chords and flavours
- Thread starter van_halen
- Start date
You need to know your dominant, or 7th, chords. Know the music theory around it as well as music theory about note intervals. Search it up.
Your note interval knowledge will then lead you to Maj9 chords, or Min6, Min9, m7b5, 7#9...
Hear some jazz standards and hear how players use chords to colour their sound. Larry Carlton is great when he discusses his chordal work. Joe Pass just has chords coming out of his pockets. John Mayer's harmony in his songs would give you some ideas too.
Your note interval knowledge will then lead you to Maj9 chords, or Min6, Min9, m7b5, 7#9...
Hear some jazz standards and hear how players use chords to colour their sound. Larry Carlton is great when he discusses his chordal work. Joe Pass just has chords coming out of his pockets. John Mayer's harmony in his songs would give you some ideas too.
futures
New member
Its important to know what the function is and how they work in a progression as well ! For example sus chords usually lead to resolution on a maj chord, or lead the progression away from a maj chord.
There are also main chord families, like min9 will come under the min7 family, m13 will come under the dom7 family etc. From there its a lot easier to figure out the use of the more complex extended and altered chords.
There are also main chord families, like min9 will come under the min7 family, m13 will come under the dom7 family etc. From there its a lot easier to figure out the use of the more complex extended and altered chords.
Radius_Vector
New member
Very interesting question - the answers to which are possibly endless.
As was right pointed out earlier in this thread by futures, chord flavour can vary drastically from progression to progression. For example, the 1-3-5 major interval is indeed happy, but throw in a 5 chord in there and resolve back to the major - all of a sudden the major sounds more epic, energized and strong than just happy cheery.
If you're an ear-player like me, you'll find it useful to look for 'intervals' in chords and convert them into flavours. I love very dissonant chords. I love flat 5 intervals, but then again I like dark music so that's my taste.
You should try to develop your own 'taste' of chords as opposed to taking opinions from people. Good lck
+1
Chords are part of your palette to paint on a musical landscape. Yet, we don't slash just one colour on a painting and leave it at that. The colours have to mix, mingle and interact.
It doesn't make sense to throw up one chord and say - AH! There! We have a chord that represents the agony of loss! - that would be quite beyond what a single chord colour can do.
But paint a picture with more colours... then the story comes clearer.
Progressions are as important as the chords themselves.
imkeith
Banned
Same sentiments,
but understanding theoretically what notes are being taken out/placed in/drop half steps or what ever takes quite some time to get em all clear
these variations are indeed tools which makes your music more interesting and complex, but does anyone know of a sight or source which explains/teaches the more complex chords with 5/9/13/sus and the other various chords? complex as it is im sure there are some basic guides for eq making a chord to a 7th u just have to add a 7 or making a major to minor u just have to down the 3rd halfstep that kinda things or even describe more technical terms related to guitar theory.
Im sure it'd be helpful to fellow softies
Radius_Vector
New member
imkeith, what you're asking for is quite general, in terms of music theory.
Shouldn't be too hard to find on google. Basic theory wise, you can start by learning the major and minor scales, along with the intervals. And then, you can start replacing the 1-3-5 notes from the major chord, flattening or sharpening a note, until you find some interesting flavours.
Of course, it helps to know the theory behind the scales - how they are constructed etc.
Try a 1-3-b5 ... My favorite
Shouldn't be too hard to find on google. Basic theory wise, you can start by learning the major and minor scales, along with the intervals. And then, you can start replacing the 1-3-5 notes from the major chord, flattening or sharpening a note, until you find some interesting flavours.
Of course, it helps to know the theory behind the scales - how they are constructed etc.
Try a 1-3-b5 ... My favorite
Radius_Vector
New member
Here's something that might interest you, and is useful -
http://www.discoverguitaronline.com/diagrams/51.png
http://www.discoverguitaronline.com/diagrams/51.png