(Scene: LGM courtroom. The prosecution's table consists of the most contemporary musicians in the late twentieth / early twenty-first century. At the defence table sits BBoy and some simple three note chords that no one hardly ever sees in the gospel music community. Looking fly in his dark blue double breasted suit, BBoy looks over his notes and prepares to start his opening)
I am still by anyone's standard a growing musician. But I would like to take this chance to speak in defence of something we gospel musicians attack all the time.
Yes, and before this is over the evidence will prove . . . yes,
prove . . . that our accusations are without merit.
(BBoy stands up, walks out from behind the defence table and addresses the LGM community courtroom. He buttons his fly double-breasted suit and looks the LGM jury straight in the eye)
I come in defense of the triad.
(LGM musicians all over the world gasp in terror. Muttered whispers are shared between gospel musicians from England, South Africa, Korea, and all fifty states. Brother musicians lean back and shake their heards in disbeleif. Sister musicians start fanning themelseves with their handkercheifs, looking faint)
Yes, you heard me. That's right. The Triad.
(BBoy spins around to point to the several three note chords that were seated to his left at the defence table)
The plain triad . . . the EbGBb, the CEG, the BbDF . . . . and the FAC too.
I would present for your consideration that they are a great chords to use for three reasons.
One, they are simple. Triads are simple to teach anyone and easy to use. What is simple is usually powerful. They are easy to convert to minor chords and dominant sevenths when backing up a preacher, and they are very easily inverted to fill in dead spaces in the song. Run these simple triads up and down the keyboard, and you will sound like a virtuoso. They are easily backed with bass, too . . . just give an octave or add a fifth to the root chord, and you know you are always correct. It might not be the phattest sound, but you know you are on key.
Two, they are easily layered. Triad sound to simple? Just move your left hand to the second degree in the scale, and you have another layer of sound without taking you out of your key. Triads can be backed in your left hand with the root, the second, the thrid, the fifth without even changing the quality of the chord very much. Throw in a sixth and you have a happy sound. Throw in a dominant seventh and you have a chord that can always move to the fourth of the key. It is all based on the triad.
Three, they are a basis from which you can get phatter and phatter. Play a simple CEG. Then throw in a second. Then move the third up to a fourth (E up to an F) and you have a suspension. Resolve that suspension and you are back home. You can do all that with a little aspect of smooth music that I have found out is essential . . . the theory of
minimal movement. You can't play fast moving all over the place, so minimal movement is crucial.
Therefore, in light of this evidence, I move to reinstate the simple triad as a valid and valuable member of the gospel music toolbox, and move for immediate dismissal of all charges that this chord is plain and bland.
The defense rests.
Be Blessed, er'body
