After many years of listening to great improvisers, I discovered a common thread: the use of triads as melodic material. This exercise breaks each bar into two triads, providing a focused way to explore this concept.
Importantly, the triad used in your melody doesn’t have to match the chord you’re playing over. In fact, choosing a different triad often leads to more interesting lines. For example, playing an E minor triad over a Cmaj7 chord outlines the 3rd (E), 5th (G), and 7th (B) of Cmaj7. This is an excellent way to highlight upper chord tones.
One of my favorite applications of this concept is playing a D major triad over Cmaj7 or C7. This introduces the 9th (D), #11 (F#), and 13th (A).
