7/30/2019 collaborating chords

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Collaborating ChordsTe basic idea o “collaborating chords” is to partner two triads (or more) together in order to easily create linesor patterns or use during improvisation. Since each triad has its own tonality, pairing two distinct tonic centerstogether can create a modern, innovative sound. It’s almost like going outside the harmony--only you’re not! Tisis especially eective when the root o each triad is dierent rom the root o the main chord o the moment.

Which triads work together? Tere are literally dozens o possibilities. Look or chords embedded within scales.Te C hal-whole diminished scales contains our major triads (C, Eb, F#, A), our minor triads, and eight di-minished triads! Since you can use the C hal-whole diminish scale to improvise over a C7b9 chord, then any o those embedded triads can be paired together as collaborated chords. I fnd it most eective when the two triadsdo not share any common tones.

Use the ew simple patterns below as a springboard or creating your own resh and inventive lines.

3 33 3

3 33 3

C7

C triad etc.

 D triad 

C triad 

C7

 D triad C triad D triad 

C7 9

 E triad A triad 

F

 E triad A triad 

3

C7

C triad 

3

F triad  

3

etc.

3

3 33 3

C7 9

C triad F /G triad E triad A triad  

F

7/30/2019 collaborating chords

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C7

11 D triad A triad 

9 13

Fmaj7

C7

3

 D triad A triad 

3

 AscendingDescending

C7

Chord 

tone  D triad  tone

Chord 

3

 A triad 

F7 F dim C7 Gm7 C7

Upper structure triads (US) are another source or fnding collaborating chords. Te II, bIII, bV, bVI, and VIare all possible US’s, so or example, on a C7 chord we could partner D major (II) and Ab (bVI):

Te notes rom these two triads above (D F# A and Ab C Eb) can be played as a “scale.” Te possiblecombinations are limitless. Use these ideas to spark your own creativity.

Te same two collaborating triads are used below, but this time I’ve added chord tones rom the chord o themoment (in this case C7) on beats one and three. Tis helps solidiy the line and gives the ear a better sense o the tonal center. Te ollowing example is the frst our bars o a jazz blues progression:

Using the bV and the bVI together creates a nice altered sound. Te notes or a C7 chord would be bV/Gb: Gb-Bb-Db and bVI/Ab: Ab-C-Eb. When you rearrange these notes into to a scale pattern you get: Gb-Ab-Bb-C-Db-Eb. Tis is very close to the F#/Gb Lydian mode, the tritone substitution or a C7! so you can see why it wouldyield an altered sound. ry playing this scale and all o its mode over a C7alt. Here are two examples:

C7alt

3

3C7alt