In Muses throbbing, grungy keyboard

anthem Uprising, defiance never sounded

so good. The band ushers in their rally with a
simple but effective synth riff built around D
minor and A major triads. Listen to the track
and check out the examples below, which
walk you through a simplified version of that
memorable introductory motif. Power on your
synth, warm up your fingers, and rise up!
PLAY I T! POP
MUSES
UPRISING
by Michael Gallant
Uprising, Words and Music by Matthew Bellamy. 2009 Loosechord Limited (PRS).
All Rights Administered by WB Music Corp. Used by Permission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Ex. 1. Heres how you hold your hand for the first seven notes of the sig-
nature intro synth line. Just start on the high A, play the notes in order
from high to low, then come back up, ending on the same A you started
on. All the notes here are part of the D minor triad.
Ex. 2. For the next three notes in the phrase, hold your hand as shown
here and play the notes in this order: D, Bb, A. Pay attention to how the
hand position and fingering are slightly different from those in Example 1.
Ex. 3. For the next eight notes, heres where your hand should sit on the keys.
Start high and go down and up, just like in Example 1, but drop down to the
lower A at the very end. All of the notes here are part of the A major triad.
Ex. 4. Wrap the phrase up with the final two notes, shown here: Play the G first,
before resolving down to the F. Again, note the slightly different fingering and
hand position from Example 3.


4
4



















1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
5
3
2
1
1 2
3
5
5
4
5
3
2
1 1
2
3
5
5
4
Ex. 5. Heres the simplified phrase, written in traditional notation. The timing is easy for this
one just count along as indicated.
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Share on our forum at keyboardmag.com. You
might just end up featured in print or online!
1
A
2
D
3
F
5
A
3
E
2
C#
1
A
5
A
4
F
5
G
1
D
4
A
5
Bb
The Resistance
(Warner Brothers)
= Middle C
42 K E Y B O A R D 0 1 . 2 0 1 0
Pianist Floyd Cramers slip note
technique is one of the most identifiable
types of riff in country piano playing.
Cramer developed this in the 50s and
made it his trademark sound: a relaxed,
on-the-beat grace note that usually leads
up to a chord tone. As part of a two- or
three-part right-hand chord, the slipped
note itself provides a melodic embellish-
ment, usually an added second (or ninth)
or major sixth.
This style, and the type of major chord
harmony it implies, is a huge part of the
Americana style of roots music that has
evolved over the past few decades, influenc-
ing a wide rage of players such as Chuck
Leavell, Bruce Hornsby, Benmont Tench,
Matt Rollings, and Donald Fagen.
PLAY I T! AMERI CANA
COUNTRY
SLIP NOTES
by Scott Healy
j
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= or
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a) b)

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Ex 1. It looks like a grace note on paper, but play the slip-note on the beat, maybe with a bit of an accent, as in 1a. How fast you play it depends on the tempo and feel
of the tune. Its probably going to sound closest to a 32nd-note going into a dotted sixteenth. Put a note on top, as in 1b, and you get a double stop with a slip note that
sounds a lot like a pedal steel guitar lick. Make sure to play the grace note on the beat and with the top note.
j
a)

4
4
,
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,
, ,
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, ,

j
b)

4
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5
1
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2 3
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1 5
1 2
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2 3
4
1 2
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2 3
j
c)

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3 4
2
1
5
3
2 1
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3
1
2
3 4
2
1
5
3
1
2
5
3
1
2
Ex 2. Take the simple scale in 2a and add a few embellishing notes. The best place to put them is leading up to the third, fifth, and sixth. Experiment with the way the
notes ring; it should sound even and clear, and always relaxed. Now add a top note with the fifth finger in 2b. The open intervals ring out nicely and the slip notes imply
harmony and embellishment without getting too fancy. Try the same thing with triads in 2c, moving up and down with gospel-tinged voicings.
j
a)
12
8
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B, E,

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b)
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c)
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Ex 3. The true Floyd Cramer style is sparse and restrained. In his famous piano intro for Patsy Clines Crazy he uses half-step blue notes, and he plays it softly in the
high register, similar to the example in 3a. Adding the upper note changes the sound a bit, as in 3b, and makes it even more bluesy. Try the same lick with a whole step
instead of the blue note, as in 3c it changes the whole vibe.
j j
a) b)

3
4
,
,
,
,
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A D A E

3
4
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A D A E
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c)

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3
5
2
2 1 1
5
3
5
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3
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2
1
4
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5
2
A(2) A/C D(2) A/C Bm7

