1

Li
sto
fMo
desDi
at
oni
ctoCMa
jor

Li
stofmo
desc
ourt
esyofMi
haiSo
roh
an
ht
tp
:/
/www.Mi
hai
Soroh
an.
net
2
 Exercises taken from Bob Mintzer interview

#1 - Complete Exercise

& 44
"C" Ionian

Exercise #1 in the remaining 11 keys

Transposition challenge: We'll get you started with the first measure and a half, and then you finish the rest!
Make octave adjustments to stay within a comfortable range of your instrument
"C#" Ionian
"D" Ionian
# # # # #
# # # # # #

"E b" Ionian

b b b b b # # # #
"E" Ionian

"F #" Ionian

b b # # # # # # #
"f" Ionian

b
"A b" Ionian
b
b b b b b
"G" Ionian

3
 #
"B b" Ionian

# b b b
"A" Ionian

&

# # # #
# #
"B" Ionian

#2 - Complete exercise
b b
b b b
&
"C" Dorian

b b b b b
b

b b b b

Exercise #2 in the remaining 11 keys

"C #" Dorian "D" Dorian

# #
# # # # #

"E b" Dorian

b b b b b b b # #
"E" Dorian

4
 "C #" Dorian "F #" Dorian
# #
b b b b # # #

b b n b b b b n b b
"A b" Dorian
b b
"G" Dorian

b b b b b
"A" Dorian "B b" Dorian

# # # #
"B" Dorian

#3 - Complete Exercise
b b b b b b b b
b b
"C" Phrygian

&

b b b b b b b
b b

b b b b b b b b
b b b

Exercise #3 in the remaining 11 keys

"C#" Phrygian "D" Phrygian

#
# # #
# b b

5
 "D #" Phyrgian "E" Phyrgian

& # # # # # # #
"F #" Phyrgian

"G" Phyrgian

# # # b b b b

"A #" Phyrgian

b b # # # # # # #
"A" Phyrgian

# #
"B" Phyrgian

#4 - Complete exercise

& # # # #
"C" Lydian

# #

# #

Exercise #4 in the remaining 11 keys

"D b" Lydian

b
"D" Lydian
b
b b b # # # #

6
 "E b" Lydian

b b b # # # # # #
"E" Lydian

"F #" Lydian

# # # # # # # # #
"F" Lydian

b b
# # b b b
"G" Lydian "A b" Lydian

# # # # b
"A" Lydian "B b" Lydian

# # # # # # # #
"B" Lydian

#5 - Complete exercise
b b b

"C" Mixolydian

&

b b
b b

7
 b
&

Exercise #5 the in remaining 11 keys

"C #" Mixolydian "D" Mixolydian

# # # # #
# # # # # #

"E b" Mixolydian "E" Mixolydian

b b
b b b # # # #

"F" Mixolydian "F #" Mixolydian

b b # # # # # # #

"A b" Mixolydian

b b b b b b b
"G" Mixolydian

"B b" Mixolydian
# # b b b
"A" Mixolydian

# #
# # # #
"B" Mixolydian

8
 #6 - Compete exercise
b b b b b b b b
&
"C" Aeolian

b b b b b
b b b

b b b b b b

Exercise #6 in the remaining 11 keys

"C #" Aeolian "D" Aeolian

# # # # # # #

"D #" Aeolian "E" Aeolian

# # # #
# # # # # # #

# #
"F" Aeolian "F#" Aeolian

b b b b # # #

"G #" Aeolian

# #
b b # # # # #
"G" Aeolian

9
 "A #" Aeolian
# # # # #
# # # #
"A" Aeolian

&

# # # #
"B" Aeolian

#7 - Complete exercise
"B #" Locrian
# # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # #
& #

# # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # #

# # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # # # # # #

Exercise #7 in the remaining 11 keys

"D" Locrian
b b
"C#" Locrain

# # # b b

10
 "D #" Locrain

b b
"E" Locrian

& # # # # #

"E #" Locrian "F #" Locrian

# # # # # # # #

"G #" Locrian

b b
"G" Locrian

b b b b # # #

"A #" Locrian

b b
b b # # # # #
"A" Locrian

"B" Locrian

#8 - Complete Exercise

"C" Major scale

&

11
 Exercise #8 in the remaining 11 keys
"C #" Major scale
# # # # # # # #
"D" Major scale

& # # # #
# # #

"E b" Major scale

b b b # # # # #
"E" Major scale

b b # #

"F #" Major scale

# # # # # # #
"F" Major scale
#
b # # #

# # "A b" Major Scale

b b b b b
"G" Major scale

b b

# # # #
#
"B b" Major scale
b
"A" Major Scale

b
b b

# # # # #
"B" Major scale

# # #

#8 - Complete Exercise




"C" Major scale (in thirds)

