Learning New Chords

Lesson 4/199 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Complete Jazz Guitar

Learning New Chords

It obviously takes quite a bit of time to learn and memorize all the chords up to the 13th in all keys, but if you work at it methodically for a short time each day, you will be surprised at your rate of progress. There is a simple method for learning a new chord group (e.g. 9th chords) or chord type (e.g. dominant 9th chords) and working rt into your playing.

Start with chords with the least number of notes in them# as you have done so far - three note chords first (triads), then four note chords (7ths and 6ths), then five note chords (9ths) then six (11ths) and finally seven note chords (13ths).

First, take the whole chord group and analyze the difference between the various types. For example, using three different types of 9th chords, notice that the 9th degree remains the same in each chord. Only the 3rd and 7th degrees change.

Once you have clearly established the difference between the chord types, concentrate on one of them and play it as an arpeggio across the range of your instrument, as shown with the following C dominant 9th chord (C9). Notice that the 9th degree is the same as the 2nd degree of the scale (in this case a D note in the C Mixolydian mode). Even though the 9th is technically an octave higher, you can add this note to the arpeggio in any octave.

The next step is to run through all the inversions of the chord.

Once you can play all the inversions of a chord, you should know it fairly well. The next step is to improvise with the notes of the chord. The more notes there are in the chord, the closer you will always be to another note of the chord, regardless of what degree you are playing. Unless you are leaping to a distant chord degree for a musical reason (this is quite valid and helps create interest if not done too often), it is usually desirable to create a smooth line by using degrees which are close together.

Then play up through the scale (Mixolydian for a dominant 9th chord) to the 9th degree and then back down. By going up to the 9th# you have a chord tone on each beat of the bar, both ascending and descending. Next, try ascending through the scale and descending through the arpeggio, then up the arpeggio and down the scale.

Finally, place the new chord you are learning in a context with a chord either side of it and practice improvising over the progression until you are comfortable moving to and from the chord. In this example 9th chords and a 6th chord are used instead of 7ths in a II V I progression.

