For example, what does it mean when it says Cma9? I get that it means C major, but what does the nine mean? Or what about when it just says G7? Gb13(b9)?
We never really learned how to read changes in my Jazz ensemble, so I've been really confused about them. ^^; Thanks in advance to anyone that may be able to help. All the chords are based upon the scale of that chord. the ma9 part tells you to play the natural 7th of the scale and the 9th tells you to play the 9th scale degree (which is the same as the 2nd) So this chord is spelled - C-E-G-B-D
G7 means to play the 1-3-5 of the G major scale plus a flatted 7th or G-B-D-F. The natural 7th in G is an F#, but unless it is notated as Gma7, you would flat the 7th.
The theory behind this is that G7 is the naturally occuring V chord in the key of C - no sharps and no flats.
A Gb13 could be read as either a G with a flat 13 or a Gb with the 13th. It depends on whether the flat sign is next to the G or raised so it is in front of the 13.
Let's call it a Gb with a 13 and a flat 9. It is a major triad - Gb-Bb-Db with a flatted 7 (because it doesn't say ma or maj) which is Fb. And then it wants you to add a flat 9 (which is a flat 2) which is Ab and a 13 (which is a 6) or Eb.
Gb 13(b9) - Gb-Bb-Db-Fb-Ab-Eb
Whenever a chord is listed as a 9th or 13th, the 7th is implied. The natural 7th is used for Cma7, Cmaj7, Cma9 or Cma11 or Cma13. Otherwise it is a b7.
Except, of course when it's a dim7, when you double flat the 7.
Now with a G b13(b9), you end up with way too many notes to play, so you pick out the notes that give the sonority to the chord - the 3rd, the 7th, the 9th and the 13th. The root will be played by the bass, so you can usually leave it out of your chord voicing.
Chords are all based on scales and built out of their basic triad - either maj, minor, diminished or augmented.
While it may seem complicated, there are a limited number of chords and the way they are constructed are the same, no matter what key you are in.
Start with the basics - just play the 1-3-5-7 of each of the chords until you learn the tersian extensions (the 9, 11 and 13).
Have fun! To begin with, you need to understand what third, fifths and sevenths are. When you're in C, the third is E, the fifth is G, the seventh is Bb When you play C,E,G - that's a C chord triad. Add the Bb, you've got a C7th; add a D on top, that's a ninth, making a C9 chord. "Ma" just means a major chord, as opposed to "m" meaning minor.
Then it gets a little complicated. A C9 chord combines the the C major triad shown above with 7th and the 9th - C,E,G,Bb,D...A C11 chord combines the C9th with the 11th, F - C,E,G,Bb,D,F...A C13 would be C,E,G,Bb,D,F,A - keeping in mind that inversions - the order in which you sound the note, are important. The tone are just the elements.
A b9 ( flatted ninth) tells you, when you're in C for instance, to lower your lower your ninth (D) a half-step to Db, or C#. b9ths almost always start from your root note, so to play a Cb9 = C#, E, G, C.
In C, C - root; E - third; G - fifth; Bb -7th; D - 9th - F - 11th; ; Eb - minor third; A - 6th; B - major seventh - apply these intervals to the chords you're working on and you should be on your way
It's all mathematics and the intervals are the same in all keys. |