&

12
 Exercise #8 in the remaining 11 keys
"C #" Major scale
# # # # #
"D" Major scale
& # # # # #

# #

"E b" Major scale

b b b b # # #

b #
#

"F #" Major scale

# # # # # #
"F" Major scale

b #
# #

# "A b" Major scale

b b b
"G" Major scale
b
b b

# # #
"B b"Major scale
b b
#
b
"A" Major scale

# # # # # #
#
"B"Major scale

Demonstration #1
.
J . J
&

13
&

#9 - Complete Exercise



"C"Ionian

Exercise #9 in the remaining 11 keys

"C #" Ionian
# # #
"D" Ionian

# # # # # #
# # #

"E b"Ionian
b # # #
"E" Ionian

b b b # #
b

"F #" Ionian

# # #
"F" Ionian

b # # #
# # #

14
 # "A b" Ionian
b b b b
"G" Ionian

& b b

# # #
"B b" Ionian
b b
# b
"A" Ionian

# # # # # #
#
"B" Ionian

#10 - Complete exercise

b b b

b b
"C" Dorian (in thirds)

& b

Exercise #10 in the remaining 11 keys

"C #" Dorian
# # # #
"D" Dorian

# #
# #

"E b" Dorian

b b b b # #
"E" Dorian

b b b #

15
 "F #" Dorian
b # # # # #
"F" Dorian

b
& b
# #

"A b" Dorian
b b
"G" Dorian

b b
b b b b b

# # "B b" Dorian

b b b b
b
"A" Dorian

# # # # # #

"B" Dorian

#11 - Complete Exercise

b b b b b
b
"C" Dorian

b
b

b
b b

Exercise #11 in the remaining 11 keys

"C #" Dorian
# #
"D" Dorian

# # # #
# #

16
 b #
"E b" Dorian
b b b #
"E" Dorian
b
& b b
#

"F #" Dorian

b # # # # #
"F" Dorian

b b # #

"A b" Dorian
b b b b b
"G" Dorian

b b b b

# # "B b" Dorian

b b b b
b
"A" Dorian

# # # #
#
"B" Dorian

Demonstration #2

&
#

#12 - Complete Exercise

"C" Major

&

17
 Exercise #12 in the remaining 11 keys
"C #" Major "E b" Major
b
"D" Major

# #
&
# # # # # # # # b b b

# # b # #
"E" Major
"F #" Major
# #
# # #
"F" Major

# #

# b b
"A b" Major
# #
b b #
"G" Major "A" Major
b

b b
"B b" Major
# # #
b # #
"B" Major

#13 - Complete Exercise

"C" Major

&

Exercise #13 in the remaining 11 keys

"C #" Major

"D" Major
#
# # # # # # # # # # #
# # #
#

18
 "E b" Major
b # # # #
"E" Major

& b b b b # # #

b # # # #
"F #" Major
# # #
# # # #
"F" Major

# #
"a b" Major
b b
b b b b b

"G" Major

# # # b b
"B b" Major

# # b
"A" Major

# # # #
# # # # #
"B" Major

#14 - Complete Exercise

"C" Major

&

Exercise #14 in the remaing 11 keys

# # # b
# # # # # b
"B b" Major
#
"B" Major
b

19
 # # b b b
"A b" Major
# b
# # # b b
"A" Major

&

# #
# # # # # # # # #
"F #" Major
#
#
"G" Major

b # # #
# # # #
"F" Major "E" Major

"E b" Major

b b #
b b b # # #
"D" Major

"C #" Major

# # # #
# # # # # # # #

4 note cell

#15 - Complete Exercise: 4 note cell ascending in minor thirds

b b b b nn # b n # b
& b b bb bn #

20
 b b b n b
b b b b b
& b

b b b b
# #
#

b b # # b b

b # # # # #

b b b b b b
b b b # n # #
b b

b ## ## b b

# b b
b

b
b b b n
n
# b b b
# #

#16 - Complete exercise: 4 note cell descending in forths

# # # #
& # b b b b

21

b b

#
& # # #

#
# # # # #
# b b #

#
# # # # b
# # # # #

b
# # b b b b
# # # #

#
# # # # #
# #
# # # # #

#17 - Complete exercise: 4 note cell ascending in Major thirds

# # n n
#
# # # b b n
& b b

b b b b # b n
# # #
#

22
 b b b b b n
b n b
& b # # # # #
#

# # n
# # # # # n

# # # #
# # # n b n # # #
#

b n # # # # # #
b b b b n

# # n
# # b
# #

# # n b n # # #
# # # # # # # #
#

6 note cell

