Play better Sax Solos with Triad Pairs

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

🎷Get 14 Days Sax School free : saxschoolonline.com/join-today/

[@idongesitjohn4937]

hel

[@aliadair1787]

Still remember Joel teaching me this at college - along with a myriad of other super important concepts. Good to see he's still helping bring on the next generation!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks Ali! Good to hear from you, hope you’re well. Joel. 👍🏼

[@coreychandler2016]

This is a lesson to come back to and spend months on. I love these sound explorations. Thanks Joel.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks Corey! Hope you’re well. 👍🏼

[@Zxx459]

Walt weisfkof saxophonist is the one before this guy ....

[@scotteilers5626]

Musician and filmmaker here. Really impressed with your teaching and video. Very well done and it helped get me unstuck from some practicing doldrums.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Much appreciated in both departments! Hope you’re well. Joel. 👍🏼

[@jazzguitarworkroom]

Love the sound demonstration of each triad combo... Thanks for sharing, sir!

[@mileswhite4329]

Awesome. First time I have heard this simple concept explained so clearly and demonstrated in an accessible way.

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@NickWebbSax]

I love using triad pairs in solos. It's also a great way to warm up - C-Dm, C-D, C-D+, C-C#m etc. I enjoy doing 'focused noodling' with them to see what I can come up with.

[@JoelPurnell]

Definitely a good warm up and way of discovering new sounds! 👍🏼

[@SamChaneyProductions]

Would love to hear more about when and why to choose each pair. I actually really loved the sound of the vi to vii chords

[@JoelPurnell]

Theoretically, any of those triad pairs could be used over any chord(s) contained within the key signature they’re derived from. The task is to try them in each context and make a musical decision as to whether you like that sound. If you do, practice and internalise it in all 12 keys over that chord type / progression. Hope that helps! 👍🏼

[@raymondrussell1754]

Maaan, I can't wait to master this type of sound...I just don't know how long it will take to master it...but, this is the sound I've always wanted. And you just showed me how it's done..thanks for your humble way of showing us how it's done..😊😊😊

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@johnwilson1997]

@@JoelPurnell

[@wimvanderzwan1892]

It's is way to complicated for me at this moment, but I do understand it! Thanks a million, i am going to study!!

[@JoelPurnell]

Understanding the general concept is the start of using a new idea! Have a go in a nice key with a couple of familiar triads, you might surprise yourself! Best wishes. Joel. 👍🏼

[@quincyfreysinger6894]

Finally someone who explains well! Every good musicians use this, but no one explain that well!! They were just telling me: use triads. End of story xD. I'm so glad you did this video!! Years I was stuck in the same place musically. Thinking scales and having no precise flavour and colour to use. I finally feel like I m PLAYING, trying out things and enjoying. Thank you so much, you have my eternal gratitude

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! Glad to help! 👍🏼

[@tychovskisounds]

Well I know what I'll be practicing the next six months! Thanks!

[@JoelPurnell]

Ha! Great. There are actually 34 possible unique triad pairs available, so it’ll keep you busy for life! The gift that keeps giving! 👍🏼

[@waynematthews8165]

Nice one Joel! Not seen you for years! Sounding great as ever! I hope our paths cross again, would love to gig with you again. All the best!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks Wayne! Good to hear from you. Hope life is good! Best wishes. Joel. 👍🏼

[@samtedesco3529]

Great information, however, I was really impressed with the clean sound you are getting out of your setup.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@olafsrensen9578]

Very funky combination !!! Thanks from Denmark

[@adamdeem5526]

This is the best breakdown of this I’ve ever seen. Thanks! You just expanded my mind without exploding my brain 😵‍💫. So many teachers get too technical and wordy with the explanation, your visualization of the triads as single chords with the extensions just made it click!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Happy to help. 👍🏼

[@markwhaymand9013]

Love Brecker , and a great video , thanks 🎶🎶🎷

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@Darling-xy9qp]

Thnak you so much !!! I've been waiting for this lesson for years and years !!!

