The Sticktionary This is a sampling of the complete 380 page text. This sample is only complete from the cover to page 38 of Section 2 and includes major chords of Sections 3 and 4. Likewise, many bookmarks and page hyperlinks from the Table of Contents are disabled because their destination pages have been removed. Thank you for your interest. - Chris

The Sticktionary

A catalog of left and right hand chord diagrams for all Stick® tunings.

By Chris Crain

The Sticktionary A catalog of left and right hand chord diagrams for all Stick® tunings.

By Chris Crain

©2003 Chris Crain barefoot publishing

Published by Chris Crain 205 Main Street, Suite 600 Jasper, Indiana 47546 www.ChrisCrain.com chris@chriscrain.com

A technical review of this text was completed by: Steve Adelson Guitar Workshop 74 Harmon Street Long Beach, NY 11561 www.SteveAdelson.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part, by any means, without written permission from the author.

Chapman Stick, The Stick, Stick, Grand Stick, Stick Bass, and Touchboard are Federally registered trademarks of Stick Enterprises, Inc.

Other trademarks belonging to Stick Enterprises: Baritone Melody, Deep Baritone Melody, Matched Reciprocal, Deep Matched Reciprocal, and Interior Matched Reciprocal.

“Stick” is a Federally registered trademark exclusively licensed to Stick Enterprises, Inc., and is used in the title, “The Sticktionary”, with permission.

About the Author

Chris Crain has been musically active since the age of six, studying piano with his father and mentor until he was sixteen. He later learned to play the electric bass, while continuing his study of music theory. Chris’ first exposure to The Stick® was in 1983, after attending a college concert featuring Emmett Chapman. The following year, Chris took the opportunity to attend the NAMM convention in Anaheim, California. While he was there, he visited the Stick Enterprises booth and met Emmett. In October 1984, he purchased a new Chapman Stick and five years later, devoted his musical attention to the instrument. Long overdue, Chris released his debut solo instrumental recording “Truth”,in 2001. Although unrelated to music, Chris has written many technical manuals and also several articles, which have been published in trade magazines.

Acknowledgements

No creative work is the product of one person alone (regardless of how much we believe it is). So, in this space, I would like to acknowledge the people who have given of their time to help make this book a reality.

First, I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation and gratitude to Steve Adelson, for his comments and editing skills. I thank Steve for taking time out of his schedule for this project. Among other things, Steve’s contribution resulted in the elimination of ridiculous sounding chords and made sure our fingers didn’t end up in knots.

I would like to thank Emmett Chapman and Greg Howard for their suggestions, thoughts, and support of this book.

Another thanks goes to my children, Patrick and Christa, for allowing me to take precious time away from them to work on this project.

A big thank you to my wife, Patricia, who thought of the idea and encouraged me to put this book together. Her comments and contribution as copy editor were invaluable. Finally, I would like to thank her for suggesting the title – The Sticktionary.

Contents

Introduction 1 How To Use The Chord Diagrams 3 Legend 4

Section One – Sticks Charts

The Cycle 7 The Stick® Standard 8 The Stick Baritone Melody™ 10 The Stick Deep Baritone Melody™ 12 The Stick Matched Reciprocal™ 14 The Stick Deep Matched Reciprocal™ 16 Grand Stick® 6x6 Standard 18 Grand Stick 7x5 Standard 20 Grand Stick Matched Reciprocal 22 Grand Stick Deep Matched Reciprocal 24 Grand Stick Standard with High Bass 4th 26 Stick Bass® Interior 4ths & 5ths 28 Stick Bass Interior Matched Reciprocal 30

Section Two – Chord Construction

The Diagrams 35 The Fingers 37 Chord Shapes 38 Tonal Harmony 39 Chord Inversions 45

Section Three – Bass Side Major Chords

Preface to the Bass Side Chords 51 The Major Chord 52 Suspended Fourth Chords 60 Altered Fifth Chords 79 Sixth Chords 88 Dominant Seventh Chords 106 Major Seventh Chords 117 Ninth Chords 135 Eleventh Chord 156 Thirteenth Chord 159

Section Four – Bass Side Minor Chords

The Minor Chord 167 Altered Fifth Minor Chords 171 Minor Sixth Chords 182 Minor Seventh Chords 197 Minor Ninth Chords 206 Minor Eleventh Chord 225 Minor Thirteenth Chord 228

Section Five – Melody Side Major Chords

Preface to the Melody Side Chords 235 The Major Chord 236 Suspended Fourth Chords 242 Altered Fifth Chords 254 Sixth Chords 261 Dominant Seventh Chords 271 Major Seventh Chords 279 Ninth Chords 291 Eleventh Chord 306 Thirteenth Chord 308

Section Six – Melody Side Minor Chords

The Minor Chord 315 Altered Fifth Minor Chords 318 Minor Sixth Chords 325 Minor Seventh Chords 334 Minor Ninth Chords 341 Minor Eleventh Chord 356 Minor Thirteenth Chord 358

Section Seven – Polychords

Polychords 365

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Introduction

The Sticktionary is a collection of chord diagrams for the left and right hands or bass and melody side of the Chapman Stick®. All Stick® models (The Stick®, Grand Stick®, and Stick Bass® - Classic 4ths & 5ths tuning) are represented, provided that the bass side of the instrument is tuned in inverted fifths and the melody side is tuned in uniform fourths. The bass side chord diagrams, in this book, will prove of little use for instruments not utilizing the reversed fifths tuning. However, supplemental chord diagrams are provided at the end of each bass side chord group for the Grand Stick with High Bass 4th tuning and the melody side chords can be applied to standard Stick Bass.

The Sticktionary was compiled to compliment Emmett Chapman’s book, Free Hands, which documents approximately 40 left and 40 right hand chords. Inside these pages, you will find nearly 650 basic (root position) left and right hand chord shapes. From these basic shapes, chord inversions and High Bass 4th chords were constructed, thus, a total of over 2200 chord diagrams are documented herein. More than 430 left hand chord shapes are diagrammed exclusively for instruments utilizing High Bass 4th tuning. Out of necessity, all of the chord diagrams are generically named with the letter “X”. This convention is used in order to provide concise information for the chord names, without filling pages with redundant shapes and different root names. This method allows any chord shape to be applied to any Stick tuning, anywhere on the fretboard. The only drawback to this system, however, is you must be able to identify, on your instrument, the tonic or root note you desire to play before you can build a specific chord. To assist you, Stick Charts are provided in Section One.

The idea of The Sticktionary is to expose you to alternate chord voicings for chords already familiar to you. In this way, different tonalities can be added to your arrangements. This book was also designed as a reference for finding specific chords on The Stick. This is especially useful if you are unfamiliar with music theory or do not read music.

