(MED. SWING ♩=80)
25

Jazz Piano · Blues Comp Styles

Blues Pedal Point

LH I-note pedal under changing harmony above, twelve keys

A pedal point holds the tonic in the bass while the harmony moves above it. Applied to a blues, the LH plays the I root in quarters — never letting go — while the RH sounds the actual chord changes (I, IV, V) over the top. Creates a strong tonal centre and a Coltrane / McCoy Tyner-style intensity.

Used in modal jazz, McCoy Tyner's solo intros, and church-blues piano. The pedal grounds the piece; the upper voices float over it. This exercise applies the pedal-point principle to the most harmonic-motion-laden form in jazz.

LH

Root of I held as quarter-note pedal through the whole form

Form

I⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ I⁷ | IV⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ I⁷ | V⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ V⁷

01

F blues

3 2 4 1 O O C 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 C 7 3 2 4 1 O O 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7
02

B♭ blues

F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 E 7 1 3 2 4 X X
03

E♭ blues

B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 E 7 1 3 2 4 X X 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr
04

A♭ blues

E 7 1 3 2 4 X X 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 E 7 1 3 2 4 X X 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X
05

D♭ blues

A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr D 7 2 3 1 4 X X 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1
06

G♭ blues

2 3 1 4 X X D 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X X X 5fr C 7 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 X X 5fr C 7 X X 5fr C 7 C 7 X X 5fr
07

B blues

1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7
08

E blues

2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 B 7 2 1 3 4 X O 1 3 X O O O A 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7
09

A blues

2 1 O O O O E 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 E 7 2 1 O O O O 2 1 3 X X O D 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7
10

D blues

A 7 1 3 X O O O 2 1 3 X X O D 7 D 7 2 1 3 X X O 1 3 X O O O A 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 D 7 2 1 3 X X O 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 G 7 3 2 1 O O O
11

G blues

D 7 2 1 3 X X O 3 2 1 O O O G 7 G 7 3 2 1 O O O 2 1 3 X X O D 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 G 7 3 2 1 O O O 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 C 7 3 2 4 1 O O
12

C blues

G 7 3 2 1 O O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 G 7 3 2 1 O O O 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 3 2 4 1 O O 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1

Bass anchored, harmony free. The pedal that holds the form together.

80 bpm
Sound