[@JoelPurnell]

Glad you enjoyed it! 👍🏼

[@robertmcgowan4149]

You really changed my playing & approach, amazing lesson. Eternal gratitude, best always Robert New York City.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks Robert! Hope you're well. Joel. 👍🏼

[@scruffyleon7383]

Thanks for the explanation and demonstration of triad pairs. I never understood which triad pairs goes with the other. I know what I'll be practicing on for the next year.

[@ChrisM.Boissevain-kz7np]

Thanks for keeping your instruction simple. You are a good teacher.

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@patrickkyle4601]

I find the 2 minor and 3 minor go well together for a Dom 7th. So in Eb the Fm and Gm perfectly outline a Bb13th. Add some passing flat 5s from each blues scale too.

[@JoelPurnell]

Nice! 👍🏼

[@SamChaneyProductions]

Ah yeah, the Fm will be the 5, 7 and 9 and then the Gm will be the 13, R, 3

[@halhosmer1820]

Wow! So basic and so grand. Time to get to work.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Go for it!

[@TerryfromTexas]

What an amazing lesson! I can not wait to work on this and share with my students. Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge with the world. Terry from Texas.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks Terry! 👍🏼

[@Graybo-GrayV]

Got it now Joel, everything you throw our way is simply quality and superb!

[@trading4s]

Absolutely awesome video! Great teacher and a very hip topic.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@tebgarciaferrer270]

Thanks for this fantastic video. Clear, direct and didactic.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@NestorVass]

Slonimsky has all the triad pairs. Good book

[@JoelPurnell]

Great book! 👍🏼

[@RockRabot007]

Most valuable lesson ever. Bravo.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@WalterHuff-q7y]

Absolutely the best 15 minute improv lesson ever! Thanks!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@GAoctavio]

Its just playing the diatonic chord scale without the 7th (mostly) in thirds. C & Dm gives you C ionian, Dm & Em gives you D dorian, etc. I think the interesting part is playing a chord scale skipping a note, you could do it in 5ths aswell in this case

[@JoelPurnell]

Hi. Remember that you could theoretically play any triad pair from the key over any chord or mode from that key. Each would sound different in each context. Hope you’re well. Joel.

[@Ronno4691]

Guitar owners call this kind of thing modal playing, I believe 😊

[@Phrygian12]

That’s one way of looking at it, but this isn’t really a modal thing. If you were to play Dm and Em triads over a C chord. You’d be getting the colorful sounds of a Cmaj13. Not only are we able to touch the chord tones, it also creates a sense of movement in your lines. Over a V chord in C, if we play an F° and G triad, we can get that dominant b9 sound. Or F°and G° for that altered sound of a Db7, the tritone sub. The possibilities are endless and all we’re doing is weaving between two simple triads instead of thinking of a huge scale pattern.

[@RobertColley-k5y]

Man oh Man you just unlocked some jewels for me I have been wondering how these work.

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@drhbg-x8r]

Great stuff! back to practice again

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@jamiemcgoldrick3350]

Thoroughly enjoyed that lesson

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@MichaelBagge]

Thanks a lot. I'm a guitarist who just learned something new!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@johnwilson1997]

@@JoelPurnell Me too

[@a1saxy]

Fantastic! I love your teaching and playing Joel. Thank you 😊

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@garymeroff3297]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am enjoying the triad pairs. It's another angle to improvise. Plus you sound really good !

