Jazz Chords
by Mark Fowler
Based mostly on:
2 straight-forward articles by David Hamburger in Acoustic Guitar Magazine (August & September 2003) http://acousticguitar.com/lessons/Chord_Names/1.html http://acousticguitar.com/lessons/Chord_Names2/1.html What Makes Music Work, a book by P. Seyer, A. Novick, & P. Harmon
http://www.lovemusiclovedance.com/what_makes_music_work.htm An amazingly simple but effective little book!!
Chords & Progressions for Jazz and Popular Guitar, a book by Arnie Berle
Ill post these charts (for awhile at least) at www.ws.binghamton.edu/fowler/.... (Click on Other then look for a link that makes sense)
If you have troubles getting it contact me at [email protected]
What Well Cover
What makes up the simple chords? The Jazz Chord Tree of Extended Chords Altered Chords Places to use Jazz Chords
In General In Blues
Application to 12-Bar Blues
Stormy MondayA Fancy Arrangement
I IV I I | A13 / / / | D9 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / A7#5 / |
biii IV IV I ii iii | D9 / / / | D#o7/ / / | A13 / Bm7 / | C#m7 / Cm7 / |
V V I vi ii V | E9 / / / | F9 / E7#9 / | A13 / F#7#5 / | Bm7 / E7b9 / | Is this really just a 12-bar blues? Doesnt look like it? Where did all those weird chords come from? What if I want fancy versions of other blues?
What is a Chord?
Three or more notes played together
What Makes a Certain Chord?
It depends on the Intervals between the notes
What Is an Interval?
A measure of the distance between two notes Interval names are based on positions in scales
Intervals Building Blocks of Chords
C
b7th Minor 7th Major 6th
B Bb A G# G F# F E Eb D C# C
Major 7th
Perfect 5th
Minor 3rd
Major 3rd
Triads Simplest Chords
There are only 4 types of triads: Major R35
C B Bb A G# G Gb F E Eb D C# C C B Bb A G# G Gb F E Eb D C# C
Minor R b3 5
Augmented R 3 #5
C B Bb A G# G Gb F E Eb D C# C
Diminished R b3 b5
C B
Sharp
5th
Perfect 5th Major 3rd
Perfect 5th
Bb A G# G Gb F E Eb D C# C
Flat 5th Minor 3rd
Major 3rd
Minor 3rd
These constitute about 99% of the chords you see traditionally in a fiddle tune and they are the basis of most of the jazz chords youll encounter
Nearly-Complete Jazz Chord Family Tree
For Jazz Chords: sequentially add other notes to a maj/min triad Note the main pattern: 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 b3 b7
Major Triad
Add 6 Add 7 Add b7
These are the Dominants
Add 6
Minor Triad
Add b7 Add 7
Dim Triad
Add bb7
Maj6 1 356 Maj6/9 13569
Maj7 1 357 Maj9 13579 Maj11 1 (3) 5 7 9 11 Maj13 1 3 5 7 9 (11) 13
7 1 3 5 b7 9 1 3 5 b7 9 11 1 (3) 5 b7 9 11 13 1 3 5 b7 9 (11) 13
m6 1 b3 5 6 m6/9 1 b3 5 6 9
m(maj7) 1 b3 5 7 m(maj9) 1 b3 5 7 9
m7 1 5 b7
b3
dim 7 1 b3 b5 bb7
b3
m9 5 b7 9 m11 5 b7 9 11 m13 5 9 (11) 13
b7
Notes in ( ) are usually omitted. It is common to leave out other notes too, especially on guitar
= 6!!
