IMPROVISATION  - by Michael Furstner

Lesson 10a : KEYBOARD II-V-I CHORD VOICINGS 
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In the Improvisation Library under 'Scales & Chords' you find  two files 
(page 1 and page 2) called 'Keyboard II-V-I Chord progression voicings'

They contain effective chord voicings for the IIm7 - V7 - Imaj7 chord 
progression  in all keys (see Improvisation Lesson 10).

You can use these in the left hand while playing the melody or an 
improvisation in the right hand.


LEFT HAND
Play 3- or 4-note chords in the left hand so that the lowest note of the 
chord falls in the range from Middle C down to A a 10th lower.


               Lowest note of chord
                within this range  
              |<------------------->|
              |                     |
C' D' E' F' G' A' B' C D E F G A B c d e f g a b c'
                                   |
                               "Middle C"


This applies to all "closed position" chords (all chord tones fall within the 
span of 1 octave and are usually played with one hand.)

Chords played above this range  sound too tinny, they also interfere with the 
melody line. Chords played below this range sound too muddy.

      
The sheet music covers  four different voicing combinations for the 
IIm7 - V7 - Imaj7 chord progression.

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BASIC CHORD VOICINGS
The first two are basic combinations which alternate root position chords 
(with the chord root at the bottom of the chord voicing) and 2nd inversions 
(with the 5th at the bottom of the chord voicing).

VOICING 1 :
IIm7 in root position - V7 in 2nd inversion - Imaj7 in root position


VOICING 2 :
IIm7 in 2nd inversion - V7 in root position - Imaj7 in 2nd inversion

Voicings 1 and 2  contain all chord tones : root, 3rd, 5th and 7th. 

The black note in each chord (which is either the chord root or 5th) may be 
left out to produce a clearer chord sound (especially on electronic 
keyboards).

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CONTEMPORARY JAZZ VOICINGS
Voicings 3 and 4 are commonly used contemporary Jazz chords.
For all voicings the ROOT IS OMITTED FROM THE CHORD. 
This produces a less predictable sound. In a small group the root is always 
covered by the bass player, there is therefore no need to for the keyboard  
(or guitar) players to include it in their chord voicing.

(The IIm7  voicing is in fact a IVmaj7 chord which functions as a IIm9 chord.

  Likewise the Imaj7 voicing is a IIm7 chord which functions as a Imaj9 
 chord.)

The contemporary V7 voicing leaves out both the root and 5th of the chord. 
nstead it includes the 9th and 13th.

VOICING 3
IIm9 based on the 3rd - V9add13 based on the 7th - Imaj9 based on the 3rd


VOICING 4
IIm9 based on the 7th - V9add13 based on the 3rd - Imaj9 based on the 7th

The black note in each chord (which is the 5th, 13th or 9th) can be omitted 
to produce a clearer sound.

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HOW TO PRACTICE
Practise each combination by progression directly downwards on each page 
(e.g. from the first voicing combination on the first line to the first 
 voicing combination on the second line, then to the first combination on 
 the third line, and so on down the page).
   
Play each IIm7 chord for 1 bar,
     each V7 chord for 1 bar, 
     each Imaj7 chord for 2 bars. 

This produces a natural 4 bar long phrase in each key. Play the same 
sequence twice in each key (2 x 4 bars = 8 bars total in each key).
 
On page 1 : 

    1 bar    1 bar  2 bars (then repeat)
    Dm7   -  G7  -  Cmaj7
 
    Cm7   -  F7  -  Bbmaj7
      
    Bbm7  -  Eb7 -  Abmaj7

    Abm7  -  Db7 -  Gbmaj7

    F#m7  -  B7  -  Emaj7

    Em7   -  A7  -  Dmaj7


On page 2 :

    1 bar    1 bar  2 bars (then repeat)
    Am7   -  D7  -  Gmaj7
 
    Gm7   -  C7  -  Fmaj7
      
    Fm7   -  Bb7 -  Ebmaj7
 
    Ebm7  -  Ab7 -  Dbmaj7

    C#m7  -  F#7 -  Bmaj7

    Bm7   -  E7  -  Amaj7


Practise 
   1.first with the left hand only, 
   2.then with both hands together, right hand 1 octave above the left,
   3.left hand chords, right hand corresdonding modes and scale.

First practise the two basic combinations.
When you know both well, proceed with practice on the two contemporary 
combinations.

Learn all four combinations with the full 4-note voicings, once you know 
these it is quite easy to leave out the specified black note for each chord.

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           Copyright 1997 Michael Furstner. All rights reserved.