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@ekaufman4800]

Mind blown, AGAIN! Everything you play sounds wonderful. I'll give this a try. Kindest regards, Lark.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks Beth! 🦉 👍🏼

[@kooky74]

Piano jazz player since decades and didn't know about this method. Because I started sax some month ago, I have found your channel. And finally understand what I heard since years when I listen some sax solos. Thank you very much sharing this content ❤

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! It’s a great voicing method on piano too! Particularly when applied at the top of quartal voicings. Try it out!! 👍🏼

[@mikehallsax]

Great video, Joel! Excellent presentation and you're sounding fab! Love the subtle thing about hooking the sound onto the strongest triad of the chord. All good wishes, Mike Hall

[@CampbellSmith-tr1ek]

Great lesson Joel.What I especially like is the way they sound when you up the tempo and start motoring. btw forgive me for being pernickety ,but😢 the 'F' in Dm in the key of D major is the 3rd, it's not a flat 3rd but rather is diatonic. Anyway ,thanks again for this jazz gold,Joel. Alan Breen ,ex Leeds Coll Music.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! In jazz theory we always describe the 3rd in a minor chord as either a flat / minor 3rd to avoid confusion. Referencing the interval rather than a diatonic position. Hope that helps. 👍🏼

[@thozotthembandaba8526]

Such an awesome sound man, seconds you have a natural way of explaining these concepts.......big ups man....and thank you..

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@guitariste47]

Very interesting. This the 3rd video about triad pairs and this one really explains it very well. I am a guitarist by the way

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@tavosaxo9838]

Thanks, great explication. There's a triad word to discover.❤

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼 There’s potentially 34 unique triad pair combo! A true subject for life!

[@profusia6607]

Nice job, one of the best jazz improv instructional videos I've ever seen. Straightforward and very clearly explained and demonstrated.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Much appreciated. 👍🏼

[@gerhardorth2691]

Great lesson!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@benmartin5417]

Nice one Joel. Sounding great.

[@JoelPurnell]

Hey up Ben! It’s been a long time mate. Hope you’re well. Take care. Joel.

[@tobygilmore8036]

Thank you very much. I can't wait to start practicing these. I am hoping it could be the way to break my aimless noodling style.

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! A great anti-noodle device! 👍🏼

[@kenjohnston2818]

Came across this video and I was so fortunate to have this explained and demonstrated so clearly. Thanks man! Loving it!🎷😀

[@binneystone7062]

Very clear explanation with nicely played examples. I am going back to these (am guitarist) again. Thank you! p.s NICE TONE

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@terryblack5381]

Excellent lesson. I have been looking for a simplified explanation of some of these modern techniques for a long while. Now I can have a way to start. Thank you!

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@rsfeltm]

Thank you so much. I’ve had explained to me before but you demo it in a clear manner. That was A+ Ty

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@johna6648]

Just discovered your site; great ideas for me to tackle; Thank you!😀🎷

[@JoelPurnell]

Welcome! 👍🏼

[@vahpr]

Nice, and a good backing track too!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@Oz1Muzyk]

Rather interesting and informative! Thanks very much for sharing this Sir.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! No problem! 👍🏼

[@lloydbonnemaison8228]

Great advices and video! Thank you!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@mistrsax]

Excellent. Very easy to learn and apply. Thank you! 👍🎷🎵

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@MrGreatKingShaneMiller]

Simple to follow and effective. Thanks!

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@darintriplett7697]

Wonderful Content. Thank you so Very much.

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@clivecolledge4191]

Brilliant teaching.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@dbsax2]

Love your sound!! Awesome.! Great vid! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Much appreciated. 👍🏼

[@peterankin985]

Very well explained thank you

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! Best wishes. 👍🏼

[@armandoalvarezfleites1873]

This is an awesome lesson. Thank you so much for simplifying things.

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! Thanks. 👍🏼

[@steefsax]

Nice lesson! Good sound and nice playing too!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@Graybo-GrayV]

Great info, I am a Sax School member and cannot locate the pdf and backing track within the online material. I have attempted several search attempts.

