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Harmony - Chords and Their Symbols Pt.1
(23 Apr 04)
Altered dominant chords
Altered dominant chords - Besides the natural 9th, the dominant 9th chord often contains an altered (raised or lowered) 9th.
When the 9th is altered in the chord, it is notated as a 7th chord plus the altered extension: C7#9, C7b9. When both the 9ths and 5ths are altered, the alterations must be included in the chord symbol, often in parentheses: C7(#5, #9), C7(b9,b5), C7(#9,b5), C7(b9,#5).
It is quite common to notate the altered dominant chord with just the word alt. This is done when you want the guy playing the chords to simply make his own decisions on how to alter the 5ths and 9ths, Ex: C alt. Here are a few of altered dominant chords (the first chord contains a natural 5th so it could be argued that technically it is not an altered dominant chord):
A few standard 5th string root altered chord voicings:
Points to remember about altered dominant chords:
Altered dominant chords are derived from the altered mode of the melodic minor scale.
It is not unusual for (altered) dominant chords to contain both the #9 and b9 as in C7(b9,#9).
It is not uncommon for the raised 5th to be notated as a b13th as in C7(b13).
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add9 chords
Add9 chords - Just like 9th chords, but the 7th is excluded from the voicing. Having no 7th, the major version of the add9 chord works for both major and dominant chords. The minor add9 chord is characteristically dark sounding. They are notated: add9 and min add9:
These are the common sixth string root voicings, you'll have to stretch a little:
Points to remember about add9 chords:
To be called an add9 chord, the voicing can not contain a 7th.
You are not likely to run across any other "add" chords besides the add9 chord. The reason is because the "add" means that there is no 7th in the chord and without a 7th a 13th chord would simply become a 6 or min6 chord.
The min add11 chord is questionable I guess but I personally have never run across it myself in a chart, probably because the absence of the min7th doesn't make much harmonic difference and for that reason, not important enough to notate it as such. It's safe to assume that the only "add" chord you are going to run into is the add9.
The "Real Book" sometimes notates the add9 chord with just a 9 in parenthesis: (9). Don't get confused between a dominant 9th chord as in C9 and an add9 chord as in C(9). I personally don't like the (9) chord symbol, it causes a second of unneeded contemplation.
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69 chords
69 chords: Like the add9 chords, these chords also contain no 7th. Along with the 9th, the major 6th is also included in the voicing. They are notated: 69 and min69:
These are the common sixth string root voicings for both minor and major 69 chords:
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When I was fourteen, I went down to the local music store and bought myself one of those chord dictionaries, you know, "One Thousand and One Chords" kind of thing. It did nothing but confuse me.
The best way to learn chords is to learn how to construct them yourself. By simply learning chord shapes, you are limiting yourself to only those shapes but by learning the guidelines of chord construction, you have limitless possibilities.
I'll stop here and give you some time to catch your breath. Pt. 2 will deal with the upper extensions. Check the chord formula guide anytime for easy reference. Until next time..
Have a question or a suggestion for a lesson, feel free to post in the forums.
© 2002-2004 Chris Juergensen/chrisjuergensen.com. All Rights Reserved.
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Native New Yorker, long time studio musician and session guitarist Chris Juergensen is in constant demand as a sideman, front man and clinician. He currently divides his time between Tokyo and Los Angeles where he continues to write, record, play and teach at Musicians Institute. He has released three solo CDs to date plus two published instructional books. Visit his website
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