Complimenting the Stick Charts, in Section One, are pitch ranges for all current Stick models and their various tunings. Also, at the beginning of this section, you will find a diagram of the “Circle of Fifths” or The Cycle. I sincerely hope you find this information useful.

This book is not a ‘how to’ guide on playing The Stick, nor is it a book of music theory or technique. Although, much of the text is devoted to the topic of chord construction – the book is primarily a collection of chord diagrams, organized in a logical manner, for quick reference. Left-hand chord shapes that span the melody and bass regions of the Stick have been omitted. The primary reason for this is that Emmett documents most of the playable shapes in Free Hands. Also, impossible or nearly impossible to play chord shapes have been omitted. However, chord shapes requiring a stretch for small hands and short fingers have been retained, with a notation indicating such.

The Stick method of two-handed string tapping was conceived and developed by Emmett Chapman in 1969. He built his first Stick prototype in 1970 and in 1974 he started his first production run of instruments. The Stick method employs both hands approaching the Stick from opposite sides and perpendicular to the instrument. The crook of the left hand fits around the left side of The Stick and the fingers reach over to the bass strings – much like playing a guitar or bass. The crook of the right hand fits around the right side of The Stick and the fingers reach over to the melody strings. To make music, the fingers tap and hold the strings between frets in a fashion similar to the way a pianist plays the keys of a piano.

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Along with the Stick method, Emmett threw out any preconceived ideas of how his instrument should be tuned. From this was born the specific configuration of inverted fifths tuning in the bass and uniform fourths tuning in the melody – the lowest pitched strings at the center of The Stick. It is this system of tuning that is the heart of this book.

If you are a new student to the Stick, Free Hands – by Emmett Chapman and The Stick Book, Vol. 1– by Greg Howard, should prove to be invaluable references. I would also add that experimentation, exploration, and listening are equally important to anything you can be taught or read from a book.

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How to Use The Chord Diagrams

As you look for a chord, throughout this book, the root (or tonic) will be the primary note you desire to build a shape upon. The root note is identified with a transparent symbol on the diagrams. This is important to remember, because all the chord diagrams are identified based on the root note. For example, the pitches (low to high) of F-A-C make up the F Major triad (3 note chord). If you makeC the lowest pitch, you will have an inversion of F major, written as F/C. However, if you assume that C (the low note) is the root of the chord (C-F-A) and name it accordingly, you will have a C6sus4. Therefore, you will find the same shape cataloged as a Root Position chord in one location and as a Chord Inversion in another. The difference between them being the transparent symbol indicating the root note. More on chord inversions will be discussed in Section Two.

All the chords documented herein, contain only three pitches. This information is sufficient to identify all the chords. However, it must be realized that in many chord structures, some tones are missing. When the third (3rd), fifth (5th), or seventh (7th) interval is absent, a notation appears in parenthesis ( ) indicating so. Remember, as you play complimentary chords, a melody, or a bass line, you will often sketch in the missing intervals – making the chord structure complete.

For reference, C notation is placed above each chord shape. The notation is provided as a visual aid to see how the intervals are spaced. Of course, the actual notes will vary depending on which frets and strings you are applying the chord shape.

Before you get started, I thought I would explain how the chord diagrams are organized. This should help you understand the text’s format and make it easier to jump around when looking for a specific type of chord. First off, the chord diagrams begin with Section Three and continue through SectionSix. Bass side chords are documented before melody side chords. For each group, the major chords are documented before the minor chords. From page to page you will find chords as their specified intervals ascend (i.e., -6, 6, 7, etc.). Each row is identified as being Root Position or Inversions. On each page, from left to right, chord alterations are presented as their intervals spread out to the extremes (close voicings to open voicings). Some chord alterations span two or more pages, but preserve this format of close to open voicings. Chord inversions also follow this format, but are grouped by bass interval positions. Within the diagrams and preceding each chord type is a discussion and analysis of the chords that follow.

At the end of each bass side chord group, from page to page, are supplemental diagrams (root position only) for the Grand Stick® utilizing High Bass 4th tuning. In addition, several pages of blank chord diagrams are provided after each section. You can use these to document four note or barre type chords as you discover them.

All chord diagrams are presented with four frets and six strings. The sixth string is indicated with a dashed line. Any fingering symbols located on these lines are applicable only to the Grand Stick with a 6x6 configuration. For Stick Bass®, the first two strings on the bass chord diagrams and the last two strings on the melody chord diagrams should be ignored.

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Legend

X Major Chord / Tonic or Root “X” represents the tonic for any chord name.

Xm Minor Chord / Tonic or Root “X” represents the tonic for any chord name.

MajMajorThis abbreviation is used for all major 7th chords and their derivatives (9th, 11th, & 13ths).

Sus4 Suspended 4th This abbreviation is used for all such chords and their variations.

DiminishedThis symbol is used exclusively for triads containing both flatted 3rd and 5th

intervals. It is also used for diminished 7th chords.

Half–DiminishedThis symbol is used exclusively for chords having both flatted 3rd and 5th

intervals along with a dominant 7th.

- flat ( )This symbol is used to indicate that the designated interval is lowered ½ step.

+ sharp ( ) or augmented This symbol is used to indicate that the designated interval is raised ½ step.

(drone) This notation is used to specify non-chords containing all roots and root/5 combinations.

5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 These numbers signify the simple and compound intervals.

These transparent symbols on a string and fret space represent the tonic or root note of the chord. From left to right, these symbols represent fingers one (index) through four (pinky).

These solid symbols on a string and fret space represent notes, other than the tonic. From left to right, these symbols represent fingers one (index) through four (pinky).

StretchThis notation above certain chord diagrams is to alert you to difficult stretchesin the chord voicings. Chord shapes with this notation are difficult for small hands and short fingers.

(no 3rd)(no 5th)(no 7th)

These notations appear above certain chord diagrams to indicate that the specified interval is missing. These may appear individually or in combination.

Section

Sticks Charts

Section

Chord Construction

35

The Diagrams

The example diagrams to the left are typical of the diagrams used throughout this book.

These diagrams show four fret spaces and six strings, with fingering symbols. For the bass diagrams, the lowest pitched string is at the right and the melody side cut off. On the melody diagrams, the lowest pitched string is at the left and the bass side cut off. The dashed lines, on each type of diagram, represent the highest pitched strings of the Grand Stick®.

Above each diagram is notation written in the key of C.Depending how the intervals are arranged, the notation will be written in the bass clef, treble clef, or span both clefs. The actual notation will be irrelevant to the chord you are playing, unless you are playing a type of C chord. The sole purpose of the notation is to show how the intervals are arranged.

