Chords and Their Written Symbols

Harmony - Chords and Their Symbols Pt.2 - 3

This lesson has been revised and published in THE INFINITE GUITAR. Info >>>

Shapes

Useful shapes - I tend to use certain shapes or forms over various bass notes to get desired chords. This not only makes things simpler because one shape can be turned into a half dozen chords but is also a great aid in voice leading. Let's start with some shapes you may already be familiar with, here is our first one:

Our first chord is a C9 chord. The important thing to take note of is the upper form (the white dots). While keeping the same (C) root and moving the shape to a different location, we can make a new chord, in this case a C7(#5,b9) chord. I've included the roots in black but I usually don't play them:


voicing: 1,3,b7,9,5	voicing: 1,b7,3,#5,b9

Compare a G7(#5,b9) and Db9 chord using the previous voicings and you'll see why the Db9 chord works as a bV substitution for the V chord, G7. You will hear it better by comparing these two chord progressions: Dmin7 - G7(#5,b9) - Cmaj7 and Dmin7 - Db9 - Cmaj7.

Our next shape can be thought of as a half/whole diminished scale shape:

Next we'll turn a C7#9 chord into a C13b9 chord. If you absolutely have to play the bass note on the C7#9 chord, use your thumb. This shape, like the previous, can be thought of as a half/whole diminished scale shape:


voicing: 1,3,b7,#9,5	voicing: 1,b7,3,13,b9

Our next shape:

We can turn this shape into a C7(#5,#9) and a C13 chord:


voicing: 1,3,b7,#5,#9	voicing: 1,b7,3,13,9

Let's take some of these shapes and see what we can do with a jazz blues. You don't need to play the roots when you play with a bassist:

Some more dominant shapes that come in handy:

C13 and C7(#5,#9):


voicing: 1,3,b7,9,13	voicing: 1,b7,3,#5,#9

Our next shape can also be thought of as a half/whole diminished scale chord voicing:

This shape gets turned into a C13(b9) and a C7(b9):


voicing: 1,b7,b9,3,13	voicing: 1,b9,3,5,1

Major Scale Modal Shapes >>