The Shed

1-2: Intervals and 7th chords - the building blocks

3-4: ii-V-I in major and minor keys - the essential jazz movements

5-7: Rootless voicings (Type A/B), 6/9 voicings (Maj6/9, Min6/9, Dom13), and voice-led progressions

8-9: Add 9/11/13 to chords and altered tensions (b9, #9, #11, b13)

10-11: Half-dim, dim, minMaj7 chords and Kenny Barron's stacked-5ths voicing

12: "Just the Two of Us" progression (bVImaj7 - V7#9 - im7)

13-15: Jazz scales, pentatonic & blues, bebop scales

16: Tritone substitution - replace V7 with bII7

17: Shell voicings - Root + 3rd + 7th, the essential chord tones

18: Upper structure triads - major triads over dominant bass for altered sounds

1 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b7

Works over minor chords (m7, m9) and dominant 7th chords in a blues context. The most versatile "safe" scale for improvisation. Example: A minor pentatonic over Am7 or A7 in blues.

1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6

Works over major chords (maj7, 6/9) and gives a bright, "country" sound. Also works over dominant 7th chords for a sweeter feel. Example: C major pentatonic over Cmaj7 or C7.

1 - b3 - 4 - b5 - 5 - b7

Minor pentatonic plus the "blue note" (b5). Essential for blues and rock improvisation. The b5 creates tension that resolves to either the 4 or 5. Example: G blues scale over a G7 blues progression.

1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - 7

The #4 avoids the "avoid note" (natural 4) that clashes with the major 3rd. Gives a bright, modern sound. Use over any major 7th chord, especially when it's not the I chord.

1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7

The natural 6 (instead of b6) gives a lighter, jazzier sound than natural minor. The default choice for minor 7th chords, especially the ii chord in a ii-V-I.

1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - b7

Mixolydian with a #4. Works over dominant 7th chords that don't resolve down a 5th (like bVII7, IV7, or tritone subs). The #4 adds color without clashing.

A signature voicing popularized by pianist Kenny Barron, built on stacked perfect 5ths between both hands. It creates a rich, open sound perfect for minor 11 and major 7#11 chords.

Minor 11:

LH: Root - 5th - 9th (stacked 5ths)

RH: b3rd - b7th - 11th (stacked 5ths)

Major 7#11:

LH: Root - 5th - 9th (stacked 5ths)

RH: 3rd - 7th - #11th (stacked 5ths)

Perfect for ballads, modal jazz, and any time you want a lush, sustained chord. Works especially well on the im7 chord in minor keys or as a Lydian sound on major chords.

Full (6 notes): The complete voicing with all stacked 5ths

Sawn-off (5 notes): Drops the 5th from LH, keeping R-9 in left hand. A lighter version that's easier to voice lead.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7 - 7

Mixolydian with a passing tone (natural 7) between b7 and root. Use over dominant 7th chords. When you play 8th notes starting on a downbeat, all chord tones (1-3-5-b7) land on downbeats automatically.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - #5 - 6 - 7

Major scale with a passing tone (#5) between 5 and 6. Use over major 7th chords. The #5 adds chromatic movement while keeping chord tones on strong beats.

Replace any dominant 7th chord with another dom7 chord whose root is a tritone (6 half steps) away. G7 → Db7, C7 → Gb7, etc.

Both chords share the same tritone interval (the 3rd and 7th). In G7, the tritone is B-F. In Db7, it's F-Cb(B). Same notes, different context!

In a ii-V-I: instead of Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7, play Dm7 → Db7 → Cmaj7. The bass moves chromatically (D → Db → C) for smooth voice leading.

Add 6 semitones to the root: G + 6 = Db. Or think "up a tritone" or "down a tritone" (same note).

Just three notes: Root + 3rd + 7th. The 5th is omitted because it doesn't define the chord quality - the 3rd and 7th do all the work.

Maj7: R + M3 + M7 (e.g., C-E-B)

Min7: R + m3 + m7 (e.g., C-Eb-Bb)

Dom7: R + M3 + m7 (e.g., C-E-Bb)

Shell voicings are the foundation of jazz comping. They leave room for the bass player, voice-lead smoothly through changes, and are the building blocks for more complex voicings.

"Nobody believes I practice this... I practice these all the time. Root, shell, pretty, melody - these are the building blocks."

Practice reading chord charts like a real jazz pianist. You see a chord symbol and play any valid voicing - not a specific one.

You must include the guide tones (3rd and 7th) - these define the chord's quality. Everything else is flexible:

• Root - optional (bass often plays it)
• 5th - optional (commonly omitted)
• 9th, 11th, 13th - all valid extensions
• Altered tensions (b9, #9, #11, b13) - allowed on dom7

All of these work:

• E + B (just guide tones)
• C + E + G + B (full chord)
• E + G + B + D (Cmaj9, no root)
• E + F# + B + D (Cmaj9#11)

This builds the skill of reading a chart and instantly playing something musical - not just reciting memorized voicings. It develops real-world comping fluency.

A voicing technique where you play a major triad in your right hand over a dominant bass note in your left hand. This instantly creates altered and extended sounds.

The root of the triad becomes the main tension. Want a b9 sound? Play a triad whose root IS the b9.

bII → 7b9 (Db major over C7)

II → 13#11 (D major over C7)

bIII → 7#9 (Eb major over C7)

bVI → 7alt (Ab major over C7)

VI → 13b9 (A major over C7)

Learn 5 relationships that work in any key. Instead of thinking "b9, #11, b13", you just grab "Ab major triad" over a dominant bass. Fast, reliable access to complex sounds.

One of the most performed jazz standards, written by Jerome Kern in 1939. The 36-bar AABA' form features beautiful chord movement through multiple key centers.

The app computes optimal Type A/B voicing choices to maximize common tones between chords, minimizing hand movement while maintaining smooth voice leading.

• Start with hints ON to learn the voicings
• Focus on the voice leading between chords
• Notice how Type A and B alternate for smoothness
• Once comfortable, try Shell voicings for a simpler feel

Voice leading is the art of moving smoothly from one chord to the next. Instead of jumping around the keyboard, you keep common tones and move other notes by step.

In jazz, there's a magic pattern: the 7th of one chord becomes the 3rd of the next (or moves by half step to it). This is why ii-V-I progressions sound so smooth!

1. Look at the source chord's notes
2. Which notes are also in the target chord? (Keep those!)
3. Which notes need to move? (Move by half/whole step)
4. Play the result - minimal hand movement!

Dm7 guide tones: F (b7) and C (b3)

G7 guide tones: F (b7) and B (3)

→ F stays! C moves down ½ step to B.

This drill teaches you to think of altered voicings as one-note modifications of standard rootless voicings you already know.

1. First, play the base chord (a standard rootless voicing)
2. Then modify one note to create the altered version (timed)

• 7 → 7#5: Raise the 5th by ½ step
• 7 → 7b9: Lower the 9th by ½ step
• m7 → m7b5: Lower the 5th by ½ step

Instead of memorizing altered voicings from scratch, you learn them as simple changes to voicings you already know. One finger moves, everything else stays!