Challenge #3 - August 5th 07 - UST (Upper Structure Triads!)

[Chris Alpiar]

OK Sounds hip and heavy duty!~ Upper Structure Triads Zomg! Well its not so rough, but it sure sounds cool! Upper structure triads are the triads (3 notes built in any combination of 3rds, or inversions) that are found in the non chord tones of a chord or chord sound or scale or mode. For instance in a C7 chord (without any further instructions like #9 or something) is from the bottom up C - E - G - Bb, and it is assumed that this is the V7 chord from F major unless otherwise noted, and it is assumed that there is a 9 (D), an 11 (F) and a 13 (A), since they are the non listed notes from the F major scale. So in a most basic sense one of the USTs and the most obvious one from C7 is a D minor triad (D - F - A). Any triad created in the modal scale of C mixolydian, or based on F major/ionian mode) using one of the upper notes (9, 11 or 13) is considered an UST. SO... A - C - E is also an UST of C7 and so is an inversion (E - A - C). If you dont get any of this please post here and I will get more details as needed! Dont feel foolish to post please!

The challenge for this time around is to write 8 bars of harmony, at least 6 notes per chord making good use of upper structure triads. CAREFUL to not change the tonality so that D F A *sounds* lilke a d minor chord and not a flavor extending the C7 sound. Otherwise you have re-harmonized instead of used the upper structure triad.

Have fun!

[Chris Alpiar]

ok first take C7 and agree on what modal scale it is made up of. For simplicity and since no information is given about the 9 11 or 13 we assume it is C Mixolydian scale, which is the fifth mode scale from F major. So yes it must sound like C7 first or else it is no longer a C7. Now the upper structure triads for C7 (mixo) are:
DFA (9,11,13)
FAC (11,13,1)
ACE (13,1,3)
GBbD (5,b7,9)
BbDF (b7,9,11)

Those are all the possible USTs for C7 (mixolydian). However the 11 on mixolydian is generally considered an avoid tone (another days lesson) we want to avoid using the USTs with the 11 in them (for mixolydian) and create chord sound that is definately C7 but using those USTs to create a rich and more bodiful texture. Usually we want to slam out the C7 sound by using C in the bass with the 3 and b7 used in lower harmony and then a sectional type of sound on top using the UST. great example would be using trombones for the 3 "chord tones" and trumpets for the UST. Mmmm crunchy!

[Chris Alpiar]

any way you would like to orchestrate is fine, just was an example =) but the way of creating the texture is easy to hear when you have 2 sections of sympathic yet distinct instruments playing them. It IS a big band concept but it applies to everything :)

[Chris Alpiar]

hmm just saw your reply, in the beginning of the "groups" there was no way to subscribe to the threads so it required acutally going to the group and seeking out any new posts - a major reason for their failure. So I just saw this now and no I think you dont have the UST thing down. First of all C Major can only be a dominant sound with the flat 7 included, before then it is a tonic sound (of course used in passing can imply the dominant 7 sound without using the notes but that is another discussion). In Jazz harmony, we will assume a dominant chord has a root someplace low and the 3rd and b7 in middle to low register. big band would be trombones and bass, but this can apply to orchestra equally as well. Then the upper structure triads are any combinations of the non-avoid tension tones (9 11 13) with or without a chord tone (1 3 5 7). In jazz most harmony includes at least 2 of the tension notes almost all the time. In this way Jazz harmony is generally much more complex than "classical". Of course there are exceptions, but those exceptions are probably where the original concepts for jazz harmony come from.

So lets take the chord C7 #11 (which implies major 3, P5, flat7, natural 9, sharp 11, natural 13 as being the chord scale notes associated with this chord) the related scale would be C D E F# G A Bb
This scale can be considered the IV chord of G melodic minor, and works as a wonderful substitution for a typical V - I cadence, instead we superimpose this chord (so the progression is C7#11 - FMaj7 ) which gives a very crunchy sound.

Anyhow the upper structure triads for the C7 chord will be:

D F# A
F# A C
A C E
G Bb D
Bb D F# (crunchy augmented)

So once you have clearly defined the C7 (most likely in lower instruments) by using minimally the root, 3rd and b7, then you can use the preceding triads in higher instruments. These generally sound strongest when accompanied with mid range instruments in wider spaced chords (maybe in 4ths or 6ths, mixing chord tones 1 3 7 with tension tones 9 #11 13)

So in the end you have

Low instruments:

C E Bb

Mid instruments in 4ths (perfect or augmented) or wider:
D G C F#

and higher instruments playing any of the triads above

This is distinctly a modern big band sound (a la Thad Jones, Gil Evans, Mingus, etc) but it can be applied to the full orchestra to make great sounding crunchy and thick chords