Jazz

Adapting Chord Voicings for Jazz

Basic Jazz Chord Vocabulary.

1. Major Chords.

In jazz, major chords (triads) are often extended to a major seventh chord form.

A G major chord becomes a G major 7,

a C major chord becomes a C major 7,

or an F major chord becomes an F major 7.

When these chords are held for four beats (or more), they are usually extended to a major 7th (for 2 beats) and a major 6th (for 2 beats).

The G major seven chord alternates with the G6 chord,

The C major seven chord alternates with the C6 chord,

or the F major seven chord alternates with the F6 chord.

2. Minor Chords

Minor chords (triads) are usually extended to a minor 7th chord form except when they are functioning as the tonic or I chord in a particular key.

A G minor triad becomes a G minor 7, or a

D minor triad becomes a D minor 7 or .

3. Dominant Seventh Chords.

This is the "color: chord. It has the largest number of extensions (9ths, 11ths, 13th) and alterations (sharp 9th, flat 9th, sharp 5th, flat 5th). [Altered chords are discussed in the Advanced Chords for Jazz section.] Jazz players will almost always extend the dominant 7th chord (V type chord) to a dominant 9th chord.

The D7 chord becomes a D9 chord: or .

The G7 chord becomes a G9 chord: or .

When a dominant 7th chord occurs for 4 beats, jazz players usually substitute a minor seventh chord (for 2 beats) and a dominant 7th or 9th (for 2 beats). This creates a ii7 - V7 progression.

For example, during a G7 change, the jazz guitarist will play then .

For example, during a D7 change, the jazz guitarist will play then.

The dominant 13th chord is the next most frequently used extension of the dominant 7th chord in jazz.

Two examples: and


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