[@JoelPurnell]

Hi. Thanks! If you search for “Play better Sax Solos with Triad Pairs” you should see it in there. 👍🏼

[@edgarscott8908]

Amazing introduction! You made that sound so beautiful. Loved the example at the end with gradually making the use of triad pairs more creative.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! 👍🏼

[@amaldesilva9366]

Would it be possible to have one to one online sessions with you? Pls let me know if this is possible and how we can set this up. Thanks so much

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Hi. Joel is part of our teaching team at SaxSchoolOnline and we have a coaching program here. Email for more info here: [e-mail]

[@SerenityTracks4]

Great explanation and lovely saxophone sound. Thanks!😊

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Very kind. 👍🏼

[@Jaujau933]

Nice vid greets from 🇩🇪

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@ericking9061]

Thank you for this 🎉

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@guyratovo6166]

Thanks a lot! this is a great video !

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@TonyAguirreJazz]

Wow this was great! Will be working on this for a bit

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! I a great area of improvisation to get into. Hope you’re well. 👍🏼

[@johnedwardpeterskillen5526]

Really enjoying learning from this. Going to take me a while.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks!

[@marshwetland3808]

Super interesting theory concept. I don't play sax and never will, but this came up in my recommended. Interesting you thought the 2nd one sounded melancholy. I found it incredibly sweet and it made me smile and I felt it in my chest, but then I'm a melancholic and fish don't see the water. Then the next one, you said Spanish? To me it sounded like a smooth-flowing day in the office - lol, just motoring along getting stuff done! Then again, I love Latin music and this didn't remind me of it in any way! It's so personal. Or I'm just weird.

[@JoelPurnell]

That’s the beauty of music! We all hear it in our own unique way. These triad pair sounds are also contextual, each would sound totally different again when applied to different chords or bass notes. Best wishes. Joel. 👍🏼

[@drjazzca]

Great presentation!! Great sound. Cheers.

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@אלדרלוי-נ1ס]

thank you

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@glenntomassi3442]

Excellent!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@paulfairchild3461]

inspiring a great lesson I've learnt a lot

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Glad to help. 👍🏼

[@Samo1er]

Great lesson..thanks

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@amaldesilva9366]

What a wonderful insight Joel. Thanks so much for sharing. Would this method work for Blues scales also?

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! It works well for diatonic and symmetrical scales, but not really for the blues ‘scale’, as you can’t form 2 standard triads with no common tones out of the available notes. However, if you expand your concept of triad types, you could form an unorthodox triad pair such as C(sus4)/Ebm to create the C minor blues (or Eb major) blues scale. Try it out! Hope you’re well. Joel.

[@rich4444hrsm]

Some cool theory great video!!!!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@jeffreymassey5541]

Very goooooood lesson 👍🏾💯🧀🎷

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@LennyPrice]

Great content! Love your sound and this presentation. 🎷💥

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. 👍🏼

[@petegalindez9961]

Very cool…I’m very new to music theory though I’ve been playing for over 40 years…maybe a dumb question, why do the triad pairs have to be juxtaposed? Can you not have the C triad with the F triad, or any other combination?

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! You can do that too, but the point of triad pairs is more that the 2 triads don’t contain common notes which creates a definitive contrast between the 2 sounds they create. Hope that makes sense. Best wishes. Joel. 👍🏼

[@yramhossoo8586]

Finger is licking good..great tuts Jo

[@JoelPurnell]

🤣 Thanks! 👍🏼

[@jimb4547]

I’d love to hear this over Dominant Chords

[@JoelPurnell]

I’m playing it over a ii - V7 progression, so you kind of are for half of it!! Best wishes. Joel. 👍🏼

[@mickmann6779]

Great lesson!!! Noticed you aren't using a neck strap, but you are using a stand for you Tenor. What type is it and where can it be purchased?

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! I built it myself with an engineer friend of mine due to back problems. Unfortunately you can’t buy one, it’s bespoke to me and my horn. Hope you’re well. Joel.

[@jessebennett8299]

Nicely done. Both your way of teaching and your playing. (two very different skills) As you well know, you have a beautiful tone. Just curious. Is that a late 50's or early 60's Mark VI? And I couldn't see the mouthpiece clearly enough. Brand? Opening?

