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Master Class
Woodshed | By matt shevitz
Using
Augmented/
Major Triad
Pairs In
Improvisation
There are two types of “licks”
used in jazz: melodic and harmonic.
A specific phrase that is
learned and then applied to a solo is
a melodic lick. On the other hand, an
approach that uses a particular progression
or scale is a harmonic lick.
A harmonic approach provides
an improviser with musical vocabulary
in a more customizable way
than a melodic approach. The progression
or scale dictates which
notes to use, but not how to use them.
That’s up to you.
In traditional jazz education,
triad pairs (which are harmonic
licks) are a more advanced concept.
Triad pairs are exactly what the name
implies: two triads that are paired together. We
will focus on triads that are a whole step apart,
although other intervals can be used. Ours
will consist of an augmented triad and a major
triad a whole step above it. We’ll focus on a C
augmented/D major triad pair.
What makes augmented triads so interesting
is the fact that there are really only four
kinds. For instance, if we spell the C augmented
triad in root position, the notes are C–E–
G#. Now think of the triad in first inversion
(with E on the bottom). The order of the notes
will be E–G#–C. The enharmonic equivalent
to C is B#, and if we use that name for that
pitch we have an E augmented triad in root
position. The same goes for spelling the C augmented
triad in second inversion (G#–C–E). If
you change the G# to an Ab, you have an Ab
augmented triad in root position.
Let’s revisit the C augmented/D major
triad pair we were discussing. Since an E augmented
triad would be paired with an F# major
triad and an Ab augmented triad with a Bb
major triad, we now have three triad pairs for
the C augmented triad. This greatly expands
the chords and progressions that are possible
and makes it easier to move from one triad pair
to another. If you are using a C augmented/D
major triad pair and want to switch to an E
augmented/F# major triad pair, all you have to
do is change the major triad you are playing;
the augmented triad can remain the same.
In terms of chord possibilities, it is up to
you to decide which chords you want to implement
this approach over. If you stay with conventional
alterations, then you have a fair
amount of choices. However, if you want to
break some of the traditional rules of jazz education,
your options expand greatly.
You may choose to use the pairing only
over chords where both triads work well, or
just one. For example, a C augmented/D major
triad pair will work over a D7. The C triad
highlights the b7, 9 and #11, and the D triad
outlines the basic triad for the chord.
The D major triad will not work well
(according to traditional jazz education rules)
over an Emaj7, while the C augmented triad
definitely will (it will provide a #5—again,
think enharmonically—which is acceptable).
If you are open to it, however, you can still use
the pair, as the notes in the D major triad will
most likely not be sustained long enough for
the clash to really be heard. As long as you
resolve it (say, from D up to D# or A down to
G#), it will sound fine.
If you open yourself to making alterations
freely, you can use the three pairs over 21 different
chords and six basic chord progression
types. Figure 1 shows the three different triad
pairs and the chords they can be used over.
When you consider that you can change from
one pair to another, you can find many different
progressions that the pairs will work over.
For example, the second triad pair will
work over an Ebm7, while any of the pairs will
102 DOWNBEAT DECEMBER 2011