The Complete Guide to Triad Pairs

The Complete Guide to Triad Pairs | MATT WARNOCK GUITAR

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The Complete Guide to Triad Pairs There are a number of ways to expand your vocabulary beyond scales on the guitar, and one of the most powerful is triad pairs. Triad pairs outline chord changes and use simple fingerings, while never sounding like running scales in your solos. In effect, you us 6 of the 7 notes of any diatonic scale, without playing that scale in note order. Because triads are a common musical sound, triad pairs are followed by listeners as you weave them into your lines. Triads are also singable, connecting you to the chord progression and with your audience members. In this lesson you dig deep into triad pairs on guitar. You learn important fingerings, practice patterns, licks and comping ideas, as well as etudes over jazz standards. Triad seem like small, simple, ideas. But, with the right approach and creativity, these three-note shapes create the ability to solo over any chord or progression. And you sound musical, connect with your audience, and avoid runn ing scales at the same time. A jazz guitar trifecta.

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Triad Pair Lesson Contents (Click to Jump Down) What Are Triad Pairs Triad Pair Fingerings How to Practice Triad Pairs m7 Triad Pairs 7th Triad Pairs 7#11 Triad Pairs Maj7 Triad Pairs Maj7#11 Triad Pairs Major ii V I Triad Pairs Tune Up Triad Pairs m7b5 Triad Pairs


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Triad Pair Lesson Contents (Click to Jump Down) What Are Triad Pairs Triad Pair Fingerings How to Practice Triad Pairs m7 Triad Pairs 7th Triad Pairs 7#11 Triad Pairs Maj7 Triad Pairs Maj7#11 Triad Pairs Major ii V I Triad Pairs Tune Up Triad Pairs m7b5 Triad Pairs


7alt Triad Pairs mMaj7 Triad Pairs Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Sugar Triad Pair Solos

What Are Triad Pairs Before you dig into the material, look at exactly what triad pairs are and how you can use them to expand your jazz guitar soloing chops. chops . Here’s a triad pair definition that you can use in your studies.

Triad pairs are diatonic major triads a tone apart that outline chord changes in your solos.

Though you can use other triads, minor, diminished, or augmented, you can outline any chord change with only major triad pairs. Because of this, major triad pairs are very popular with jazz guitarists, as this allows you to solo over any chord with one triad type. When using triad pairs to solo over chord changes, you use 6 notes from the underlying scale in your solos. Though you use most of the notes from the diatonic scale, breaking that scale up into two major triads hides the sound of the scale in your lines. Triad pairs allow you to sound the scale over any chord without running up and down that scale in your improvised lines. As well, because you use two identical shapes a tone apa rt, triad pairs are great for developing melodies in your playing. You can play one idea over the first triad, and then repeat that idea over the same triad shape a tone higher. This allows you to outline the changes, break up the scale shape, and make it easy to develop melodies in your solos. As you can see, triad pairs are powerful tools for any jazz guitarist to have under their fingers.


If you’re new to triad pairs, move on to the next section to learn common triad pair fingerings on the fretboard. If you’ve got some triad pair fingerings down already, skip ahead and work on the practice patterns or chord studies below.

Triad Pair Fingerings Before you learn how to apply triad pairs, look at two triad pair fingerings that you can use in your guitar practice routine. Now, eventually these two fingerings become mixed together, and you add your own fingerings to the mix. But, these fingerings are a jumping off point when learning triad pairs on the guitar. As well, because you use major triads to outline each chord, you only ha ve to learn major triads on guitar. This narrows down the amount of work you have to do, as opposed to other triad techniques that use major, minor, diminished, and augmented fingerings. When studying triad pairs, it’s helpful to divide your fingerings into two categories:

Vertical Triad Pairs Horizontal Triad Pairs

By working both fingerings, you enable yourself to solo in one position (vertical) and across the whole fretboard (horizontal) when using triad pairs. Here are both horizontal and vertical triad pair fingerings for Cmaj7#11 (C+D) to learn and use as examples in your studies. After you learn any of the triad pair fingerings below in C, use these exercises to take them further.

Memorize the fingerings in C. Practice the fingerings in other keys. Put on a Cmaj7 backing track and solo. Move the backing track to other keys. Apply the four practice variations to these triad pairs.


Combine vertical and horizontal fingerings in your practicing.

As you can see, these exercises deeply engrain triad pair fingering into your hands, head, and ears. Now that you know how to practice triad pairs, learn to play them on the fretboard, starting with vertical triad pairs.

Vertical Triad Pairs To begin, here are two different vertical triad pair fingerings to learn and use in your jazz guitar solos. The first fingering is built from a 6th-string root, with both C and D triads played within a four-fret span. After learning the fingerings below, put on the Cmaj7 ba cking track and solo as you explore triad pairs in your solos. From there, take the fingerings and soloing practice to other keys.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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You can also learn major triad pairs from the 5th-string. Here’s a fingering that you can use as a starting point, or you can stick with this fingering as all the info you need is contained within these four frets. Again, after learning the triads below, put on the backing track and so lo over Cmaj7 to hear these shapes in action. Then, when you’re ready, take them to other keys.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Once you have both positions down, 6th and 5th-string, solo over Cmaj7 and move between both positions. This allows you to cover fretboard from the 2nd to 10th frets with only two shapes. From there, you can fill any gaps by adding horizontal triad pairs to your tool belt.

Horizontal Triad Pairs The first horizontal triad pair is built on the 654-string set. When working on horizontal triad pairs, you start on the root position for the first chord, and then move around the neck until you return to that first shape. When you get too high on the fretboard, jump down and start from lower octave. You see this in the first example, where you start on the C root-position triad and jump down when you reach the second inversion. Each triad is written as a chord, all three notes plucked or strummed at once. But, practice these triads as both harmonic (chords for comping and chord soloing) and melodic (single notes for soloing) shapes in your studies. For now, experiment with single-note approaches to these triad fingerings. Then, once you get to the next section, you look at four specific variations to practice melodic triad pairs in your soloing.


