The Forgotten Chords: Book

Dense but purposeful. Herborn assumes you know your basic theory and builds systematically outward, so the reading never feels padded with review. The progressions explored open harmonic territory that feels both intellectually rewarding and sonically rich on the keyboard.

Advanced jazz pianists and composers ready to move beyond the standard ii-V-I vocabulary, and serious students new to jazz theory who want a coherent foundation. Educators seeking a systematic resource for teaching harmonic sophistication will find Herborn's organizational structure invaluable for structuring curriculum.

• Work through the church modes and melodic minor sections first, even if you feel advanced. These chapters aren't review; they're the essential groundwork that makes the harmonic systems click.
• Practice the left-hand voicing patterns in isolation. Herborn's emphasis on multiple applications of single intervallic constellations rewards slow, deliberate study at the keyboard.
• Test each chord category across different progressions. The book teaches the theory, but your ears need time to internalize how these sounds function in actual jazz contexts.

Use this as a semester-long study for advanced jazz combos or private studio pianists working on composition. The chapter structure maps naturally to weekly lessons, and the left-hand voicing applications offer immediate practical payoff for players looking to deepen their improvisation vocabulary.

• Deriving and applying chords from harmonic minor and harmonic major scales
• Understanding the relationship between church modes and jazz harmonic function
• Recognizing and using melodic minor modes in harmonic contexts
• Building sophisticated left-hand voicings for jazz comping
• Analyzing how harmonic minor and harmonic major function as foundational harmonic material beyond traditional cadences