Below the diagrams and under three strings are three numbers. These numbers indicate the interval values being used for a chord (“1” equals the root). This should provide a better understanding of which intervals are lying under your fingers and enable you to better interpret the notation above each diagram.

You will notice, that unlike guitar or bass chord books and in Free Hands, there are no fret numbers next to these diagrams. Fret numbers give you a specific location to play a chord shape and given a certain tuning – you will play a specific chord. The impracticality of this lies with all the various “standardized” tunings. For now, let me say that the above examples are “Major” chords. You can play these same shapes along the strings or across the strings, respective to their string groups, and they will still be “Major” chords. We call these shapes moveable.

Assuming a “standard” tuned Stick, the example below shows a Major triad moving across the melody strings. Notice the fret positions and intervals do not change, but the chord names do.

F Major B Major E Major A Major

Bass (L.H.) Melody (R.H.)

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This example shows a Major triad moving along the bass strings. Here you will notice that fret positions do change, but the intervals still remain unaltered. This concept of moveable shapes can be applied to all the chords – bass and melody.

F Major F Major G Major G Major

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The Fingers

4th

3rd 2nd1st

4th

3rd2nd1st

In the chord diagrams, I have used what shall be considered “standard” fingering symbols. This maintains consistency with the tablature originally developed by Emmett Chapman and Staff Tab™ developed by Greg Howard and Emmett Chapman. These symbols correspond to the fingers of either hand. The transparent symbols represent the tonic or root note and the solid filled symbols represent the other notes in the chord (the intervals). The fingers are coded as shown above and below.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

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Chord Shapes

The first thing you will notice, in the diagrams, is that all the chord names begin with the letter “X”.You are probably wondering where to find that beautiful B Maj7 or a simple Fm. They are all there. Earlier, I briefly touched on this subject. All the chords are generically named and I used the letter “X” to represent the tonic. When naming chords, I could have used any letter, but I felt this was the least confusing and easiest to comprehend. Furthermore, I felt it would be confusing to use a letter from the musical alphabet.

To find a specific chord, using B Maj7 as an example, you first look for the XMaj7 chords. Next locate the note, B , on your instrument and that note will be the root for all the related chord shapes. If you are unfamiliar with your Stick®, refer to the Stick Charts in Section One.

Not all chords are easy to play. As you look through this book, you will notice the word “Stretch” above certain diagrams. This is an indication to you that certain shapes require your fingers to stretch to fret locations you may not normally choose. With practice, most of these chord shapes become more tolerable to play. With that said, I have documented a handful of right-hand chords which can be played using your “thumb” instead of one of your fingers. These alternate fingerings can relieve the necessary stretching otherwise encountered. An example of this is one of the X9 chords. The fingering for this chord is 1st-3rd-2nd, but alternatively you could try using T-3rd-2nd (T = thumb).

If you are new to The Stick, you might question certain finger locations. Usually, depending on the chord, your fingers will lay naturally into position. Other times, you and your fingers will have to make choices. The fingering symbols are there to guide your decision. I followed three rules when deciding on the “best” fingering for each of the chords: 1) comfort, 2) strength, and 3) hand/wrist perpendicular to the instrument. Most often, all three elements work together and that is the ideal. If you are strictly a three-finger player, you will need to interpret some of the diagrams fingering differently. The best way is to change 3rd finger to 2nd and 4th finger to 3rd.

Some chord shapes duplicate the same pitches as other shapes. This may seem to be a redundancy and musically speaking – it is. The choice of which shape to use is yours. Consider the following, though, when you encounter chords of this nature. One chord shape may be generally easier to play, but the second shape transitions to an accompanying chord more smoothly in a song arrangement. Also, some duplicate pitched chords can only be played on the Grand Stick®, whereas, there is no choice on the 10-stringed instruments.

I should also mention, if your instrument is tuned with a High Bass 4th, you should not use the alterations with a pitch on the highest bass string. Instead, refer to the High Bass 4th supplements at the end of each chord section. These chord shapes have a different tonal structure than their reversed 5ths counterparts and the names will be different when sounding that High Bass 4th.

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Tonal Harmony

SCALE DEGREES

In the following pages, I will discuss chord construction. To begin, let’s look at the major scale. The major scale is a specific pattern of small steps (called half steps) and larger ones (called whole steps). This pattern encompasses one octave (eight notes). Each note is assigned to a scale degree, numbered 1 through 7 and the 8th note (the octave of the 1st) is numbered “1” again. If we consider a single string, a half step is the distance from one fret to the very next fret – going up or down in direction. A whole step skips the very next fret and instead goes to the following fret.

On The Stick®, we can spread this pattern over several strings. Referring to the diagram of a major scale pattern, the distance between notes 2 & 3 and 5 & 6 are whole steps. Therefore, you can see from this diagram that half steps in the major scale occur only between scale degrees 3 & 4 and 7 & 1.

To illustrate this with note names, let us look at the C Major scale. In the diagram below, the numbers are scale degrees, which correspond with the numbering on the tablature to the left. The ‘W’ and ‘H’ indicate the whole step or half step distance between notes. The remaining letters are the note names of the C Major scale.

W W H W W W H C D E F G A B C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

When you alter the whole step and half step relationships between scale degrees, you change the scale’s pattern, but not the scale degree numbering. When the pattern is changed, some notes change pitch relative to their natural position in the major scale. To preserve the original note name and scale degree, we add an accidental. An accidental is a symbol that raises or lowers a pitch by a half step. Although there are several, we will limit our use to the symbols: (flat) to lower a pitch by a half step, and (sharp) to raise a pitch by a half step. We will also use arrow symbols to show that a scale degree is raised ( ) or lowered ( ) by a half step.

The C minor scale is shown below. You can see the whole step and half step pattern differs from the major scale shown above. You will also notice the scale degree numbering is unchanged, but 3, 6, and 7 have been modified, as indicated with the ( ) arrows. The same is true for the notes E , A , and B . These notes have been lowered a half step, as indicated with the (flat) accidentals.

W H W W H W W C D E F G A B C1 2 3( ) 4 5 6( ) 7( ) 1

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INTERVALS

Now that you have a basic understanding of the relationship between notes and the scale degrees, we can proceed to the subject of intervals. An interval is the measurement of the vertical (pitch) distance between two notes. A harmonic interval results when the notes are sounded simultaneously, while a melodic interval results when the notes are played successively. Regardless of the type of interval, the method of measuring them is the same. In the context of this book, our focus will be on harmonic intervals.

