Triad Pairs: Stop Comping Like a Child

Summary

This video delves into the concept of Triad pairs in music, exploring how modes such as Ionian, Melodic Minor, Dorian, and others create harmonic tension and release. The speaker discusses how triads can be paired, with examples from iconic music like Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, and Gershwin, and how these triads function within different scales. Tension is created through suspensions and resolved through substitutions, with a focus on techniques for improvisation. It emphasizes understanding modes and their application to create dynamic, expressive music.

Takeaways

• 😀 Triad pairs are a key concept in music theory, where chords are stacked from a scale's notes, creating tension and release dynamics.
• 🎶 Substitutions and suspensions are the two main categories of chord functions, with substitutions providing relaxation and suspensions creating tension.
• 🎸 Each mode provides three substitutions and four suspensions, or vice versa, depending on the nature of the sixth degree in the mode.
• 🎤 The Michael Jackson sound is often derived from the two minor chord (suspension) and one major chord (substitution) pair in the Ionian mode.
• 🎷 Suspensions create harmonic tension by delaying the resolution of a chord, either by a note above (suspension from above) or below (suspension from below) the chord tone.
• 🎹 In Ionian mode, the second (D minor), fourth (F major), and seventh (B diminished) chords create suspensions, while the first (C major), third (E minor), fifth (G major), and sixth (A minor) are substitutions.
• 🎺 Triad pairs involve pairing a suspension with a substitution, which allows for harmonic tension and release in improvisation and composition.
• 🎸 Modes such as G Melodic Minor (or G7) create specific harmonic structures that can be explored through tension-release relationships, with chords like B diminished and D minor adding color.
• 🎶 The Dorian mode features adjacent triads like D minor and E minor, creating a hexatonic scale with no repeated notes, which provides more distinct harmonic motion.
• 🎵 The G melodic minor scale produces chords like G minor (substitution), A minor (suspension), and F sharp diminished (suspension), offering a unique harmonic palette for jazz and other genres.
• 🎧 Learning to recognize triads based on their relationship to the root note in a scale (substitution, suspension) allows musicians to more intuitively improvise and compose.

Q & A

What is the main concept discussed in the video?

The video explores the idea of Triad pairs in music theory, focusing on their role in creating harmonic tension and release. It also explains how to use modes and triads to build these relationships, highlighting both substitutions and suspensions.

What are Triad pairs in music theory?

Triad pairs involve combining two triads (three-note chords) that create harmonic tension and release. These pairs can be based on the modes of a scale and are used to enhance the emotional and harmonic impact of a musical piece.

How are substitutions and suspensions defined in the context of Triad pairs?

Substitutions refer to chord sounds that replace other chords without creating much tension, whereas suspensions introduce tension by delaying the resolution of the harmony. Substitutions are generally more relaxed, while suspensions create a sense of unfinished movement.

What is the role of the Ionian mode in Triad pairs?

In the Ionian mode (also known as the major scale), triads are built on each degree of the scale, creating both substitutions (relaxed sounds) and suspensions (tension-filled sounds). The Ionian mode offers a variety of harmonic possibilities using these triad pairs.

What is the significance of the sixth degree in major scales?

The sixth degree in major scales can either be an available tension or a void note. If it's an available tension, the chord built on it will be a substitution; if it's a void note, the chord will function as a suspension. This distinction impacts the harmonic choices within the scale.

How are Triad pairs applied in the context of the blues?

In the blues, the chords built on the second, third, and flat seventh degrees of a scale can form Triad pairs. These pairs combine suspended chords (creating tension) with substitutions (creating release) to produce the characteristic harmonic movement in blues progressions.

What is the unique characteristic of Dorian mode Triad pairs?

In the Dorian mode, the characteristic Triad pairs often involve the root and second-degree minor chords, as well as the flat third-degree suspension. These pairs can create the 'tension-release' pattern that is common in jazz and modal music.

Why is the Dorian mode often associated with Miles Davis' music?

Miles Davis frequently used the Dorian mode in his compositions, particularly for its flexible harmonic structure and its ability to create tension and release using Triad pairs. This mode allows for a blend of minor and major chords, enhancing its emotional depth.

How does the G melodic minor scale relate to the Triad pairs discussed in the video?

In the G melodic minor scale, the first chord (G minor) is a substitution, the second (A minor) is a suspension, and the third (B flat augmented) is another substitution. This scale offers a rich harmonic landscape that includes diminished triads and other forms of tension and release, particularly through Triad pairs.

What is the role of inversions in Triad pairs?

Inversions of Triads are used to create different harmonic colors and to enhance the movement between Triad pairs. Changing the position of the notes in a chord can lead to new voicings, offering a more dynamic harmonic experience while maintaining the tension-release framework.