Latest Jazz Articles

An avoid note is any note in the scale that is a half-step away from a note in the chord being played. As an example, playing an F on top of a C major chord sounds dissonant, since it's a half step above E, the third of the chord.

One of the most common questions I hear from beginning piano students is "can I learn to play Maple Leaf Rag?" Or, "Is The Entertainer approachable as a beginner?"

These 7 chord progressions make up 90% of jazz standards and are a critical skill in learning to play jazz piano.

The Tonnetz is a 2-dimensional mesh which maps the tonal landscape of western music. It serves as an analytical tools for understanding the theoretical structure of our music.

Sus-chords were first used in classical music to delay the resolution of a cadence. Jazz musicians use sus-voicings in many different scenarios.

Dominant 7th chords are the most exciting and colorful chords in jazz. The fundamental voicings are used in all jazz standards, and altered extensions provide endless varieties to get creative.

Major chords can be voiced using a number of techniques, including shells, rootless voicings, 6/9 voicings, extended voicings with the sharp-11th, fourth voicings, and more.

Minor chords can be voiced using a number of techniques, including shells, rootless voicings, extended voicings with the 11th, fourth voicings, and more.