There are two parts to an interval name: the numerical name and the modifier. The numerical name is a measurement of how far apart the notes are, regardless of what accidentals are involved. When speaking about intervals we use the terms unison instead of one (1) and octave (8ve) instead of eight (8). Intervals larger than an octave (9th, 11th, & 13th) are called compound intervals and the smaller ones are called simple intervals.

Returning to the C Major scale, you can see how the intervals relate to the root note C, in the table below. The bold/italicized note names correlate with their scale degree positions in the major scale.

Name Unison 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Octave Notes C & C C & D C & E C & F C & G C & A C & B C & C

Interval 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

To illustrate with a different example, let us look at the A minor scale. Again, you can see how all the notes relate to the root note A. Notice the ( ) arrows on the 3rd, 6th, and 7th. These are altered notes, specifically, they have been lowered a half step from their major positions.

Name Unison 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Octave Notes A & A A & B A & C A & D A & E A & F A & G A & A

Interval 1 2 3( ) 4 5 6( ) 7( ) 8

Another way to look at intervals is with music notation. We can define the interval’s numerical name as a measurement of how far apart the notes are vertically on the staff. Your understanding of this concept will enable you to make the most sense of the C notation above the chord diagrams. The example below shows the first set of notes as two notes with the same pitch. This interval is called unison with a numerical name of one (1), because both notes appear on the same space on the staff. To determine intervals on the staff, you must count the number of lines and spaces occupied by the notes and between the notes. For example, the 6th interval has two notes occupying one (1) line and one (1) space. Between them are two (2) spaces and two (2) lines. Now we take care of the bookkeeping: 1+1+2+2=6.

For now, it is unimportant as to what the above note names are, it is only important to understand the concept of the intervallic relationship between two notes. If you remember, I said that there are two parts to an interval name. Now we will focus on the modifier.

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The term perfect (P) is a modifier used only for unisons, 4ths, 5ths, octaves, and their compounds. Usually, the terms Major (M) or minor (m) are associated with the intervals; 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th. The intervals formed by the 1st to 2nd, 1st to 3rd, 1st to 6th, and 1st to 7th in the major scale are all major intervals. Coming back to the C Major scale, the following table will show the completed interval names.

Name Perfect Unison

Major2nd

Major3rd

Perfect4th

Perfect5th

Major6th

Major7th

PerfectOctave

Notes C & C C & D C & E C & F C & G C & A C & B C & CInterval P1 M2 M3 P4 P5 M6 M7 P8

When we consider the C minor scale, you can see how the modifiers change when the 3rd, 6th, and 7th are made a half step smaller. Compare this with the intervals above. Whenever a major interval is made a half step smaller, without altering its numerical name, it becomes a minor interval.

Name Perfect Unison

Major2nd

Minor3rd

Perfect4th

Perfect5th

Minor6th

Minor7th

PerfectOctave

Notes C & C C & D C & E C & F C & G C & A C & B C & CInterval P1 M2 m3 P4 P5 m6 m7 P8

In a major scale, the distance between the 1st to 2nd interval is a whole step, which means there is a note in between them (a half step). Again, when a major interval can be made a half step smaller, without changing its numerical name, it becomes a minor interval. Allow me to explain, using the table below. First of all, the root note (1 or C) cannot be lowered, because it is perfect and there is apparently no note to the left of it. (Technically there is, but we would have to consider a whole other set of notes.) The 2nd (D) can be lowered a half step to D , making it a minor interval. This can be done with the 3rd (E to E ), 6th (A to A ), and 7th (B to B ), as well.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C (D ) D (E ) E F (G ) G (A ) A (B ) B C C D (D ) E F (F ) G (G ) A (A ) B C

Generally speaking, the 4th and 8th cannot be lowered without changing their numerical names – they are perfect. In other words, the 4th would change to a 3rd (E) and the 8th would change to a 7th (B).However, when a perfect or minor interval is lowered a half step, it becomes diminished, which will be discussed shortly.

When a major or perfect interval is made a half step larger, without changing its numerical name, it becomes augmented (+). The root and octave (1 & 8, or C) are perfect, but cannot be raised a half step without changing their numerical names. If the C was raised a half step to C , we would have to adjust all the note names to suit the newly defined scale. The 3rd & 7th are major intervals, but they too cannot be raised a half step, without changing their numerical names from 3rd to 4th and 7th to 8th.The major 2nd and 6th intervals can be made a half step larger, as well as their compound intervals the 9th and 13th. The perfect 4th can also be augmented, but it is more common to augment its compound interval, the 11th.

I haven’t yet discussed the 5th, so here we go. The 5th (G) is a perfect interval, but it has a half step (G ) between it and the 4th (F), and a half step (G ) between it and the 6th (A). When the 5th is raised

42

a half step, it becomes augmented. When it is lowered a half step, it assumes a unique name – diminished 5th (°5th or 5). Throughout the book, I will use “ 5” instead of “–5” to differentiate the flatted 5th from the other minor intervals. The perfect 4th can also be diminished, but that is an advanced topic left for you to pursue.

COMPOUND INTERVALS

When an interval extends beyond the octave, the 8th scale degree, we call it a compound interval. To calculate the value of the compound interval, you add 7 to its simple interval name. For example, if C& D are played within the same octave, the interval would be a 2nd. If the D is played beyond the C’soctave, the interval would be calculated by adding 7 and 2 to generate the interval name, 9th.

Regardless of how many octaves apart the interval is, only 7 is added to the simple interval’s name. The only compound interval names are 9th, 11th, and 13th, which are relative to the 2nd, 4th, and 6th.One way to illustrate this, using the C Major scale, is shown below. Two octaves of the scale are shown with the scale degrees corresponding in numerical order. If we continue counting the scale degrees, starting with 8 in the second octave, we will have the following sequence:

1st Octave 2nd Octave C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1

Now let us extract every other note, or every odd numbered scale degree, from the two octave set above. When they are placed in numerical order, we have the list shown below. Close examination will reveal that each scale degree has a unique note name, and all together they contain the notes of the major scale. The last note, C, begins the repetition of this pattern. As you can see, the only new numbers added to the list are 9, 11, and 13.

C E G B D F A C 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 1

CHORD CONSTRUCTION

To begin, chords consist of two or more sets of intervals superimposed on each other. The simplest chord is the triad, a three-note chord, consisting of a 5th divided into two 3rds. Each member of the triad has a name; root, 3rd, and 5th. The 3rd and 5th are named as intervals of the root.

There are four possible constructs to the triad, each having their own name. From now on, I will use the symbol (–) to show that an interval is lowered a half step (except flatted 5ths will be indicated as 5) and the symbol (+) to show that an interval is raised a half step. The diagrams that follow show

the four triads, interval constructions, example notation (in G), and the chord names.

