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.

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!

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!

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - C (502)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - Dflat (179)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - D (164)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - Eflat (161)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - E (171)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - F (194)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - Fsharp (152)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - G (176)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - Aflat (161)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - A (159)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - Bflat (187)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 - B (157)

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of C follows:

Rock Shuffle Blues in the Key of Db follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of D follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of Eb follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of E follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of F follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of Fsharp follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of G follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of Ab follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of A follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of Bb follows:

Jazz Blues Variation 1 in the Key of B follows:

250 Jazz Patterns by Evan Tate

The following backing tracks can be used for patterns #1-#12.

The following track is for concert instruments:

The following track is for Bb instruments:

The following track is for Eb instruments:

The following backing tracks can be used for patterns #13-#18.

The following track is for concert instruments:

The following track is for Bb instruments:

The following track is for Eb instruments:

The following backing tracks can be used for patterns #19-#25.

The following track is for concert instruments:

The following track is for Bb instruments:

The following track is for Eb instruments:

The following backing tracks can be used for patterns #26-#32.

The following track is for concert instruments:

The following track is for Bb instruments:

The following track is for Eb instruments:

The following backing tracks can be used for patterns #33-#38.

The following track is for concert instruments:

The following track is for Bb instruments:

The following track is for Eb instruments:

Review of 250 Jazz Patterns by Evan Tate

Check back often or subscribe to my tweets at twitter.com/pmaine to be notified when the 250 Jazz Patterns Backing Tracks are available.

Each backing track will be transposed for concert, Bb and Eb instruments.

You can purchase Evan’s book at the following url:

250 Jazz Patterns

Please checkout the following offer from Evan – this is a super good deal:

Super Deal from Evan Tate

I am providing a bebop workout on Anthropaulogy ( Anthropology ) in all 12 keys. Be sure to try Evan Tate’s 250 Jazz Patterns and Steve Neff’s Dominant Bebop Scale ideas over this bebop tune in all 12 keys. The quarter note is 250 on the backing tracks.

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!

Anthropaulogy Key C pdf (428)

Anthropology Key Db pdf (162)

Anthropology Key D pdf (196)

Anthropology Key Eb pdf (168)

Anthropology Key E pdf (176)

Anthropology Key F pdf (162)

Anthropology Key Fsharp pdf (161)

Anthropology Key G pdf (182)

Anthropology Key Ab pdf (165)

Anthropology Key A pdf (164)

Anthropology Key Bb pdf (203)

Anthropology Key B pdf (130)

Anthropaulogy in the Key of C follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of Db follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of D follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of Eb follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of E follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of F follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of Fsharp follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of G follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of Ab follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of A follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of Bb follows:

Anthropaulogy in the Key of B follows:

Jazz standards are usually characterized by a harmonic rhythm that averages about one to two measures per chord. The intervals used between the roots of adjacent chords frequently are II-V-I, cycle movement and chromatic movement.

I am providing pdf files and mp3 files for all 12 keys. This should readily facilitate practicing in all 12 keys.  Be sure to checkout my post on 250 Jazz Patterns by Evan Tate.  Evans’s 250 Jazz Patterns book has patterns in all 12 keys and will be extremely useful with these jazz standard backing tracks in all 12 keys. You can also use my Harmonic Minor Pattern 1 post on these standards.

Have fun practicing in all 12 keys!

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key Db pdf file (137)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key Eb pdf file (141)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key E pdf file (132)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key F pdf file (134)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key F# pdf file (126)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key G pdf file (138)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key Ab pdf file (151)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key A pdf file (160)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key Bb pdf file (143)

 All Of PAULMAINE.COM - Key B pdf file (130)

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.

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of C follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of Db follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of D follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of Eb follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of E follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of F follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of F# follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of G follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of Ab follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of A follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of Bb follows:

ALL OF PAULMAINE.COM in the Key of B follows:

It is necessary too keep in good physical shape in addition to practicing the saxophone. I like to think that it is necessary to “spend time in the gym” on both activities. When I go to the gym I usually download vidcasts or podcasts to my iPhone to listen to while I am working out. During a vidcast search on iTunes I came across a series of vidcasts named the “The 250 Jazz Patterns Vidcast” by Evan Tate.

Evan is a professional saxophonist and instructor with more than 20 years experience. He is currently on the jazz faculity of the University of Music and the Performing Arts in Munich Germany.

Evan has written a book entitled “250 Jazz Patterns”.  The book starts out with simple patterns or motives that are appropriate for a beginner and then moves on to more advanced patterns. Once such pattern is the 1,2,3,5 pattern. If you are improvising over a C major chord the 1,2,3,5 notes would be C,D,E and G. This pattern is built from notes of the C major scale. Evans book is full of excellent useful patterns.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to improve their improvisation skills. You can learn more about the book and purchase it from the following link:

250 Jazz Patterns by Evan Tate

Eventually you will proceed to a “Pay using PayPal by clicking here” link. Once you click on this page you will be redirected to a  PayPal screen that is in German but don’t fret. You just need to change the “Land” field from Deutschland to USA ( if you are English speaking ) and all fields on the form will change to english. The price of the book is 35 Euros. At the time of this writting that’s about $47.24. This book is a real bargain at that price.