Fun trick: The notes of the major pentatonic of the tritone include the ♭7 and the four altered tones: ♭9, ♯9, ♭5 (♯11) and ♯5 (♭13). In C, the tritone is F♯ and the major pentatonic is just the black keys. So just play E-B♭ with the left hand and go nuts on the black keys with the right hand.
@KinstarFurniture -- I would like to help you, but I'm not sure what you want to know. Let me say a little more here and we'll see if it helps. The chromatic scale includes all 12 notes. A major scale uses 7 notes. That leaves 5 notes unused in any major scale. Look at the piano. You see all of the keys - the chromatic scale, but you also see white keys (C major) and black keys (not C major). But what are those "not C major notes"? There are 5 different black keys, so they can form a pentatonic scale. In fact, if we start on F♯, the scale formed by the black keys is F♯ major pentatonic. The note F♯ is a tritone away from C -- as far away as you can get in the circle of fifths. So in any key, say B♭, you can go to the tritone (E in the case of B♭) and play notes from that major pentatonic scale. The notes of that scale give you the altered tones for the dominant 7th chord (B♭7). Also look for information about the Altered Scale - a 7-note scale that includes all of the altered tones. Let me know here if you have any more questions.
I've been a bass player for 4 decades, and played jazz in some form for almost all of this time. This is the first time anyone has ever been able to get me to make sense of the crazy extensions I see on dominant chords in charts, and I can see that if I can memorize this idea AND use my ear to make triads out of the upper structures, I can start recognizing these complex chords by ear. Fantastic method, and wonderful demonstration!
I’m just beginning my self-taught journey and as someone starting out from the very beginning, this information is priceless. Not only are you an amazing player, but a phenomenal teacher as well. You make it make sense!!!
@@brettprice527 thank you so much for the recommendation. I have checked out a couple of videos on Barry a while back, but unfortunately my head almost exploded trying to follow. Lol That’s a good problem to have though so I will be revisiting his teachings. Peace and blessings to you
I used to look at the keyboard and get all mesmerized playing 2 different chords simultaneously wondering "what's that?" Now I know...thanks Aimee! This is a great help!!!
@13:43 "I've got both (ways) now." Both Theoretical & Practical. And I'm giving them to you whilst balancing a marker in my right hand as I demonstrate. 😊 Aimee Nolte, you are the best!
Being self taught, I didn't even think to conceptualize these chords in such a straight forward way. A lot of jazz harmony seemed inaccessible because of the complexity. What a great reminder that complex chords can be derived from simple patterns/construction. Thank you for the wonderful video!
Thank you for explaining it so well. The fact that you tried every triad and explained why some did not work gave me a formula for understanding and experimenting on my own. Thank you
Didn’t learn this from college theory. It makes sense and removes the complication of creating chords. With practice it becomes second nature. Thank you.
Oh God, i am old subscriber, seing you after 5 years as i was not much active in social media. Your fitness is amazing👌, you still looks the same i saw long back 😊 I learned a lot from your music tutorials 🙏. Am back to music learning again after a gap in my life. Was busy with studies. Looking forward for more tutorials from you 😊
This is just what I needed at just the time I was ready for it. I'd already been experimenting with relative Major 7ths over relative minor 7ths, and this is way more fuel for thought.
Oh wow! I really like this. I am a string player and I’m self taught on piano chords. This really is an excellent way of looking at it. I doubt I’ll ever memorize any of it but I for sure can build or pick apart extended chords now. Thank you!
Aimee you have no idea how much your videos have helped me grow in piano!!!! You are Heaven sent indeed!!! Have an amazing year ahead. And big up to everyone loving the keys🙏🏾🙏🏾💕
Loved this lesson Aimee! It’s simple, direct, and to the point! Thank you for teaching this to students who desire a peek further inside the music! You’re the greatest!!!
I f’n love this video ! She’s one of the most infinitely patient and simply gifted teachers on UA-cam. You can just hear it in her voice. I’m a guitar player and I highly value that approach and learn so much for my instrument also.
What an incredible way to look at this. I always knew there was some pattern with these, but to see how you lay it all out shows how simple it can be. Well, simple to learn and utilize, but I'm sure quite hard to master. You make some of the most helpful and elegant content about music Aimee, thank you very much :) I watch all your videos
Aimee, you are such a blessing. I have been wondering how to voice these complex chords for my entire life lol (I study at a conservatory and I haven't learned any of this before). Thank you very much!
