Harmonic and Melodic Substitutions (Guitar Lesson)
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Harmonic and Melodic Substitutions
Brendan demonstrates and discusses how various tiny triads can be applied to bass notes to imply larger, more complex chords. He also explains how these concepts can be used in a melodic context.
Taught by Brendan Burns in Improv with Brendan seriesLength: 18:26Difficulty: 3.0 of 5
Video Subtitles / Captions
Supplemental Learning Material
Improv with Brendan
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsIn his Theory and Improvisation series, Brendan Burns looks at triads, chord voicings and usage across the circle of fifths.
Lesson 1
Lesson Series Overview
Brendan Burns provides an overview of the topics that will be covered in his chord voicing lesson series.
Length: 4:17 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 2
Form 1 Tiny Triads
Brendan demonstrates the tiny triad shapes derived from the form 1 barre chord.
Length: 13:12 Difficulty: 1.5 FREE
Form 3 Tiny Triads
Brendan Burns demonstrates the tiny triads derived from the 3rd form of the CAGED system.
Length: 12:51 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Form 2 Tiny Triads
Brendan demonstrates the 2nd form tiny triads.
Length: 20:57 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Form 1 Minor Triads
Brendan demonstrates the tiny minor triad shapes derived from the form 1 CAGED shape.
Length: 4:41 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Form 3 Minor Triads
Brendan demonstrates the 3rd form minor triads from the CAGED system.
Length: 6:09 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Form 2 Minor Triads
Brendan burns demonstrates the 2nd form minor tiny triads.
Length: 20:21 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Augmented Tiny Triads
Brendan Burns demonstrates the tiny triad shapes for augmented chords.
Length: 6:30 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Diminished Tiny Triads
Brendan Burns demonstrates the grips for the diminished tiny triads.
Length: 7:35 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Tiny Triads Wrap-Up
Now that you've gone through all the tiny triad lessons, Brendan offers some closing statements and insights that will help you with incorporating them into your playing.
Length: 2:00 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
More Tiny Triads
Brendan takes a more in depth look at extensions that can be added to the tiny triad forms.
Length: 12:07 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
6th Tiny Triads
Brendan demonstrates the addition of the 6th extension to the tiny triad forms.
Length: 7:54 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Minor Triad Extensions
In lesson 13, Brendan covers the extensions for the minor form tiny triads.
Length: 13:24 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Sus 4 Tiny Triads
Brendan Burns demonstrates the Sus 4 forms for the tiny triads.
Length: 6:13 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Tiny Triads Review
To get you setup to start learning more tiny triads, Brendan talks about what he'll be covering next and provides a review of the previous material.
Length: 5:45 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
More Major Triads
Brendan Burns takes a look at extensions that can be added to major triads.
Length: 16:47 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Major Triad 6ths
Brendan discusses and demonstrates how to add the 6th extension to your major triads.
Length: 11:36 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
More Minor Triads
Brendan takes a look at the extensions and embellishments that can be added to the minor tiny triads.
Length: 22:51 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Unstable Triads
Brendan Burns demonstrates and discusses the unstable or "ambiguous" triads that result from altering the 3rd.
Length: 19:48 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Spread Voiced Major Triads
Brendan Burns demonstrates and discusses how to utilize spread voiced triads in your playing. In the first lesson of this mini-series, he discusses major spread voicings.
Length: 19:37 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Spread Voiced Minor Triads
Brendan demonstrates spread voicings of minor triads.
Length: 14:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Triadic Improvisation #1
The first lesson in Brendan's triadic improvisation lesson series covers the major triads and the combinations of their extensions.
Length: 24:51 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
Triadic Improvisation #2
Continuing on with triadic improvisation techniques, Brendan discusses and demonstrates how to utilize the minor triads.
Length: 27:22 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Harmonic and Melodic Substitutions
Brendan demonstrates and discusses how various tiny triads can be applied to bass notes to imply larger, more complex chords. He also explains how these concepts can be used in a melodic context.
Length: 18:26 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
About Brendan Burns
View Full Biography
Brendan has been passionate about music since childhood. He began his studies on trumpet, in elementary school, and then moved to guitar as a teenager. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Berklee College of Music, and has studied with Norm Zocher, Joe Stump, Bret Willmott, Bob Pilkington, Jay Weik, Tim Miller, & Charlie Banacos.
While at Berklee, Brendan was a member of the Music Mentoring Program, teaching private lessons to gifted high school students. He is currently teaches, and is chair of the guitar department at Brookline Music School. Brendan also teaches guitar for Tune Foolery & privately at his home in Cambridge, MA.
Along with educating, Brendan plays out often as a Solo Guitarist, performing standards, pop, and classical repertoire. He has recorded and played with the chamber-fusion band Ra Quintent, and as well as Vessela Stoyanova's Eastern Stories Under Western Skies Project. Brendan also performs as a leader, director and sideman for various Boston art-rock projects, and is former member of MIT's Gamelan Galak Tika.
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Brendan demonstrates the tiny triad shapes derived from the form 1 barre chord.
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That's awesome Snowdog. Glad you liked the lessons!
Nice lesson!
Fabulous lesson Brendan.... I'm getting it, what a thrill :-) to learn this...