Sonic Mechanics III

On the previous page we took an opportunity to see how chords are constructed. With the C9 and C11 or C13 chords, you will note that they contain 5, 6, or 7 notes. In order to fully utilize chords of this size they must be divided between the hands if played on a keyboard. Sometimes notes within these larger structures have to be eliminated in order for you to acheive the effect you desire. Remember that the Root of the chord, i.e. the Bass note, must be maintained somewhere in the chord. If you start eliminating notes you should start with the 3rd , if you want the chord to sound ambiguous, and the fifth of the chord which is actually the weakest link in the chord structure . Try this voicing playing the notes from the bottom up--C-Bb-D-F-A. This results in a C13 chord that has just enough dissonance to make it interesting. The reconfiguration of chords is know as Inversion. The difference between inversion and voicing deals with how they are played and the Position in which they are played. In the previous example- the C13 chord was voiced rather than inverted. An inversion of this chord might read Bb-D-F-A-C.

Altering chords from their original designation is necessary to acheive what I call "color" chords.

An example of an altered chord would be the designation C7b9 . C7 or C-E-G-Bb would have the addition of a Db hence the flat9. Equivalency for the 9,11, and 13 chords is actually the 2nd, 4th and 6th degrees of the scale. 9 steps up from C will bring you to the D which also happens to be the 2nd degree of the scale (11=4, 13=6). Here are some common altered chords which you will find in many chord charts.

There are many ways to alter a chord. All you have to remember is that you can "count" your way up through any chord to determine the notes it should contain. With practice, it is not that difficult to unravel a sophisticated chord. Improvising over such chords can be done by, again, utilizing patterns and scales that exist within the chord structure.

For example let's try that C7#11 chord. Because it is a C chord you can use the C or C blues scale. You can also use scales or patterns that exsist in other keys, particularly the Key of G due to the inclusion of an F# and a D in the chord. This chord also lends itself well to utilizing the Whole-Tone scale. Whole-Tone scales are simply scales made up of whole steps between each of the notes. There are only two Whole-Tone scales.

The next section of this article will address the problems encountered when improvising over chord progressions that wind their way through several different keys within the context of a single composition.