Here are the C and D triad pairs on the low three strings. Though the backing track is a static chord, you can practice these shapes in a comping situation over the backing track.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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The next horizontal triad pairs are played on the 543-string set. They begin with the C root-position shape on the 3rd fret, and run up to the second inversion from that starting point. Because this key doesn’t go to high, you won’t jump down the octave to play all inversions on this string set. But, keep in mind that as you work these shapes in other keys you need to jump around to avoid going to high on the fretboard. As always, learn the shapes, then solo over the backing track and comp over Cm aj7 with these shapes. From there, take them to other keys on the fretboard.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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The next triad pairs are on the 432 string set, starting with C on the 10th fret. Because of the range and tonal quality of the 432-string set, these shapes are used often in jazz guitar solos and comping. So, make sure to spend time on these shapes, as, along with the 321 shapes, they come up time and again in the examples below. Start by learning these shapes as is, then solo and comp over the backing track, before moving them to other keys in your practice routine.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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The final horizontal triad pair is played on the top-three strings of the guitar. As was the case with the 432-strings, these shapes are very popular in soloing and comping because of their range and tone. So, take time to make sure these shapes are comfortable before moving on to the examples below. Be sure to practice soloing and comping over the Cmaj7 backing track before taking these shapes to other keys on the guitar.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Once you’ve worked on these triad pair shapes on the guitar, you can take them further in your practice routine. In the next section, you learn four practice variations that you’ll apply to both vertical and horizontal triad pairs.

How to Practice Triad Pairs After you work out one or more of the vertical and horizontal triad pair fingerings, take them further with the following variations. When working on single-note triad pairs, there are four variations to use to expand upon these shapes from both a technical and improvisational standpoint. These variations are:

Ascending Descending Alternating 1 up 1 down Alternating 1 down 1 up

In the examples below, apply these four variations to both vertical and horizontal triad pair fingerings over a Cmaj7 chord (C+D). The examples are presented over one vertical and one horizontal fingering, so apply them to any fingering for triad pairs on the fretboard. As well, take these practice patterns to other keys after you work them out over C in your studies.


Vertical Ascending Triad Pairs Here ascending triad pair shapes from the 6th-string C triad and working up and down that position from that starting point. Note that you play one C triad followed by one D triad, working all inversions in a vertical position from that starting point. After you work out this fingering, put on the backing track and solo using ascend ing vertical triad pairs in your lines. Then, when ready, take them to other keys as you expand this practice pattern in your routine. From there, move to the 5th-string vertical fingering and repeat these exercises in that position.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Horizontal Ascending Triad Pairs


Now you explore the ascending practice pattern over a horizontal triad pair fingering. In this example, you work on the 543-string set; so apply this pattern to other fingerings and keys in your studies. As always, learn the pattern with a metronome and solo w ith it over the backing track.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Vertical Descending Triad Pairs You now reverse that pattern and work on descending triad pairs through the 6th-string vertical fingering. While you just reverse the previous pattern, playing descending triads is tough, as you seeing each shape from the top down, not the root up. Because of this, spend time with your metronome to get this pattern comfortable in your practice routine. If you find that you struggle to remember the shapes, take a step back to reinforce the pattern. Work the pattern slowly with a metronome until it’s comfortable, then go to the jam track and see if it’s easier to solo after that.


Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Horizontal Descending Triad Pairs You also apply the descending triad pair pattern to horizontal shapes. In this example, you apply the descending pattern to the 543-string set over Cmaj7. Again, work this pattern with a metronome slowly at first. Then, when comfortable, take this pattern to your soloing studies and to other keys.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Vertical Alternating 1 Triad Pairs You now combine the first two patterns to form an alternating pattern that plays up the first triad inversion and down the next. This pattern is very effective for learning fingerings and provides inspiration in your triadpair based lines. Again, this is a tricky pattern as you work the descending pattern over every second triad shape. Go slow, use a metronome, and take your time with this pattern as you become comfortable with it from a technical and soloing perspective.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Horizontal Alternating 1 Triad Pairs Here’s an example of the alternating triad pair pattern applied to a horizontal fingering pattern, in this case the 543 strings. Though horizontal triad pairs are easier to use, it will still take some time to become secure in your playing. Again, work them slowly with a metronome over one string set, then solo over the backing track on that string set. From there, move on to other string sets and other keys in your study of this alternating triad pair pattern.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Vertical Alternating 2 Triad Pairs The final practice pattern is a reversal of the previous pattern. You now play down the first triad and up the second on the fretboard. In this first example, you use this alternating pattern over a vertical triad-pair fingering. After you work it from the 6th-string, take this pattern to the 5th-string and to ot her keys as you work it with a metronome and backing tracks in your studies.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Horizontal Alternating 2 Triad Pairs You finish your triad pair practice pattern studies by applying the second alternating pattern to horizontal triad shapes. Go slow, work the pattern over one string set, then take it to other string sets and keys as you expand this pattern on the fretboard.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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m7 Triad Pairs Now that you know how to practice triad pairs, you can apply them to various jazz guitar chords in your soloing and comping. To begin, learn to apply a major triad pair to any m7 chord.

To outline a m7 chord, you play a major triad pair from the b3 and 4 of that chord.

This means that if you play over Dm7, you play F and G triads. When doing so, you create the following interval patterns:

F = b3 5 b7 G = 11 13 R

As you can see, these two major triads hit every interval from the Dorian scale, minus the 9th. Now that you know how to use triad pairs over m7 chords, apply these triads to your playing.


