7/28/2019 Intro to Triad Pairs

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Lesson#17:IntrotoTriadPairshttp://allegedartist.wordpress.com

The following is an excerpt from the intro to Gary Campbells book, TriadPairs for Jazz Improvisation:

1. By limiting note selection to six tones (each triad consisting of three), amore concise sonority is created. For example, the conventional chordsused in the Jazz idiom are oftentimes associated with parent chord-scales

of seven or more tones (melodic minor, major, minor, harmonic minor,and so on). Rendering these scales in the form of triad pairs yields more

variety in tone color and suggests novel melodic possibilities.

2. Each of the triads expresses a tonality. By using two triads, bi-tonaleffects are created. This effect is multiplied when the triad pair is used overa root tone that is not present in either triad.

3. The structure and "tensile strength" of triads give the melodic line anindependent internal logic. The "stand alone" sound is oftentimes enoughto make a strong, effective melodic statement regardless of how it is (or

isn't) relating to the harmony over which it is being used.

4. The triads offer a skeleton structure to base lines on. This can be veryhelpful in modal settings where there are no diatonic, cycle-forth rootmovements or resolutions and where each chord change may last a longtime (for instance, four, eight, or sixteen measures)"

7/28/2019 Intro to Triad Pairs

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Now, lets take a look at some possible triads for use over an Ab7 chord:

Ab Lydian b7 derived from:

Eb Melodic Minor scale notes:Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D

ChordNotesRelationshiptoChord

1)Ebmin.Eb,Gb,Bb5,b7,9

2)Fmin.F,Ab,C13,R,3

3)GbAug.Gb,Bb,Db7,9,#11

4)AbMaj.Ab,C,EbR,3,5

5)BbMaj.Bb,D,F9,#11,13

6)Cdim.C,Eb,Gb3,5,b7

7)Ddim.D,F,Ab#11,13,R

Triads: min min aug maj maj dim dimExtended: min/maj7 min7 maj7#5 dom7 dom7 m7b5 m7b

i ii III IV V vi vii

Ebmin Fmin Gbaug Abmaj Bbmaj Cdim Ddim