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Upper chord extensions are notes we add to a chord which extend beyond the octave, so for example, 9ths, 11ths and 13ths. Chords like these can frequently appear somewhat intimidating if you've not been presented to them as they come with an entire range of "guidelines" and conventions on how to play them. So hopefully today I can break down a few of the secret surrounding these lavish, gorgeous chords!
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Great stuff as ever – a jazz-tastic episode, ^oo^
@bernardthedisappointedowl Music moves on. Like nobody can stand music from 80 years ago. I guess you, the older crowd, can still abide this horrendous Beatles garbage. But I say it’s as passé as Mozart of and classical garbage trash. Music should ONLY be of the now. And anything from recordings, well, that should all be illegal, and consigned to the garbage bin of history.
@Guff Well you’re comment made me chuckle anyway – slightly fascinated to know what this ‘music of now’ is of which you speak? Has it somehow sidestepped the fundamental ‘old’ building blocks of pitch, harmony, melody, rhythm and bass? ^oo^
As always, a great job. I appreciate how much effort you put into these videos and it really does help me as an amateur musician.
The minute you played that C9, my brain said “Rocket Man!” Specifically, “pre-flight.”
Good example!
My mind said Evil Woman by ELO
Last Christmas
As an artist, I love watching your content not only to gain more understanding of what I’m doing and expanding my horizons, but also to strengthen my love and ever growing appreciation for the music that’s defined our generations! Thanks for being awesome David! 🎸🤘🏼
Ive studied music theory to some extent for years but chord names/voicings always seem to go a bit over my head past the basic triads and seventh extensions.
I cant explain how much of an “aha” moment these videos really are. Everything really does click in place
YEP That’s why I subbed to this Channel
I learned music better here
Exactly bro, I’ve been playing guitar for like 14 years and I always thought Cadd9 and C9 were 2 ways of describing the same chord. Now I see the difference and it makes big sense.
@zarzaparrilla67 Haha makes me feel less bad for not knowing the same thing for 5 years
I just love maj9 chords. Jazzifying a major chord, to a major 7th to a major 9th, its like that meme where the guy goes in stages of increasingly freaking out with excitement.
As always, you are the master! For the Wonderwall clip for Cadd9, how did you mix the acoustic guitar sound? I love that guitar tone and texture.
I’ve played guitar in the pit for a few musicals, where you’ll quite often get sheet music with slash chords marked that seem weirdly written (F#/Ab for example). Can’t begin to put into words how much easier the process is when you can think of it as just playing the high notes of an F# chord (let the bassist/pianist take care of the Ab) instead of trying to figure out how to play an Ab11 chord that doesn’t sound muddy make everyone give you a funny look
Great video as always. I also love the variation of the add9, the Mu major(1-2-3-5), very popular with Steely Dan.
An exceptionally enlightening episode – thank you. And your composition at the end was your best ever! ✨
Thank you, this was terrific! It also makes me feel better — I frequently find myself re-writing complex chords as slash chords, and this showed me it’s not just a shortcut, but a truly legitimate (and sensible) way to look at them.
It doesn’t just have to be extended chords either. The gorgeous A#m7b5 in the bar before the chorus of “God Only Knows” can be re-written as C#m/A#, which perfectly matches what the left and right hands are actually doing.
I’ve just started delving into Neo-Soul in my piano learning, and the ‘secret’ seems to be the m9 chord. It uses them a lot, along with M9 and dim chords to a lesser extent.
Labeling a Bb11 as Ab/Bb is not precisely the “same chord”…Bb11 implies (but doesn’t necessitate) the INCLUSION of the 3rd and 5th. But a slash chord (Ab/Bb) would NOT have the notes D and F
Yeah, but the 3rd and 5th of root isn’t that neccessary tho since it’s “faded” with 9th and 11th note. Plus, 3rd and 4th (11th) notes clash very hard
@Gabriel M A Hutasoit
Agreed!
What he said is basically true, but a slash chord is made up of ONLY the notes indicated, whereas in the case of an 11 chord those notes are often left out (depending on the voicing)
You are correct. There are times when the 11th and the 3rd can be used together, if they’re spaced out by a major seventh, like for example, the voicing (1-11-b7-b9-3) is a 7add4b9 chord — but I would use add4 instead of 11 in this case. 🙂
One of the most informative lessons I’ve watched so far.
And I was instantly mesmerized by that piano jam at the end.
That was so cool and inspiring.
Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Your piece at the end is absolutely beautiful.
Sounds similar to Lover’s Rock by Sade.
That piece you did at the end was so beautiful! Definitely some Radiohead vibes
Even though I have years of music theory spinning around my head, your videos are either a good reminder, teach me something I didn’t know, or make me realise I misunderstood something! Thank you for your content, David 👍
As always your Beatles references give excellent context for the lesson. I often wonder about Paul McCartney’s writing on the piano. I believe that, as a bass player, he was often thinking about how the bass aspects of his piano compositions would ‘move’ behind the primary chords (rather than thinking of the chord in its technical entirety).
Brilliant. I knew George Harrison finished “Long Long Long” with a G minor 11th but hadnt understood the theory behind its construction
Whenever you talk about theory like this I kinda roll my eyes as I know most of it already, but what keeps me coming back is the beautiful compositions you put at the end of your videos. Love your stuff, cheers!