Practical concepts for

improvisation
by Rmi Bolduc

Upper structure triades

and Slash chords

Major triades
1-

D /C
&c

This chord could be

call C phrygian as well

Here the symbol of the

chord with the extensions:

D MA7(#11)/C
&

C phryg

b b

2- D/C

&

C MA7(#11)

C 13( 11)

Lydian

Lydian dominante

& #

b
3- E /C

&

Cm 9

E MA7(#11)/C

or

&

C dorian

4-

C MA7(#5)

E/C

&

3e mode minor melodic:

5-

F/C
&
&

C m 11

Dorian

or

C sus13

Mixolydian

G /C

6-

&

G MA7(#11)/C

& b b b b b
Locrian

7- G/C

&

C MA9

&
Major scale

8-

A /C
&
b

or

Eolien

Upper structure triades

C 7alt

b b
b b n b

C min9

Minor melodic

or

Altered

C m 7(b6)
& b b b
A add 2/C

G 13( 11)/C

C 7alt

Altered scale

-2-

n b b

Practical concepts for

improvisation
by Rmi Bolduc

9- A/C

&

C 13( 9 )
&

b
#

Diminish half-whole

10-

B /C
&

Cm

& b

CL

&

Dorian

# #

Diminish whole-half

Upper structure triades

Here we have many choices of 3rd and 5th.

Let's look at the main one:

I 11

Mixolydian

&

5th mode min harmonic. I start this scale on

the tonic of the upper structure triade (A)

C sus9

11- B/C

b #

C m 9(b5)
I

b b b

Locrian (#2) or
VIe mode minor melodic

5th mode minor harmonic starting the

the upper triade B.

-3-

Practical concepts for

improvisation
by Rmi Bolduc

Minor Triades
12- D bmI/C

C 7alt

&

Altered

Hardly ever use is:

13- D mI/C

&

14- E bmI/C

C sus13

Cm

Mixolydian

Dorian

C m 7(b5)

C m 9(b5)

& b b b b b

15- E mI/C

I 13

b b
b

Locrian

Be-bop player often

use this sound over
min(b5) chords

Locrian #2

C MA7

&

Major (lydian could be use as well)

16- F mI/C

&

C m 11 (b6)
I

Minor natural

Rare

17- G bmI/C

&

b b

less commun would be:

Locrian, locrien #2, dim whole-half

b9

C 13( #

11)

b b n #

Dim. half-whole

Upper structure triades

-4-

Practical concepts for

improvisation
by Rmi Bolduc

18- G mI/C

C9

&

b
19- A mI/C

&

Lydian dominante

CL

# #

Also on Csus9 and Cmin9. But this

sound is use a lot on dom. chords
that don't resolve on I. For example
C7 to Dmaj or Bmaj

Dim. whole half

20- A mI/C

C MA6

&

Use a lot on Imaj as a tonic

substitute

Major

b
21- B mI/C

&

C phryg

b b

Again the most commun

Phrygian

C MA7(#11)

22- B mI/C

&

Lydian

Upper structure triades

-5-

Practical concepts for

improvisation
by Rmi Bolduc