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Improvisation: Superimposing Arpeggios and Triads - Part 1

Author: Simon Newton Date: March 2008

1. One way of creating an altered sound over a dominant seventh chord when soloing is to play an
augmented arpeggio a flattened 5th away from the root. Hot-club/gypsy style players use this type
of thinking extensively.

2. The Theory Bit!

2.1 The intervals of an augmented triad are all major 3rds (note that for a diminished triad, the
intervals are minor 3rds, often referred to as ‘stacked’ minor 3rds)

E.G.

Gb Augmented triad

Gb Bb D Gb
-Major 3rd - - Major 3rd - -
Major 3rd -

2.2 An augmented triad has three inversions. The chord repeats itself as a different inversion at
major third intervals; the name of each triad can be regarded as the first note in the chord.

Gb/F# augmented Gb, Bb, D

Gb/F# augmented 1st Inversion Bb, Gb, D or Bb augmented
Gb/F# augmented 2nd inversion D Bb Gb or D augmented
Etc.

This information is really handy to know if you want to sequence an augmented run up and
down the neck. I have heard rock guitarists use this device to get an outside sound over a power
chord.
3. Example

Play a Gb augmented arpeggio over a C7 chord to create the sound of a C9b5.

C7 Chord tones Gb Augmented Triad chord tones relative to C9

C Root
E 3
Gb b5
G 5
Bb b7
D 9

Have fun!

Simon Newton