Omg - This is so cool, and a great way to learn this wacky stuff. That said - this could be a series of videos. Gonna start exploring this. You are the best Aimee Nolte! I can only say - thanks yet again maestro!!🙏🙏
Hands down you are simply the BEST teacher on UA-cam!! Thank you for sharing tricks and tips so freely that helps a lot of us. If you're ever in the Dallas area performing will definitely come see you..
5 star content as always! It's daunting going through all possibilities and there is the looming: "Now do this in all keys!" LOL. But your videos are always very inspiring, making it so much less painful. Thank you!
Nice job Aimee ! Very succinct, concise, thorough. All players should be thinking this way, cuts out the clutter and ambiguously wasted time. Although I do like those minor 9's in scary movies :)
Thanks for sharing this info in such a clear and succinct way. I see myself immediately applying this to fingerstyle guitar improvisations, using the lower strings as open drones in different tunings to hold down the lower triad, while moving around arpeggio patterns in the upper structure triads on the higher strings. Good times. :)
Great lesson! Steve Lukather talks about this concept in the new Rick Beato interview (from minute 17:30) and that he learned to think that way from Larry Carlton. It is so much easier to teach beginners, just play an E-major-triad in your right hand over your G7. I would love a second video with some more details, maybe how to use this in some standard turnarounds, 2-5-1 etc.
Wow... this is very insightful. Even though I don't play jazz, you've given me the understanding to add some of these cool voicings to my gospel chords. Many thanks, cheers!!🥂
This is so cool! I really thank you for explaining how these upper structures can be found/learned. I’ve heard people say in passing “oh that’s just C7 with an Ab on top” or whatever but never heard them explain why. I’m a guitar player, not piano, but this insight will be a huge help as I try to get these upper extension chords under my fingers. I know the 7#9 because of Hendrix (like all guitar players), the 7b9 because of “Breathe” by Pink Floyd, etc. but this gives me real, usable, meat to chew on. Thanks again! Awesome.
I've literally been telling people this, for ages! It's not enough to say you can name what a harmony is e.g A7b13#9 or Dbm7b5(add11) and all that jazz (pun intended). If anything, that kind of exercise can become counterproductive. Knowing how to voice chords from an orchestration/arranging standpoint is where the money is at. That's where knowledge of upper structures (among other voicing techniques) and how to navigate them becomes golden, whether it be arranging for a band or playing on the piano.
I do something similar when composing. Also thinking like an organ that has those “strange” upper partial stops that are all combinations of “beyond’s”
Aimee, I love your videos so much! Over the past half decade you've thought me amazing ways to look at stuff I either knew or totally new concepts in general. I really like your story about finding out how these chords work in this almost bitonal sense, and it reminded me of how I found out about the same thing. About 3 and a fourth years ago I've stumbled upon FMaj9 just by error really and fallen in love with the same concepts you describe here. Even went so far to immediately write a song full of these type of extended chords called "Next Holidays". And I am absolutely mind blown how litteraly the day after I've uploaded an acoustic version of the song UA-cam recommended me your video. I am so happy that now I'll be able to learn even more stuff from you about these tasteful chords. 🥰😊
Once again thanks Aimee for this concept, it might help a bass player like me to get the chords faster on the piano. And even more thanks for your nice quote on my songs. Nobody wants to listen to them either, up to now, but you DID and what you wrote about them really made my day.!!! all the bass-t from kayo
I just heard beautiful love by Bill Evans the other day! I know a lot of Bill Evans but had never heard that one before. Way to go Aimee, super interesting😁
Thanks, Aimee❤ I found most of these through my ear, listening to jazz piano players. (The first one I was shown by someone way back - that’s to stack a D7 on top of a C7, great as an ending chord.) The four I found were a thrill to discover and also that the roots were in themselves a diminished chord: C dim. In other words C Eb F# A. That’s a memory aid in itself. Stack these four triads on the C7 for that sweet open sound, not counting the Cmaj of course. One last word: the 2nd inversion (5/R/3) almost always sounds the best for the upper structure.
Fun trick: The notes of the major pentatonic of the tritone include the ♭7 and the four altered tones: ♭9, ♯9, ♭5 (♯11) and ♯5 (♭13). In C, the tritone is F♯ and the major pentatonic is just the black keys. So just play E-B♭ with the left hand and go nuts on the black keys with the right hand.
Beauty, thank you Sir, writing that down right now.
Great tip - thank you for sharing this
go nuts lol cool tip man cheers!
@KinstarFurniture -- I would like to help you, but I'm not sure what you want to know. Let me say a little more here and we'll see if it helps. The chromatic scale includes all 12 notes. A major scale uses 7 notes. That leaves 5 notes unused in any major scale. Look at the piano. You see all of the keys - the chromatic scale, but you also see white keys (C major) and black keys (not C major). But what are those "not C major notes"? There are 5 different black keys, so they can form a pentatonic scale. In fact, if we start on F♯, the scale formed by the black keys is F♯ major pentatonic. The note F♯ is a tritone away from C -- as far away as you can get in the circle of fifths. So in any key, say B♭, you can go to the tritone (E in the case of B♭) and play notes from that major pentatonic scale. The notes of that scale give you the altered tones for the dominant 7th chord (B♭7). Also look for information about the Altered Scale - a 7-note scale that includes all of the altered tones.
Let me know here if you have any more questions.
You dropped this, sir👑
I've been a bass player for 4 decades, and played jazz in some form for almost all of this time. This is the first time anyone has ever been able to get me to make sense of the crazy extensions I see on dominant chords in charts, and I can see that if I can memorize this idea AND use my ear to make triads out of the upper structures, I can start recognizing these complex chords by ear. Fantastic method, and wonderful demonstration!
Saying "this'll be a quick video" then making a 14 minute video is something I relate to very much as a music teacher
¡Gracias!
I’m just beginning my self-taught journey and as someone starting out from the very beginning, this information is priceless. Not only are you an amazing player, but a phenomenal teacher as well. You make it make sense!!!
Thanks Aimee, wonderful stuff
Make sure to check out the Barry Harris stuff. Good luck on your journey.
@@brettprice527 thank you so much for the recommendation. I have checked out a couple of videos on Barry a while back, but unfortunately my head almost exploded trying to follow. Lol That’s a good problem to have though so I will be revisiting his teachings. Peace and blessings to you
@@divinesoul7 Blessings!
@@divinesoul7 Shan Verma at Jazz skills is a great teacher of his stuff for beginners.
The best piano teacher online. You’re the best Aimee.
I used to look at the keyboard and get all mesmerized playing 2 different chords simultaneously wondering "what's that?" Now I know...thanks Aimee! This is a great help!!!
I'm self-taught and always thought in this way - 13s and 11s confuse me but a C7 with a D triad above it is something I can understand right away.
@13:43 "I've got both (ways) now." Both Theoretical & Practical. And I'm giving them to you whilst balancing a marker in my right hand as I demonstrate. 😊
Aimee Nolte, you are the best!
How dare you explode my brain like that?!! Never thought it could be so easy to think and with so many possibilities.
Many, many, many thanks!
Dude my chords are stacked 😂 So unexpectedly dank? I guess that’s jazz.
Being self taught, I didn't even think to conceptualize these chords in such a straight forward way. A lot of jazz harmony seemed inaccessible because of the complexity. What a great reminder that complex chords can be derived from simple patterns/construction. Thank you for the wonderful video!
Same!
This has given me a lot of clarity on these kind of voicings. Thanks!
Thank you for explaining it so well. The fact that you tried every triad and explained why some did not work gave me a formula for understanding and experimenting on my own. Thank you
YOU ARE THE CLEAREST JAZZ THEORY TEACHER-SIGNED MR PENTATONIC
Didn’t learn this from college theory. It makes sense and removes the complication of creating chords. With practice it becomes second nature. Thank you.
Just what i am experimating with at the moment. Self tought so i realy don't know what is "right" or not. Thank for an understanding to name it.
Thanks!
Can you use this concept on bass triads other than the 7th?
Very cool. The keys light up like a Xmas tree when I start applying the triads (which I already know) over the C7 left hand shell chord.
You are such a good teacher even if you were self taught!! Thank you for your point of view
Thank you very much for this. Lots to sit at the keyboard and muse about.💯
Oh God, i am old subscriber, seing you after 5 years as i was not much active in social media.
Your fitness is amazing👌, you still looks the same i saw long back 😊
I learned a lot from your music tutorials 🙏. Am back to music learning again after a gap in my life. Was busy with studies.
Looking forward for more tutorials from you 😊
what a great (and simple) way to think about USTs - thank you!
This was so great, Aimee, thanks.
'My chords are stacked' Would look great on a T-shirt.
This is just what I needed at just the time I was ready for it. I'd already been experimenting with relative Major 7ths over relative minor 7ths, and this is way more fuel for thought.
I think this is an underspoken topic in jazz education. Thanks for the video!
Really helpful, going to mess around with this in my own rather poor attempts at jazz piano, thanks!
🙌🏼🙌🏼💙💙thanks David
I found you while looking for videos on guitar theory and triads. Even though you are a piano player I’ve learned more from you than at guitar video
Pure gold, thank you so much! Off to Nebula.
Thank you!
You are a BLESSING.
THANK YOU!!! So much for sharing this, what a concept. Especially from a guitarist point of view for scales over triads WOW mind blowing...
new jazz piano learner here. This is a game changer for me!
Music was cooler before youtube. Love the eyebrows, though. AMAZING production value!!!
This is the best video on upper structures I have seen in my life! Thanks, Aimee!
Oh wow! I really like this. I am a string player and I’m self taught on piano chords. This really is an excellent way of looking at it. I doubt I’ll ever memorize any of it but I for sure can build or pick apart extended chords now. Thank you!
Your channel is a gem.
Aimee you have no idea how much your videos have helped me grow in piano!!!! You are Heaven sent indeed!!! Have an amazing year ahead. And big up to everyone loving the keys🙏🏾🙏🏾💕
Loved this lesson Aimee! It’s simple, direct, and to the point! Thank you for teaching this to students who desire a peek further inside the music!
You’re the greatest!!!
I f’n love this video !
She’s one of the most infinitely patient and simply gifted teachers on UA-cam. You can just hear it in her voice. I’m a guitar player and I highly value that approach and learn so much for my instrument also.
This really makes sense for this awkward triad novice. Thanks.
What an incredible way to look at this. I always knew there was some pattern with these, but to see how you lay it all out shows how simple it can be. Well, simple to learn and utilize, but I'm sure quite hard to master. You make some of the most helpful and elegant content about music Aimee, thank you very much :) I watch all your videos
You’re the Aimee Nolte of our day. Thanks love you since I got Nebula.
So glad you’re liking it! Thanks Lee!
Aimee, you are such a blessing.
I have been wondering how to voice these complex chords for my entire life lol (I study at a conservatory and I haven't learned any of this before).
Thank you very much!
Another excellent clip.
Omg - This is so cool, and a great way to learn this wacky stuff. That said - this could be a series of videos. Gonna start exploring this. You are the best Aimee Nolte! I can only say - thanks yet again maestro!!🙏🙏
I recently learnt this from Joe Hubbard, a great bass teacher. Of course we play the arps . . . Love your tutorials Aimee
Thanks Aimee, your lessons are great!
Thanks Aimee, your vids are the best. We are extremely lucky to have you sharing with the world. All the best 😊
I really enjoy and get a lot from your videos.
Your explanation is clear and easy to understand. That's very helpful! Thank you so much!
Hands down you are simply the BEST teacher on UA-cam!! Thank you for sharing tricks and tips so freely that helps a lot of us. If you're ever in the Dallas area performing will definitely come see you..
Thank you very clear Aimi
ooh.... this is great knowledge, thank you so much.
this is helping me think less and explore more. Awesome!
Both are good. But sometimes you need more of one than the other.
this is awesome!
Really, really helpful, Aimee! Thank you!
Thanks for the video Aimee! Been trying to write a Big-Band chart and this has really got my mind cooking
I like the neo soul sound, learning upper extensions from the ground up looked very time intensive. This video seems to provide a more efficient path.
Such a great system!! Thank you so much for sharing. Now I feel I will get in gear again!!😁🥳👍🏼
Great video Amy, a great shortcut indeed.
THANK YOU FOR THIS, reinvigorated my will to practice more and challenge myself
5 star content as always! It's daunting going through all possibilities and there is the looming: "Now do this in all keys!" LOL. But your videos are always very inspiring, making it so much less painful. Thank you!
Great info Aimee. Thanks a lot!
what a brilliant teacher
Very useful and clear, no doubt.
thanks Aimee great to know
This is helping me see things more clearly
It opened my mind!😮😮🤯🤯 Thank's for this lesson, Aimee! 😃😃
Nice job Aimee ! Very succinct, concise, thorough. All players should be thinking this way, cuts out the clutter and ambiguously wasted time. Although I do like those minor 9's in scary movies :)
Thanks for sharing this info in such a clear and succinct way. I see myself immediately applying this to fingerstyle guitar improvisations, using the lower strings as open drones in different tunings to hold down the lower triad, while moving around arpeggio patterns in the upper structure triads on the higher strings. Good times. :)
Great lesson! Steve Lukather talks about this concept in the new Rick Beato interview (from minute 17:30) and that he learned to think that way from Larry Carlton. It is so much easier to teach beginners, just play an E-major-triad in your right hand over your G7. I would love a second video with some more details, maybe how to use this in some standard turnarounds, 2-5-1 etc.
Thanks for Beato link, brother! And thanks, Aimee, for the content.
Nice
Wow... this is very insightful. Even though I don't play jazz, you've given me the understanding to add some of these cool voicings to my gospel chords. Many thanks, cheers!!🥂
What an awesome vid!!! Thanks! As a guitarist this is so hard to utilize because I can't play poly chords lol
Excellent! Such a logical way to think about these jazz chords.
thanks Aimee,👍
Thanks Aimee
Awesome lesson as usual. Will try out these triads for soloing ideas on guitar instead of just grabbing for altered scale, etc.
I know a few chords. But you explanation was MAGNIFIC!. Thanks for add this beautiful sonority in my library of chords.
Love this. So well presented. Thank you so much, Aimee. I’m gettin’ with the program!
Luv this one Amy… some of the extension triads don’t finger easily on guitar but luv the principles.
Aimee, great explanation and demonstration of the upper structure dominate chords.
You rock Aimee - thank you for sharing your work so consistently
This is so cool! I really thank you for explaining how these upper structures can be found/learned. I’ve heard people say in passing “oh that’s just C7 with an Ab on top” or whatever but never heard them explain why. I’m a guitar player, not piano, but this insight will be a huge help as I try to get these upper extension chords under my fingers. I know the 7#9 because of Hendrix (like all guitar players), the 7b9 because of “Breathe” by Pink Floyd, etc. but this gives me real, usable, meat to chew on. Thanks again! Awesome.
I've literally been telling people this, for ages!
It's not enough to say you can name what a harmony is e.g A7b13#9 or Dbm7b5(add11) and all that jazz (pun intended). If anything, that kind of exercise can become counterproductive. Knowing how to voice chords from an orchestration/arranging standpoint is where the money is at. That's where knowledge of upper structures (among other voicing techniques) and how to navigate them becomes golden, whether it be arranging for a band or playing on the piano.
Can you give some examples of the orchestration/arranging technics?
Wow, that's awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing!
I do something similar when composing. Also thinking like an organ that has those “strange” upper partial stops that are all combinations of “beyond’s”
I love your explanation, Thank You !!
Incredible lesson. I never heard stacked chords explained this way. Thanks!
This is very enlightening, just what I needed. Thanks Aimee!
Really cool!
Aimee, I love your videos so much! Over the past half decade you've thought me amazing ways to look at stuff I either knew or totally new concepts in general. I really like your story about finding out how these chords work in this almost bitonal sense, and it reminded me of how I found out about the same thing. About 3 and a fourth years ago I've stumbled upon FMaj9 just by error really and fallen in love with the same concepts you describe here. Even went so far to immediately write a song full of these type of extended chords called "Next Holidays". And I am absolutely mind blown how litteraly the day after I've uploaded an acoustic version of the song UA-cam recommended me your video. I am so happy that now I'll be able to learn even more stuff from you about these tasteful chords. 🥰😊
Thank you! Such a cool way of thinking about this. Great theory in there on why this or that doesn't work.
Incredibly informative and helpful…thank you!!
Awesome info!
Once again thanks Aimee for this concept, it might help a bass player like me to get the chords faster on the piano. And even more thanks for your nice quote on my songs. Nobody wants to listen to them either, up to now, but you DID and what you wrote about them really made my day.!!! all the bass-t from kayo
I just heard beautiful love by Bill Evans the other day! I know a lot of Bill Evans but had never heard that one before. Way to go Aimee, super interesting😁
Thanks, Aimee❤ I found most of these through my ear, listening to jazz piano players. (The first one I was shown by someone way back - that’s to stack a D7 on top of a C7, great as an ending chord.) The four I found were a thrill to discover and also that the roots were in themselves a diminished chord: C dim. In other words C Eb F# A. That’s a memory aid in itself.
Stack these four triads on the C7 for that sweet open sound, not counting the Cmaj of course.
One last word: the 2nd inversion (5/R/3) almost always sounds the best for the upper structure.
you are a great teacher gal .im self teaching piano online . i need some practical on these chords,kindly pliiiz