Begin by putting on the Dm7 backing track below and solo or comp over that chord with F and G triads. This introduces you to the sound of the major triad pair over m7 chords. From there, learn the examples to hear how these triads sound when applied to m7 comping and soloing phrases.

m7 Triad Pairs Comping In this comping example, you use F and G triads to outline a Dm7 chord. There’s a lot of syncopation in this line, chords on the upbeats, which creates rhythmic interest. After you learn how to play this example, comp over a Dm7 chord, a nd other m7 chords, using triad pairs from the b3 and 4 of any m7 chord.

Dm7 Backing Track

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m7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 1 In this first single-note Dm7 triad pair lick, you play within the 6th-string root fingerings from the first section of this lesson. The lick uses only diatonic notes from the F and G triads over the Dm7 chord, ascending up the neck as it moves through each triad.


There’s also a mixture of 8th, quarter, and 8th-note triplets in the line. It’s easy to become stuck playing triplets with triads in your solos, because triads have 3 notes and a triplet has 3 notes. By using other rhythms, quarter, 8th, 16th notes, etc., you prevent your triad pair lines from becoming predictable.

Dm7 Backing Track

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m7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 2 In this lick, from the 5th-string triad pair position, you add enclosures to create interest over a Dm7 chord. When playing triad pairs, you can add enclosures to any note in both triads to bring chromaticism to your lines. You can see and hear enclosures used in bar one, Gb-E-F, bar two, Ab-F#-G, and bar four, Gb-E-F. After learning this lick, solo over m7 chords and add enclosures to your b3 and 4 major triads to apply this concept to your own playing.

Dm7 Backing Track

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m7 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 1 Moving on to horizontal fingerings, here’s a Dm7 triad pair lick that uses a repeated rhythmic pattern over a four-bar phrase. By using a repeated rhythm, you lead the listener through your solo in a unified fashion. As well, the rhythmic pattern keeps the triad pairs organized in the line by weaving a familiar thread in each bar. After learning this lick, put on the Dm7 backing track and solo with a rhythmic pattern as you use triad pairs to outline that chord in your solos.

Dm7 Backing Track

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m7 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 2 In this final m7 triad pair lick, you use a common chromatic addition to your triad pair


shapes over the chord. Here, you add a chromatic passing chord between the two triads. This means that if you have F and G triads, as in the example, you add in an F# triad to connect those two chromatically. When doing so, don’t overdo it, as if you play the chromatic chords too much they lose their effect and become predictable. As well, you can use the chromatic triad any time in your solo, moving up or down between the triad pair, just make sure not to rest on those chromatic notes. As long as you resolve the chromatic passing chord, you can bring this concept to your triad pair solos at any time.

Dm7 Backing Track

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7th Triad Pairs You now apply major triad pairs to dominant 7th chords in your comping and soloing. As was the case with m7 chords, you use diatonic major triads to hit six of the seven notes over 7th chords.

You can use major triads from the b7 and root to outline any dominant 7th chord in your comping or soloing.

When doing so, you bring a Mixolydian sound to your comping and soloing over any dominant 7th chord.


In the case of G7, the triad pair would be F and G. Here are the intervals highlighted when playing F and G triads over a G7 chord.

F = b7 9 11 G=R35

As you can see, the b7 and root triad pairs outline every interval from the Mixolydian scale minus the 13th. Because of this, these triads distinguish the Mixolydian sound in your lines from the Lydian dominant sounds you explore in the next section. To begin, put on a G7 backing track below and solo or comp over that chord with F and G triads. Once you do that, and have the sound of that triad pair in your ears, learn the examples below.

7 Triad Pairs Comping Here you can see and hear F and G triads being used to comp over a G7 chord. Notice that the F triad, which contains the 11th, builds diatonic tension, before resolving to the G triad. The 11th creates a suspended sound over any dominant 7th chord, so you should use it with caution. It’s perfectly fine to rest on F triad if you want to create a 7sus sound in your comping. Just be aware that’s what you’re doing, as the F sounds unresolved compared to the G triad in this instance.

G7 Backing Track

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7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 1 In this 6th-string root lick, you use only the diatonic triad pair, no chromatic notes, to outline the G7 chord. Notice that the triads are broken up into two-note groups, as well as being played as entire triads. Just because you use triad pairs in your solos doesn’t mean that you have to play the entire triad. A lot of times, the most effective way to bring triad pairs into your solos is to use the triad shapes as the foundation to your licks, but not run them in full in your lines. Then, mix some three-note groups with two-note groups to create interest and prevent your triad pair lines from becoming predictable.

G7 Backing Track

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7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 2 In this 5th-string root lick, you add enclosures to each triad as you snake your way through F and G over the underlying G7 chord. Again, triad pairs work well with enclosures, so experiment bringing together these two improvisational concepts in your solos.

G7 Backing Track

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7 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 1 Moving on to a horizontal G7 triad pair lick, you use both enclosures and chromatic passing chords to build tension and release in this line. As triad pairs, at least in this sense, and diatonic in nature, using chromatic elements in your playing is sometimes needed to build intensity in your solos. As always, the key to adding chromaticism to triad pairs is to resolve that tension so that it doesn’t get left hanging in your playing.

G7 Backing Track

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7 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 2 The final G7 triad pair line moves down the fretboard and down the strings as you combine vertical and horizontal shapes in your playing. After you work on both vertical and horizontal triad pairs in your studies, you find that these shapes become intertwined in your solos. This is perfectly fine, and even encouraged, as it allows you to move around the fretboard, but also be able to play in position when needed.

