Large chord formation

[Aligons]

I have been looking over some material in reference to forming large chords, but I am not sure if it clicking yet. In my practice sessions, I work on the major/minor triads on the chromatic scale in both hands. I also work on the 7th chord (minor, dominant, major) in both hands on the chromatic scale. I am familiar with the 9th, 11th (dom) & 13th chord, but I am not sure if I have a good rule on how to form them as I would like to add them to my practice.

I try to look at the chord formation in terms of the scale degrees...

C - 1
D - 2
E - 3
F - 4
G - 5
A - 6
B - 7
C - 8
D - 9 how is a 9th maj, min, dom chord formed from this degree?
E - 10
F - 11 how is an 11th maj, min, dom chord formed from this degree?
G - 12
A - 13  how is a 13th maj, min, dom chord formed from this degree?

I am trying to commit some of the readings/music theory to memory, but I imagine it will help the most to have the understanding behind the theory... that'll make it easier.
 
Your help on clearing this up will be greatly appreciated.

Alexander

[BBoy]

First of all, remember that a 9th and an 11th and a 13th all have a 7th in them. That is what makes them 9th, 11th or 13th.

Now, here are some shortcuts to form these chords.

To play a ninth, play the root in your left hand. In your right, play a minor triad a fifth away from the root.

So here is C9

LH / RH

C -C / G Bb D

Here is F9

F - F / C Eb G

To form an 11th, just play the root with your left hand. With your right hand, play a major triad one whole step down from the root.

So to play a C 11, do this:

LH / RH

C - C / Bb D F

Here is an F11

F - F / Eb G Bb

Here is a G 11

G -G / F A C

And so on. To form a 13th, do the same thing except play the root and a sixth above the root in your left.

C13 = C-A / Bb D F
F 13 = F-D / Eb G Bb

And so on. There are several different ways to form these chords, and everyone has their own tricks depending on how they like to voice the chords.

Hope this helps some . . .

Be Blessed, everybody.

[Aligons]

Thank you for your help... the 11th dominant is very simple to follow... in fact that's exactly how I think in terms of forming it.

The 9th and 13th I will work on this evening. One lesson I got on playing a 9th chord was to simply do this on a C triad... C in the left and in the right move the 1st degree, C,  to D second degree in left squeezing the C Major triad...
What about that Chord?... wasn't sure if that is a Major, Dominant or Minor 9th? And of course there were some notes eliminated but does form a similar chord.

What about the major, minor and dominants of the 9th, 11th and 13th or do you stick with using one prominant sound/voicing from the group of large chords? For example, do you primarily work with a C11 when needed and less focused on using say a CMaj11?

[funkinater]

Another cool way to form a 13th is to play a 7th chord in the left hand, minus the fitth, and play a 6minor chord in the right.  Then you can add the fifth of the root above the 6minor if you want.
C13th
C E Bb / A C E G
Peace,
Funkinater

[funkinater]

Aligons,
a true 9th chord has a root, third, fifth, flat seven, and ninth
a true 11th has a root, third fifth, flat seven, ninth, and eleventh
a true 135th has a root, third, fifth, flat seven, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth
These are dominant.
To make these chords major you would just raise your flat seventh a half step back to a true seventh.
To make these chords minor you would flat the seventh and the third.

I hope this helps a little.

Peace,
Funkinater

[playhear]

Aligons,
a true 9th chord has a root, third, fifth, flat seven, and ninth
a true 11th has a root, third fifth, flat seven, ninth, and eleventh
a true 135th has a root, third, fifth, flat seven, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth
These are dominant.
To make these chords major you would just raise your flat seventh a half step back to a true seventh.
To make these chords minor you would flat the seventh and the third.

I hope this helps a little.

Peace,
Funkinater

Funk, that's cool. However, it's usually not practical to play all those notes while playing, especially for the 13th. Would you agree? BBoy provided a very good explanation of an easy way to play the necessary notes.

[B3Wannabe]

Those notes that are not specifically mentioned in the name of the chord are optional, usually it's the 5th note is always optional.


CMaj7 (the 5th is optional)

CMaj9 (the 5th is optional)

CMaj11 (the 5th and 9th are optional)

...but...if you have...


Cdim7


...all the notes, "C-Eb-Gb-A", are needed.

[funkinater]

you're absolutely right B3.  It's not necessary to play all the notes.
I was just pointing out the whole picture for learning purposes.
I don't even play keyboard but I  do know a little theory.  This stuff can
be tricky sometimes.
Peace,
Funkinater

[JoyCH]

Check out T Block's post here. I think it will help you.

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/ftopicp-83924.html#83924


Joy

[Aligons]

I appreciate all of your input and will print out the remarks to apply during my practice time.

One thing for sure, I have to keep the fun in learning and practicing. Sometimes trying to grasp things and apply them immediately can lead to frustration.

Aligons

[Bronzee]

One thing for sure, I have to keep the fun in learning and practicing. Sometimes trying to grasp things and apply them immediately can lead to frustration.

Aligons,, sometimes u just have to slow-it-down some. Ya can't get it all over nite..