Triad Space Fillers & 12/8 Pulse
Welcome to lesson 4 in our slow blues in C course. In this lesson, we explore triad-based space fillers and how to combine our left and right hands whilst maintaining a steady 12/8 groove.
Combining The Left & Right Hands
Now that we are familiar with the left hand bass line, our goal is to fill in the space by combining the bass lines with right-hand chords and fills. This lesson builds upon the bass line covered in the previous lesson and we now introduce the new challenge of hand coordination.
Suspended Triad Fills
We introduce the ‘suspended triad fill’ which is a space filler that can be used very effectively on all primary chords in the blues. We practice this fill over C7, F7, and G7, and in different positions on the keyboard to familiarise ourselves with the sound, voicing shapes, and fill movement.
To construct the suspended triad fill, we build a triad from the fourth note of the respective scale and then invert the triad into the 2nd inversion. This ‘suspended triad’ contains the scale degrees: 4, 13, and root, and when voiced in the 2nd inversion, these tones resolve cleanly back to the main chord whilst adding harmonic interest and a slight sense of tension and release.
Right & Left Hand Coordination
We apply the suspended triad fill over the bass line consisting of octaves, shells, and 10ths in our left hand. This combination is a useful exercise to develop hand independence and creates a fuller and more dynamic sound when playing through the basic blues chord changes.
Related Lessons
We build a triad a 4th up from each chord to create a suspended triad fill which smoothens the transitions between the chords in the blues.
An important point with sus chords is that we often resolve the suspended 4th to turn the chord into a regular dominant 7th voicing.
We start the lesson by recapping the basic theory behind sus chords and then explore them in context of major and minor 251s
Practice Tips
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Vocalise the Pulse: When combining the fill with the bass line, remember to vocalise the 12/8 pulse by counting "tri-p-let" or from 1 to 12.
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Different Registers: Practice the suspended triad fill in different registers of the piano. This will help you to visualise the chord tones and fill movement in all areas of the piano.
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Gradually Increase the Tempo: When combining the left-hand bass lines with right-hand fills, start slowly and gradually increase the tempo as you become more comfortable.
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Daily Repetition: Revisit these exercises daily. Consistent daily practice helps reinforce the concepts and build the muscle memory that is required to play these fills cleanly and with confidence.
