Upper structure triads

[whiskey02]

Lower Structure Triads
and a few other 3 note structures over a C bass note

Em/C
Edim/C
E/C
EMab5/C
Esus2/C
Gb7(no 5th)/C
Eb+/C
Eb/C
B/C
Ebm/C
Ebdim/C
G7(no 5th)/C
Gm7(no 5th)/C
Absus2/C

Mab5=13b5
sus2=125
7th(no 5th)=13b7
m7th(no 5th)=1b3b7

These are built from the 357 of 7th chords.

While this thread has been resurrected I'll add that when I come across lists like this one, while stimulating and mind opening with information and different ways to look at things, it reminds me that sometimes it's much simpler to "think" of only the few notes you really want to avoid stepping on too strongly. The possibilities overwhelmingly outweigh the limitations.

[RClegg]

If there are so few of those "avoid" notes, why do I hit them so often?

[whiskey02]

If there are so few of those "avoid" notes, why do I hit them so often?

Thanks for the LOL! Seriously though, take one of these lists of triads/pairs & chord subs and spell out all the chords, then look for what notes are missing, and you'll often end up with a very short list of notes that you'll need to be very cautious with or avoid altogether (if you have good taste).

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

If there are so few of those "avoid" notes, why do I hit them so often?

Remember, salvation is only a half step away! Over a dominant, if you land on the fourth or major seventh, just go down a half step. Whew!

[StringNavigator]

In case anyone comes across this old thread, I found an "interestring" page in Johnny Smith's Approach that is at least "musical":

Given a finale chord of CM911[x32432], you can take the US minor triad, Bm, and invert it ascending:
[xxx432] [xxx777] [x x x 11 12 10] [x x x 16 15 14]
to create a chordal melody or sequence of arpeggios. Ref: Johnny Smith Approach p243.

This is similar to when you play the changes Dm7-5 G7-9 Cm6, and you can take the G7-9 US o7 chord, Bo7, and invert it descending:
[10 x 10 10 9 x] [10 x 10 10 9 x] [x x 9 10 9 10]/[x x 6 7 6 7] [8x788x].

If you know your triad inversion grips, you can always pull this from your quiver without too much thought to create movement when you recognise an US Triad within your grip. Once you've memorised the Cycle of Thirds: CEGBDFACEGB... it becomes easy to chord spell and recognise triadic upper structures in the stacks or visually on the FB.

::

[ragman1]

Given a finale chord of CM911[x32432]

(CM9#11).

This isn't difficult, it's just dressed up in fancy, complicated language, probably by Johnny Smith. This is why I hate all that stuff with a vengeance. It doesn't help people, it just confuses them and makes them feel it's beyond their capacities. Which it certainly is not.

All you're doing is moving a 3-note Bm chord up the neck. Same notes, different shapes.

xxx432

xxx777

xxx11.12.10

Am shape, Em shape, Dm shape. If you know your basic shapes it's totally simple.

[pamosmusic]

(CM9#11).

This isn't difficult, it's just dressed up in fancy, complicated language, probably by Johnny Smith. This is why I hate all that stuff with a vengeance. It doesn't help people, it just confuses them and makes them feel it's beyond their capacities. Which it certainly is not.

All you're doing is moving a 3-note Bm chord up the neck. Same notes, different shapes.

xxx432

xxx777

xxx11.12.10

Am shape, Em shape, Dm shape. If you know your basic shapes it's totally simple.

Now that we’re talking about triads, I’m not entirely sure what you’re disagreement here is?

Could you clarify what it is you don’t care for in the terminology?

[rpjazzguitar]

Forgive me if this is repetitive.

There are lots of possibilities for upper structure triads. The problem for some of us, is that you have to learn the sounds one at a time.

An easy approach to some of them:

Warren Nunes Cmaj7 = Em7 = Gmaj7 (which is Bm/G) = Am7.

An Em triad/C is Cmaj7. Em7 makes it Cmaj9

Gmaj7 or Bm/C gives Cmaj9#11

Am7 gives C6.

Then,

Warren said Dm7=Fmaj7=G7=Am7=Bm7b5. Dm9, Dm11, Dm6.

Each one is a particular sound. Try them in ii V I.

Then, for G7 you can try every other major and minor triad in a ii V I. You'll find a few that work well and are commonly used.

And, when you've got all those in your ears, same thing with dim and augmented triads.

Play them in chord progressions. Be able to get the sound in chords, not just melody.