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! It’s a 1965 MkVI Tenor and an Otto Link 7* mouthpiece. 👍🏼

[@jessebennett8299]

Not unlike my "sometimes" set up. 50's Link 7* (alternating w/ early Guardala Crescent and Traditional), and early 40's Selmer Tenor Balanced with some left-over Super parts, and late 30's Selmer Tenor Super with some Balanced parts. (It's getting very hard to find replacement part for those horns!) @@JoelPurnell

[@geralddombrowski6911]

i'm new to saxophone and was wondering how you get all the notes from in each of these triads

[@JoelPurnell]

Hi. A triad is simply 3 notes from any start point in a scale. Pick a note and call it 1, then go up the scale from that point and grab 3 & 5. Put them together and you have a triad (3 notes a 3rd interval apart). I’m then using those notes in creative ways across the whole range of the sax. With triad pairs, I’m simply alternating between 2 triads in a similar way. Hope that helps! 👍🏼

[@AzirJones]

I love it

[@andersonassuncao-muggdosax8014]

Amanzing Lesson 🎷💫

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Thanks

[@leroyharper4513]

Great video

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@neilripsch6624]

Really nice!

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@Q.Lawrence]

I like to extract the major triads from the diminished scale to resolve V to I. It breaks up the typical licks used in that context.

[@JoelPurnell]

Yes, there’s some great triad pairs within the diminished scale! 👍🏼

[@markwebb5610]

Nice one , Thank you : )

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@michalondricka8832]

Great explanation! Thanks a lot! ❤

[@JoelPurnell]

No problem! 👍🏼

[@claptrap22]

One question is how well you find this works for tunes with more complex chord changes? How is that managed?

[@JoelPurnell]

Just like any other technique, it’s just a case of practice, practice, practice! Be specific, one triad pair type, practiced over one chord tone type. Then apply to repertoire and move onto the next. Hope that helps! 👍🏼

[@claptrap22]

@@JoelPurnell thanks....but I don't immediately see the universal applicability to changes that move outside the ii-V structure. Thinking of something like Green Dolphin Street, you're not going to be able to just run through any triad pairing you choose at any given moment.

[@JoelPurnell]

@@claptrap22You can theoretically use any triad pair, derived from any scale type, over any chord from that scale type. The only restriction is whether it sounds good to you and how much you practice! Hope you’re well. Joel. 👍🏼

[@JoelPurnell]

@Roadrunner_1000mphHi. Yes, if that’s all you play! But in a performance situation it’s just another sound to mix in to your other improvisational techniques. However, it’s always good to be focused and extreme to some degree when practicing a specific / new technique.

[@JoelPurnell]

@Roadrunner_1000mph As I said, all I’m obviously doing in the video is purely playing triad pairs to demonstrate the specific sound. However, in a real performance situation I’d only be using them as one sound amongst many others.

[@wrtwatch8576]

Is your backing track in Bb? I'm a bit mixed up about the transposition set up. You're playing your 4 and 5 as F and G on the tenor, to a ii -V in Bb then?

[@JoelPurnell]

Hi. In concert, I’m using Eb & F triads over Cm7 F7. 👍🏼

[@thomasschneider1785]

Please show the pattern you use They sound great Tom

[@JoelPurnell]

Hi Tom. There’s a lot of patterns here! Just remember that in every improvisation throughout the video I’m only ever using alternating F/G triads. It’d be really useful for your playing to use your ears and transcribe any sounds or patterns you enjoy. If you can work out that I’m playing either a F,A or C at a given point for example, the chances are that the notes around it in the pattern will be the other notes of a F major triad etc. Notice that the 2 triads have no common notes, so this makes it much easier to transcribe. Hope you’re well. Joel.

[@thomasschneider1785]

Thanks for your replys

[@MrStikav]

Great video,Joel:)

[@JoelPurnell]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! 👍🏼