How to add extensions into basic Jazz Piano voicings

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As we continue our voicing series we are adding extensions into our voicing fundamentals. This is progressing us a little further and teaching us how to create freedom to build any voicings we want. With these methods you are becoming the creator instead of simply copying voicings and not understanding how they're used. Enjoy!

[@wezajamison-neto1905]

This is absolutely PHENOMENAL!!! I'm auditioning for the Conservatories to be A Jazz and Classical Major and I have to bring Backing sheets for my Repertoire. Sooo, been busy trying to make good backing and trying to get a good sounding piano backing has been the most challenging. I know how I want it to sound, I've always played jazz and listened to it, but I didn't know a good plan for creating them from the chords. This SERIOUSLY is some GREAT teaching, man. I'll definitely recommend this to my friends

[@jazzpianoschool]

Thanks for the comment, Weza, and good luck with your auditions!

[@mastermazbot]

Wow! Amazingly explained, ur channel is helping so much

[@jazzpianoschool]

Glad to hear that, thanks Maz!

[@dr.mortimergrusel3916]

Thank you very much for sharing this great content for free :)

[@jazzpianoschool]

Our pleasure!

[@SierraRoute]

Thanks for the excellent lesson! I really your teaching style.

[@jazzpianoschool]

Thank you Austin! :)

[@jampolaytis]

Very informative 👏

[@jazzpianoschool]

Glad to hear that! Thanks for watching John!

[@kamakirinoko]

How the *heck* do you come up with a chord such as 15:30???? It's so obscure, yet so *right.* but on my own I would NEVER be able to chance across that chord, let alone in ALL TWELVE KEYS. I could spend a week just trying to do that, with this one chord . . . okay, I guess that takes care of my summer. What did you have in mind for the Fall?

[@jazzpianoschool]

@Kamakiri, thanks for the comment! As for coming up chords at 15:30, first you have to understand the principles of building two handed voicings. Once you have the appropriate structure and spacing, with the necessary tones - from there it's simple to add extensions, just add them where you see fit!

[@kamakirinoko]

This past week or so I've just been obsessing over these Upper Structure Voicings/triads, and I realise that there is a whole new facet to the piano . . . like, before, I would listen to jazz piano-be it George Shearing, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner-and just wonder at "those chords"-meaning those strange chords that seemed to be a secret among jazz pianists. And although I prided myself for my ear-picking out chords from tunes that my band had to play (rock, mostly) for the guitar, "those chords" seemed always out of reach, because they were always in the middle of a song, or what have you; Oscar wasn't stopping to explain them. And all of a sudden, here are you, and here are Upper Structure extensions, and it's like I was handed a key to a door where all these jazz pianists had access but I did not. And it's so awesome! If I just play a couple of judicious chord progressions with these triads all of a sudden my wife is saying "Oh, that's nice, dear!" as if I suddenly, FINALLY began playing something nice instead of the cursed Elton John Rocket Man chords that I only knew how to play before. The question now, is how to practice them? I find that just C7 has a *million* USTs, as I'll call them for brevity's sake, but I can only play them in C7. Any suggestions on a drill that I can perhaps mindlessly run through t get the muscle memory working? Oh, and I don't mean for you to offer all this advice for free. Point me to the magic door and I'll see what I can contribute! Cheers Nick

[@jazzpianoschool]

Awesome Nick! As for how to practice upper structure triads, I'd suggest checking out a free JPS blog I wrote on the site about upper structure triads and how to work on them. You are right in that there are many upper structure triad possibilities, but the first thing I'd suggest doing is taking the 5 major upper structure triads (D/C7, Eb/C7, F#/C7, Ab/C7, A/C7) and taking those through the cycle of 5ths in all 12 keys. Only then should you dabble with the minor, diminished, and other UST's. There are also many comprehensive worksheets in our lab and main courses about upper structure triads. Hope this helps! Bijan

[@kamakirinoko]

Bijan, Ultra! That did help. I actually did start doing just what you suggested, only I didn't know the names of what I was doing! I just moved everything lock stock and barrel up two tones, then two more tones etc. and boy, I didn't know there were so many black keys in all the observable universe! I've always thought that if only they removed the black keys and left the white ones the piano would be much easier to play. Come to think of it, why are there SO MANY keys? Instead of 88, wouldn't it be easier if there were only twelve? Twelve white keys . . . that would simplify things enormously! Now, about those pesky # thingies . . . All seriousness aside, though, I'm going right now to the piano with this computer and my headphones, and begin the great work on the USTs . . . Give me two weeks to master all those and then I'll start right up on the Cycle of 15ths. --Nick

[@jazzpianoschool]

One of the great mysteries of our time...! Haha, glad that helped!