{"id":14040,"date":"2016-07-27T00:00:10","date_gmt":"2016-07-27T08:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hearandplay.com\/main\/?p=14040"},"modified":"2024-10-07T17:36:14","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T01:36:14","slug":"upper-structure-voicing-technique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearplaymain.wpenginepowered.com\/upper-structure-voicing-technique\/","title":{"rendered":"An Easier Way To Play Extended Chords Using The Upper Structure Voicing Technique"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this lesson, we’ll be taking a look at the upper structure voicing technique.<\/p>\n

This technique is very important to any musician who wants to use extended chords. A vast majority of musicians shy away from extended chords not just because of the complexity of its harmony but its texture<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Attention:<\/strong> Texture in music refers to the layers of notes that are heard at once.<\/p>\n

Extended chords have a thicker texture because they have more notes than triads and seventh chords and also encompass nine to thirteen scale degrees when played in root position.<\/p>\n

The upper structure voicing technique makes it possible and easier to play extended chords and you’ll find that out in this lesson. Before going into all of that, let’s take a short note on extended chords.<\/p>\n

A Deep Insight On Extended Chords<\/h2>\n

The intervals that a chord can be broken down into are known as its intervallic constituents. According to Jermaine Griggs, “…intervals are the building blocks of chords.” <\/em>Believe it or not, every chord irrespective of its width<\/a> and quality, is made up of intervals.<\/p>\n

Extended chords have bigger widths because they contain compound intervals<\/em> and a clearer understanding of these compound intervals will prove helpful in this lesson.<\/p>\n

Therefore, let’s take a look at compound intervals before proceeding in this study.<\/p>\n

“What Are Compound Intervals?”<\/em><\/h3>\n

Compound intervals are intervals that exceed the compass of an octave.<\/p>\n

An octave is an eighth, therefore, intervals that their width or compass exceed eight scale degrees are compound intervals. In the key of C major:
\n …intervals like the ninth (C-D):
\n
\n…tenth (C-E):
\n
\n…eleventh (C-F):
\n
\n…twelfth (C-G):
\n …thirteenth (C-A):
\n …fourteenth (C-B):
\n
\n…and fifteenth (C-C):
\n
\n…are all compound intervals and like I said earlier, extended chords contain these compound intervals.<\/p>\n

“Here’s a chord formation activity that will show you how compound intervals come into the picture”<\/em><\/p>\n

In the formation of chords, the basis of the relationship between the chord tones are an underlying scale<\/em><\/strong> and a class of harmony<\/strong>.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Underlying scale<\/strong>: C natural major scale.<\/p>\n

Class of Harmony<\/strong>: Tertian harmony<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Using the C major scale:
\n …you can form an extended chord by starting from C:
\n
\n…and making sure that the interval between successive chord tones are in thirds (aka – “tertian harmony<\/a>“.)<\/p>\n

A third above C:
\n
\n…is E:
\n
\n…a third above C-E:
\n
\n…is G:
\n
\n…a third above C-E-G:
\n
\n…is B:
\n
\n…a third above C-E-G-B:
\n
\n…is D:
\n
\n…at this point we’ve exceeded the compound of an octave (C-C):
\n
\n…and the chord C-E-G-B-D:
\n
\n…is known as a ninth chord<\/strong> because it encompasses nine scale degrees from C to D:
\n …therefore can be called a ninth. <\/em>Adding more notes to the ninth chord in thirds produces other extended chords.<\/p>\n

A third above the ninth chord (C-E-G-B-D):
\n
\n…is F:
\n
\n…which is an eleventh above C:
\n Altogether, C-E-G-B-D-F:
\n<\/p>\n

…is an eleventh chord.<\/p>\n

A third above the eleventh chord (C-E-G-B-D-F):
\n …is A:
\n
\n…which is a thirteenth above C:
\n Altogether, C-E-G-B-D-F-A:
\n ..is a thirteenth chord and that’s the farthest we can go in extended harmony. Adding another third to the thirteenth (C-E-G-B-D-F-A):
\n …produces a fifteenth (C-E-G-B-D-F-A-C):
\n
\n…a chord that encompasses two octaves, with a duplicate of C:
\n
\n…the root note.<\/p>\n

“In a nutshell…”<\/em><\/p>\n

We came across three compound intervals:<\/p>\n