13th Chords

We're tackling the final boss of extended chords: the 13th chord. 

This is the final boss because we don't have any more notes to add to a chord after the 13th. Sure, there are some jazz substitutions that include notes outside the scale, but we won't be going there with this course.

When it comes to diatonic chords (ie chords using only notes from the key you're in) the 13th chord represents the use of all available notes.

In this lesson we start with the rigid concept, then break it down into a more broad idea that musicians typically interact with.

If you find more voicings other than the ones I diagramed in the PDF, feel free to post them on the community forum (bug me if you don't see a link here.)

If you have more questions, feel free to ask me on the next Office Hours.

11th Chords

This lesson covers 11th chords. We start with how to make them using the every-other-note concept you're already familiar with, and then go into the reality of using these chords in the wild.

Check out the PDF and let me know how you feel about these chords in the comments. Do you like the rich, sometimes intense sound? Not everyone does. If you find some voicings of 11th chords that you like, post them on the community forum.

I didn't go into the most detail possible in this video. That felt too intense, but if you have more questions let me know in an Office Hours or something.

Major 6th Chords

In this lesson, we're talking about Major 6th chords. They are pretty nifty because they have a really interesting, yet neutral sound. They are interesting in complexity, but not dissonant.

We go into detail about how they are made and how they could secretly be another chord in disguise, but they're not - unless you want them to be.... We discuss the power of a low root note and how the audience opinion may affect what to call your chord, regardless of your intentions.

If you want to chat about this lesson more, check out the community forum.

Sharp 9 and Flat 9 Chords

We've already discussed diatonic 9th chords - the 9th chords you can make with an unaltered Major or Minor scale - but we haven't talked about these chords in the context of Harmonic or Melodic Minor. Does this change things? Yes! In the most fun way.

In this lesson I talk about these cool, wonky chords and try to couch them in the logic of Melodic Minor. I don't necessarily know where these chords come from, but connecting them to the Melodic Minor concept at least helps you see how they fit in the fabric of music theory. Check out the PDF for more clarity.

Maj9, 9, m9, vs add9

This Music Theory Monday is all about comparing maj9, minor 9, dom9 vs add9 chords. I think you'll enjoy this lesson. This one might seem overwhelming, but the naming conventions really give you a nice way to think about it. I hope you enjoy.

Sus Chords vs add9 & add11 Chords

This lesson is about comparing sus2 and sus4 to add9 and add11 chords. The next lesson will really solidify which add9 and add11 chords fit in a key. I was going to attach a chart, but we'll work through it in the next lesson.

Sus Chords II | How They Fit In A Key

In this lesson, I discuss one of the weird quirks of sus chords and also how they fit in a key. I mentioned in this video that I'd be happy to do a quick livestream about how it sounds to jam out a rhythm part using sus chords. If you'd like me to do that, let me know in the comments or on the next Office Hours and I'll come back and link the examples here.

Check out the attached cheat sheet if you want to remember which sus chords fit on I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi

Intro To sus Chords

In this lesson, I help you distinguish between sus2 and sus4 chords. We also dive into specifically how to make them and discuss the difficulty with using certain chord shapes to make sus chords. Get to know these foundational concepts well before the next lesson, where we'll talk about sus chords in a key and start preparing for the main difference between sus chords and add9 or add11 chords.

Power Chords & Magic Eye Puzzles

In this lesson I discuss the idea of power chords. They are a lot more than just an "easy" version of a "normal chord." Removing crucial information from the chord (the third) can make the waters a lot more murky, especially if you stick to I IV and V, but there are other interesting situations, too.

Your homework is:

1. Experiment with the attached backing track by playing a major scale, minor scale, or other combinations I mention in the video. See if you can make the backing track sound like it is playing the chords you imagine by emphasizing the thirds of the chords. Keep it to Major and Minor chords for this homework.

2. Write your own power chord progressions using more than just I, IV, & V. See if you can hear the progression in a major or minor key.

More Reharmonization

This is the final reharmonization lesson. I wanted to talk about this idea that pretty much any chord in the key can work over the melody, but I wanted to map it out and show names of chords as well as a few fun examples. I went on a few (hopefully useful) tangents but they were all related to this idea that the chords and melody can combine to create a complex cool set of chords, even if you're just playing the same chord over and over.