However intellectual we get about chords and voicings, it’s safe to admit to learning things visually. The “big three” of triad shapes are fairly memorable on the guitar: D, F, and Bb. If we assign more than one job to a chord shape, we’re left with less to teach our fingers, ending up with nice, easy chord forms to play when the chord that is called for on the lead sheet is, say, Bbmaj7(#5).
Upper structure triads usually refer to the three notes that form the high end of a 7th chord with added tensions on it. This month, we’re going to look at triads that are contained in 7th chords, with or without extensions or tension added.
There’s that D triangle. What we’re really playing on the first three strings is a D major triad in the second inversion, or A, D and F#. Let’s suppose we’re playing with a bass player, who is responsible for playing the root of a chord. We can now call that triangle B-7 (B-D-F#-A) if we hear it in the context of B in the bass. Similarly, F can function as a D-7 and Bb can function as a G-7. Let’s move those two triad shapes up the neck to get two more inversions of a D major triad.
There’s the shape that looks like Bb in example 1, but now it is a D major triad in the root position, or D-F#-A at the 5th fret. Following that is the shape that we called F in example 1, but now it is a D major triad in the first inversion, or F#-A-D at the 10th fret. Either of these D triads make a nice B-7 as well.
Consider the notes in that B%maj7(#5): Bb-DF#- A. There’s our friendly D major triad again on the top three notes, so any of our D majors will give us the right chord sound if our trusted bass player lays down a B%.
Looking for a cool way to grab an E9sus4 (E-A-B-D-F#)? Our D major triads work nicely here, too. Our bass player will give us the E root, and will often play the 5th at some point, too.
These D triads can make a nice Gmaj9, too, but we need to be a little careful here. Gmaj9 is G-B-D-F#-A. We’ve got the upper structure covered just fine, but the all-important third of the chord is missing. Still, it will work if we have already established the major tonality and we’re just complimenting it some by moving around the neck.
The following examples show what happens when we use the other three triad types (minor, diminished and augmented) this way. The fun of the match game comes from recognizing that the chord which you just used as B-7(b5) works quite nicely as Bbmaj7, not to mention a D minor triad. For practice, find your way around lead sheets using only triad shapes. Be creative and transpose to your heart’s content. 
Jane Miller
Jane Miller is a guitarist, composer, and arranger with roots in both jazz and folk. In addition to leading her own jazz instrumental quartet, she is in a working chamber jazz trio with saxophonist Cercie Miller and bassist David Clark. The Jane Miller Group has released three CDs on Jane’s label, Pink Bubble Records. Jane joined the Guitar Department faculty at Berklee College of Music in 1994.
janemillergroup.com
Guitarist Dave Harrington concedes that while there are a few mile markers in the music that he and musician Nicolas Jaar create as Darkside, improvisation has been the rule from day one. The experimental electronic trio’s latest record, Nothing, which released in February on Matador, was the first to feature new percussionist Tlacael Esparza.
Taking the record on tour this year, Darkside stopped in at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl, where Harrington broke down his complex signal chains for PG’s Chris Kies.
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Express Yourself
Harrington bought this mid-2000s Gibson SG at 30th Street Guitars in New York, a shop he used to visit as a kid. The headstock had already been broken and repaired, and Harrington switched the neck pickup to a Seymour Duncan model used by Derek Trucks. Harrington runs it with D’Addario NYXL .010s, which he prefers for their stretch and stability.
The standout feature is a round knob installed by his tech behind the bridge, which operates like an expression pedal for the Line 6 DL4. Harrington has extras on hand in case one breaks.
Triple Threat
Harrington’s backline setup in Nashville included two Fender Twin Reverbs and one Fender Hot Rod DeVille. He likes the reissue Fender amps for their reliability and clean headroom. Each amp handles an individual signal, including loops that Harrington creates and plays over; with each amp handling just one signal rather than one handling all loops and live playing, there’s less loss of definition and competition for frequency space.
Dave Harrington’s Pedalboards
Harrington says he never gives up on a pedal, which could explain why he’s got so many. You’re going to have to tune in to the full Rundown to get the proper scoop on how Harrington conducts his three-section orchestra of stomps, but at his feet, he runs a board with a Chase Bliss Habit, Mu-Tron Micro-Tron IV, Eventide PitchFactor, Eventide H90, Hologram Microcosm, Hologram Chroma Console, Walrus Monument, Chase Bliss Thermae, Chase Bliss Brothers AM, JHS NOTAKLÖN, two HexeFX reVOLVERs, and an Amped Innovations JJJ Special Harmonics Extender. A Strymon Ojai provides power.
At hip-level sits a board with a ZVEX Mastotron, Electro-Harmonix Cathedral, EHX Pitch Fork, Xotic EP Booster, two EHX 45000 multi-track looping recorders, Walrus Slöer, Expedition Electronics 60 Second Deluxe, and another Hologram Microcosm. A Live Wire Solutions ABY Box and MXR DC Brick are among the utility tools on deck.
Under that board rest Harrington’s beloved Line 6 DL4—his desert-island, must-have pedal—along with a controller for the EHX 45000, Boss FV-50H volume pedal, Dunlop expression pedal, Boss RT-20, a Radial ProD2, and another MXR DC Brick.