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+5 5 5 53 3 –3 –3 1 1 1 1

Augmented (+) Major (M) Minor (m) Diminished (°)

Except for suspended 4th (sus4) chords, all other chords are built from these four triads. The sus4chord is a triad constructed by raising the 3rd by a half step. In other words, the raised 3rd becomes a 4th. For that reason, all complex chords will include the root, a 3rd or 4th, a 5th, and one or more additional intervals.

Each member of a triad has a function in describing a chord name. The root dictates the basic name, G for example. The 3rd defines the chord as a major or, if it is lowered a half step – a minor. The 5th

concludes the definition, depending on its status and the condition of the 3rd.

When we add other chord tones on top of the 5th, we can construct complex chords consisting of four or more notes. When naming chords of this nature, you must consider these added notes and append them to the original chord name. For example, let us configure a triad as 1, –3, and 5. Defining the root as G; we have a G minor (Gm) chord. If we add a –7th, then we must append the original chord name with the added interval, Gm7. As you continue to read through the chord diagrams, I will start off each chord group with a basic analysis on each chord’s structure.

Sometimes you can construct a complex chord and omit the 3rd interval. Let us use the Gm7 as an example and remove the –3rd. Without it, we no longer have evidence that it is a minor chord. We do have enough information, however, to tell us that it is a G (minor or major) chord with an added –7th.Armed with this knowledge, we can play this chord in either context, as a Gm7 or G7. As you will discover, many types of major chords in this book are missing the 3rd, and are duplicated in the minor chord sections. Only when the 3rd is absent, can a chord be used in either way.

To a lesser degree, the same is true when omitting the 5th interval from a complex chord. As long as the 3rd is still present, we can determine if a chord is major or minor. What we cannot determine is if the chord is diminished or augmented. In the context of this book, however, chords are considered either major or minor unless the 5th is present to dictate otherwise.

DISSONANCE

Dissonance is the inharmonious combination of sounds. When you construct a chord with four, five, or six notes and cram them into the same sonic space (i.e., within the same octave) – it often sounds wrong. Often times it sounds terrible, but if the notes are spread out over a larger range, the chord can become rich sounding and wonderful to hear.

The following chord is difficult to explain on a stringed instrument, but is the equivalent to simultaneously playing five adjacent white keys on a piano (C-D-E-F-G). Visually, you can see that these notes are tightly packed and if you could hear it, you might agree that this chord does not sound good. Analyzing this chord, from the bottom-up, it consists of the root (C), 3rd (E), and 5th (G) – the line notes. The space notes are D and F or the 2nd

and 4th. Because this is a complex chord and not a simple triad, we will convert the 2nd and 4th

intervals to their compound interval names – namely 9th and 11th.

44

When the 9th (D) and 11th (F) are placed further from the basic triad (an octave higher in this case), the chord tones become more distinct and the chord sounds nicer.

The ability to spread out intervals of large chords or pack them tightly is nearly impossible on most stringed instruments, and was reserved only to the piano. When Emmett introduced The Stick®, he gave us the capability to use both hands in constructing chords. This alone, allows you to construct chords in ways that a guitarist can never do with one hand. Furthermore, with The Stick’s fifths tuning in the bass, Emmett placed large intervals within the grasp of our left-hand. When you combine the large intervals possible in the bass, with right-hand chords in the melody, rich and full sounding chords can be produced. The bass fifths tuning allows you to create chords requiring fewer notes and can provide a wider harmonic foundation for right-hand chords and melodies.

I should mention, that as the sonority of a combination of pitches get higher, our ears better discern the various tones. As the combination of pitches get lower, our ability to separate the individual tones is lessened. There comes a point, in the lower registers, when simple chords played in the bass become somewhat dissonant or muddy sounding. So, as you peruse the left-hand chord diagrams, realize that a muddy sounding chord shape will probably sound better on a higher set of strings. Alternatively, the chord can be played as an arpeggio, which is to play each note of a chord separately.

45

Chord Inversions

Up to now, we have been considering all chords with the root as the lowest tone. But in a musical context, any part of a chord might appear as the lowest tone. Since all the chords in this book contain only three notes, there are three possible bass positions as illustrated in the example below.

The bass position that has been used throughout this book, with the root as the lowest tone, is called root position. You might think that “third position” would be the term for a chord with the 3rd as the lowest tone, but musical terminology is full of inconsistencies. Rather, this position is called firstinversion. Second inversion is the term used for chords with the 5th in the bass. A chord inversion is the concept of shifting the tonic note from its root position to a higher pitched position, relative to the other notes in the chord. Put another way, it means to transfer the lowest note to some higher octave.

In the above example, C Major is shown in root position and has the pitches (low to high) C-E-G. If they are rearranged to E-G-C (the second chord construct), we have created a first inversion of CMajor, written as C/E. The third construct shows the second inversion G-C-E, written as C/G.

As you will notice in the chord diagrams, the upper notes of a chord can be spaced in any way without altering the bass position. Also, any of the notes can be duplicated (doubled) in different octaves.

Remember, each of our chords have three possible bass positions. If each bass position is considered the root position, a new chord name results as the interval names are shifted to suit the new root. Therefore, every chord is an inversion of another type of chord. The figure below shows the interval relationships of the chords C6 and Am7. Four tones are common to each chord, namely C-E-G-A. In this example, when the C is played in root position, the chord has the name C6. At the same time, it has the name Am7/C in first inversion. Likewise, we have an inversion of C6 (C6/A) when the Am7is played in its root position.

C6C D E F G A B C D E1 2 3 4 5 6

-7 1 2 -3 4 5Am7

Your mind hears and identifies tonal harmony within the context of a phrase (chord progression) or a dominant tone (usually the bass). Because of this, the root of a chord is usually, but not always,played in the bass register, with the inverted chord played in the higher register. In the above example, a root position Am7 with an additional C played in the bass will assume the identity of CMajor. Likewise, an A in the bass will reflect the Am7.

46

To better explain the use of chord inversions, I am going to use the chord progression from Emmett’s arrangement of A Whiter Shade of Pale. This progression is in the key of G Major, which contains one accidental (a sharp ) on the seventh scale degree (F ).

G Major Scale G A B C D E F G Scale Degrees 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

A reduction of the chord progression is shown below, with the chords notated in their root positions. Your ability to read music is unnecessary to see how the notes shift up and down, as they change positions from one chord to the next. The notes in ( ) will not be used in the final arrangement.