G7 Backing Track

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7#11 Triad Pairs When playing over 7th chords, the other side of the coin that many players explore, beyond Mixolydian, is the Lydian dominant sound. As was the case with Mixolydian, you can use triad pairs to outline the 7#11 sound in your comping and soloing. When doing so, you draw diatonic triads from the fourth mode of melodic minor to create the 7#11 sound.

To outline a 7#11 sound, apply major triads from the root and 2nd of any 7th chord.

An example of this is playing G and A triads over G7 to create a G7#11 sou nd. When you play the root and 2nd major triads, you highlight the following intervals.

G = Root 3 5 A = 9 #11 13

When using the root and 2nd major triads over any 7th chord, you outline every note from the Lydian dominant scale minus the b7. This is very important later on when you look at using triad pairs over maj7#11 chords. But more on that later. In the meantime, put on a G7 backing track and comp and blow with G and A triads over that chord. Once you experiment with that triad pair over G7, check out the examples below to take this concept further in your studies.

7#11 Triad Pairs Comping In this triad pair comping example, you use a chromatic passing triad, Ab, in bar 2 and 4 to connect G and A over the G7 chord. Again, this is a great way to create tension and resolution in your comping, chromatic passing chords. Just resolve that tension and you bring a hip sound to your playing, and not sound like a


mistake if you don’t resolve the passing chord properly.

G7 Backing Track

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7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 1 In this 6th-string position triad pair lick, you use chromatic passing chords and enclosures to create interest over a G7 chord. As well, notice the different phrase lengths and rhythms used to bring an added level of energy and interest to the line. Experimenting with various phrase lengths is also another way to increase the creativity in your lines. If you find that you start or end triad pair lines on the same beat of each bar, work on that so your phrasing doesn’t become predictable.

G7 Backing Track

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7#11 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 2 In this vertical G7 triad pair line, you use triplets, 8th notes and enclosures to create interest in the line. Notice that in the third bar the triplets are broken up with 8th notes on beat two, in between the two triplets on beats one and three. By doing so, the line becomes less predictable, and the triplets don’t lose their effect, as they might by playing too many of them in a row.

G7 Backing Track

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7#11 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 1


Here is a typical rhythmic group for triad pairs over a G7 chord, one that is found in the playing of Bill Evans and jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. The rhythm sounds great when applied to triad pairs, as the three-note rhythm fits the three-note shapes perfectly. But, make sure not to overdo it in your lines, as then the rhythm loses it’s effect and fail to sound fresh in your lines.

G7 Backing Track

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7#11 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 2 In this final G7#11 lick, you use a rhythmic pattern in the first three bars, before altering the rhythm in the fourth bar of the line. This type of rhythmic approach, three bars of the same rhythm followed by a new rhythm in bar four, in found in the playing of many great guitarists, including Wes Montgomery. After working this lick, pick a rhythm and solo with it for three bars before altering it in the final bar to bring this concept to your own solos.

G7 Backing Track

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Maj7 Triad Pairs You can also apply triad pairs to maj7 chords to bring an Ionian sound to your comping and soloing.

To outline maj7 chords in your comping or soloing, play major triads from the 4th or 5th of that chord.

An example of these triad pairs is playing F and G over Cmaj7. When doing so, you produce the following intervals.

F = 11 13 Root G=579

As you can see, this triad pair outlines every note from the Ionian mode minus th e 3rd. Because of this, major triad pairs sound more open over maj7 chords than the other applications you’ve seen in this lesson. Begin by putting on the Cmaj7 backing track below and soloing over that chord with F and G triads. After you’ve gotten the sound of those triads in your ears, learn the licks as you expand this concept in your playing.


Maj7 Triad Pairs Comping In this maj7 comping example, you use F and G triads to outline the Ionian sound over that chord. Notice that the line doesn’t stop on an F triad at any point, instead it always resolves to the G triad. Because the F triad contains the 11th(4th), F, that triad creates a maj7sus sound when applied to a maj7 chord. This isn’t to say that you can’t use it to end your phrases over maj7 chords, just be aware that you create a suspended sound when doing so.

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Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 1 This first lick uses enclosures near the end of the line to create tension and release over the Cmaj7 chord. As you’ve seen before, this lick uses different combinations of notes from each triad. From one, to two, to three notes, this line uses various groups of notes from the F and G triad to build melodies over the Cmaj7 chord. Experiment with different numbers of notes from each triad in your own lines. As long as you keep the triads as the basis for your lines, you can use one, two , or three notes from those triads to build your lines.


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Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 2 The next vertical-based maj7 triad pair lick uses enclosures to create interest over the four-bar phrase. As well, notice the 8th-note rests between each phrase. Sometimes something as small as an 8th-note rest prevents your lines from running on. Breathing between phrases is something that horn players naturally do, but guitarists often forget to add phrasing to their solos. If you find your lines are run-on sentences, insert small rests such to break up your lines and add interest to your playing.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 1 This maj7 triad pair lick uses an approach notes on the 2nd string between each triad shape. As you’ve seen, adding chromatic notes to triad pairs prevents them from sounding monotonous. Approach notes are an easy way to bring chromaticism to your lines, as they’re smaller than enclosures or passing chords, and sound hip in your lines.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 2


Speaking of approach notes, here’s a lick that has a large number of approach notes within the phrase. As well as using approach notes, this line uses a repeated phrase that starts on different parts of the bar each time is occurs. You can see this in bar one, beat one, bar two, and bar three, beat three, as the phrase starts on different beats in each measure. Again, this is a great way to maintain a thread throughout your lines, while creating rhythmic interest at the same time.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7#11 Triad Pairs Besides outlining Ionian, you can use triad pairs to outline the Lydian sound over maj7 chords in your comping and soloing. When doing so, you use a familiar triad pair to bring the maj7#11 sound to any maj7 chord.

