322. THE BASIC CHROMATIC TRIPLET OF CHORDS OF ANY MODE OF THE DIATONIC SCALE

We cannot stress much the importance of triads of chords (but also of notes intervals and scales) in improvisation.

A good application is to realize that as a diatonic scale is characterized as chords on the wheel by 4ths by its 3 chords on the steps 1M, 4M , 5M  (harmonic triplet of chords) ,  OR 7d 1M 2m (chromatic tripler of chords) the same can apply for the modes of the diatonic scale.

Besides the basic harmonic triplets (in other words a sequence of 3 chords X1,X2,X3 so that X1-X2 , X2-X3 are harmonic relations od chords, in other words chords that their roots differ by an interval of 4th (5th)) , there are also the chromatic triplets (in other words a sequence of 3 chords X1,X2,X3 so that X1-X2 , X2-X3 are chromatic relations od chords, in other words chords that their roots differ by an interval of 2nd). BOTH  ARE BASIC TYPES OF TRIPLETS. In other words with the 3 CHORDS OF THE TRIPLET WE CAN ACCOMPANY ANY MELODY IN THE DIATONIC SCALE. WE CANNOT HAVE THIS PROPERTY OF BEING HARMONICALLY A BASE OF 3 CHORDS FOR MELODIC TRIPLETs (in other words a sequence of 3 chords X1,X2,X3 so that X1-X2 , X2-X3 are melodic relations of chords, in other words chords that their roots differ by an interval of 3rd) 

The chords of a mode of a diatonic scale at the steps 1,4,5 (or 7,1, 2) of it characterize its mood.

For example for the mixolydian mode of the diatonic scale from C ,(G, A, B , C, D, E, F, G) the chords at the steps 1,4 ,5 are the G, C, Dm) thus the 1, 2, 5 or I, ii, V of the original ionian and are the base of blues jazz.


Based on this perception, the 7 modes of the diatonic scale have the following chord triads:

(that is chords on their 1st 4th and 5th step, and we symbolize by m=minor M=major d=diminsihed.

1. IONIAN  :  CHROMATIC TRIPLET (7d, 1M, 2m)
2. DORIAN  :  CHROMATIC TRIPLET (1M, 2m, 3m )
3. PHRYGIAN : CHROMATIC TRIPLET(2m,3m, 4M)
4. LYDIAN:  CHROMATIC TRIPLET(3m, 4M, 5M)
5. MIXOLYDIAN: CHROMATIC TRIPLET (4M, 5M, 6m)
6. AEOLIAN:  CHROMATIC TRIPLET (5M, 6m, 7d)
7. LOCRIAN:  CHROMATIC TRIPLET (6m, 7d, 1M)

We may compare the basic chromatic triplets with the basic harmonic triplets (see also post 222)

1. IONIAN  :  HARMONIC TRIPLET (1M, 4M, 5M)
2. DORIAN  : HARMONIC TRIPLET (2m, 5M, 6m)
3. PHRYGIAN : HARMONIC TRIPLET (3m, 6m, 7d)
4. LYDIAN: HARMONIC TRIPLET  (4M, 7d,1M)
5. MIXOLYDIAN: HARMONIC TRIPLET  (5M, 1M,2m)
6. AEOLIAN: HARMONIC TRIPLET (6m, 2m, 3m)
7. LOCRIAN: HARMONIC TRIPLET  (7d, 3m, 4M)


Besides these 2 types of basic triplets we have also a 3rd type X1 X2 X3 , where X1-X2 is a chromatic relation and the X2-X3 is an harmonic relation or vice versa. We may call them the mixed
basic chromatic-harmonic triplets. E.g.  the basic triplet that is used sometimes in blues 1M 2m, 5M , is such as 1M-2m have chromatic relation while 1M-5M harmonic relation.

To convert a basic harmonic triplet to another chromatic or mixed basi triplet we utilize correspondences where we correspond each of the 3 main major chords of the diatonic scale with their lower minor relative and the 5M7 with the 7d. Therefore

2m<->4M
3m<->5M
6m<->1M
7d<-> 5M7

The same arguments may apply for the chromatic tonality where some of the mnor chords become major and some of the major chords minor. E.g. We have the harmonic triplet (3M7, 6m ,2m ) of the frygian mode and the harmonic triplet (7M7-3M7-6m) of the Locrian mode which are combined with the more standard harmonic triplets of the diatonic tonality of the dorian mode (2m-5M7-1M) or the myxolydian mode (5M7-1M7-4M) .

For  alternative basic chromatic triplets of the chromatic tonality (that corresponds to the harmonic minor and double harmonic minor) we have the triplets (we notice that thsi type of chromatic tonality gives for the basic chromatic triplets, cases of 2 major chords and one minor, thus the major chords are dominating!)


IONIAN MODE: 7M-1M-2m
DORIAN MODE: 1M-2m-3M
FRYGIAN MODE: 2m-3M7-4M
LYDIAN MODE: 3M-4M-5M
AEOLIAN MODE: 5M-6m-7M
LOCRIAN MODE: 6m-7M-1M