Practical Jazz

Theory for
Improvisation
Chords and scales

Craig Fraedrich
Practical Jazz
Theory for
Improvisation
—
Contents
Foundations

Introduction To Chords

Major Key Chord Function

Chord Extensions and Alterations

Minor Scales and Minor Key Chord Function

Other Important Chords and Scales

Introduction to Substitute and Secondary Harmony

Chromatic and Combined Scales

Reference Appendices
x
x
x
x
x

b b
Foundations
Example 1–1
Example 1–2
Example 1–3

í í í
Example 1–4

Example 1–5

Example 1–6

Example 1–7

Example 1–8
Example 1–9

Example 1–10

Exercise 1–11

Exercise 1–12
Exercise 1–13 Chord Chart
 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
b b b b b b

b
b
 x

b b

x b
x

b

x b

Exercise 2–1

Exercise 2–2
Exercise 2–3

Exercise 2–4
Exercise 2–5

Exercise 2–6
3
b b b © b b

b
b

x b
b
Exercise 3–1

Exercise 3–2

Exercise 3–3

Exercise 3–4

Exercise 3–5

Exercise 3–6
Exercise 3–7
Introduction
To Chords
4

Example 4–1

b b © ©

Example 4–2
 #

Example 4–3

Example 4–4

Triad Quality Root Third Fifth

Major

Minor b
Augmented ©
Diminished b b
 x

Exercise 4–5

Exercise 4–6
Exercise 4–7

Exercise 4–8
Exercise 4–9
5 th Chords

b b ©

^ ^

b
x
 #

Exercise 5–1

Exercise 5–2
Exercise 5–3

Exercise 5–4
6
^

Chord 1–3–5–7 Chord 1–3–5–7

© © © © ©
© © ©

b b © ©
b b b © ©
b b b © ©
b b b ©

x
x
Exercise 6–1

Exercise 6–2

Exercise 6–3

Exercise 6–4
Exercise 6–5
7 Seventh Chord

b b

Chord 1–3–5–b7 Chord 1–3–5–b7

b © © © ©
b © ©

b b Ab ©
b b b b ©
b b b b ©
b b b b
 x
x
x

Exercise 7–1

Exercise 7–2

Exercise 7–3

Exercise 7–4
Exercise 7–5

Blues in C

Blues in F

Blues in Bb
Blues in Eb

Blues in Ab

Blues in Db

Blues in F©

Blues in B

Blues in E
Blues in A

Blues in D

Blues in G
8 Seventh Chord

b
b b b b

b
b

Chord 1– b3–5–b7 Chord 1– b3–5–b7

b b © © ©
b b ©

b b b b
b b b b b
b b b b b
b b b b b b

x
x
Exercise 8–1

Exercise 8–2

Exercise 8–3

Exercise 8–4
Exercise 8–5
9 7(b5) Chord
Diminished Seventh)

Ø
Ø

¨ ¨
í ¨

¨ b b b
 b

Chord 1–b3–b5–b7 Chord 1–b3–b5–b7

(¨5) b b b © (¨5) ©
¨ b b b ¨

b b b ¨ b
b (¨5) b
¨ b
© (¨5) © © ©
¨ b
© (¨5) © ©
¨ b
© (¨5) © b

x
x

Exercise 9–1

Exercise 9–2

Exercise 9–3
Exercise 9–4

Exercise 9–5
Major Key Chord
Function
10 th Chords of

Example 10–1

Example 10–2
Diatonic Numeral Chord Structure Quality
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII b
 Chord Quality Function

F Major b

Scale
Degree

Chord
b
Quality

Chord
b b
Symbol

Example 10–3
 x

KEY Imaj7 IVmaj7 VIIm7(b5) IIIm7 VIm7 IIm7 V7 Imaj7

(b5)

(b5)

Bb

Eb

Ab

Db

F©

G
Exercise 10–4

Exercise 10–5
11 Function

b
b

Chord Quality Function

b
Example 11–1

© ©

x
x

x
b b b
b

x b b b
b
b
 b

Example 11–2

Example 11–3
Example 11–4

x
 Dominant Chord Parent Key Key Signature
C7 b
F7

Bb 7
Eb7
Ab7
Db 7
C©7
F©7

B7
E7
A7
D7
G7

Exercise 11–5
Exercise 11–6

Exercise 11–7
12 II–V– I

Example 12–1

Example 12–2
Example 12–3

Example 12–4

Example 12–5
Example 12–6

Example 12–7
 x

Key IIm7 V7 Imaj7 Key IIm7 V7 Imaj7

C: F:
Bb: Eb:
Ab: Db:
C: Gb:
F©: B:
E: A:
D: G:

Exercise 12–8

Exercise 12–9
Exercise 12–10

Exercise 12–11

Exercise 12–12

Exercise 12–13

Exercise 12–14
Exercise 12–15
Exercise 12–16

Exercise 12–17
13

Scale Degree Mode Mode in C Scale in C

II

III

IV

VI

VII
 Scale Degree Mode Mode in C Chord in C
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII b

