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So far we've covered
chords from major to minor to diminished to augmented to
6ths to 7ths to maj7ths to 9ths to 11ths to 13ths -- and
last time we covered suspensions. I trust that you have
been MASTERING each chord type as we've gone along. We're
almost through -- almost to the point where we can apply
what we've learned about chords to chord progressions --
and that's where the fun begins.
But
it won't be much fun if you can't remember the chords you've
learned, so keep going over and over and over them.
Just a couple more things you need to know about chords,
and one of those things is that:
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Any
chord can be altered through the use of a + or a
-
a
+ means sharp -- raise the note 1/2 step
a
- means flat -- lower the note 1/2 step
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For
example, here is a C7 chord with a flat 5th. It
is notated "C7-5":
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And
here is a C7 chord with a sharp 5th, notated as
C7+5:
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Here
is a C9th chord in 2nd inversion with a flat 9th,
notated C-9: (But don't forget to play the low
root -- C -- first. Otherwise you have a Gdim7
chord!)
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And
here we have a C11 chord, but the 11th is raised
1/2 step. So it is notated C+11:
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Can
you figure out what this chord might be? Take a
stab at it, then I'll tell you below:
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Did
you figure it out? Don't feel bad if you didn't -- it's
a C+9. You would
play a low root (C) first and hold it with your sustain
pedal, then play this chord, which is in first inversion.
This is an advanced voicing -- we're leaving the 5th of
the chord out, so we have a "stack of 4ths," which creates
an open sound. Now that you know what it is, try it.
 Sometimes
-- but not often -- you'll see a symbol that says "add 2."
That simply means to add the 2nd note of the scale (the
scale of the chord you are playing) to the chord. The reason
it is not called a 9th is because a 9th has a 7th under
it, and this doesn't. It is notated Cadd2 and looks like
this:
That's
enough for this time. I don't want you to get "musical indigestion."
Next time we'll take a look at "slash chords" and see what
they are made of, and then after that I think we're ready
to being learning about the wonderful & exciting world
of progressions -- the path chords take as they move from
one to another.
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