Paul Maine

Software Engineer, Musician and Life Long Learner

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Steve Neff

Major Triad Workout and Resources

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Let’s be honest – do you really know all of your major triads in all12 keys? Do you know  the root position and the first and second inversions in all twelve keys? I mean really know – the kind of know that you don’t have to think about it you know it so well. Can you play the attached triad exercises accurately at a very fast tempo?

If you answered no to any of these questions then this post is for you. In addition to the supplied exercises I will point you to several other resources for improving your triad skills.

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Additional Resources:

In chapter 4 of the following Bert Ligon book, “Triadic Generalization” is discussed.

In chapter 15 of the following Bert Ligon book, “Extended Tertian Structures & Tridac Superimposition” is discussed.

In chapter 3 of the following book Bert Ligon provides many nice ideas and exercises related to “Triads & Generalization”.

In the following book Ernie Watts provides some very nice triad exercises.

The following book by Walt Weiskopf on “Intervalic Improvisation” is based upon using triad pairs and their various inversions.

Exercises 1-12 of “Patterns For Jazz” contain excellent triad exercises. If you don’t yet have this book you should add it to your “Must Have” list.

Be sure to check out the following items from Steve Neff at Neff Music:
“The Ultimate II-V-I Primer” this is an excellent beginning book.
The following Steve Neff lessons are also very good for triads:
“In A Mellow Tone with Triads-Video”
“Major Triad Samba”

Be sure to check out Evan Tates 250 Jazz Patterns

Have fun mastering the major triads!

Backing Tracks for Jazz Blues Variation 1 in all 12 keys with Charts

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The blues chord changes appear in more jazz songs than any other harmonic structure. The importance of learning how to play over these changes cannot be over emphasized.

I am providing a workout on jazz blues  in all 12 keys. Be sure to try Evan Tate’s 250 Jazz Patterns and Steve Neff’s blues lessons  over these backing tracks in all 12 keys.

I am including a player for all of the backing music. The backing tracks are all in Concert key. For example, if you play the tenor saxophone and select a backing track in the key of C – you will use a pdf chart in the key of D.

Have fun working through all 12 keys!

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Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of C follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-c.mp3[/podcast]

Rock Shuffle Blues in the Key of Db follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-dflat.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of D follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-d.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of Eb follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-eflat.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of E follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-e.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of F follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-f.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of Fsharp follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploadsjazzbluesvariation1-fsharp.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of G follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-g.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of Ab follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-aflat.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of A follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-a.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of Bb follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-bflat.mp3[/podcast]

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of B follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/jazzbluesvariation1-b.mp3[/podcast]

Review of “The Ultimate II-V-I Primer” by Steve Neff

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“The Ultimate II-V-I Primer” is another excellent publication from Steve Neff. This book targets the beginning improvisor but the material is beneficial to any aspiring jazz improvisor.

The book begins with an introduction and a few test progressions. If you can’t play through all of the test progressions, you need to take time to work through all exercises and internalize them.

The exercises are well conceived. The exercises begin with ultra simple exercises and then add rhythmic variety.  One of the goals is to be able to play through the progressions and not lose your place. As the book progresses you are asked to improvise over changes limiting your note selection. For example only use the 1, 3 and 5 of each chord. As the book progresses the parameters are expanded thus providing you with more tools to choose from.

The book is targeted to beginners but many intermediate improvisors could also benefit by learning their chords inside out in all 12 keys. Benefits are also gained on how to connect the notes from one chord to another in a smooth flowing manner.

I highly recommend this book. It can be purchased from Neff Music.

This website has backing tracks that work well with the exercises in the book

Long Sequence Major II-V-I Backing Tracks in All 12 Keys

You can also use the techniques you learn in this book and apply them to the following:

Jazz Standard Workout in All 12 Keys – Backing Tracks

You can also use the techniques in this book to improvise over much faster jazz backing tracks such as the following:

Bebop – Anthropaulogy ( Anthropology contrafact ) in All 12 Keys – Backing Tracks

Have fun improvising!

Review of “Best Minor II-V-I Patterns” book by Steve Neff

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Steve Neff is a wonderful sax player and has written a number of eBooks and other instructional material.  “Best Minor II-V-I Patterns” consists of  80 Minor II-V-I patterns. Each pattern is four bars and includes the pattern in all 12 keys. The first measure is a ii7b5 chord. The second measure is a V7b9 followed by two measures of minor. I have finished playing through all of the patterns in one key. Learning all 80 patterns in all 12 keys will keep you busy for awhile. There are many nice patterns and I suggest that you add this book to your collection.

I have a post on this website entitled II-V-I Minor Long Sequence Backing Tracks that you can use with this book.

You can purchase the book at Neff Music

Review of “Approach Note Velocity Volume 2: Minor” by Steve Neff

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Are you interested in learning how to improve your ability to improvise  over static harmony such as grooves or modal songs? If you answered yes, read on.

I first learned about neighbor tones from Bert Ligon’s  “Jazz Theory Resources Volume One” book. Chapter 4 of this book contans a 6 page section entitled “Neighbor Tones”. According to Mr. Ligon most music from the Baroque period to the present is to use the diatonic upper neighbor tone and the chromatic lower neighbor tone.

Steve Neff”s “Approach Note Velocity Vol. 1 Minor” book starts off with a very basic but very nice sounding example that uses neighbor tones.

UNT = Upper Neighbor Tone

CT = Chord Tone

LNT = Lower Neighbor Tone

For a C minor triad (C-Eb-G), one pattern is UNT,LNT,CT – try this pattern with each chord tone in the C minor triad.

Steve’s book starts at this point and provides 99 pages of exercises for minor chords. Steve also includes a short section on the minor triads so that a beginner can brush up on their minor triads before proceeding through the book. Mr Neff also has a demo audio track of him using these techniques while he is improvising over a groove on his website.

I highly recommend “Approach Note Velocity Vol. 1 Minor” to anyone wanting to improve their improvising over static harmony.

I have a post entitled “Minor Chord Backing Tracks In All 12 Keys” that you can use with Steve’s book or you can purchase Jamey Abersolds Major and Minor Volume for your backing tracks.

You can purchase the book at the following URL:

Approach Note Velocity Vol1. Minor