Jazz Lounge
Speak fluent jazz.
Jazz runs on cadences, guide tones, and hip substitutions. Master these four studies and you can comp through most standards. Every voicing is written out; hear it, then play it.
Key of C · 90 BPM
ii–V–I (Basic)
The core jazz cadence. Dm7 pulls to G7, which resolves to Cmaj7. Learn this in every key and half the jazz language opens up.
Dm7
Dm7 — smooth minor color
Play the highlighted notes below to check off this bar.
Guide tones
The 3rd and 7th of each chord are the guide tones. They move by half-step through a ii–V–I: F→F→E, C→B→B.
Rootless voicings
Skip the root — the bass player has it. Play 3-5-7-9 or 7-9-3-13. Your hands are free for melody.
Tritone sub
Any V7 can be replaced by the dom7 a tritone away. G7 and D♭7 share the same 3rd and 7th, so both resolve to C.