A/C Bm

A(2) E(2) F m7 E/G

3
5
2
5
2 1
3
5
2
2
Ex 4. Start in 4a with a melody and chords, listening for harmonic movement and direction. Add some slip notes in 4b, on the beat, and a few embellishing notes after
the beat. Make it all swing a little, but stay relaxed. Add a top note in 4c, then a bass line in the left hand. If youre doing it right you can bring out the melody under the
top note, connect the chords without too much pedal, and stay relaxed but moving, all while implying the maj(add 2) harmony and a rootsy feel. True Americana.
Share your own country and Americana playing
on our forums at keyboardmag.com.
44 K E Y B O A R D 0 1 . 2 0 1 0
Want to add some bite and spice to
your voicings? Look to upper structure triads
for the uplifting effects you desire. As the
name implies, an upper structure triad (UST)
is simply a triad placed over another chord
with a different root. Some of the hippest
sounding voicings have USTs at their core.
These triads are usually major or minor, and
are normally used over dominant seventh
chords. This is not exclusive, as USTs can go
over major and minor chords as well. Although
the ear can extract the triad from the underly-
ing chord, the UST blends into the harmony
seamlessly, and creates colors and tensions
which add depth to the voicing or line.
PLAY I T! JAZZ
TRIAD TEXTURES
by Andy LaVerne


4
4
4
4

C7 11 C7 9 C7 9 11 C7alt C7 9 C7sus4 C7sus4 C7sus4 9

a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h)

MAJOR TRIADS OVER DOMINANT SEVENTH CHORDS
a) Dmaj triad over C7 creates C7#11, a dominant seventh alteration that doesnt necessarily resolve to a tonic. b) Ebmaj triad over C7 creates a C7#9, a dominant sev-
enth alteration that often resolves to a tonic minor. c) Gb major triad over C7 creates C7b9#11. d) Abmaj triad over C7 creates a C7#9b13 (C7alt), a dominant seventh
alteration that often resolves to a tonic minor. e) Amaj triad over C7 creates C7b9, a dominant seventh alteration that often resolves to a tonic minor. f) Fmaj triad over
C7 creates C7sus4; notice the sus4 in the left hand as well. g) Bbmaj triad over C7 creates C7sus4, too. h) Dbmaj triad over C7 creates C7sus4b9.


4
4
4
4

C7 9 5 C7 9 11 C7 9 11 C13 C7sus4 C7sus4

a) b) c) d) e) f) C7sus4 9 g)


MINOR TRIADS OVER DOMINANT SEVENTH CHORDS
a) C#m triad over C7 creates C7b9#5. b) Ebm triad over C7 creates C7#9#11, a dominant seventh alteration that often resolves to a tonic minor. c) F#m triad over C7
creates C7b9#11, a dominant seventh alteration that often resolves to a tonic minor; it has a slightly richer sound than the F#maj triad, due to the natural 13. d) Am triad
over C7 creates C13. e) Gm triad over C7 creates C7sus4. f) Dm triad over C7 creates C7sus4. g) Bbm triad over C7 creates C7sus4b9.


4
4
4
4

Cmaj7 Cmaj7 f) g)

Cmaj7 4 Cmaj7 5 Cmaj9 Cmaj7sus4 Cdim(maj7) a) b) c) d) e)

MAJOR AND MINOR TRIADS OVER MAJOR SEVENTH CHORDS
a) Dmaj triad over Cmaj7 creates Cmaj7#4, which can substitute for a major seventh chord. b) Emaj triad over Cmaj7 creates Cmaj7#5, which can serve the same pur-
pose. c) Gmaj triad over Cmaj7 creates Cmaj9. d) Fmaj triad over Cmaj7 creates Cmaj7sus4. This dissonant sound, which contains the avoid note of the fourth is not
usually found in standard tunes; John Coltrane used this to good effect to create tension. e) Bmaj triad over Cmaj7 creates Cdim(maj7). This diminished chord can be
used to delay resolution to a major tonic. f) Em triad over Cmaj7 keeps the chord Cmaj7. g) Am triad over Cmaj7 creates Cmaj7 (with a 6th).


4
4
4
4

Cm7 Cm11 Cm 6 Cm11 a) b) c) d) Cm7 5 9 e)

MAJOR TRIADS OVER MINOR SEVENTH CHORDS
a) Ebmaj triad over Cm7 keeps the chord Cm7. b) Fmaj triad over Cm7 creates Cm11, one of the prettiest chord qualities in jazz. c) Abmaj triad over Cm7 creates Cmb6;
the b6 replaces the third and seventh in the left-hand voicing. d) Bbmaj triad over Cm7 also creates Cm11. e) Gbmaj triad over Cm7 creates Cm7b5b9. This is an easy
way to create the half diminished sound.
What are your favorite recorded moments
that involve upper structure triads? Share
on our forums at keyboardmag.com.
Visit Andy LaVerne online
at andylaverne.com.
46 K E Y B O A R D 0 1 . 2 0 1 0