Upper Structure Triads

Upper structure triads are three-note chords played over different bass notes to create rich harmonic colors. These triads are typically built from the upper portions of extended chord structures (9th, 11th, and 13th chords) and create distinctive, complex sounds while remaining relatively simple to visualize and execute. For example, playing a C major triad over a D bass note creates a D11 sound. Jazz musicians like McCoy Tyner and Wayne Shorter utilized upper structure triads extensively in their compositions and improvisations. Arrangers like Maria Schneider and Gil Evans incorporate these sonorities in their orchestrations to create lush, colorful harmonies across multiple instruments. Upper structure triads are especially useful for adding tension and release in ballads and modal compositions, allowing musicians on any chordal or melodic instrument to access modern sounds without navigating overly complex chord structures. Horn players can imply these harmonies in their melodic lines, while guitarists, vibraphonists, and other chordal instrumentalists can directly voice them.