Welcome to our article on jazz piano chords PDF‚ where we will delve into the world of jazz piano and explore the essential chords and voicings that every jazz pianist should know. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player‚ this guide will provide you with the necessary tools to improve your skills and take your jazz piano playing to the next level.
Jazz piano chords are a fundamental part of jazz music‚ and understanding them is crucial for any pianist who wants to play jazz. Unlike traditional music‚ which uses triads as its basic harmonic unit‚ jazz music uses 7th chords‚ which are 4-note tertian chords. These chords are built using major and/or minor thirds and are the building blocks of jazz harmony.
Essential Jazz Piano Chords
There are several essential jazz piano chords that every pianist should know. These include:
- Major 7th chords (e.g. Cmaj7‚ Gmaj7)
- Minor 7th chords (e.g. Cmin7‚ Gmin7)
- Dominant 7th chords (e.g. C7‚ G7)
- Half-diminished chords (e.g. Cm7b5‚ Gm7b5)
- Fully diminished chords (e.g. Cdim7‚ Gdim7)
These chords are the foundation of jazz harmony and are used in a wide range of jazz styles‚ from swing and bebop to Latin and funk.
Jazz Piano Chord Voicings
Once you have a solid understanding of jazz piano chords‚ it’s time to explore different voicings. Voicings refer to the way you play the chords‚ including the root‚ third‚ fifth‚ and seventh. There are several different voicings that you can use‚ including:
- Rootless voicings (e.g. 3rd and 7th in the left hand‚ root in the right hand)
- Shell voicings (e.g. root and 7th in the left hand‚ 3rd and 5th in the right hand)
- Drop 2 voicings (e.g. root and 3rd in the left hand‚ 5th and 7th in the right hand)
These voicings will help you to create a more complex and interesting sound‚ and are essential for any jazz pianist.
Free Jazz Piano Chord PDFs
There are several websites that offer free jazz piano chord PDFs‚ including:
- Piano with Jonny (www.pianowithjonny.com)
- Jazz Piano Lessons (www.jazzpianolessons.com)
- Piano Nanny (www.pianonanny.com)
These websites offer a wide range of jazz piano chord charts and voicings‚ as well as lessons and tutorials to help you improve your skills.
Additional Resources
For more information on jazz piano chords and voicings‚ we recommend checking out the following resources:
- “The Jazz Piano Book” by Mark Levine
- “Jazz Piano: The Complete Guide” by Mark Harrison
- “Jazz Piano Lessons” by Peter Martin
These resources will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of jazz piano chords and voicings‚ and will help you to improve your skills and become a more accomplished pianist.