Vanier College Triad Pairs

8/18/2019 Vanier College Triad Pairs

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The Power of Triads

Vanier College 2011

By Dr. Brandon Bernsteinwww.brandon-bernstein.com


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Triads have been the harmonic ‘infrastructure’ in music for the last five hundred years.

Many of the great classical composers of all time have used triads as a cornerstone in

their compositions. However, some of us are not too impressed with triads as they pertainto jazz we are eager to learn !th chords and chords that contain e"tensions. #$hhh%%%the

!th chords and their luscious colors&. $fter all, !th chords are the ‘meat and potatoes’ of the

jazz repertoire. $s jazz musicians we are way too hip for triads right' Thin( again%%learning your triads well can offer fresh new sounds and perspectives on improvising and

comping that one may have never thought possible. )e will begin by reviewing both

closed position triads and open position, #spread&, triads in all (eys. *or now, all thee"amples involve just a + major triad however, every e"ample should be practiced with

minor, augmented, and diminished triads in all (eys. racticing these e"amples will

dramatically improve your awareness of your instrument.

$s mentioned, the triads are to be practiced in every (ey, and in all inversions. -

recommend practicing the triads by going around the ircle of *ifths with a metronome.

/tart with he triad in root position, then 0st inversion, 1nd inversion, and finish bac( at root

position. Then go cloc(wise around the ircle of *ifths until you have gone through all(eys. The great thing about this e"ercise is that you begin to (now your instrument and

basic music theory on a much deeper level. )hen that e"ercise begins to feel verycomfortable, challenge yourself by trying to apply triads to your favorite standards.

ractice this e"ercise by playing continual half notes using only triads through the

standard. Try to use voice leading techni2ues #going to your nearest voice in the melody&and use different string sets through the e"ercise. 3e"t, try to create continual 4th note

lines using only triads. This is a lot more challenging then you may thin(. #$ll of a

sudden your improvisation sounds li(e a 5ach study&. ontinue to apply this e"ercise to

many songs until you can freely improvise in this fashion without hesitation. 5elow is ane"ample of the e"ercise based on 6erome 7ern’s standard Yesterdays and 6ohn oltrane’s

Giant Steps. Have fun8www.brandon%bernstein.com

http://www.brandon-bernstein.com/http://www.brandon-bernstein.com/


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Maor Triads !oot Position

Maor Triads 1st "n#ersion

Maor Triads 2nd "n#ersion

Minor Triads !oot Position

Minor Triads 1

st

"n#ersion

Minor Triads 2nd "n#ersion


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Diminished Triads !oot Position

Diminished Triads 1st "n#ersion

Diminished Triads 2nd "n#ersion

$%gmented Triads &'ymmetrical($ll "n#ersions)


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Triad Practice Techni*%es

+ Major Triad #9o the same e"ercise with minor, augmented, and

diminished triads.&

0. lay each inversion including the octave. 5egin each triad with the lowest

possible voicing.

1. Try the same e"ercises using these spread triad voicings.


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:. 3ow practice both closed position triads and spread triads using

suspensions. The Three suspensions we will use are ;%


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/uspensions in Triad losed osition >oicings

/uspensions in Triad /pread >oicings

ractice all of these e"ercises in all (eys. $s mentioned earlier, practice all

of these e"amples with major, minor, augmented, and diminished triads.


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5ased on the hanges of Yesterdays

Example 1: Half Notes*or seventh chords simply reduce the ! th chord to its triad without the seventh. #?"ample@ 9 Minor ! just

play 9 Minor triad&.


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+,.1 ascending triad trilets +,.2 descending triad trilets

+,. ascending(descending triads +,./ descending triads

+,. ascending triads w(reeated note +,. descending triads w(reeated note

+,. melodic e,amles


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3ow we will loo( at another commonly used triad pair, the triad pair of a minor chord

and major chord a half step apart. #?"ample@ 5 minor and major&. )hen you combinethe notes of both of these triads you get the following he"atonic scale 5,9,*B,,?,+.

This triad pair can be used over the following chords.

B-(C

Cmaj7

F#-7b5D7

D7susA-7

F#7altB-7

(phryian)Gmaj7sus

- have written a few e"ample patterns combining these triads. )hen wor(ing with triad pairs, be inventive and don’t be afraid to come up with your own patterns. )ith some

imagination and creativity you can get some really beautiful melodies and ideas forimprovisation . $gain, please practice the e"amples in all (eys.

+,amle 1. !eeated starting note triad se*%ence ascending


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+,amle 2. !eeated 2nd note triad se*%ence descending

+,amle . Melodic se*%ence beginning with lea &triads dislaced)

+,amle /. Triad air se*%ence b%ilt on /ths


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The Power of Triads

Concordia 3ni#ersity 2010

By Dr. Brandon Bernsteinwww.brandon-bernstein.com

Documents

Vanier College Triad Pairs