(MED. SWING ♩=80)
39

Jazz Piano · Blues Comp Styles

Two-Handed Modern Blues

Rootless LH + RH triad up top, syncopated, twelve keys

Modern jazz (post-1960) often comps with both hands playing rootless voicings — LH plays 3-♭7-9 in close position around middle C, RH stacks a quartal 3-13-9 (two perfect 4ths built on the 3) an octave higher. The hands interlock without ever sharing a key; only the 3 and 9 echo an octave up, and the wide envelope sits perfectly over a bass player.

The rhythmic placement here uses the same Charleston-style syncopation as the Charleston exercise (#35), but with denser voicings spread across both hands. This is closer to how a McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, or Kenny Barron might comp behind a soloist on a fast blues.

Voicing

LH 3-♭7-9 rootless; RH quartal 3-13-9 an octave up

Form

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

01

F blues

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

B♭ blues

F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 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 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 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
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 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 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 1 3 2 4 X X E 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
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 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 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 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 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
05

D♭ blues

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

G♭ blues

D 7 2 3 1 4 X X G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 X X 5fr C 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 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 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 B 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 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 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 3 4 X O B 7 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 A 7 1 3 X O O O 2 1 O O O O E 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 E 7 2 1 O O O O 2 1 3 X X O D 7 A 7 1 3 X O O O 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 1 3 X O O O A 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7
10

D blues

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

G blues

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

C blues

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

Six notes, two hands, one chord-tone-free hand. The modern jazz comp.

80 bpm
Sound