Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Want to make your 2-5-1 chord progressions sound richer, smoother, and far more expressive? In this lesson, Cameron Ward demonstrates how to transform one of the most important chord progressions in music into a versatile harmonic toolkit that you can apply in virtually any style.
Using a simple 2-5-1 chord progression in C major, Cameron explains how to move beyond basic 7th chords by introducing chord extensions, such as beautiful 9th chords and 13th chords that instantly add colour and sophistication to your playing. While every example is demonstrated in C major, the concepts can easily be transferred to every key.
The tutorial also introduces one of jazz harmony's most useful concepts - tritone substitution. Cameron clearly explains how it works, why it sounds so effective, and how you can incorporate it naturally into your own playing to expand your harmonic vocabulary.
To round off the lesson, you'll also learn how suspended chords can create fresh textures and interesting movement within a 2 5 1 piano chord progression, giving you even more options when accompanying, improvising, arranging, or composing.
If you're looking for how to improve your 2-5-1 chord progressions, this tutorial is an excellent place to start.
In this lesson you'll learn:
• Richer 2-5-1 chord progressions using chord extensions• How to use 7th, 9th and 13th chords effectively
• The fundamentals of tritone substitution
• How suspended chords create fresh harmonic colours
• Practical ideas and piano tips you can apply in any key in your chords practice on piano
——————————————————————————-
00:00 Introduction
00:25 2-5-1 explained
08:35 Chord extensions
21:24 Suspended 7th chords
——————————————————————————-
👇 If you would like to learn about 3 simple piano improvisation tools to start creating music, watch this tutorial next:
youtube.com/watch?v=lzojiuu_Dh8&list=PLDqNslPG6e1J39vKtouDGW-NQCOsxfFp-&index=67
🎁 Claim your FREE gift - Resources Pack - by getting in touch with us at London Contemporary School of Piano so that we can help you solve your challenges and accelerate you progress at the piano:
contemporaryschoolofpiano.com
🎹 Learn Piano with Cameron Ward:
contemporaryschoolofpiano.com/coaches/cameron-ward
🎓 Get Your GROOVE Everyday Course to access all the resources you need to master piano grooves and expand your piano groove vocabulary:
lcsp.samcart.com/products/groove-mastery-everyday
🎓 Join our Flagship Course, THE COMPLETE MUSICIAN: Piano Essentials Online Course with Tom Donald:
contemporaryschoolofpiano.com/the-complete-musician
🔔 If you enjoyed this 2-5-1 piano tutorial and would like to get more top tips on learning piano, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel right here:
youtube.com/channel/UCZWqaBf6VLuD0cSKF4cukPg?sub_confirmation=1
Follow CAMERON WARD:
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/camwardkeys
Credits:
Filmed by Josh Adams.
Edited by BUBI Productions & Caleb Hartley.
youtu.be/HwJv-Vm2exI
#londoncontemporaryschoolofpiano #251 #pianotutorial
Want to make your 2-5-1 chord progressions sound richer, smoother, and far more expressive? In this lesson, Cameron Ward demonstrates how to transform one of the most important chord progressions in music into a versatile harmonic toolkit that you can apply in virtually any style.
Using a simple 2-5-1 chord progression in C major, Cameron explains how to move beyond basic 7th chords by introducing chord extensions, such as beautiful 9th chords and 13th chords that instantly add colour and sophistication to your playing. While every example is demonstrated in C major, the concepts can easily be transferred to every key.
The tutorial also introduces one of jazz harmony's most useful concepts - tritone substitution. Cameron clearly explains how it works, why it sounds so effective, and how you can incorporate it naturally into your own playing to expand your harmonic vocabulary.
To round off the lesson, you'll also learn how suspended chords can create fresh textures and interesting movement within a 2 5 1 piano chord progression, giving you even more options when accompanying, improvising, arranging, or composing.
If you're looking for how to improve your 2-5-1 chord progressions, this tutorial is an excellent place to start.
In this lesson you'll learn:
• Richer 2-5-1 chord progressions using chord extensions• How to use 7th, 9th and 13th chords effectively
• The fundamentals of tritone substitution
• How suspended chords create fresh harmonic colours
• Practical ideas and piano tips you can apply in any key in your chords practice on piano
——————————————————————————-
00:00 Introduction
00:25 2-5-1 explained
08:35 Chord extensions
21:24 Suspended 7th chords
——————————————————————————-
👇 If you would like to learn about 3 simple piano improvisation tools to start creating music, watch this tutorial next:
youtube.com/watch?v=lzojiuu_Dh8&list=PLDqNslPG6e1J39vKtouDGW-NQCOsxfFp-&index=67
🎁 Claim your FREE gift - Resources Pack - by getting in touch with us at London Contemporary School of Piano so that we can help you solve your challenges and accelerate you progress at the piano:
contemporaryschoolofpiano.com
🎹 Learn Piano with Cameron Ward:
contemporaryschoolofpiano.com/coaches/cameron-ward
🎓 Get Your GROOVE Everyday Course to access all the resources you need to master piano grooves and expand your piano groove vocabulary:
lcsp.samcart.com/products/groove-mastery-everyday
🎓 Join our Flagship Course, THE COMPLETE MUSICIAN: Piano Essentials Online Course with Tom Donald:
contemporaryschoolofpiano.com/the-complete-musician
🔔 If you enjoyed this 2-5-1 piano tutorial and would like to get more top tips on learning piano, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel right here:
youtube.com/channel/UCZWqaBf6VLuD0cSKF4cukPg?sub_confirmation=1
Follow CAMERON WARD:
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/camwardkeys
Credits:
Filmed by Josh Adams.
Edited by BUBI Productions & Caleb Hartley.
youtu.be/HwJv-Vm2exI
#londoncontemporaryschoolofpiano #251 #pianotutorial
