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Basic Jazz Theory

For those of you who need a little help with jazz theory, we have included a few basics to get you going. We are making a few assumptions - i.e. that you can read the bass and treble clef and have some basic knowledge of keys and scales. We cover more advanced theory in other sections of jazz piano, to which you can jump straight away by scrolling down to the bottom of the page.

Key:
∆ = Major7
o = Diminished
ø = Half Diminished/ min7b5 (or -7b5)

Intervals

An interval can be defined as the gap between two notes. Here are the intervals from the minor second to the octave above middle C:



It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the sound of each interval. A good way to do this is to first, play each one on the piano and then play the lower note of each, whilst singing the upper. If you do this every day, you will soon be able to recognise the sounds without having to think about them.

Inversions

When you invert an interval, you turn it upside down, so that the bottom note is on the top. Here are some simple rules to remember when you're inverting intervals:

1. A major interval becomes a minor
2. A minor interval becomes a major
3. A perfect interval stays perfect
4. A tritone (an interval of three whole tones between two notes) stays a tritone
5. An interval plus its inverstion always adds up to 9

For example: A major 3rd, when inverted will be a minor 6th, because 3 and 6 equal 9, and a major becomes a minor.



Triads

Triads are three note chords, containing two third intervals, one on top of the other. There are four types of triad:



Each triad provokes a different emotional response in the listener. A major triad sounds happy and bright, whilst a minor triad sounds sad and reflective. A diminished triad gives a feeling of tension, whilst an augmented triad gives a sense of anticipation.

Inverting Triads

It is common practice to invert triads, as it adds colour and variety to your playing; root position chords played one after another continuously would sound pretty boring! It also allows you to move from one chord to another more easily. For example, moving to a G major (G B D) chord from the second inversion of C major (G C E) is much more fluid than moving from the root position of C major (C E G).

Inversions of C major and C minor Triads:



...More on Jazz Theory coming soon

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