A Deep Dive into Upper Structure Chords
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Guide
Chords & Voicings
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All Levels
About A Deep Dive into Upper Structure Chords
This course is all about unlocking the sound and creative power of **Upper Structure Chords** — one of the most practical and inspiring tools for jazz and pop pianists who want to create richer, more beautiful harmony.
The great thing about Upper Structures is that they let you build sophisticated chord colors using something very simple: **triads**. With just a few familiar shapes, you can instantly make your voicings sound more modern, more expressive, and more professional — whether you’re comping in a jazz setting, playing pop ballads, or arranging your own music.
Throughout the course, you’ll work through plenty of real musical examples and hands-on exercises so you can start using these sounds right away at the piano. You’ll also learn how Upper Structure Chords can elevate your **improvisation**, strengthen your **songwriting**, and open up new possibilities for **composing and arranging**.
No matter your level, this approach gives you a clear and usable path into advanced harmony — helping you sound more colorful and confident without making things overly complicated.
By the end, Upper Structure Chords won’t feel like a concept — they’ll feel like a natural part of your playing and your musical voice.
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About the Teacher
Thomas Gunther
PopJazzKeys.com founder Thomas Gunther is a highly versatile Chicago-based jazz pianist, keyboardist, music producer, and educator. He was born and raised in Germany, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Performing Jazz and Popular Music from the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart.
After relocating to Chicago, Thomas quickly became the principal pianist for the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, which was directed by the esteemed music arranger and composer William Russo (arranger for the Stan Kenton Orchestra). In this role, he had the opportunity to collaborate with renowned artists such as Randy Brecker, Body DiFranco, Archie Shepp, Jon Faddis, Cassandra Wilson, and Orbert Davis.
Today, Thomas is an integral part of the Chicago music scene, performing solo and with various groups both as a sideman and as a leader. In addition to his performance career, he has produced, arranged, and recorded a substantial body of work, serving both in leadership roles and as a collaborator.
Thomas also provides music arranging and orchestration services for ensembles of all sizes, including contributions to the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. As an educator, he shares his expertise as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago. For more information about Thomas, visit https://www.ThomasGunther.com.