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Class Sessions

1- Electronic Tuner 2- The Importance of Timing and Attitude 3- Some Basic Theory 4- Understanding Chords 5- Intervals 6- Chord Construction - Triads 7- Scale Tone Chords 8- Seventh Chord Types 9- Dominant Seventh Chords 10- Minor 7th Chords 11- Understanding Rhythms 12- The Triplet 13- Scale Tone seventh chords 14- Learning Song Forms 15- Extended Chords 16- Extended Scale Tone Chords 17- Chord Substitution 18- Altered Chords 19- The Major Scale 20- Developing Rhythmic Control 21- Using Ties 22- Scale Degrees 23- Using the Scale Forms 24- More About Major Scales 25- Transposing 26- Arpeggios 27- Major Seventh Arpeggios 28- Modes 29- Fingerings For Modes 30- Modes Over Chord Changes 31- Other Chord Types 32- Soloing Over Altered Chords 33- Expressive Techniques 34- The Blues Scale 35- Articulations 36- Common 16th Note Rhythms 37- Dynamics 38- Harmonizing Minor Scales 39- Scale Substitution 40- Chord Diagrams 41- Tones and Semitones 42- Major Chord Formations 43- Finding Intervals on the Fretboard 44- Augmented and Diminished Chords 45- Major Key Triad Pattern 46- Major 7th Chords 47- The 12 Bar Blues Progression 48- The Key Cycle 49- Notes, Rhythms and Rests 50- Strumming Triplets 51- Scale Tone 7th Pattern 52- Play-Along Recordings 53- Eleventh Chords 54- Guide Tones 55- Learning Chord Substitution 56- Seventh Sharp Five 57- C Major Scale in Open Position 58- Improvising With Set Rhythms 59- Ties Across a Bar Line 60- Visualizing Scale Degrees 61- Playing What You Hear 62- Semitones on The Guitar 63- Accidentals 64- Practicing Arpeggios 65- Dominant Seventh Arpeggios 66- Mode Formulas 67- Combining Modes and Arpeggios 68- Memorizing Chord Types 69- Learning Altered Chords 70- Grace Notes 71- Blues Scale Forms 72- Accents 73- Volume Changes 74- Minor Key Progressions 75- Lydian Dominant Scale 76- Rhythm Notation 77- Sharps 78- Chord Progressions 79- Transposing 80- Moveable 7th Chord Forms 81- Using The Key Cycle 82- Comping 83- Swing Rhythms 84- Starting on Chord II 85- Jazz Terminology 86- Thirteenth Chords 87- Other Guide Tones 88- Turnaround Chord Substitution 89- Seventh Flat Five 90- Creating Your Own Melodies 91- First and Second Endings 92- Moveable Scale Fingerings 93- Major Scale Pattern 94- Enharmonic Notes 95- Arpeggios and chord progressions 96- Minor Seventh Arpeggios 97- Learning New Chords 98- Sharp Eleven Chords (<span class="symbolA">#</span>11) 99- The Fall-off 100- Ghost Notes 101- Accents and Swing 102- Twelve Eight Time (<span class="symbolA">+</span>) 103- Minor Key Modes 104- Spanish Phrygian Scale 105- Scale Diagrams 106- The Chromatic Scale 107- Moveable Chord Shapes in Five Forms 108- Scale Tone Chords Along the Strings 109- Voicings 110- Minor Keys and Scales 111- Quarter Note Rhythms 112- The Charleston Rhythm 113- The II V I Progression 114- Rhythm Changes 115- Omitting Notes From Chords 116- Triad Over Root Substitutions 117- Seventh Sharp Nine 118- Sequences 119- The g Major Scale 120- Blue Notes 121- Improvising With Arpeggios 122- Minor 7 Flat Five and Diminished 7ths 123- Rakes and Trills 124- Combining Scales and Arpeggios 125- Higher Extensions in Minor Keys 126- Learning and Writing Solos 127- Tablature 128- Flats 129- Inversions 130- Primary Chords 131- Inversions of Four Note Chords 132- Minor Scales in All Keys 133- Using Rests 134- Quarter Note Triplets 135- I Becomes II 136- Passing Chords 137- Major Ninth 138- Using 7th Chords to Create 9ths 139- Seventh Flat Nine 140- Memorizing The Notes Of The Scale 141- The F Major Scale 142- Substitutions in Minor Keys 143- Blues Changes 144- Tablature Symbols 145- The Major Scale 146- Inversions Along Sets of Strings 147- Harmonizing Melodies 148- Superimposing Chord Forms 149- Relative Keys 150- Identifying Eighth Note Rhythms 151- Other 7th Chord Types 152- Memorizing Chord Progressions 153- Voice Leading 154- Ninth 155- Substitutions in Minor Keys 156- Ninth Sharp Five 157- Other Major Scales 158- Blues Changes Using Substitutions 159- The Rudiments of Music 160- keys and Key Signatures 161- Learning the Guitar Fretboard 162- Common Progressions 163- Syncopation 164- Diminished Seventh 165- Modulation 166- Minor Ninth 167- Secondary Dominants 168- Ninth Flat Five 169- Major Scales In All Keys 170- Jam Along Progressions 171- Note and Rest Values 172- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 173- Ties 174- Four Chords in One 175- V Becomes II 176- Eleventh 177- Tritone Substitution 178- Major Seventh Sharp Eleven 179- Intervals in Sequences 180- Learning Standards 181- Time Signatures 182- Minor Eleventh 183- Seventh Sharp Eleven 184- Listening 185- Note Values 186- Major Thirteenth 187- Extended Sharp Eleven Chords 188- Transcribing 189- Technique 190- Thirteenth 191- Altered Thirteenth Chords 192- Ear Training 193- Minor Thirteenth 194- Thirteenth Sharp Nine 195- Chord Formula Chart 196- Thirteenth Flat Nine 197- Creating Your Own Chords 198- Thirteenth Flat Five, Flat Nine 199- Altered Chords Chart

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Learning New Chords