Jazz Fingering Exercises

Exercises to improve your jazz piano technique: // Developing finger dexterity and coordination

Scale Patterns

Practice major and minor scales using various fingering patterns:

  • 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5 (ascending), 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1 (descending)
  • 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 (ascending), 4-3-2-1-4-3-2-1 (descending)

Example in C major: C-D-E-C-D-E-F-G (ascending) G-F-E-D-C-E-D-C (descending)

Chord Inversions

Practice all inversions of seventh chords in all keys:

  • Cmaj7: C-E-G-B, E-G-B-C, G-B-C-E, B-C-E-G

Hanon Exercises with Swing Feel

Adapt classical Hanon exercises to jazz by playing them with a swing feel:

1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2 | 2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3 | 3-4-5-6-7-6-5-4 | etc.

Chromatic Exercise

Practice this chromatic pattern in all keys:

1-3-2-4-3-5-4-6-5-7-6-8

Example starting on C: C-D-C#-E-D-F-E-G-F-A-G-B

Rootless Voicing Exercise

Practice transitioning between rootless voicings of ii-V-I progressions:

Dm7 (F-A-C-E) -> G7 (F-A-B-D) -> Cmaj7 (E-G-B-D)

Triad Pairs

Practice playing triad pairs to develop coordination and harmonic thinking:

C and D triads: C-E-G-D-F#-A-C-E-G-D-F#-A (ascending) A-F#-D-G-E-C-A-F#-D-G-E-C (descending)

Fourth Voicings

Practice voicings in fourths to improve stretch and flexibility:

C-F-Bb-Eb | D-G-C-F | E-A-D-G | etc.

Practice tips

  • practice these exercises slowly at first,
  • focus on accuracy and evenness.
  • Gradually increase the tempo as you become more comfortable.
    // Always use a metronome to develop a solid sense of time.