Most logical harmonized triad studies?

[edt844]

Who do you think has the most logical exercises or studies for close harmonization of each key? (Cmaj, Dmin, Emin, etc.) I'm thinking there are many paths, depending on the voice leading or chord progressions. I'm looking for a starting point, not every permutation of harmonized triads.

Ed T.

[Intenzity]

Well, it depends on what you mean by logical, but there are lots of folks that have broken down the different ways to play triads/sevenths/scales systematically.

Check out:

http://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Jazz-.../dp/0898987032

Forward Motion by Hal Galper

Galper especially breaks it down and says there are basically 4 ways to practice anything: Ascending the scale with the notes Ascending, Descending the Scale with the notes ascending, Ascending the scale with the notes Descending, and Descending the scale with the notes Descending. That right there is hours of practice.

And...

The Book of Triads: 80 Exercises on Diatonic Triads: Volume 1, C Major, Bass Clef, Tablature by Basso Ridiculoso in Arts & Photography

That has 80 different ways to play all the triads in C major and goes through Ascending, Decending, Retrograde, First Inversion, Second Inversion and Root Postion, and a few others as well.

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by edt844

Who do you think has the most logical exercises or studies for close harmonization of each key? (Cmaj, Dmin, Emin, etc.) I'm thinking there are many paths, depending on the voice leading or chord progressions. I'm looking for a starting point, not every permutation of harmonized triads.

Ed T.

Starting point - to harmonize a scale (key) you write the notes of the scale and then stack 3rds to form the chords in that scale. For example:

Purpose of this paper is to call attention to the skip-a-note method of harmonizing a scale. Take the scale then by skipping a note you build the chords for that scale. Skip a note is an easy way to identify the notes within the chords of that scale. From that you can then using the chord’s spelling to name the chord, i.e. 3 = major, b3 = minor, 7 = maj7, b7 = dominant seventh or minor seventh, m7b5 = ½ diminished, b5 bb7 = Diminished, etc. From there you can identify that specific chord’s function within the key, i.e. I-IV-V, etc. This chart can be used as a study of how chords are formed.

A Major 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Note	Chord		Spelling	Chord Name		Function
A	A-C#-E-G#	R-3-5-7		Amaj7			I      Tonic			
B	B-D-F#-A	R-b3-5-b7	Bm7			ii
C#	C#-E-G#-B	R-b3-5-b7	C#m7			iii
D	D-F#-A-C#	R-3-5-7		Dmaj7			IV     Subdominant
E	E-G#-B-D	R-3-5-b7	E7			V      Dominant
F#	F#-A-C#-E	R-b3-5-b7	F#m7			iv
G#	G#-B-D-F#	R-b3-b5-b7	G#m7b5			vii ½ dim

So if you want to know what chords are any scale, write out the scale and then stack 3rds, i.e. every other note, and you get the chords with their chord spelling. Chord spelling is important to the bassist as it help us with our bass lines aka chord tones.

Good luck.

[edt844]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

Starting point - to harmonize a scale (key) you write the notes of the scale and then stack 3rds to form the chords in that scale. For example:

Purpose of this paper is to call attention to the skip-a-note method of harmonizing a scale. Take the scale then by skipping a note you build the chords for that scale. Skip a note is an easy way to identify the notes within the chords of that scale. From that you can then using the chord’s spelling to name the chord, i.e. 3 = major, b3 = minor, 7 = maj7, b7 = dominant seventh or minor seventh, m7b5 = ½ diminished, b5 bb7 = Diminished, etc. From there you can identify that specific chord’s function within the key, i.e. I-IV-V, etc. This chart can be used as a study of how chords are formed.