#18 - Complete exercise: 6 note cell ascending in tri-tone intervals

# # #
3 # # # b b
& 4 # b b

23

b b b b # b b b
#

# #
&

b # # #
b b b # #
# #

# # # # # #
b # # #

# # # n #
# # #
# # # n #

# b b b
# # # n # b #
# b b

# # #
# b b b
# #

b # # # # #
#
# # #
# # # # #

24

&

#19 - Complete Exercise: 5 note cell descending in minor thirds

b b b b b
5 b b b b .
8

# # # # # b
5 b #
8 .

b b b #
5 b # b b b
8 .

3 note cell

#20a - Complete exercise: 3 note cell ascending in whole steps

# b b n
# # b
&
3 3 3 3 3
3 3
3

#20b - Complete exercise: 3 note cell ascending in whole-steps

# # # #
# n
& # # # b
3

3 3 3 3 3
3
3

25
 #21 - transpose pattern over each chord

F min7 F
# min7 G min7
b #
& b n # n n
#

A
b min7 A min7 B
b min7 B min7 C min7

C
# min7 D min7 E
b min7 E min7

26
 Exercises Taken From Bob Sheppard Interview

b n n # # # #
Exercise #1
& 44 # b n b
b n n b
# # # #

b n b n b b n n .

# b n

Exercise #2
b # n
b # n b b b b b b
& b b

b b b b b
b b .

b b
Exercise #3
b b n #
b b b b n
& # .

b
b b b b n n
Exercise #3-B

& b b b
b b .

27
 b b
Exercise #4
b n b n # b n
& # # # b # n b n b n
#

b # n b b n n b b n n .

b b n # b b n n
Exercise #4-B

& # b b n n b n # b b n #
#

b n b b b b n n # # .
#

b
Exercise #5
b b b # n b b b # b
& # b

b b
# n b b b #
# .

# n
n # # b
Exercise #5-B
# # n # # n n # # n n
&

28
 # n
& # n # # # # n n #
# n n # # n n .

Exercise #6
b n b b n n # #
& # b b n
# #

b b b b n n
b b b n n # # b
# #

b b n n
#

Exercise #7

# b n b b b # # n n # # n b
b #
&

b b
b b b b b b b
b b
# n

# # n n # # n b
# b b

29
Exercise #8
# # # n
& # # #

b b n n b

& # # n
Exercise #8-B

b b
b
& b n
Exercise #8-C

Exercise #9
# # # # n
& # # #
# n

# # n
& # # n
Exercise #9-B

# # n #
Exercise 9-C

& # # # n
# #
#

b b b b
Exercise #9-D

& b b n b b

30
 b n b b
b b
Exercise #9-E

& b b n b
b

b b b
b b
Exercise #9-F

b b n b
&

b n b
b
Exercise #9-G

& b n

# n b n b b n b
Exercise #10
# n # b n b # # n
& b n b

b n b # n # b n b
# w

b
& # n # b b n # n # # n # b n b # n #
Exercise #11

b n b w
b n # n # # n #

31
 Exercise #12
b n b # n # b n b # # n n # # # n # n
& # # #

# n # n b n b b n b # # # n n # # n # n
#

b n b b n b b n b # n # # n n #
# n # # n

b b n b b n b b n b # n # n # # n
# n # # n

b b n b b n b # n # # n # # n # # n n #
#

b n b b n b # n # n
b n # # n n # # n

# # # n n # b n b # n # b n b b n w

Exercise #13
&
# n # b b n b b n n b b b n n b n b n b n # n

32
& b n b n b # n # b # n # b n b # b n b b n

b n b b n n b b b n n b n b n b n b b n b n b

b n b b n b n b b n n b b b n n b n b n b n # n

b
b n # n # # n # b # n # b n b # b n b n

b n b b n n b b b n n b n b n b n b w

b #
Exercise #14
# # b b b n b b b b b
&

b
#

# # # b b b
b
Exercise #14-B

&
# # b

33
& # # #

b b
Exercise #14-C

b b n b n b b
& b b b

# # # # b b n
Exercise #15

& # # # # b b n

b b b n #
Exercise #15-B

# # b b b n
& # # #

# # b b b n
Exercise #15-C

b # #
& b b b n b

34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
Basic jazz piano lessons come courtesy of Dr. Stephen Lias
http://www.StephenLias.com 44
 Jazz Chord Symbols