Example 13–1

Example 13–2
 x

b ¨

b b
b b b b
b b b b b
b b
 Parent Parent
Pure
Scale Key Key Major Scale
Mode Minor
Degree Interval Interval Template
Template
Down Up

Ionian

Dorian b b

Phrygian b b b b b
Lydian #
Mixolydian b

Aeolian b b b

Locrian b b b b
b b
b

#
Example 13–3

Notes in Chord Notes not in Modal Chord

Mode
Symbol Chord Symbol Symbol

Ionian
Dorian b b
Phrygian b b b b b b

Lydian © #

Mixolydian b b
Aeolian b b

Locrian b ¨ b b b ¨ b b
 Modal Chord
Function Mode Chord Description
Symbol

II

III b b b

IV # ©

VI b

VII b b b
x
x b5

b ©
x

x
 Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian

Chord Chord Chord Chord Chord Chord Chord

Key
Symbol Symbol Symbol Symbol Symbol Symbol Symbol

C # ¨

Bb

Eb

Ab

Db

F©

Exercise 13–4
 Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian

Key Key Key Key Key Key Key

C b b b b

Bb

Eb

Ab

Db

F©

Exercise 13–5
Chord Extensions
and Alterations
14
Example 14–1

Example 14–2
 b
b

Example 14–3
Example 14–4

Example 14–5

x
x

x
Example 14–6

Exercise 14–7
15
© b © b
© © b b
b ©

¨ b ©
© © © ¨ ¨
© b b
b

Example 1

©
¨

¨
©
 © ¨
© © ¨
¨

© © ¨ ¨

Example 15–2

¨ © ¨ © © ¨

© ¨ ©
©

Example 15–3
 b b
¨ b

Example 15–4

x
+ # + # # #

x
Exercise 15–5
Minor Scales and
Minor Key Chord
Function
16
b ª

Example 16–1

Example 16–2
Example 16–3

Exercise 16–4

Exercise 16–5

Exercise 16–6

Exercise 16–7
Exercise 16–8
17 II–V–I

Example 17–1

a b c d

¨ ¨
 ¨

Example 17–2

a b
Example 17–3

Example 17–4

Example 17–5

Example 17–6

Example 17–7
Example 17–8

Example 17–9

# # #

© b
b
Example 17–10

b
b

x
Exercise 17–11

Exercise 17–12

Exercise 17–13

Exercise 17–14
Exercise 17–15
Exercise 17–16

Exercise 17–17
18

Example 18–1

Traditional Melodic Minor

Ascending Melodic Minor (Jazz Version)

Example 18–2

Example 18–3

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

Example 18–4

Example 18–5

b b

©
Example 18–6

b ©

b b b © b

b b © b ©

# # b b # b b #

Example 18–7
Example 18–8

Example 18–9

Example 18–10
 x

Exercise 18–11
Exercise 18–12

Exercise 18–13
Exercise 18–14
19
Scale Degree Mode Chord Symbol

II b ¨

III #

IV # # #

V b ¨ ¨

VI © b

VII © ©

Example 19–1
Example 19–1

x ©

© ©
© ©
 Mode Major Scale Template Pure Minor Template
Melodic Minor b ª ª
Dorian b2 b b b b ª
Lydian Augmented ©
Lydian Dominant © b
Mixolydian b6 b b
Locrian ©2 b b b b b
Super Locrian b b b b b b b b b

Super Locrian

Example 19–2
Lydian Dominant

Example 19–3

Locrian © 2
©

©
Example 19–4

Chord Mode Parent Melodic Minor

Ebmaj7(©5)

Eb7(©11) b

Ebm9(¨5) © b

Eb7alt b

Abmaj7(©5)

Ab7(©11)

G©m9(¨5)

G©7alt

Dbmaj7(©5)
 Chord Mode Parent Melodic Minor

Db7(©11)

C©m9(¨5)

C©7alt

Gbmaj7(©5)

C7alt

Fmaj7(©5)

F9(©11)

Gb7(©11)

F©m9(¨5)

F©7alt

Bmaj7(©5)

B7(©11)

Bm9(¨5)

B7(#9,#5)

Emaj7(©5)

E7(©11)

Em9(¨5)

E7(#9,#5)

Amaj7(©5)

A7(©11)

Fm9(¨5)
 Chord Mode Parent Melodic Minor

F7alt

Bbmaj7(©5)

Am9(¨5)

A7(b9, b5)

Dmaj7(©5)

D7(©11)

Dm9(¨5)

D7(#9, b5)

Gmaj7(©5)

G7(©11)

Gm9(¨5)

G7(b9)#5

Cmaj7(©5)

C13(©11)

Cm9(¨5)

Bb9(©11)

Bbm9(¨5)

Bb7(#9,#5)
Exercise 19–5

Exercise 19–6

Exercise 19–7

Exercise 19–8

Exercise 19–9

Exercise 19–10

Exercise 19–11
Exercise 19–12
Exercise 19–13
20
Example 20–1

Example 20–2

Example 20–3
Example 20–4

© ¨
©

Example 20–5
 ©
©

Example 20–6

b
b

Example 20–7
 b

b
b b

Example 20–8

Example 20–9
Example 20–10

Example 20–11

Example 20–12