To bring a maj7#11 sound to your playing, use triad pairs from the root and 2nd of any maj7 chord.


An example of this is playing C and D triads over Cmaj7. Notice that this is the same triad pair used to outline the 7#11 sound. The reason that you can use the same triad pair over both 7#11 and maj7#11 chords, is because these triads don’t use the 7th. That allows you to highlight every interval needed to sound the 7#11 or maj7#11 chord, with the same triads, minus the 7th. Here’s how those intervals lineup when applied to a maj7#11 sound.

C = Root 3 5 D = 9 #11 13

As you can see, the 7th is missing from these triad pairs, giving it a maj6#11 sound w hen applied to comping and soloing. To begin, put on the Cmaj7 backing track below and comp and solo over that chord with C and D triads. From there, learn the licks to expand upon this triad pair further in your studies.

Maj7#11 Triad Pairs Comping In this comping example, you apply different inversions of C and D triads to a Cmaj7 chord, bringing a Lydian sound to that chord. Notice that the D triad is used to create tension, before that tension is resolved to the C triad in subsequent beats. This isn’t to say that you can’t rest on the D triad, just be aware that it’s tense compared to the C triad in this application.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7#11 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 1 In this Cmaj7#11 triad pair lick, you use C and D triads to highlight the Lydian mode. As well, there’s an enclosure and triplet rhythm in the last bar to raise the energy level at the end of the phrase.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7#11 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 2


Moving on, this vertical Cmaj7#11 lick uses a number of triplets to create intensity in the line. As well, there are enclosures and approach notes to add chromaticism to the p hrase, raising the energy level further in the process.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7 #11Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 1 In this phrase, you see a chromatic passing chord, C#, used in the third bar to connect the C and D triads. In this case, only two notes of the passing triad are used between C and D. This is further highlighted as the C and D triads use a triplet rhythm, while C# uses normal 8th notes. This is the culmination of a number of concepts explored earlier in this lesson, and helps to break up any predictability in the line.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Maj7#11 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 2 The final maj7#11 lick is a highly syncopated line that uses mostly upbeats across the four-bar phrase. Without any chromatic notes in its construction, the syncopation helps to create energy and interest throughout the phrase.

Cmaj7 Backing Track

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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Comping As you’ve applied triad pairs to each chord in a major ii V I progression, iim7-V7-Imaj7, you now look at examples of applying triad pairs to ii V I chords.


In the following five examples, you study ii V I comping patterns that use triad pairs that you’ve explored so far in this lesson. Learn each pattern as written, then put on the backing tracks and play the patterns over the tracks. From there, comp over the backing tracks using triad pairs to outline the given ii V I chord progression in those keys.

Major ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 1 This first phrase uses diatonic triad pairs over each chord to outline the ii V I progression. Because this is a short ii V I, played over two bars, you won’t always have time to use both triads over each chord. In those cases, like over G7, only one of the two triads is chosen to outline that chord. Then, triad pairs are used as a group when more time is allowed to apply both triads to the underlying chord.

ii V I Backing Track

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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 2


Here, there are G7#11 and Cmaj7#11 sounds being highlighted with the use of triad pairs under those chords. As was the case with the one-chord examples above, notice th at the #11 triads are used to create tension, before that tension is resolved to the root triad over that same chord.


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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 3 In the next example, you use diatonic triad pairs to outline a longer ii V I, this time over a three-bar phrase. As you’ve seen before, a rhythmic phrase is used in bars one and three to create a thread through the line that connects these measures.


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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 4 In this comping example, you bring out the 7#11 and maj7#11 sounds over G7 and Cma7 respectively using triad pairs. There’s also a rhythmic motive being used, as each triad is placed on the & of 2 and the & of 4 in each bar. The & of 2 and 4 is a common jazz comping rhythm, rhythm, and one that you should explore further in your playing and performing.


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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 5 In this final comping example, a steady quarter-note rhythm is used, along with #11


intervals, to outline the chord changes. Though you associate the quarter-note pulse with Freddie Green chords, it can be used with any chord shapes, such as triad pairs. Give it a try, with this example and in general, in your playing. You might find that quarter notes help to elevate the swing feel when played over a jazz a jazz standard chord progression. progression.


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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Licks As well as practicing comping patterns over ii V I changes, you can learn sample ii V I jazz guitar licks. licks. In the following examples, you learn how to outline ii V I chords using the triad pairs from the first half of this lesson. Practice each lick as written, then take them to other keys if you want to expand upon these lines in your playing. As well, put on the backing tracks and solo over ii V I chords using the same triad pa irs you find in the written examples.


Major ii V I Triad Pairs Lick 1 This first triad pair lick uses diatonic triads to outline each chord in the progression. When playing in one key, such as this, you notice that F and G are used to solo over each chord. When doing so, you use the Dorian, Mixolydian, and Ionian triad pairs over each chord in the progression. Until you start to explore other tonalities, such as 7#11 and maj7#11, you can use one triad pair to outline all three chords in a major-key ii V I progression.


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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Lick 2 Moving on, you now add in the 7#11 and maj7#11 triad pairs over a major key ii V I chord progression. When doing so, you can no longer use one set of triad pairs to outline each chord in the progression. Each chord now has it’s own distinct triad pair.


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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Lick 3 In this longer major key ii V I, you’ll use the F and G triad pair over the whole progression. But, to bring in a sense of creativity beyond the triad pair, there are now a few enclosures added to the line in each bar. Adding enclosures can help to bring interest to your lines when using one triad pair to outline each chord in a major key ii V I chord progression.


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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Lick 4


Here, you add the 7#11 and maj7#11 sounds to the major ii V I chord progression. Then, to take things further, passing chords are added to bring a deeper sense of tension and release to the line. Because there are only four beats per chord, you need to use parts of triads when using triad pairs and chromatic passing triads in your lines.