G D Em G CMaj7 G Am C D7 D7 G D7 G CMaj7 Am7 D7

By Keith Reid & Gary Brooker ©1967 Essex Music

If we extract only the root notes from the chords, we can better analyze how this progression looks and sounds. In the next example, the bass notes shown match the root of the named chords. Like points on a graph, the movement of the bass line is sporadic and has no form.

G D Em G CMaj7 G Am C D7 D7 G D7 G CMaj7 Am7 D7

When form is added to the function, a smoother and relaxed feeling is obtained. The bass line below starts on a G and progresses downward in a scale-wise fashion. It then jumps back up and slowly descends again. This pattern of dissension repeats throughout the song.

G D Em G CMaj7 G Am C D7 D7 G D7 G CMaj7 Am7 D7

Now that the bass line is written, we have to reassemble the chords to reflect the new bass line. The first thing to notice is that the bass line is moved an octave lower. To continue, each bass note is a member of its respective chord. The remaining members of the chord need to be played above the bass notes in order to preserve the bass line. To be more specific, inversions of the chords need to be played. In the reduction that follows, from left to right, you will encounter inversions at the following chords: D/F , G/D, G/B, C/G, D7/C, G/B, and D7/A. The note name after the slash refers to the bass note and is the common methodology used to indicate inversions.

G D/F# Em G/D CMaj7 G/B Am C/G D7 D7/C G/B D7/A G CMaj7 Am7 D7

The table that follows should better illustrate these inversions. The note names and intervals are stacked the way they appear in the previous example. Take special notice of the last inversion, D7/A.Here, you will see that the root is apparently nonexistent. The fact is the root appears as the tonic in

47

the melody and not in the harmony. For this reason, it is often necessary to view the melody and harmony together, when analyzing chords.

D/F G/D G/B C/G D7/C D7/A A 5 B 3 D 5 C 1 A 5 C -7 D 1 G 1 G 1 E 3 D 1 F 3 F 3 D 5 B 3 G 5 C -7 A 5

Just for fun, I will present a “keyless” reduction of the song. The notes shown are irrelevant to the chord names above them. The Roman numerals name the chords relative to the tonic (I) and these relationships are measured in scale degrees. Uppercase numerals are major and lowercase numerals are minor. Also note that the IV7 implies a major 7th and not a flatted 7th like the dominant 7th (V7).

In our “keyless” version below, the inversions are named with an interval specified in the bass. The intervals are related to the named chord. Using the key of G as a reference, you can compare the following example with the previous reductions to see how this system relates. The three chords marked with a bracket are substitutions, which Emmett shared with me, to jazz up his arrangement.

I V/ 3 vi I/5 IV7 I/ 3 ii IV/5 V7 V/ 7 I/ 3 V7 IV ii7 V7I/ 5

Why do we use inversions instead of naming the chord based on its bass position? Like I said before, inconsistencies in musical terminology abound. If a particular chord were isolated, it could be analyzed and given a name dictated by its bass position. Conversely, when that chord is placed in a musical context, it assumes a name in which the chord functions in the progression. As you have seen in our example of A Whiter Shade of Pale, the chord progression was defined before we modified the bass line. The basic chords, themselves, remain intact.

With all the explanation behind us, let’s illustrate how a chord inversion works on the fretboard. The three diagrams below show a G Major triad, on the bass side of The Stick, in root position and two inversions. The fret numbering and chord names assume a ‘standard’ tuned instrument. Looking closely at the diagrams, you will notice that the root (G) is located on the same string and at the same fret position on each diagram. The first diagram has the root in the bass. The second diagram (G/B) is related to the first, but the 3rd interval is moved to the bottom. Specifically, the 3rd is now two octaves lower than it was in root position. The third diagram (G/D) is related to the first, except that the 5th

interval is moved to the bottom. Here, the 5th is one octave lower than it was in root position.

G G/B G/D

48

With so many strings, there is lots of variety that can be explored with a single chord. In the bass diagrams above, I show how the intervals can dance around the root.

The key element in understanding chord inversions is the location of the root relative to the other intervals in the chord. Regardless of how the intervals are arranged and in which octave they occupy, a chord is in Root Position when the root is the lowest note in the chord. When any interval, other than the root, is the lowest note – an inversion can be named.

Now let us explore some inversions on the melody strings. Again, the fret numbering and chord names assume a ‘standard’ tuned instrument.

This time you will notice that the 5th interval is located on the same string and the same fret position on each diagram that follows. By raising the root (C) an octave and leaving the remaining intervals alone, the C/E inversion is created as shown in the second figure. Next, the 3rd interval is peeled off fret #12 and placed where shown on fret #9, in the third figure (C/G).

C C/E C/G

SUMMARY

In this section, I have tried to provide you with a foundation to understanding chord structures. I felt it necessary to define scale degrees and intervals, before moving on to the topic of chord structure and inversions. Although, the discussion has been brief, I hope you have acquired enough knowledge to understand the components of a chord. As I mentioned earlier, I will provide more information on specific chord structures, as you encounter them in the remaining sections.

As you try new chords, do not hesitate to try some of the chord inversions. They will add variety to your music and offer exciting launching points for extended harmonies.

Section

Bass Side Major Chord Diagrams

For the Left Hand

51

Preface to the Bass Side Chords

As I mentioned in the beginning of this book, all the chords contained herein, are constructed of three (3) notes. Therefore, certain intervals must be omitted to accommodate some of the more complex chord structures. There are also instances where the 3rd is missing from simple triads. When the 3rd

(or –3rd) is absent, the chord is undefined as being Major or minor, and can act in either context. For this reason, many chord shapes are documented in both the minor and major sections of the book.

To provide more clarity to the chord diagrams, the text within the Bass Side Chords is duplicated throughout the Melody Side Chords. This way, you are only a few pages away from the appropriate reference, instead of shuffling to other sections of the book.

Preceding each chord group, is a summary of the chord type’s construction. Underneath the heading, is a list of the chords included in that section. For your reference, a table is provided after the summary, showing all the possible interval names and their pitch equivalents in the C scale. Following the table, a description of each basic chord structure is given. Next to each description, is a diagram showing the root position structure, which includes; notation and the interval name configuration. Underneath each description, is a table highlighting the interval positions, up to the second octave.

For simplicity and familiarity, the C scale is used for all the notation and tables, using the C located two octaves below middle C as the root. Within the chord diagrams, themselves; C notation is placed above each chord shape. The Bass Side Chords also refer to the C, two octaves below middle C. The use of C notation is provided only as a visual aid to help you see how the intervals are spaced. The actual notes you play will vary depending on which frets and strings you are applying the chord shape.

