Triads from the Fifth

[Nuff Said]

A neat idea is to play Triads from the fifth.

This gives you that great 9th sound, but easily.

Minor 7th = Minor Triad from the fifth.
Dominant 7th = Minor Triad from the fifth.
Major 7th = Major Triad from the fifth.

Dmin7 = A C E = 5th, 7th, 9th
G7 = D F A = 5th, 7th, 9th
Cmaj7 = G B D = 5th, 7th, 9th

I like the reverse triad sound, high to low, example over Dmin9 play E, C, A.

These triads sound good over chords with a 9th or a 7th, I love this sound.

Enjoy
Nuff

[AmundLauritzen]

You can also use 4-note arpeggios to get the 11th's on top.
Take care on Imaj7 because there will be a natural 11th. Here it usually sounds better with the maj7th arp from the fifth rather than dominant, which is the diatonic option.
Likewise, there is a nice non-diatonic option for dominants. Maj7th from the fifth will give a 7#11 sound.
Maj7th from the fifth of a minor chord will give the minor major 7th option.

It's an endless topic with lots of great possibilities.

[JonnyPac]

Those are great visual tips. I use them often. This is why 7th and extended chords qualify as polychords; there are 2 or more overlapping triads within them. A Lydian extended chord contains a lot (ie FMaj13#11 is FAC, ACE, CEG, EGB, four complete triads!). I invert and voice the triads once I "see" them too. Also, this is a great way to hit extensions with Wes-style octave playing- it removes some root-bias playing, etc.

[bako]

5 7 9 for various 9th chords

Cma9-----G
C9---------Gm
CMa9+-----G#dim
C9+---------(G#BbD)----Bb7(no 5th)
CMa9b5-----Bm
C9b5--------Gb+
CmMa9------G
Cm9----------Gm
CdimMa9-----Bm
Cm9b5-------Gb+
Cdim9--------D
CMa9sus-----G
C9sus--------Gm
CMa6/9-------Dsus
Cm6/9--------Dsus
C7b9----------Gdim
C7#9----------Eb
C7+b9---------(G#BbDb)-----Bbm7(no 5th)
C7+#9---------Ebsus
C7b5b9---------Gb
C7b5#9---------Ebm

[JonnyPac]

Well done Bako. How about 11's and 13's?

[bako]

Another day perhaps.

[JonnyPac]

OK, that'd be way cool.

[bako]

1 3 5---3 5 7---5 7 9---7 9 11---9 11 13---11 13 1---13 1 3

Each mode contains the same 7 triads emanating from each scale tone.
Each triad is either part of the lower structure or the extension of every chord.
Some triads as extensions muddy the function of the lower structure.
An approach that I have found useful is to play and listen to all the triads against a drone of each modal root.
Decide for yourself which triads are compatible with the lower structure function and what sounds are in any way useful.

Major

C Em G Bdim Dm F Am

Dm F Am C Em G Bdim

Em G Bdim Dm F Am C

F Am C Em G Bdim Dm

G Bdim Dm F Am C Em

Am C Em G Bdim Dm F

Bdim Dm F Am C Em G

---------------------------------------

Melodic Minor

Cm Eb+ G Bdim Dm F Adim

Dm F Adim Cm Eb+ G Bdim

Eb+ G Bdim Dm F Adim Cm

F Adim Cm Eb+ G Bdim Dm

G Bdim Dm F Adim Cm Eb+

Adim Cm Eb+ G Bdim Dm F

Bdim Dm F Adim Cm Eb+ G

------------------------------------------

Harmonic Minor

Cm Eb+ G Bdim Ddim Fm Ab

Ddim Fm Ab Cm Eb+ G Bdim

Eb+ G Bdim Ddim Fm Ab Cm

Fm Ab Cm Eb+ G Bdim Ddim

G Bdim Ddim Fm Ab Cm Eb+

Ab Cm Eb+ G Bdim Ddim Fm

Bdim Ddim Fm Ab Cm Eb+ G

-------------------------------------------

Harmonic Major

C Em G Bdim Ddim Fm Ab+

Ddim Fm Ab+ C Em G Bdim

Em G Bdim Ddim Fm Ab+ C

Fm Ab+ C Em G Bdim Ddim

G Bdim Ddim Fm Ab+ C Em

Ab+ C Em G Bdim Ddim Fm

Bdim Ddim Fm Ab Cm Eb+ G

Check out Brett Wilmott book on Theory and Voicing for great info about the superimposition of one structure to yield another.
A bit overwhelming but well organized.

[JakeAcci]

+2 on Willmott's books, very practical.

One of my favorites lately has been II over a minor triad - so D major triad for a C minor sound, or alternating with a C minor sound. My first exposure to it was at the very end of a Brad Mehldau performance, unfortunately I don't remember which tune. Works for Cminmaj7 and Cm7, IV chords from harmonic major and harmonic minor, respectively.

Has anybody mentioned that if you take a bass note then add the triad from the fifth it's a third-less 9th chord?

This might sound a little trite, but since the standard jazz forms contain a 3 and a 7 together, I think there's a lot of great alternative voicings and approaches that come from intentionally omitting either the third or the seventh. In this case, we have a system for 9th chords without the 3 - I always like this with unaltered dominants particularly.

3rds are often such obvious and strong tones that the ambiguity that results from intentionally omitting them can be very pleasing, to me at least

[randalljazz]

at the risk of offending by being repetitive...garrison fewell's two-volume work gives practical, progressive, immediately applicable lines and approaches for these concepts....

[AmundLauritzen]

bako, I really appreciate you taking the time to write these down. That's a wealth of knowledge right there and enough for hours upon hours of woodshedding.
I've copied it on a notepad for reference. Lot's of these I haven't tried out yet.

[JonnyPac]

Nice work, Bako.