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Major ii V I Triad Pairs Lick 5 This final ii V I triad pair lick uses the 7#11 sound, as well as diatonic triads over the other two chords in the progression. As well, the rhythm in bar one, quarter plus two 8ths, comes from the Charlie Parker tune “Blues for Alice,” and is a common rhythmic pattern for triad pairs in a jazz context.


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Tune Up Triad Pairs Now that you learned how to play triad pairs, how to apply them to single chords, and how to use them over major ii V I chords, take them further by using them over full jazz standards. In the following two studies, you use triad pairs to comp and solo over the Miles Davis standard “Tune Up.” As well, chromatic and rhythmic concepts are added in to create interest in both the comping and soloing studies over the tune. Once you can play the studies, put on the backing tracks and jam using triad pairs and chromatic concepts to outline those changes.

Tune Up Triad Pairs Comping Here’s an example of how to comp over Tune Up using triad pairs. Go slow when learning this study, working four bars at a time. From there, connect those four-bar phrases to form the study as a whole. As well, extract any four-bar ii V I phrase and apply it to other jazz songs you’re working on in the practice room. When you’ve got this study under your fingers, put on the backing track and comp over Tune Up with triad pairs as you bring these concepts into your playing.


Tune Up Backing Track

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Tune Up Triad Pairs Solo Moving on, here’s a solo over Tune Up using triad pairs, as well as the rhythmic and chromatic concepts covered in this lesson. Begin by learning each four-bar phrase before pasting them together to form the solo as a whole. And, as was the case with the comping study, extract any lick you like below to add to your vocabulary. Then, when ready, put on the backing track and jam using only triad pairs to outline the chords in your improvisation.

Tune Up Backing Track

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m7b5 Triad Pairs Now that you’ve looked at triad pairs for major ii V I chords, you can move to minor key triad pairs. You begin your study of minor key triad pairs with m7b5 chords. When doing so, you highlight the Locrian scale sound in your comping and soloing.

Use major triads from the b5 and b6 of any m7b5 chord to bring out a Locrian sound.

An example of this is playing F and G triads over Bm7b5. When doing so, you produce the following intervals:

F = b5 b7 b9 G = b13 R b3

As you can see, these two major triads hit every Locrian scale note except 11th (4th). Before moving on to the examples below, put on the Bm7b5 backing track and solo and comp over that chord with F and G triads to hear how they sound.

m7b5 Triad Pairs Comping In this first m7b5 triad pair example, you use different inversions of F and G triads to create tension and resolution over Bm7b5. Both of these triads feature tension notes, F has the b9 and G has the b13, so you won’t entirely resolve this triad pair over m7b5 chords. But, because the m7b5 chord is normally used as a iim7b5 chord in a minor key ii V I, that chord wants to move forward in your playing. iim7b5 chords are unstable and want to move to the V7alt chord, so tension here is OK. Try it out and see what you think. After learning the lick, put on the backing track and comp over Bm7b5 with F an d G to get a feel for these triads in a musical situation.


Bm7b5 Backing Track

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m7b5 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 1 The first single-note m7b5 triad pair lick uses the 6th-string vertical position to run over the Bm7b5 chord change. Each note is diatonic to the triad pair, no chromatic notes, which is an introduction to this new triad pair. Even though you can already add chromatic notes and triads to your lines, starting with diatonic notes is the best way to introduce your ears to a new triad pair. From there, when comfortable, stretch out and bring chromatic notes into the equation.

Bm7b5 Backing Track

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m7b5 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 2 The next line introduces a few passing triads, F#, played as 2-note groups in the first and third bar of the line. Again, these two-note passing notes are used to conne ct the two triads, as well as break up the triplet rhythms that occur around them in the line. Though there are two tension notes in this triad pair, b9 and b13, you still have all four chord tones at your disposal to resolve your lines, R-b3-b5-b7. Use those chord tones to land on in your lines as you resolve any tension created by the two tension notes from this triad pair over m7b5 chords.

Bm7b5 Backing Track

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m7b5 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 1 Using enclosures to create tension over a Bm7b5 chord, this lick also uses chord tones as resolution points throughout the line. It’s easier said than done, resolving to chord tones, as you have to see them on the fretboard in the heat of the moment when soloing.


But, with time and practice, you can target chord tones for resolution in your playing over m7b5, or any, chords in a jazz context.

Bm7b5 Backing Track

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m7b5 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 2 The final m7b5 triad pair lick is a busy line that uses a long run of 8th notes, followed by triplets, before finishing with more 8th notes. You don’t always want to run continuous, or near continuous, notes in your lines. But, sometimes a solo calls for a longer line, either to build tension or to contrast a number of short phrases you just played. Working on busier lines such as this one helps you create similar lines in your own improvised solos.

Bm7b5 Backing Track

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7alt Triad Pairs You can also use triad pairs to outline 7alt chords. When doing so, you bring an altered scale sound in your playing, which is the 7th mode of the melodic minor scale.

To outline a 7alt chord, play triad pairs from the b5 and b6 of any 7th chord.

As you can see, this is the same triad pair as you used over m7b5 chord, from the b5 and b6. For example, when playing over E7alt, you’d use Bb and C triads in your soloing and comping. Here’s how the intervals from those triads line up over a 7alt chord.

Bb = b5 b7 b9 C = b13 R #9

As you can see, the C produces a #9, not a b3 , as it did over m7b5 chords. This is because there’s no b3 over 7th chords, that note is written as #9 instead. With a #9 in place, these triad pairs outline every note in the altered scale minus the 3rd of the underlying chord. Because of this, b5 and b6 major triads can be quite tense when applied to dominant chords. This comes in handy when soloing over minor key ii V I changes, for example.