A Major 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Note	Chord		Spelling	Chord Name		Function
A	A-C#-E-G#	R-3-5-7		Amaj7			I      Tonic			
B	B-D-F#-A	R-b3-5-b7	Bm7			ii
C#	C#-E-G#-B	R-b3-5-b7	C#m7			iii
D	D-F#-A-C#	R-3-5-7		Dmaj7			IV     Subdominant
E	E-G#-B-D	R-3-5-b7	E7			V      Dominant
F#	F#-A-C#-E	R-b3-5-b7	F#m7			iv
G#	G#-B-D-F#	R-b3-b5-b7	G#m7b5			vii ½ dim

So if you want to know what chords are any scale, write out the scale and then stack 3rds, i.e. every other note, and you get the chords with their chord spelling. Chord spelling is important to the bassist as it help us with our bass lines aka chord tones.

Good luck.

I have to apologize for not being more clear in my original question. What I mean is the relationship of the physical forms of the triads. We know the close proximity of the I IV V triads with roots on string 4 & 3 in rock, blues, etc, or doing I IV V along one string. How we can move up in pitch from I through V, and how we can move down in pitch.

I'm thinking about the more complex progressions with ii V I, iii vi ii V I. Studies or exercises that allow us to stay in a close area of the fingerboard, spread out, etc.

I do have a copy of the bassoridiculoso book of major triads which on closer examination seems to be very comprehensive. (If only I could remember what I buy online at 3:00 AM in the morning.)

Ed T.

[MalcolmAmos]

I'm thinking about the more complex progressions with ii V I, iii vi ii V I. Studies or exercises that allow us to stay in a close area of the fingerboard, spread out, etc.

Chord tones are chord tones and how you find them within the major scale box pattern is pretty simple.

G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

Want a ii chord move the pattern over the 2 interval and play R-b3-5-X - X being part of your walk to the next chord, or another 8 (root) to round out the 4/4 beat.

Next Chord is a V - do the same thing. Same pattern just start the pattern on the 5. Etc. That keeps you all in the same vicinity.

Is that what you have in mind.

[GeoffT]

A great excercise that I've used is start with a chord progression, preferably one that is from a song you like or even a random one from the Real Book (use progressions that you are most likely to actually use). Start fairly simple, 2 chords then bump it up to 3 or 4 when you get the hang of it. The way it was shown to me was using 7th chords but triads should work too.

Set the metronome to a slow pace, 60 is a good place to start as this tends to be rather difficut at first since you are not just reading notes off a page or simply running patterns over and over. Starting on the root of the first chord, play quarter notes up the chord. Then when the chord changes in measure 2, stay in the same position and play the first note of the next chord that is above the note you played on beat 4, it could be the R, 3, 5, or 7.
Example, Cmaj7 to Fmaj7, middle finger on 7th fret: play C-E-G-B, then for measure 2 keep ascending and play the next note that is part of the Fmaj7 chord, here it would be the 5th or C and keep going up until you run out of space in that position, then change directions. So, for the Cmaj7 C-E-G-B, change to Fmaj7, C-E-F-(reverse back to)-E (5-7-R-7). Then continue back down with the next lower note in the Cmaj7, etc. Don't always reverse when you get down to the root, practice seeing and using the notes below the root if they are available in that position.

The possibilities are endless, when you get to the top or bottom, you can shift positions up or down then run through the chords in the new position. Once you get familiar with the pattern or shape or if it works out to be the same up and down, change directions one or two notes earlier so you work through the different permutations. Move to a different position where the root of the first chord is on a different string. I have done it with just a metronome and also with a backing track, both ways have their advantages.

It is a great way to apply arpeggio and inversion practice to progressions that you will actually play. For me, it really opened up playing over changes compared to just running patterns or using shapes over changes. It also helps to get out the habit of always playing and hearing the root on 1 and only using certain fingerings for an arpeggio or inversion. If you have to do some figuring out at first without the metronome that is OK. The idea is to be able to see and more importantly, begin to hear the chord changes in real time without having to shift to your most familiar position or play the root for the next chord.

It may not fit your initial request for "most logical" and it is definitely not easy, especially if you don't have a decent handle on inversions and using different fingers for the root but it will do wonders for how you see the fretboard as the chords change.