Chord Type Symbols Used Notes Included

Major Triad C

Minor Triad Cm, C-, Cmi, Cmin

Diminished Triad Co, Cdim

Augmented Triad C+, Caug, C(#5)

Minor Seventh Cm7, C-7, Cmi7, Cmin7

Dominant Seventh C7

Major Seventh Cmaj7, C7, Cma7, CM7

Fully Diminished Seventh Co7, Cdim7

Half Diminished Seventh Cm7(b5), C7, C-7 (b5)

Basic jazz piano lessons come courtesy of Dr. Stephen Lias

http://www.StephenLias.com
45
 Other Bits of Useful Information:
SLASH CHORDS - The use of the slash in chord writing simply means that whatever is
below the slash must be the bass note. Consequently, C/E indicates a C major triad with an
E in the bass (first inversion). Be aware that there need not be a harmonic relationship
between the chord above the slash and the note below it. This makes it possible to write
chords that would be impossible to analyze in Roman numerals such as Cm/F#.

In contemporary chord symbols, there is rarely any distinction made between a diminished
triad, and a fully diminished seventh chord. They are usually used interchangeably.

A special situation arises when a minor seventh chord is placed in first inversion (for
example Am7/C). While this notation will agree with traditional Roman numeral analysis,
it will only rarely appear in jazz chord symbols. This type of chord would almost always be
written as C6 that is, a C major chord, with an added 6th scale degree.

Ninth chords follow the same conventions as seventh chords. A major ninth (C, E, G, B, D)
is written Cmaj9, a dominant ninth (C, E, G, Bb, D) is written C9, and a minor ninth (C, Eb,
G, Bb, D) is written Cm9.

In Jazz, most chords are voiced with four pitches (regardless of the chord) and are played in
the left hand near middle C. This sometimes means leaving out pitches and sometimes
means adding pitches (triads are rare in jazz). See a chord glossary pages for specifics. The
right hand would either play the tune, play a solo, or emphasize roots and 5ths.

In pop music, there would be fewer tall chords (although Major 9th chords are still
popular) and the voicings would be more simple and played in the right hand with the left
hand either not playing, or playing roots and fifths.

Basic jazz piano lessons come courtesy of Dr. Stephen Lias

http://www.StephenLias.com
46
 Tall Chords

Symbol Construction Notes Present

C9 C7+9th

Cm9 Cm7+9th

Cmaj9 Cmaj7+9th

C9+11th but without a 3rd

C11
(same as Gm7/C)

C9+6th
C13
(do NOT play an 11th in this chord)

Basic jazz piano lessons come courtesy of Dr. Stephen Lias

http://www.StephenLias.com
47
 Simple Substitute Chords:
In jazz and Latin styles, it is assumed that the pianist will use the chords provided only as a
guideline. Substituting more complex (interesting) chords is a standard practice and an important
skill in these styles. Below is a chart for some of the most basic chord substitutions. In each of the
three categories, the simplest chords are on the left and the substitute chords are listed to the right in
increasing order of complexity.

Minor Triad Gm Gm7 Gm9 Gm6

Dom. 7th C C7 C9 C13 C13b9
Major Triad F F6 Fmaj7 Fmaj9 F6/9

In general, substitution is only done by using a chord MORE complex than the one provided. For
example, if a piece specified an Fmaj7 chord, the player could choose to substitute an Fmaj9 or an
F6/9, but not an F or and F6.

Not all substitutes will work. Some may clash with the melody, or with some other instrument.
Dont be afraid to experiment and see what works. Careful listening and a well-trained ear are great
assets here.

Basic jazz piano lessons come courtesy of Dr. Stephen Lias

http://www.StephenLias.com
48
 Some Chord Voicings

Label Notes Present Common Voicings*

C9

C11

C13

C6/9

* - Note: The voicings in the third column are for one hand. The other hand will either
play the tune, or roots and 5ths.

Basic jazz piano lessons come courtesy of Dr. Stephen Lias

http://www.StephenLias.com
49
50
51
52