Advanced Chord Construction

If we continue with the process of selecting every other note to build a chord, we end up getting every note of the scale,
spanning two octaves. We call the notes in the second octave upper extensions.

C Major Scale

R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R 2 3 4 5
œ
6
œ œ
7 R
˙
œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ
œ
Here we have the complete stack, containing every note from the C Major Scale:

w
w
C^13

& w
w
w
w
w
However, when we build chords above the octave, we continue counting above 7:

R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R 9 10 11 12
œ œ
13
œ
15 R
˙
œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ
œ

We do this because to continue counting up implies that the all the notes underneath the top note in the stack are there.
Here are the three basic chords using upper extensions in their complete forms:

C^9
w
C^11 C^13
w
w
& w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
w w w
On minor chords, it's the upper extensions which define the difference in character between the different minor
modes (Dorian/Aeolian/Phrygian). The natural 6 (13) in the dorian mode is a very sweet sound:

C Minor Scale (Dorian) - b3, b7

œ œ ˙
b w
R 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 R 9 b10 11 12 13 b14 R
œ bœ œ œ w
C€13
w
& œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ bw
b w
w
w
Here are the extentions on a dominant 7 chord, built using the mixolydian mode.

C Mixolydian - b7

œ œ ˙
b w
R 2 3 4 5 6 b7 R 9 10 11 12 13 b14 R
œ bœ œ œ w
C13
w
& œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ bw
b w
w
w
Joe Williamson - Guitarist/Composer
www.joe-williamson.com
 2

It's not practical (or musical!) to play the entire stack every time you play one of these chords. Some notes are dispensable.
Here are some guidelines:
-The Root is always essential
-The 3rd and 7th are essential, as these define the primary character or the chord (major/minor/dominant)
-If the 5th is unaltered, we don't need to play it, and acts as an optional stabalising note. However, when the 5th is altered,
and important for the function of the chord, it should be included.
Therefore, we can play 7th chords using only three notes:

C^7 C7 C-7

& nnw
w bw
w bbw
w
w w w

Here's a perfectly acceptable (and common) voicing for a C Major 9 chord, missing out the 5th.

C^9

& nnw
w
w
w
When building chords with upper extensions, it's not necessary to play all the upper extensions below the top note, though they can
be added for extra colour and stability. Notes do not have to be in order of the stack! Here are some example voicings.
N.B, Cmaj11 is not a common chord, as it sounds odd due the the dissonant interval between the major 3rd and the 11th. Minor 11ths
are very common, however.

w C^13 C13
w
C-11

& w
w
w
bw
w
w
bw
b w
w
w w w

The natural 6th can be substituted for the 7th on Major and Minor chords for a different sound, and functions in the same way.
We would call it the 6th rather than the 13th, as it is instead of the 7th, rather than on top of it. Minor 6 chords ar common as they
express the Dorian mode.

C6 C% C-%

& nw w
w w
w
w w
w bw
w
w

Joe Williamson - Guitarist/Composer

www.joe-williamson.com