A chord name is defined by its root position construction, but is by no means the only position in which a chord can be played. The intervals of a chord can be situated so that their sonorities differ from their root position. Root position structures are only used in our analysis to define a chord. As you will discover, in the chord diagrams, intervals can be omitted and shifted around to make similar chord constructs sound different from each other.

Some pages have a comment in the upper right-hand corner. This is to call your attention to dissonant sounding chords and/or to inform you of its inversion possibilities.

52

The Major ChordX (Major) and X5 (drone)

The major (X) chord can be considered the foundation upon which all other chords are derived. Major triads consist of the root, 3rd, and 5th. Generally speaking, all members of these triads must be present to define the chord. However, in the chord diagrams, there are examples of these chords with a missing 5th. The root and 3rd are required to identify these as major triads as opposed to minor triads, but when the 5th is absent, the chord is not defined as being augmented or not. For our discussion, we will be considering the missing 5th in its unaltered form. In our examination of the drone, you will discover what happens when we omit the 3rd and/or the 5th.

Intervals – C Scale

1 -2-9

29

-3+9 3 4

115

+11 5 -6+5

613

-7+6 7 8

C (D ) D (E )(D )

E F (G )(F )

G (A )(G )

A (B )(A )

B C

The Major (X) chord is a triad consisting of the root, 3rd, and 5th. The term major is used, because the 3rd is a major interval. The major chord is the foundation to constructing all other chords. Intervals can be added and altered to make new chords. The Major (X) chord is one of the four basic triads.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B X (Major) Intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

The drone (X5) is not really a chord. It does not contain the three necessary intervals (in any form) to form a triad. Nor does it contain intervals with higher numerical sonorities to imply other chord types. However, the drone is used as a power chord in modern music and, with its simple construction, can be played in lieu of more complex chords. For this reason, the drone is included as a

pseudo-chord. The drone is actually a 5th interval with an added octave. Often, the 5th is removed, leaving only octaves to be played.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B X5 (drone) Intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

531

X (Major)

151

X5 (drone)

60

Suspended 4th Chords Xsus4 Xsus4+5 X6sus4 X7sus4 X Maj7sus4 Xsus4(add –9) Xsus4(add 9)

In a previous section, I said there are four basic triads. By raising or lowering the 3rd or 5th a half step, we can create major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords. Another triad, the Xsus4, was touched on briefly and here I will discuss it further. Remember, when an interval can be raised or lowered a half step, without changing its numerical name, we change its modifier name. With the four basic triads we defined these names, but what happens when we make the 3rd larger? When the 3rd is raised a half step, it changes numerical names and becomes a 4th. The following chords are based on what is called the suspended 4th.

The root and 4th are required to identify a suspended 4th chord. Some of these suspended chords include additional intervals. When intervals are added to the basic structure of any triad, the chord is considered complex. Since some of these suspended chords are complex, the 5th is omitted from these constructs.

Intervals – C Scale

1 -2-9

29

-3+9 3 4

115

+11 5 -6+5

613

-7+6 7 8

C (D ) D (E )(D )

E F (G )(F )

G (A )(G )

A (B )(A )

B C

The Xsus4 is the basic triad for all suspended chords. As you look at this chord structure, you can see how it differs from the major (X) chord. The 3rd is raised a half step and becomes a 4th. All other suspended chords are built from this structure.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B Xsus4Intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

The Xsus4+5 is similar to the augmented (X+5) chord. The 5th is raised a half step, making it sharp, with all other intervals remaining the same as its parent chord.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B Xsus4+5Intervals 1 2 3 4 +5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

The X6sus4 has the structure shown. Here, a 6th is added to the parent chord (Xsus4). Since the 4th, 5th, and 6th intervals have a compact spacing, the 5th is often omitted, without affecting its name. This is the case, with these chords in this text.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B X6sus4Intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

541

Xsus4

+541

Xsus4+5

6541

X6sus4

Section

Bass Side Minor Chord Diagrams

For the Left Hand

Chris

Sample

Section

Melody Side Major Chord Diagrams

For the Right Hand

235

Preface to the Melody Side Chords

As I mentioned in a previous section, all the chords contained herein, are constructed of three (3) notes. Therefore, certain intervals must be omitted to accommodate some of the more complex chord structures. There are also instances where the 3rd is missing from simple triads. When the 3rd (or –3rd)is absent, the chord is undefined as being Major or minor, and can act in either context. For this reason, many chord shapes are documented in both the minor and major sections of the book.

To provide more clarity to the chord diagrams, the text within the Bass Side Chords has been repeated throughout the Melody Side Chords. This way, you are only a few pages away from the appropriate reference, instead of shuffling back to the Bass Side Chord sections.

Preceding each chord group, is a summary of the chord type’s construction. Underneath the heading, is a list of the chords included in that section. For your reference, a table is provided after the summary, showing all the possible interval names and their pitch equivalents in the C scale. Following the table, a description of each basic chord structure is given. Next to each description, is a diagram showing the root position structure, which includes; notation and the interval name configuration. Underneath each description, is a table highlighting the interval positions, up to the second octave.

For simplicity and familiarity, the C scale is used for all the notation and tables, using middle C as the root. Within the chord diagrams, themselves; C notation is placed above each chord shape. The Melody Side Chords also refer to middle C. The use of C notation is provided only as a visual aid to help you see how the intervals are spaced. The actual notes you play will vary depending on which frets and strings you are applying the chord shape.

A chord name is defined by its root position construction, but is by no means the only position in which a chord can be played. The intervals of a chord can be situated so that their sonorities differ from their root position. Root position structures are only used in our analysis to define a chord. As you will discover, in the chord diagrams, intervals can be omitted and shifted around to make similar chord constructs sound different from each other. As I have mentioned earlier, each chord in the following sections are indexed with two chord inversion possibilities.

Some pages have a comment in the upper right-hand corner. This is to call your attention to dissonant sounding chords and/or to inform you of its inversion possibilities.

236

The Major ChordX (Major) and X5 (drone)

The major (X) chord can be considered the foundation upon which all other chords are derived. Major triads consist of the root, 3rd, and 5th. Generally speaking, all members of these triads must be present to define the chord. However, in the chord diagrams, there are examples of these chords with a missing 5th. The root and 3rd are required to identify these as major triads as opposed to minor triads, but when the 5th is absent, the chord is not defined as being augmented or not. For our discussion, we will be considering the missing 5th in its unaltered form. In our examination of the drone, you will discover what happens when we omit the 3rd and/or the 5th.

