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10. Chords - the magic of the 9th

Chord Plurality - Arpeggio Practice - 7th Arpeggios on the 3rd - Triads on the 3rd
Triads on the 5th - Practice Material - In Focus lessons online

Rhythm Class - Jazz Theory - Music Notation - Jazclass Links


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IF 10.1 Chord Plurality

This session assumes that you understand and have practised the triad and 7th chord qualities.
If not I recommend you practise the basic chord qualities first before you work on the material in this Session. Principles of chords are dealt with in Chords Book 1, the Jazz Theory Course on CD, Chords Basics Email Course and also online in Jazz Theory 1.

To form a 9th chord is easy. Simply place an additional note on top of the stack of four notes which make up a 7th chord, and presto : a 9th chord is born.
The added 9th does not change the quality of the 7th chord, it just extends it. The 9th "opens up" the chord and gives it a more contemporary flavour. It is almost like pulling the cork from a good bottle of red wine, the wine can suddenly breathe and the full flavour comes out.
As the chord quality remains the same you can always substitute a 9th for a 7th chord.

The additional chord tone significantly increases the plurality of the chord.
(The various smaller chords within a total chord structure make up the chord's plurality.)

The pluralities within the C major 9th chord are :

  • C major triad and Cmaj7 formed on the chord's root (not shown below)

  • E minor triad and Em7 formed on the chord's 3rd

  • G major triad formed on the chord's 5th

Audio IF 10.1
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The pluralities within the C dominant 9th chord are :

  • C major triad and C7 formed on the chord's root (not shown below)

  • E diminished triad and E half diminished formed on the chord's 3rd

  • G minor triad formed on the chord's 5th

Audio IF 10.2
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The pluralities within the C minor 9th chord are :

  • C minor triad and Cm7 formed on the chord's root (not shown below)

  • Eb major triad and Ebmaj7 formed on the chord's 3rd

  • G minor triad formed on the chord's 5th

Audio IF 10.3
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Note that the triad built on the chord's 5th are the same for C9 and Cm7 : G minor triad (this applies to the dominant and minor 9th chords in all keys).

The same pluralities occur for the 9th chords in all keys.



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IF 10.2 - Arpeggio Practice

Pluralities, especially those formed on the 3rd and 5th of a chord, provide excellent opportunities for improvisation. Used creatively they add a new perspective to the chords, and not just copy them. By using pluralities you complement the rhythm section (especially the bass), not duplicate them.

The exercises in this Session are all arpeggios. They cover one full bar and end on a (non root) chord tone. This is good practice to get you started on using pluralities and gives you some idea on the types of sounds you can create, but you can of course also combine fragments of scales and arpeggios.
Use some of the exercises to go through all twelve keys. Others you may use on selected chords in a song. Arpeggio pluralities are also very effective over the ending of a song.

Play selected exercises around the Circle of Fifths. The play-a-long track plays in each key :

  1. 4 bars on the major 7th chord

  2. 4 bars on the dominant 7th chord

  3. 4 bars on the minor 7th chord
Then it moves onto the next key on the Circle of Fifths.

Audio Ex.1
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There are also play-a-long tracks for a single chord quality (major, dominant and minor), 4 bars for each chord around the Circle of Fifths.


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IF 10.3 - 7th Arpeggios on the Chord's 3rd

The numbers underneath the staff identify the chord tone of the "mother chord".
Try to think ahead using these numbers to transpose the arpeggio pattern from key to key.

Audio Ex.2
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Audio Ex.3
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When you are struggling with exercises like these and smoke is coming out off your ears (from an overheated brain) you are on the right track : your practice is productive ! !
When things start to become easy, you are coasting, and your practice time is better spent on a new challenge.

Audios : Ex.4 - Ex.5 - Ex.6 - Ex.7 - Ex.8 - Ex.9
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Exercises 7 to 9 may be out off the range for some instruments in some of the keys.
Keyboard players may extend the arpeggios over a larger range if they wish.


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IF 10.4 - Triad Arpeggios on the Chord's 3rd

These exercises do not include the 9th but still can be quite interesting.

Audios : Ex.10 - Ex.11
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Exercises 11 and 13 may be out off the range for some instruments in some of the keys.

Audios : Ex.12 - Ex.13
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IF 10.5 - Triad Arpeggios on the Chord's 5th

These triads leave out the 3rd of the mother chord, making them more ambiguous in terms of chord quality and therefore very interesting. (The chord quality is defined by the 3rd and 7th of the chord - see In Focus 6)

Audios : Ex.14 - Ex.15
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Audios : Ex.16 - Ex.17
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IF 10.6 - Practice Material

DescriptionFiles
General File Manuscript Paper
Pluralities in all keys page 1 page 2
Arpeggios page 1 page 2 PaL : Ex.1PaL : Maj-Dom-Min
PaL - 4 bars in each key Major 7th Dominant 7th Minor 7th


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Copyright © 2001 Michael Furstner (Jazclass). All rights reserved.