Tri-tone elaborations, recordings and more :-)

[ejuste]

Hi all :)

I'm currently half-way through The Danny Boy-lesson, and I didn't quite get the theory behind the Tri-Tone substitution...maybe someone cares to help me a bit with it...
I used to be a subscriber to Jazzpianolessons, and I recall some lessons on tri-tone there, but I'm not sure...
Really great lessons, Mr. Myette :)

I did two recordings shortly after seeing the videos with the triad and 1-5-1 base patterns. I used those patterns, and I felt like sharing them with this forum, if you don't mind... :rolleyes:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5hprnShsKA (Triad Pattern)

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lsd1FYIrA8A (1-5-1 Pattern)

I hope you'll enjoy some if it...feel free to comment. I think that's all for now... :)

Greetings, EjustE.
PS! Soon, I'll also post my suggestions for songs I'd like to see in a lesson

[ministermike51]

While I am sure that tritones can be used in the bass as well, it is my understanding, or at least my practice to primarily use them in my right hand and not in the bass. Using tritones in the bass might get a little muddy unless you are in a higher octave, but ask Willie just to make sure.

[gibolson]

Mike: my understanding in the main use of tritones is in chord substitution. In any re-harmonization you usually replace a chord sequence with an alternate set for variety and interest.

Such as the following simple 2 5 1:

Dm - G7 - C major...

you could try

Dm - Db7 - C major...

The Db is a tritone interval of G...

I am sure there are other uses as well... Willie can make that clearer.

Another substitution use a lot is a poly chord (phat chord?)substitution:

Dm - (Db7 in the left hand and G aug in the right hand) - C major.

Gib

[gibolson]

Mike: I do a lot of exploring on the net for different kinds of piano techniques and lessons:

Here is an audio link on Tri-tones that really explains them... although it gets somewhat technical, there are things in there I am sure you can glean out.

http://www.jazzpianoteacher.co.uk/podcast_episode_15.mp3


Gib

[ministermike51]

Mike: I do a lot of exploring on the net for different kinds of piano techniques and lessons:

Here is an audio link on Tri-tones that really explains them... although it gets somewhat technical, there are things in there I am sure you can glean out.

http://www.jazzpianoteacher.co.uk/podcast_episode_15.mp3


Gib

Thanks Gib~

I had purchased most of the "Hear and Play" teaching series and there is a new one called, "TriTone Extravaganza" that I had thought about buying. lol, I knew for certain that I used tritones in my playing, but didn't really understand the rules or which ones worked or didn't. I just judged that part by my ear and I do know when something sounds right or wrong at least and may have gotten tritones mixed up with quartal voicings. ha ha.

[williemyette]

Hey everyone,

I'm going to add a new lesson on tritones in the JazzGospelPiano.com member site. The easiest way of understanding this will be through a dedicated video.

So, sit tight for a few days. The baby is coming soon, but I'll try to squeak this out before she arrives.

There are some really neat "tricks" that you can use that sound fat and awesome and are not difficult to understand. I just need to document it. :-)

Great post everyone!

[gibolson]

Mike... I use quartels a lot too. I had checked that one out from Willie when I subscribed to the jazz part of JazzEdge. I also have that wholes series from Hear and Play...
However, as a note, I made an interesting discovery.
A quartel can be used to create a spread 13th.

Normally I will play a 7th with my left hand and the quartel with my right:
ie...
(LH) C Bb / (RH) D G C (where the notes go up from right to left)

Now move the right hand up one note each to play...

C Bb / E A D and viola...!

I practice this configuration as a circle of 5ths.
so the next one would be...

F Eb / A D G... Bb Ab / D G C... Eb Db / G C F... and so on.

Let me tell you, once fluent, this opens up a whole new set of possibilities.

Gib

[ministermike51]

:o Gib: That is so helpful! You have explained it so well that I wouldn't think that it would take me long at all to become fluent either. Admittedly, so often while playing in church I have used these chords and didn't know what they were or how I was forming them lol, and that is the case with many who have just played by ear all of their lives probably. It wasn't until the last five years probably that I gave much thought to the theory behind what I was doing haha. I do know that in learning the theory it makes it so much easier to do the same thing no matter what key you are attempting to play in. I really do appreciate it! I am going to write down exactly what you said so that I can apply it to all keys.

Michael in Corpus Christi, TX

[williemyette]

Thanks Gib.

I am recording a DVD today (July 15) on tritones.

Chapters include:


What is a tritone?
What is a substitution?
Chords that use tritone subs
Tritones and the bass
V7 to I example bII7 to I
ii - V7 - I example ii - bII7 - I
Tritones as half-step resolutions
Available tensions on Dom 7
Voicings with quartals
Voicings with U.S.T.
ii - V7 voicing example
V7 to V7 to I example
Extended dominant resolution


I will also cover those quartal voicings that you were discussing. There are a few more that you can add on like C-Bb | Eb-Bb-Db and so on. I'll show you them on the video.

Thanks again for the great post.

P.S. for those of you reading this, I will finish up "Thank You Lord" after I do this DVD on tritones.