But, make sure you understand how much tension you build before applying them to your playing. These triad pairs are highly effective, but they can cause too much tension, especially if unresolved, in your playing. To begin, put on the E7alt backing track and play over that chord with Bb and C triads to explore these sounds on the guitar.

7alt Triad Pairs Comping In this comping example, you use Bb and C triads to create tension over an E7alt chord. As there’s no 3rd in this triad pair, there’s no full resolution point when using these triads in a comping situation. This won’t be an issue over a ii V I, as you want to create tension over V7alt chords, and that tension resolves to the Im7 chord in the next part of the phrase. But, be cautious with this triad pair over 7th chords outside of minor ii V I’s, as you have resolve that tension in your lines, either over this or the next chord.

E7alt Backing Track

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7alt Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 1 The first single-note 7alt triad pair lick uses enclosures to bring tension to the E7alt chord.


Enclosures are effective when highlighting an important note, as they focus the listener’s ear to the note that’s being enclosed. Here, the b9, #9, and b5 are all being enclosed. These three notes are characteristic sounds over 7alt chords, and the enclosures highlight those important notes in the phrase.

E7alt Backing Track

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7alt Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 2 In this 7alt triad pair line, you find enclosures, as well as mixed rhythms that create interest throughout the phrase. As well, there are key rests inserted in the first and second bars to break up the line before it becomes a run-on sentence. As you’ve seen, carefully placed rests go a long way in making a line interesting, and preventing it from becoming predictable.

E7alt Backing Track

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7alt Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 1 In this line, you find a lower neighbor note, the first beat of the second bar, used to add chromaticism to the underlying triad pairs. Lower neighbor tones are used to move from a diatonic note, down a fret (half step), and back to the original diatonic note. This movement creates tension and resolution in your lines, which is resolved as you return to the original note. Neighbor tones are commonly found in jazz guitar solos of all eras, and are a concept you can extract from this line and explore further in your playing.

E7alt Backing Track

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7alt Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 2 The final 7alt triad pair lick uses a chromatic triad, B, in the second measure to create chromatic movement over that part of the line. In this instance, those triads are played using 8th notes, Bb-B-C, which causes them to run over the length of a full bar in the line. This is fine when playing over a static chord such as this one. But, when soloing over moving chord progressions, such as ii V I, you need to watch when playing over the bar line such as this line. It’s perfectly fine to delay your resolution and play over the bar line with your triad pairs. Just be aware that’s what you’re doing, so that you aren’t surprised by the sound an E7alt triad creates over a Im7 chord for instance, before you resolve it after that.

E7alt Backing Track

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mMaj7 Triad Pairs You now apply triad pairs to the tonic chord in a minor key ii V I, m7 chords. When doing so, you create a mMaj7 sound over the underlying chord, which comes from the melodic minor scale.

To outline a mMaj7 sound, use major triads from the 4th and 5th of any m7 chord.


If you recall your earlier triad pair study, notice that this is the same triad pair from the Maj7 chord. This is because there’s no 3rd within these triad pairs, and because the only note that’s different between Ionian and melodic minor is the b3 in MM. What makes the difference is the chord you’re soloing or comping over, as that defines the sound of these triads in your playing. An example of this is applying D and E triads over an Am7 chord. When doing so, you produce the following intervals:

D = 11 13 Root E=579

As you can see, these notes represent six of the seven intervals in the melodic minor scale; only the b3 is left out as mentioned earlier. To begin, put on the Am7 backing track below and start comping and soloing over that chord using D and E triads. After you’ve introduced your ears to this concept, you can learn the phrases below to ta ke this triad pair further in your guitar practicing.

mMaj7 Triad Pairs Comping Here’s a comping example that uses triad pairs to create a mMaj7 sound over an Am7 chord. Notice that the E triad sounds more tense compared to the D triad, because E contains the note G#, the 7th over Am7. Keep this in mind as you apply these triads to your playing. You don’t have to avoid the E triad, just understand that it might not sound stable when using that triad as a resolution point.

Am7 Backing Track

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mMaj7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 1 In this first mMaj7 triad pair single-note line, you use only the notes of the D and E triads to outline the underlying Am7 chord. Notice hose the three-note pattern, which starts with the first three notes of the phrase, is continued for the next three bars. By moving these three notes around the bar, starting them on different beats, you can create interest in your lines without having to add chromatic notes or triads to your phrase.

Am7 Backing Track

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mMaj7 Triad Pairs Vertical Lick 2 This vertical mMaj7 triad pair line uses a few enclosures at the start of the phrase, before


staying diatonic for the rest of the line. Notice that the first bar is repeated in the second bar, only this time it’s played over E rather than D as in the first measure. This is one of the best parts of using triad pairs in your solos. Triad pairs make it easy to play one melodic idea over triad X, then repeat that melodic pattern over triad Y. This not only help you outline the changes, it keeps a strong sense of melody in your solos at the same time.

Am7 Backing Track

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mMaj7 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 1 Using passing triads, enclosures, and approach notes, this Am7 triad pair line contains a healthy dose of chromaticism. While there are a number of chromatic techniques being used in the line, it’s not overdone. This is key when using chromaticism in your triad pair lines. Be sure to use chromatic notes and triads, creating energy along the way. But, don’t overdo it, as the chromaticism can become predictable if applied too often in your solos. Keep those tension-building concepts for the right moment and they’ll remain an effective soloing resource to draw upon in your playing.


Am7 Backing Track

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mMaj7 Triad Pairs Horizontal Lick 2 This final mMaj7 lick mixes together a number of concepts that you’ve learned up to this point in the lesson. Using chromatic notes and passing triads, as well as rests and different rhythms, this line is a nice summary of the various triad pair techniques you’ve learned.

