Courses 2
Syllabus Menu
Syllabus Overview Learning Path Courses Your Teachers Downloads Forum Threads Student Reviews
Syllabus Overview Learning Path Courses Your Teachers Downloads Forum Threads Student Reviews

Syllabus Overview

Our 251 Progression Syllabus explores the most important progressions in jazz music; the major, minor, and rootless 251 progressions.

Who Is This Syllabus For?

  • Students who want to understand how chords fit together
  • Students who want to expand their harmonic vocabulary
  • Students who want to create rich and lush 251 progressions

Most jazz standards contain a 251 in some form and so learning these progressions is a key step in mastering the jazz language.

Learning Path

Our 251 Progression Syllabus covers the most important variations of the 251 progression so that we can read and interpret lead sheets quickly and effectively.

1.

Chord Extensions: 9ths, 11ths, & 13ths

If we extend our chords past the 7th degree of the scale, we access 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths. Extended chords create a richer sound than triads and 7th chords and they are used in jazz music to create more interesting harmonic progressions.

2.

Useful Extended Voicings

We introduce 3 useful extended voicings; the "So What Voicing", the "Herbie Hancock Voicing", and the "Kenny Barron Voicing". We cover exercises to memorise these voicings in all 12 keys and how to apply to the 251 progression.

3.

Extended 251 Progressions

Now that we understand the concept of chord extensions, we can add these tones to our 251 progressions to create more sophisticated sounds. We explore 251 drills to help us visualise the 9th and 13th extensions in major 251s.

4.

Rootless 251 Progressions

We then explore rootless harmony which sets the foundation to study more advanced voicing techniques. When playing chords in jazz, we can omit the root and also rearrange the notes to achieve different sounds and textures.

5.

Minor 251 Progressions

After studying the major 251 we can then move onto the minor 251 progression. Minor harmony is more complex than major harmony and sets the foundation for our upcoming study of chord alterations and altered harmony.

6.

251 Drills & Exercises

We conclude this syllabus with a selection of 251 drills and exercises incorporating both major and minor keys. We use the circle of fifths to ensure we are hitting all 12 keys and demonstrate practical application to jazz standards.

Courses

The 251 Progression Syllabus contains 2 courses which should be studied in the following order:

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1. Extended Chords & Voicings

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12 Lessons
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Course Synopsis

Extended chords are one of the hallmarks of jazz piano. We explore some useful extended chords and apply the voicings to 4 jazz standards.

Course Lessons

  • 1. Theory Lessons

  • 1. 1Chord Extensions 9, 11 & 1314:15
  • 1. 2‘So What’ Chord Voicing12:12
  • 1. 3Herbie Hancock Voicing05:57
  • 1. 4Kenny Barron Voicing09:28
  • 2. Jazz Standard Lessons

  • 2. 1Misty Jazz Piano Tutorial23:38
  • 2. 2Tenderly Tutorial20:25
  • 2. 3My Foolish Heart Tutorial27:52
  • 2. 4Over The Rainbow Tutorial21:10
  • 3. Practice Drills & Exercises

  • 3. 1Major & Minor 9th Chord Drills14:05
  • 3. 29ths, 11ths, & 13ths Practice Drills09:39
  • 3. 3The Major 251: 9th & 13th Chord Drill11:29
  • 3. 4How To Learn & Memorise Any Voicing13:43
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2. Mastering Left Hand Voicings

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18 Lessons
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Course Synopsis

An in-depth study of rootless chord voicings; we create rootless 251 progressions in major and minor keys & apply to 3 well-know jazz standards.

Course Lessons

  • 1. Theory Lessons

  • 1. 1Rootless Chord Voicings16:35
  • 1. 2Rootless 251 Progression16:44
  • 1. 3Minor 251 Progression16:27
  • 1. 4Left Hand Minor 251s19:35
  • 1. 5Practicing Rootless 251s with iRealPro17:53
  • 1. 6The Minor Line Cliché14:35
  • 2. Jazz Standard Studies

  • 2. 1In A Sentimental Mood Tutorial Part 108:53
  • 2. 2In A Sentimental Mood Tutorial Part 219:09
  • 2. 3Body & Soul Tutorial08:57
  • 2. 4Body & Soul Part 218:25
  • 2. 5Beautiful Love – Victor Young18:05
  • 2. 6Have You Met Miss Jones24:58
  • 3. Practice Exercises

  • 3. 1Rootless Voicings Stride Drill10:40
  • 3. 2251 Stride Drill With Rootless Voicings16:11
  • 3. 3Minor 251 Practice Drills13:34
  • 3. 4Major 251 Improv Drill10:36
  • 3. 5Minor 251 Improv Drill09:46
  • 3. 6How To Transcribe Your Own Material08:04

Your Teachers

Hayden Hill

Hayden is a jazz pianist and educator from Manchester, UK. He founded PianoGroove in 2015 with the goal of making the world a more musical place. Hayden shares his love for jazz piano through his online courses and manages the community area of PianoGroove.

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Beginner Theory

Jazz Harmony

Voicings

Solo Jazz Piano

Bossa Nova

Blues Piano

Classical

Improvisation

Downloads

  • file-icon
    Chord Extensions Supplement File Type: pdf
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  • file-icon
    Jazz Voicings Cheat Sheet File Type: pdf
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  • file-icon
    So What Chords Transcript & Notes File Type: pdf

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  • file-icon
    So What Voicing 12 Keys File Type: pdf

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  • file-icon
    Herbie Hancock Voicing – 12 Keys File Type: pdf
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  • file-icon
    Herbie Hancock Voicing Worksheet File Type: pdf
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  • file-icon
    Kenny Barron Voicings File Type: pdf

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    Download theory supplements, midi files, chord changes and full note-for-note transcriptions of every lesson.

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  • file-icon
    Chord Extensions Practice Plan File Type: pdf

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  • file-icon
    Rootless Major 251 Progressions – 12 Keys File Type: pdf

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    Download theory supplements, midi files, chord changes and full note-for-note transcriptions of every lesson.

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  • file-icon
    Minor 251 Notation – All 12 Keys File Type: pdf

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    Download theory supplements, midi files, chord changes and full note-for-note transcriptions of every lesson.

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  • file-icon
    Advanced Minor 251 Supplement File Type: pdf

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    Download theory supplements, midi files, chord changes and full note-for-note transcriptions of every lesson.

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  • file-icon
    Rootless Voicings Practice Planner File Type: pdf

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    Download theory supplements, midi files, chord changes and full note-for-note transcriptions of every lesson.

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Forum Threads

Ask questions to get prompt replies from our team of teachers, participate in improvisation exercises and studies, and join in the discussion with students and teachers from around the globe:

  1. Chord Extensions Practice Planner

    PDF Practice Plans

  2. Rootless Voicings Practice Planner

    PDF Practice Plans

  3. Beginner Question For 251 Progression - Major & Minor II V I

    Jazz Theory Discussion

  4. Weekly Transcription / Improvisation Exercises - Beginner

    Improvisation & Transcription Exercises

  5. Question About 9th Chords

    Jazz Theory Discussion

  6. Kenny Barron Minor 11th Voicings

    Jazz Theory Discussion

  7. Understanding Rootless Voicings

    Jazz Theory Discussion

  8. How To Practice Major 251s

    Jazz Theory Discussion

  9. How To Practice Minor 251s

    Jazz Theory Discussion

  10. Tunes For Practicing Minor 251s

    Jazz Theory Discussion

  11. Naming Chord Extensions In Jazz

    Jazz Theory Discussion

  12. The -11b5 Voicing in Minor 251s

    Jazz Theory Discussion

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