Minor-Key Jazz-Piano Chords and Progressions (intermediate)

Hi, and welcome to this six-lesson course about “Minor key Jazz piano chords and Progressions”. It’s at an Intermediate level, which means that it follows on from what was studied earlier in my other lessons previously published here, at Beginner and Intermediate level, under the title Pop and Jazz Piano Keyboards and Harmony; however there’s no definite requirement for that, of course.

Introduction:In these previous courses, all the chords we’ve explored have been based on the major scale. But it’s perfectly possible to base chords on minor scales. In fact, if you’re not aware and knowledgeable of minor-key Harmony and the things it can do, both by itself and mixed-in with Major-key Harmony, you’re missing a lot!    In my opinion, some of the richest and evocative chord-progressions are  created with minor-scales and chords. With this knowledge,  you could perhaps  discover new musical dimension in your playing and composing.

Where this course will take you :You will definitely expand your jazz-chord playing and your knowledge of chord-progression composition, whether you’re dealing just with the chords in a minor-key or mixing them together with major keys, as you’ll study in the course. You’ll also have the knowledge to analyse such techniques and chords as played in examples of classic standards.

What You’ll Learn :

• How a Natural Minor Scale is constructed, and how this affects the chord-types built on each scale-note.

• How Minor-Key chords each have definite functions, Tonic, Dominant and Subdominant, within chord-progressions.

• How two other Minor Scales, Harmonic and Melodic, are used to supply other, harmonically important chords to Natural minor chord progressions.

• How Natural Minor Scales and Major Scales are related and how shifting from a minor verse to a major-key chorus can be done easily, to provide contrast and a change of mood.

• How Parallel Minor is another type of minor scale whose chords can be used within a Major scale to provide richness and colour, a technique called Modal Interchange.

All of these features and qualities are pointed out within a range of classic and modern songs, played on piano.

It’s important to know that written music-notation is not used in the course, as not being in the spirit of Jazz. Chords are shown by note-names and Roman Numerals etc., to be interpreted in improvisatory way by the student, rather than simply read from conventional notation, arranged elsewhere.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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