Members nonreglA Posted September 26, 2003 Members Posted September 26, 2003 Some people like to think of chords as triads, built with the first three notes in the major scale, 1-3-5. Triads are legitimate chords. Four-note chords are constructed the same way: 1-3-5-7. You can continue to build chords, adding what some refer to as "upper tensions" using the same formula: 1-3-5-7-9-11-13. What you get are multiple note chords. Arrangers for big-bands get some of those eerie harmonies you hear this way. Of course on guitar most of us mere mortals can only play at most six notes in any chord. On guitar, sometimes you can even leave out roots, fifths or thirds depending on what sound you're going for. Once you understand Music Theory 101, it becomes easier to understand chord names and symbols like C7b9b13. That dominant chord would have six notes: 1-C 3-E 5-G 7-Bb b9-Db b13-Ab I usually play it on guitar using only four notes, the 3rd, the 7th, the b9 and the b13. I generally leave out the root and fifth: 3-E 7-Bb b9-Db b13-Ab Those notes capture the feel I want and leaving out the root and 5th makes little difference. There are several ways to play it. Here's one version of how I play it: C7b9b13 E) - - - x - - - - - - - - Ab (4th fret
Members Macblah-1 Posted September 26, 2003 Members Posted September 26, 2003 Great stuff! I think it's worth noticing that all of your example voicings suggest an m7b5 chord down a whole step from the root of the dominant chord. In this case, Bbm7b5 for a C7b9b13 chord. Nice.
Members nonreglA Posted September 26, 2003 Author Members Posted September 26, 2003 A typical minor sounding blues or jazz vamp using a C7b9b13 might be I-VI-II-V and might go something like this: Fm6 - Dm7b5 - Gm7b5 - C7b9b13 and repeat. Of course for that progression the bridge naturally wants to shift to the key of Ab major for resolution since Fm is the relative minor of Ab. Might sound confusing but it works out nicely. You could also play: F - Dm7 - Gm7 - C7b9b13 and remain relative to the key of F major, but you lose that really nasty gritty minor sound present in the first progression. An interesting modification to the first progression has an ascending bass line: F - Ab - Bb - C with chords: Fm6 - Dm7b5/Ab - Bbm6 - C7b9b13. Always try to think of what the bass player is doing. Ultimately what the bass does defines the entire song. I know that sounds like blasphemy coming from a guitar player but it's true.
Members Brian Marshall Posted September 28, 2003 Members Posted September 28, 2003 I dont think i have ever tried this chord before, but i really hate the sound of a flat 9. Just thinking of the structure, i know it definitely would want to reslove quickly. One trick i have used for writing simple songs that i could play and sing at the same time, was to just play I I I V. I would come up with my melody, and play it over a few times. Then i would search for other degrees to add to the chords. sometimes i would end up with easy stuff like C Am7 C F7, but sometimes i would come up with stuff I would actually have to think for a few minutes to name the chords, but the V chord would usually be either a triad, 7th, or a straight substitution. Maybe i will try working with some extended voicings for 7 chords.
Members nonreglA Posted September 29, 2003 Author Members Posted September 29, 2003 Here is an example of a standard tune that uses some dominant 5 chords voiced as b9's. The symbols for B7-9, E7-9 and D7-9 mean B7b9, E7b9 and D7b9. It is a standard jazz tune called Lullaby of Birdland. http://guitar-primer.com/Charts/Chart-050.html Desifinado also uses a lot of b9 voiced 5 chords. http://guitar-primer.com/Charts/Chart-300.html Flat 9 chords are actually quite common and often are the only voicing that truly express what is needed for a particular phrase. I have learned that as my playing/musical education progressed, I became aware of using more and more of these unusual type chords. That's what I used to call them anyway. Now though a G7b9 chord is no more unusual to me than a Dm7b5 is. The reason b9 chords are useful is because they build tension. You've got a root/1 and a flat 9 right there in the same chord. They are two notes right beside each other. The way Bill Evans would voice them would be to play them right beside each other buried inside the chord. For example, for a C7b9 he might voice it like this on the piano: G-Bb-C-Db-E Try doing that on guitar!
Members Triton Posted September 29, 2003 Members Posted September 29, 2003 Great stuff.I play in a Heavy Metal band and I'm really looking forward to use that chord with my 100 W Marshall.
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