Am7 Backing Track

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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Comping Now that you can play triad pairs over the individual chords in a minor ii V I, it’s time to put those three chords together in your practicing. In the following examples, you learn five comping patterns that you can practice over minor ii V I chords in your guitar studies. After you learn these patterns, put on the backing tracks and comp o ver the Bm7b5-E7alt Am7 chords using the triad pairs you’ve learned in this lesson. From there, you can push your practicing further by working on comping over minor ii V I chord progressions in 12 keys.

Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 1 This comping example uses a few key rhythmic components to create contrast within the phrase. The use of the dotted quarter note in bar one, as well as the 8th-note rest at the start of the second bar, helps to contrast with the quarter and half-notes in other parts of the line. Using dotted rhythms, and inserting rests into your comping, is an effective way to prevent your comping from becoming stale and inspire the soloist at the same time.

Minor ii V I Backing Track

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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 2 Again, here’s another variation on the rhythms you just learned in the first example. This time, the line starts with a rest, and then uses the dotted quarter notes and 8th-note rest in the second bar to contrast the first half of the phrase. After you work on this example, put on the backing track and add dotted quarter notes and 8th-note rests to your playing in order to create interest in your comping phases.


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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 3 Moving on, you now bring chromatic passing triads in the first and third bars to your ii V I comping. As you did over a single chord, you can use passing chords between the triad pa irs to create tension and release in your comping. Experiment with this concept further in your playing. It takes a bit of time for your ears to get used to.


But, with time, you can include these passing chords in your comping with confidence over jazz standards.


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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 4 This phrase features a rhythmic pattern that repeats in each bar. By using one rhythm for each bar, you keep a thread running through your comping phrase, which connects to the soloist and listener at the same time. The key is to know when to move on from the rhythmic pattern so that it doesn’t become predictable.


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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Comping 5 In this final comping example, you focus on the & of 2 and 4 in each bar as you outline the changes with triad pairs. The & of 2 and 4 is a very common comping rhythm, and one that you should work further in your own playing. Watch that you don’t rush this type of phrase in your comping. Using upbeats is essential in jazz guitar comping. But, if you rush those beats the time can get away from you and the phrase lose its effectiveness. So, use a metronome, go slow, and make sure you’re being fully accurate with the placement of these syncopated chord hits.


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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Soloing As well as applying triad pairs to your minor ii V I comping, you can use triad pairs to solo over those same changes. In the following five examples, you use triad pairs to outline each chord in a minor ii V I progression. After working on these examples in the given key, you can challenge yourself further by working each lick in 12 keys. As well, put on the backing tracks and solo over those changes with triad pairs as you expand upon these ideas in your soloing.

Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Licks 1 This first minor ii V I triad pair lick uses the Bill Evans rhythm you learned earlier in the first half of the line. In the second half, you play a common triad pattern, 3135, over each of the two Am7 triad pairs, D and E. By mixing these two patterns together, one rhythmic and one melodic, you create interest in the line and prevent either from becoming predictable.


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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Licks 2 Moving on, you use triplets and enclosures to create interest over this short ii V I progression in A minor. As you saw with the major ii V I progressions, you can’t always fit in both triads over each chord because of their harmonic duration. When this happens, you can use triplets, or play one or two notes from each triad rather than outline them as a whole in your phrases.


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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Licks 3 In this longer ii V I minor key lick, you use parts of each triad over the first chord, then have enough space to use both triads over the next two chords. There’s more space in this lick as compared to others you’ve learned in this lesson. This is an important concept to explore when learning how to play jazz guitar . Leaving space is just as important as the notes you play, and can be an effective way to frame your melodic lines over common chord progressions in your solos.


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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Licks 4 In this line, you use an approach note in the first bar to bring a bit of chromaticism to the lick. You notice that even though you have chromatic options at your fingertips, you don’t have to use too many of them to outline the changes. Often, triad pairs themselves are enough to build a memorable phrase over minor ii V I changes, and you can use chromatic notes and triads sparingly over these types of phrases.


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Minor ii V I Triad Pairs Licks 5 In this final minor ii V I triad pair lick, you use a passing triad to bring some chromaticism to the Am7 chord in the line. Again, using chromaticism is important when building jazz guitar solos. But, you don’t have to overdo it. Often times one chromatic concept or pattern is enough to create interest in a four-bar phrase without going overboard in your solos.


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Sugar Triad Pairs To help you take these minor key triad pairs further in your studies, here are two etudes over the jazz standard Sugar that you can learn in your practice routine. The first study provides an example of comping using triad pairs over this classic jazz song. Then, the second study uses single-note soloing to outline the changes to Sugar using triad pairs.


After you’ve learned either study, using the backing tracks to practice comping and soloing over Sugar in your studies, taking your triad pairs over this tune further.

Sugar Triad Pairs Comping To begin, here’s a sample comping study over the Sugar chord changes. Go slow and break down this study to four-bar phrases if that helps get these chords under your fingers. From there, you can build the study up to all 16 bars in your practice routine. After you’ve learned the written study, write out a Sugar comping study of your own using triad pairs. Often times writing out a comping study organizes your thoughts on the guitar, as well as shows you things you might not see in the moment. These realizations will then help you become a better comper when applied to a real time musical situation.

Sugar Backing Track

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Sugar Triad Pairs Solo


The final triad pair study features a single-note solo over the jazz standard Sugar. Again, learn the solo in four-bar phrases to make it easier to memorize. Then, feel free to extract those phrases and apply them to other situations as you expand this material in your solos. You can also use the backing track to practice writing your own triad pair solos, or soloing in real time over Sugar in your practice routine.

Sugar Backing Track

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