Diminished Harmony

Unlock the power of diminished harmony and learn how to use diminished chords and scales to enhance your improvisation and arrangements. This course provides a practical approach to diminished harmony, helping you apply these concepts to real songs and live playing situations.

You'll explore reharmonization techniques, harmonizing melodies with diminished chords, and using diminished scales for improvisation. The lessons also cover the Barry Harris diminished approach and how to incorporate slash chords effectively. Song examples like I Could Write a Book, Have You Met Miss Jones?, and It Could Happen to You provide hands-on applications for these concepts.

Ideal for intermediate to advanced jazz pianists, this course will help you develop richer harmonies, smoother chord transitions, and a more sophisticated improvisational style.

How to Use Diminished Harmony in Jazz Piano

Diminished harmony is one of the most powerful tools for creating smooth, sophisticated chord movements in jazz. Whether you’re reharmonizing a song or adding tension to your improvisation, understanding how to use diminished chords and scales can take your playing to the next level.

This course breaks down four essential ways to use diminished harmony: reharmonizing chord progressions, harmonizing melodies, applying diminished scales in improvisation, and integrating slash chords for smoother transitions. These techniques are especially useful for cocktail piano, jazz standards, and solo piano playing.

The Barry Harris diminished approach is also covered, helping you understand how to use chromatic movement to create fluid and expressive lines. By the end of this course, you’ll have a strong grasp of diminished harmony and how to apply it in real-world playing situations.

Is this course suitable for beginners?
No, this course is designed for intermediate to advanced players who have a solid understanding of jazz chords and improvisation.

Will I learn how to use diminished harmony in real songs?
Yes! The course applies these techniques to jazz standards like I Could Write a Book, Have You Met Miss Jones?, and It Could Happen to You.

Do I need to understand music theory to take this course?
A basic understanding of jazz theory is recommended, but the lessons break down the concepts in an easy-to-follow manner.

Can these techniques be used in other styles of music?
Absolutely! While the course focuses on jazz, diminished harmony techniques can be applied to blues, gospel, and contemporary music as well.