7/21/2019 Voicings Warm Ups

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 Jazz Voicing Warm-UpsBY GEOFFREY KEEZER

As a touring jazz pianist, rar!"# $a%! muc$ tim! topractic! &$!n 'm on t$! roa() * 'm "uc+#, mig$tg!t %! minut!s at soun( c$!c+, so n!!( a uic+an( !.ci!nt &arm-up routin! to supp"!m!nt /asicsca"!s an( arp!ggios) 0$! *o""o&ing !1!rcis!s ar! agr!at &a# to str!tc$ m# $an(s, g!t t$! *!!" o* t$!+!#/oar(, an( !ngag! m# 2jazz /rain,3 a"" in a

"imit!( amount o* tim!)

1. It Takes Two

n Ex. 1, c$oos! an# t&o not!s t$at ar! s"ig$t"# mor!t$an an octa%! apart as a starting point) 0$!n t$!rig$t $an( asc!n(s c$romatica""#, &$i"! t$! "!*t $an(*o""o&s t$! c#c"! o* *ourt$s)

2. Creative Chording

7/21/2019 Voicings Warm Ups

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n /!t&!!n #our 2/oo+!n(3 not!s, "" in t$! gaps&it$ c$or(s, as i""ustrat!( in Ex. 2) 0$!r! ar! noru"!s $!r!4just trust #our !ars, cr!ati%it#, an(intuition, an( stri%! *or goo( voice leading) For

!1amp"!, in /ar 5, t$! rig$t $an('s t$um/ p"a#s Bb- A-Ab-G, &$ic$ corr!spon(s to t$! s!%!nt$ an( t$ir(o* !ac$ c$or(, r!sp!cti%!"#) 0r# to g!t an !%!nint!r%a""ic spr!a( t$at soun(s goo( an( *!!"scom*orta/"! p$#sica""#)

3. Minor Chord Workout

Ex. 3 !1pan(s on our conc!pt o* cr!ati%! c$or(motion) 6ot! t$at i* #ou c$oos! /oo+!n( not!s t$at*orm an 55t$ 7"i+! p"a#ing F  in t$! rig$t $an( an( C in t$! "!*t $an(8, minor c$or(s t#pica""# &or+ /!tt!rt$an (ominant major s!%!nt$s) W!'r! not going *or

a%ant-gar(! soun(s or unusua" susp!nsions $!r!, so+!!p #our %oicings *air"# c"!ar an( simp"!) 9tart

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s"o&"#, an( &$!n #ou *!!" com*orta/"! &it$ t$is!1!rcis!, gra(ua""# pic+ up t$! t!mpo)

4. Whole-Stes and C!"les

n Ex. 4, t$! rig$t $an( c"im/s /# &$o"!-st!ps &$i"!t$! "!*t $an( continu!s to c#c"! t$roug$ *ourt$s) 0$is!1!rcis! op!ns up anot$!r can o* $armonic &orms/!caus! #our %oicings &i"" spr!a( out *ast!r) * #ou$a%! sma"" $an(s, (on't &orr# a/out /ig str!tc$!s)

9imp"# s$i*t octa%!s &$!r!%!r n!c!ssar# to +!!p#our %oicings compact) Warming up s$ou"( n!%!r /!pain*u":

#. Change $artners

n Ex. #, t$! rig$t $an( an( "!*t $an( s&itc$ ro"!s);!r! t$! "!*t $an( (!sc!n(s c$romatica""# &$i"! t$!

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rig$t $an( c#c"!s t$roug$ *ourt$s) R!m!m/!r t$att$!r! ar! man# ot$!r &arm-up com/inations #ou cantr#) 9imp"# pic+ an# t&o starting not!s 7tr# c"osing#our !#!s an( p"un+ing #our $an(s (o&n on t$!

piano8 an( &atc$ &$at $app!ns: