Upper structure
Upper structures are a kind of chord layering , in German multiple chords (from English polychord ) and a technical term from jazz . However, this technical term is modern and is explained in different ways.
For example, a D major chord is played arpeggiated over a C major chord . Upper structures are primarily formed via dominant seventh chords , more precisely via a tritone . The principle can also be transferred to other types of chords. The upperstructure chord has a different root note than the underlying chord. Tone repetitions of the basic chord should be avoided by the upperstructure chord and are permitted as an upper conclusion, especially if they then form dissonances . Upper structures are also typically formed using final chords and are a standard means of expression used by modern jazz musicians.
theory
Mark Levine calls this in his book Das Jazz Piano Buch in a narrower sense: a triad over a tritone . Other authors discuss this topic under bitonality (W. Burbat, A. Jungbluth, W. Pöhlert, Yamaha Music Foundation ). In general, this does not mean polytonality.
They work well with Miles Davis ' so -what chords. So-what chords are three layers of fourths with a third at the top. E.g. e - a - d - g - h. Instead of g you can use the deeper e: e - a - d - e - h. In the original piece by Miles Davis: e - a - d - e - h and d - g -c -d - a. (In the middle part a semitone (f and es) higher).
Examples
A passable final sound about z. B. Cmaj7 is a D major triad that ends with a b above. The b (b-flat) sounds a bit squat at the top and does not turn the Cmaj7 chord into a dominant chord, but rather an excessive one from the D major chord . Classically and heard everywhere in the same example, the ending: d - f sharp - a - c. There are also terminations on the sixth of the basic sound:
- Below C major: c - g - e, above E major: e - g sharp b and at the end e - g sharp - a (and back g sharp - e)
- Below C major: c - g - e, above G major: g - b - d and at the end d - g - a (and down again g - e)
- The principle is to use parts of the basic sound as dissonance over the basic chord: seventh, second, etc.
There is something similar with Mulgrew Miller : play over f -a flat (F minor), a-flat - b - es -g and finish with c at the top. Upper structure chords also appear in Bill Evans' late game . At the Carnegie Hall Concert in 1938, James P. Johnson played such sounds over two boogies.
A blues in F major, for example, can be concluded with the dominant seventh chord F7, above it with a G major triad and finally an A major triad and then adorned with a short diatonic-chromatic ending.
Overview
Here is an elementary table according to M. Levine:
| D / C7 | As / C7 | A / C7 | f sharp / C |
| D major over the notes EB or CB | A flat major over the notes EB or CB | A major over the notes CB | F sharp minor over the notes EB or CB |
| C7alt. | |||
| US II | US bVI | US VI | US #IV minor |
US is the abbreviation for Upper Structure, also known as UST elsewhere. This is followed by the level related to I7, the underlying sound.
Not every use of E and B sounds good. A tone may have to be omitted. Tones doubled by the upper structure chord must be left out in the basic sound. A tone of the basic tone is chosen as the upper final tone.
Examples of other chord types major maj 7, minor 7 or minor maj 7 etc. see table below.
If you combine four or five chords or even pentatonic scales instead of three chords , you have an unmistakable abundance of new sounds, which can usually be broken down into scales .
A slightly different, very elementary compilation comes from Dan Hearle, which is practicable and has some other upper structures than in the other tables:
| C major | C minor | C dominant | C-half diminished | C-decreased | |||||
| D / C | E / C | F / C minor | D minor / C minor | Gb / C | Ab / C7 | B / Cø | From / Cø | D / C ° | H / C ° |
| D major | E major | F major | D minor | G flat major | A flat major | B flat major | A flat major | D major | B major |
| Note 1 | Note 2 | Note 3 | Note 3 | Note 4 | Note 4 | ||||
Remarks:
- For E / C, the g should be left out of C, as they have many common tones.
- With Ab / C7, C is left out in the bass, as they occur together in both.
- With half diminished you play c - ges in the first example and gb - b down in the second.
- With reduced one plays c in the first example - es in the second c - a.
extension
Many authors have different principles for upper structures. Here is a workable one for guitar from the homepage below:
A chord, e.g. B. Cmaj7 in Terzschichtungen disassembled, and the triads contained therein are analyzed.
| 1 | 3 | 5 | 7th | 9 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 3 |
| C. | E. | G | H | D. | F. | A. | C. | E. |
| ---------- | ||||||||
| ---------- | ||||||||
| ---------- | ||||||||
| ---------- | ||||||||
| ---------- | ||||||||
The chords obtained with one dash each are analyzed:
| CEG | 1-3-5 | Is not an upper structure chord because it only contains chord tones. |
| EGH | 3-5-7 | Is not an upper structure chord because it only contains chord tones. |
| GHD | 5-7-9 | Is the first upper structure chord. |
| HDF | 7-9-11 | Is not an upper structure chord of Cmaj7, because it contains the tone 11, which is inappropriate in the C triad. |
| DFA | 9-11-13 | Is not an upper structure chord of Cmaj7, because it contains the tone 11, which is inappropriate in the C triad. |
| FAC | 11-13-1 | Is not an upper structure chord of Cmaj7, because it contains the tone 11, which is inappropriate in the C triad. |
| ACE | 13-1-3 | Is the second upper structure chord. |
If you look at the Lydian scale with # 11 or F sharp, more chords fit from the above scheme.
Three more rules are mentioned:
- The upper structure chord should contain at least one tension note (dissonance), which is not an avoidable tone of the basic sound. This is particularly important in major. The fourth is such a tone and the major seventh on dominant seventh chords.
- An upper structure chord can be major or minor, diminished or excessive. Major triads are preferred.
- Upper structure chords can be used both for solo improvisation and for accompaniment.
The following is a list that can be adapted or expanded according to the above principle.
Chord types are specified, the tension tones in digits for the intervals, the steps on which the upper structure chord is formed, and the interval functions that the upper structure chord tones have in the basic chord.
For Cmaj7 e.g. For example, you can read the upper structure chord in the first line on the fifth (V) degree, G, with the notes 5 - 7 - 9, i.e. g - b - d.
- V- denotes a minor chord on the fifth degree.
- V + denotes an augmented chord on the fifth degree.
- bVII denotes a major triad on the lowered seventh degree (b7).
- bV denotes a triad on the tritone. Depending on a scale-specific tone.
| Chord type | Tension tone | Upper structure triad | Interval function |
|---|---|---|---|
| major | 9 | V | 5 7 9 |
| 9, # 11 | II | 9 # 11 6 | |
| VII- | 7 9 # 11 | ||
| minor | 6, 9, 11 | II- | 9 11 6 |
| IV | 11 6 1 | ||
| V- | 5 b7 9 | ||
| bVII | b7 9 11 | ||
| Minor major | 9 | bIII + | b3 5 7 |
| V | 5 7 9 | ||
| Dominant | 9, 13 | V- | 5 b 7 9 |
| VI- | 13 1 3 | ||
| 9, # 11,13 | II | 9 # 11 13 | |
| II + | 9 # 11 b7 | ||
| bVII + | b7 9 # 11 | ||
| b9, # 9, b5, b13 | bII- | b9 3 b13 | |
| bIII- | # 9 b5 b7 | ||
| bIII | # 9 5 b7 | ||
| III + | 3 b13 1 | ||
| bV | b5 b7 b9 | ||
| bVI | b13 1 # 9 | ||
| b9, 13 | VI | 13 b9 3 | |
| sus4 | 9, 13 | II- | 9 4 13 |
| IV | 4 13 1 | ||
| bVII | b7 9 4 | ||
| half diminished | b6, 9, 11 | bVI | b6 1 b3 |
| bVII | b7 9 11 | ||
| reduced | b6, 9, 11 | II | 9 b5 bb7 |
| IV | 11 bb7 1 | ||
| bVI | b6 1 b3 |
Multiple chords
Marc Sabatella's list is largely complete and gives good sound results. Sabatella is different
Multiple chords without double notes over major:
| Up down | generated scale |
| Gb / C | C-BG - diminished scale |
| B / C | C- Mixolydian scale |
| Dm / C | C major or C Mixolydian scale |
| Ebm / C | C-BG - diminished scale |
| F # m / C | C-BG - diminished scale |
| Hm / C | C- Lydian scale |
Similar multiple chords can be created with a minor triad below:
| Up down | generated scale |
| Db / cm | C- Phrygian scale. |
| F / cm | c- Doric scale. |
| Fm / cm | C minor scale. |
| A / cm | C-BG - diminished scale. |
| B / cm | c- Doric scale. |
| Bm / cm | C- Phrygian scale. |
| D / cm | interesting, blues-like sounding scale. |
Upper structures
Marc Sabatella advises avoiding double notes. One way to create multiple chords without double notes is to replace the lower triad with either the third and seventh, the root and seventh, or the root and third of a dominant chord. Sabatella now refers to handles that are constructed in this way more precisely as "Upper Structures". They always mean a kind of dominant chord.
There are several possible C7 upper structures:
| A | Dbm triad over | CB makes one | C7b9 # 5 chord. |
| A | D-triad over | EB makes one | C7 # 11 chord. |
| A | Eb triad over | CE gives one | C7 # 9 chord. |
| A | F # triad over | CE gives one | C7b9b5 chord. |
| A | F # m triad over | EB makes one | C7b9b5 chord. |
| A | Ab triad over | EB makes one | C7 # 9 # 5 chord. |
| A | A triad over | CB makes one | C7b9 chord. |
The scales in the last three tables can be used for improvisation. Some strongly dissonant intervals between the basic sound and the upper triad are often avoided.
extension
You get very interesting results if you extend the principle to four-part upper chords. E.g. C major below D major 9 above: c- e- g -f sharp -a - d - e ...
Or you can use whole or parts of pentatonic scales as upper chords.
All of the above tables can be used for orientation.
Web links
literature
-
Axel Jungbluth : Jazz Harmonization . Schott, under bi- and polytonality (?), The second volume of
- Jazz harmony theory, functional harmony and modality . Bulkhead
- Wolf Burbat : The Harmonics of Jazz . Chapter: "Bitonal chords and pentatonic scales about changes", dtv.
- Mark Levine : The Jazz Piano Book . advance music, only here under "Upper Structures".
- Mark Levine: The Jazz Theory book .
- David Baker: Arranging and composing , under bitonality
- David Baker: Jazz improvisation , classical study literature
- Werner Pöhlert : basic harmony . With bitonality, very own approach and factually sometimes better researched than the standard works. Practice-oriented.
- Genichi Kawakami: Arranging Popular Music: A Practical Guide . Yamaha Music Foundation , referred to as Non-Mechanical Harmonization.
- Dan Hearle: The Jazz Language . polychord, studio, 1980 (probably already available in German)
- Dan Hearle: Jazz- and Rock Voicings for the Contemporary Keyboard Player under polychord, Studio P / R Inc. 1974, (probably already available in German)