Triads are the smallest structure of chord defined in Music Theory.Let's review Triads from a Jazz Guitar Alchemist's perspective. I hope you spent a little time with About.com's coverage of Music Theory. There are 4 Basic Types of Triads:Major - composed of Root, 3rd, & 5th scale degrees.Using a C Major scale [ C D E F G A B ], these notes would be : C E G.The effect on listeners upon hearing a Major Chord is a feeling or mood of "Being At Rest" or "Being at Peace". An Alchemical way of describing it might say that the energy presented by arrangement of the pitch intervals in a major triad is in a state of Complete Resolution. In Musical Notation, C Major would be written as: C Major or C Maj . Minor - composed of Root, flatted 3rd, & 5th scale degrees.Using a C Major scale [ C D E F G A B ], these notes would be : C Eb G. The Minor Scale associated with this triad would be [ C D Eb F G A Bb ]. The effect on listeners upon hearing this quality of Chord is a feeling or mood of "Being Sad". The energy presented to the listener by the intervals is not resolved and not "At Rest". Alchemy wise, this energy evokes in most listeners sensations associated with sadness. We will see later why this is important when we look at the Blues. In Musical Notation, C Minor would be written as: C Minor or C min or C- . Diminished - composed of Root, flatted 3rd, & flatted 5th scale degrees.Using the C Major scale [ C D E F G A B ], these notes would be : C Eb Gb. Its associated Diminished Scale would be [ C D Eb F Gb A Bb ]. The energy presented to the listener by the intervals is not resolved. It is also not sad, but further within the somewhat negative emotional energy spectrum and can sometimes be described as "Dark and Foreboding". In Musical Notation, C Diminished would be written as: C dim or Co Augmented - composed of Root, raised 3rd, & raised 5th scale degrees.Using a C Major scale [ C D E F G A B ], these notes would be : C E G#.The associated Augmented Scale would be [ C D E F G# A B ]. The energy presented to the listener by the intervals of the Augmented Triad can be described as "Happy" or "Bright". In Musical Notation, C Augmented would be written as: C Aug or C+ . Freddie Green - Jazz Guitar AlchemistThe chords described above are not the only 3-note structures found in Jazz. Freddie Green, the guitarist in Count Basie's Band for many years effectively and routinely employed 3-note structures composed of the Root, 3rd, & 7th. By omitting the 5th degree, he was able to attain the functional quality of a 4-note chord with a 3-note structure.Freddie Green also could employ 2-Note Structures composed of only the 3rd & 7th, strategically. Combining these techniques in his rhythmic style of "4-chords to the bar" he pretty much defined the overall sound of the entire band with a single un-amplified guitar. If Freddie Green was absent from a gig at any time, there was a noticeable "missing" element and a big gap in the sound of the band. That's proof positive of some incredible Power and Alchemy in Freddie's method of using just 3 or 2 notes. Freddie Green, Count Basie, and most of the original band members are now deceased. However, The Count Basie Band and tradition lives on through talented musicians committed to the style and legacy of its namesake. Any guitarist desiring a spot in the Freddie Green chair with the band must commit to learning Freddie Green's style of playing. The "Jazz-Flavored" Sevenths ... Return from Triads to Home Page - Jazz-Guitar-Alchemy.com
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