Intervals – C Scale

1 -2-9

29

-3+9 3 4

115

+11 5 -6+5

613

-7+6 7 8

C (D ) D (E )(D )

E F (G )(F )

G (A )(G )

A (B )(A )

B C

The Major (X) chord is a triad consisting of the root, 3rd, and 5th. The term major is used, because the 3rd is a major interval. The major chord is the foundation to constructing all other chords. Intervals can be added and altered to make new chords. The Major (X) chord is one of the four basic triads.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B X (Major) Intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

The drone (X5) is not really a chord. It does not contain the three necessary intervals (in any form) to form a triad. Nor does it contain intervals with higher numerical sonorities to imply other chord types. However, the drone is used as a power chord in modern music and, with its simple construction, can be played in lieu of more complex chords. For this reason, the drone is included as a

pseudo-chord. The drone is actually a 5th interval with an added octave. Often, the 5th is removed, leaving only octaves to be played.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B X5 (drone) Intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

531

X (Major)

151

X5 (drone)

242

Suspended 4th Chords Xsus4 Xsus4+5 X6sus4 X7sus4 X Maj7sus4 Xsus4(add –9) Xsus4(add 9)

In a previous section, I said there are four basic triads. By raising or lowering the 3rd or 5th a half step, we can create major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords. Another triad, the Xsus4, was touched on briefly and here I will discuss it further. Remember, when an interval can be raised or lowered a half step, without changing its numerical name, we change its modifier name. With the four basic triads we defined these names, but what happens when we make the 3rd larger? When the 3rd is raised a half step, it changes numerical names and becomes a 4th. The following chords are based on what is called the suspended 4th.

The root and 4th are required to identify a suspended 4th chord. Some of these suspended chords include additional intervals. When intervals are added to the basic structure of any triad, the chord is considered complex. Since some of these suspended chords are complex, the 5th is omitted from these constructs.

Intervals – C Scale

1 -2-9

29

-3+9 3 4

115

+11 5 -6+5

613

-7+6 7 8

C (D ) D (E )(D )

E F (G )(F )

G (A )(G )

A (B )(A )

B C

The Xsus4 is the basic triad for all suspended chords. As you look at this chord structure, you can see how it differs from the major (X) chord. The 3rd is raised a half step and becomes a 4th. All other suspended chords are built from this structure.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B Xsus4Intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

The Xsus4+5 is similar to the augmented (X+5) chord. The 5th is raised a half step, making it sharp, with all other intervals remaining the same as its parent chord.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B Xsus4+5Intervals 1 2 3 4 +5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

The X6sus4 has the structure shown. Here, a 6th is added to the parent chord (Xsus4). Since the 4th, 5th, and 6th intervals have a compact spacing, the 5th is often omitted, without affecting its name. This is the case, with these chords in this text.

C Scale C D E F G A B C D E F G A B X6sus4Intervals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

541

Xsus4

+541

Xsus4+5

6541

X6sus4

Chris

Sample

Section

Melody Side Minor Chord Diagrams

For the Right Hand

Chris

Sample

Section

Polychords

365

Polychords

In this last section, I am going to discuss polychords or chord stacking. We will borrow heavily from previous discussions on chord construction, so you may want to review Section Two before reading on. The term polychord refers to superimposed triads. The concept being, one triad is played at a lower sonority against the higher sonority of a second triad. The two triads combine harmonically to produce a newly defined chordal structure. In certain musical contexts, you might actually hear two distinct chords. The example below shows a C Major in the bass and D minor in the melody. The combination of the two produces a new chord – namely CMaj13.

Dm

CCMaj13

The diagram below shows how the intervals, from the two chords, are combined to produce the CMaj13. As you can see, the 9th, 11th, and 13th intervals are added to the CMaj as a result of adding the Dm. The interval spacing of the two chords can imply the major 7th.

C Major D minor C D E F G A B C D E F G A1 2 3 4 5 1 2 -3 4 51 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

CMaj13

You will recall that chord construction is accomplished by combining 3rds. The intervals can be major, minor, or augmented, but the concept of stacking 3rds remains the same. To illustrate this, we will play C Major in the bass. If you construct an Em in the melody, you will notice that it is rooted on the 3rd of the C Major. The 5th of the Em provides the 7th for the CMaj, thus CMaj7. If you continue building chords off of the 3rd of the previous chord, you can generate the series of major 7th

type chords listed in the table below.

C Major (bass side) + C D E F G A B C D E F G A B

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ResultEm 1 2 -3 4 5 CMaj7

GMaj 1 2 3 4 5 CMaj9B° 1 2 -3 4 5 CMaj11Dm 1 2 -3 4 5 CMaj13

366

This same principle works for minor chords as well. This time we will use C minor in the bass and add the appropriate right hand chords to generate the minor 7th type chords in the table that follows.

C minor (bass side) + C D E F G A B C D E F G A B

1 2 -3 4 5 -6 -7 8 9 -10 11 12 -13 -14 ResultE Maj 1 2 3 4 5 Cm7Gm 1 2 -3 4 5 Cm9B 1 2 3 4 5 Cm11D° 1 2 -3 4 5 Cm–6/11 (9)

And here we have the dominant 7th type chords.

C Major (bass side) + C D E F G A B C D E F G A B

1 2 3 4 5 6 -7 8 9 10 11 12 13 -14 ResultE° 1 2 -3 4 5 C7

Gm 1 2 -3 4 5 C9B 1 2 3 4 5 C11Dm 1 2 -3 4 5 C6/11 (9)

If you have noticed in the chord diagrams, there are many flatted ( or –) and augmented ( or +) 5th,9th, 11th, and 13th type chords. These can all be made using the three basic polychord structures given in the previous tables. After adding a melody side chord, you can raise or lower the root, 3rd, or 5th or combination thereof, a half step. This will create the altered chords most often found in jazz and experimental music. The following example is created from the C6/11 [add 9] above. Here, a Dm is added to the CMaj to produce the C6/11 [add 9]. Then the Dm’s root and 5th are lowered a half step, changing to D Maj, and the result is a C–6/11 [add –9].

C Major D Major C D E F G A B C D E F G A1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 51 2 3 4 5 6 -7 8 -9 10 11 12 -13

C–6/11 [add –9]

In the next example, the C6/+11 [add +9] is created from the C6/11 [add 9] above. Here, the Dm’s root and 3rd are raised a half step, changing it to D °.

C Major D °C D E F G A B C D E F G A1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 51 2 3 4 5 6 -7 8 +9 10 +11 12 13

C6/+11 [add +9]

As you can see, the possibilities are countless and your discovery of new chord shapes – priceless. Along with the chord diagrams, I hope these discussions and examples improve your musical knowledge and increase your chord vocabulary ten fold. Experiment and have fun.