b3
b3
Key Chords for Blues
Common Altered Chords
Altered Chords: Start with a dominant chord (well limit to the 7 or 9) Raise or Lower the 5 or 9 or some combination
Major Triad
7 1 3 5 b7
9 1 3 5 b7 9
7b5 1 3 b5 b7
7#5 1 3 #5 b7
9b5 1 3 b5 b7 9
9#5 1 3 #5 b7 9
7b9 1 3 5 b7 b9 7b5b9 1 3 5 b7 b9 7b5#9 1 3 5 b7 #9
7#9 1 3 5 b7 #9 7#5b9 1 3 5 b7 #9 7#5#9 1 3 5 b7 #9
(Similar things can be done with m7 chords and extensions)
Typical Places to Use Jazz Chords
Number System for Chords (Example - Key of G) I ii iii IV V vi G Am Bm C D Em
Replacements Using Jazz Chords
I IV V ii, iii, vi Maj7, Maj6 Maj7, Maj6, sometimes Dom7 (definitely if blues based) Dom7 min7
In Blues: The above replacements arent followed instead: Step #1: make all major chords dominants To Make More Jazzy Step #2: Use Extensions Step #3: Sub in turn arounds and other idioms Step #4: Use Altered Chords
12-Bar Blues Standard Progression
I IV I I |A / / / |D / / / |A / / / |A / / / | IV IV I I |D / / / |D / / / |A / / / |A / / / | V V I V |E / / / |E / / / |A / / / |E / / / |
Some Jazz Dom7 Chord Forms
D7
x 3 2 4 1x
D7
x 1 3 1 41
A7
1 3 1 2 41
A7
1 x 2 4 3x
E7
x 3 2 4 1x
E7
x 1 3 1 41
Step #1: 12-Bar Blues Use All Dominants
I IV I I | A 7 / / / | D7 / / / | A 7 / / / | A 7 / / / | IV IV I I | D 7 / / / | D7 / / / | A 7 / / / | A 7 / / / | V V I V | E7 / / / | E7 / / / | A7 / / / | E7 / / / | A7
1 x 2 4 3x
D7
x 3 2 4 1x
E7
x 3 2 4 1x
Some Jazz Extended Chord Forms
A13
1 x 2 3 4x
D9
x 2 1 3 33
E9
x 2 1 3 33
Step #2: 12-Bar Blues Use Extended Dominants
I IV I I | A13 / / / | D9 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / / / | IV IV I I | D9 / / / | D9 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / / / | V V I V | E9 / / / | E9 / / / | A13 / / / | E9 / / / | A13
1 x 2 3 4x
D9
x 2 1 3 33
E9
x 2 1 3 33
Step #3a: 12-Bar Blues Sub in dim #IV
I IV I I | A13 / / / | D9 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / / / | IV #IV I I | D9 / / / | D#o7 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / / / | V V I vi ii V | E9 / / / | E9 / / / | A7 / F#7 / | Bm7 / E9 / | | A13 / / / | E9 / / / | D7
x 1 3 1 41
D# o7
x 2 3 1 4x
Step #3b: 12-Bar Blues Sub in Turn Around
I IV I I | A13 / / / | D9 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / / / | IV #IV I I | D9 / / / | D#o7 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / / / | V V I vi ii V | E9 / / / | E9 / / / | A13 / F#7 / | Bm7 / E9 / |
vi is usually minor but in blues is usually changed to dominant ii-V is a very common progression in Jazz
Bm7
2 x 3 3 33
F# 7
x 3 2 4 1x
7 7
Step #3c: 12-Bar Blues Sub in Minor Walk-Up
I IV I I | A13 / / / | D9 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / / / |
biii IV IV I ii iii | D9 / / / | D#o7/ / / | A13 / Bm7 / | C#m7 / Cm7 / |
V V I vi ii V | E9 / / / | E9 / / / | A13 / F#7 / | Bm7 / E9 / |
Bm7 Cm7 C#m7
2 x 3 3 33
7 8 9
Step #4: 12-Bar Blues Use Altered Chords
I IV I I | A13 / / / | D9 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / A7#5 / |
biii IV IV I ii iii | D9 / / / | D#o7/ / / | A13 / Bm7 / | C#m7 / Cm7 / |
To get Voice Leading
V V I vi ii V | E9 / / / | F9 / E7#9 / | A13 / F#7#5 / | Bm7 / E7b9 / | A13
1 x 2 3 4x
A7#5
1 x 2 3 4x
D9
x 2 1 3 33
F9
x 2 1 3 33
E7#9
x 2 1 3 33 Root
5 8
6 8
9 #9
13=6
#5
Continued Step #4: 12-Bar Blues Altered Chords
I IV I I | A13 / / / | D9 / / / | A13 / / / | A13 / A7#5 / |
biii IV IV I ii iii | D9 / / / | D#o7/ / / | A13 / Bm7 / | C#m7 / Cm7 / |
To get Voice Leading
V V I vi ii V | E9 / / / | F9 / E7#9 / | A13 / F#7#5 / | Bm7 / E7b9 / | F#7#5 F# 7
x 3 2 4 1x x 1 2 1 1 x
Bm7
2 x 3 3 33
E7b9
x 2 1 3 1x
E9
7 7 7
x 2 1 3 33
b7
b7
#5
b9
Summary of What We Did to This Blues
In Blues: The above replacements arent followed instead: Step #1: make all major chords dominants 7ths To Make More Jazzy ths, 13ths 9 Step #2: Use Extensions Step #3: Sub in turn arounds and other idioms Step #4: Use Altered Chords
Dom-7 Passing I-VI-ii-V turn-around Minor Walk-Up
#5, b9 to get Voice Leading
