Have you ever encountered chord names that look more like algebraic equations than musical instructions? Terms like “maj9,” “m11,” or “D/F#” can seem daunting, but understanding them is crucial to expanding your guitar vocabulary and truly Name That Guitar Chord you’re playing or seeing in sheet music. This guide will break down extended and slash chords, making them accessible and understandable for guitarists of all levels.
Understanding Extended Chords: Beyond the Basic Triad
Extended chords are built upon the foundation of basic triads (three-note chords) and seventh chords (four-note chords). They add even higher notes from the musical scale, creating richer, more complex harmonies. The most common extensions you’ll encounter are the 9th, 11th, and 13th.
To grasp this concept, let’s revisit the C Major scale and its corresponding chord tones:
C Major Scale: C – D – E – F – G – A – B
Scale Degrees: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
When we talk about chord extensions, we’re essentially continuing this sequence into the higher octaves, but referring to them numerically from the root of the chord. Therefore:
Scale Degrees (Extended): 1 – 3 – 5 – 7 – 9 – 11 – 13
Here, the 9th corresponds to the 2nd degree of the scale (D), the 11th to the 4th (F), and the 13th to the 6th (A).
The Golden Rule of Extensions: When you see an extended chord, remember this rule: include all lower numbered extensions. This is a key difference from “add” chords, where only the specified note is added.
Let’s see how this applies to different extended chords built on a major 7th foundation:
Major 9th Chords (maj9, M9)
A major 9th chord incorporates the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th degrees of the major scale.
For example, a Cmaj9 chord consists of the notes:
C – E – G – B – D
Major 11th Chords (maj11, M11)
Major 11th chords extend further, including the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th degrees.
Therefore, a Cmaj11 chord is composed of:
C – E – G – B – D – F
Major 13th Chords (maj13, M13)
The most extended of the common chords, major 13th chords use the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th degrees. This effectively encompasses almost the entire major scale within a single chord!
A Cmaj13 chord contains these notes:
C – E – G – B – D – F – A
Adapting Extensions for Minor and Dominant Chords:
To transform these major extensions into minor or dominant versions, you simply adjust the 3rd and 7th intervals, just as you would when creating basic minor or dominant 7th chords. The 9th, 11th, and 13th extensions themselves remain unaltered in terms of their interval from the root.
Guitaristic Reality: Voicing Extended Chords
Now, the practical challenge for guitarists arises: physically playing all these notes simultaneously! A 13th chord, in its full theoretical form, is often impossible to finger on a standard 6-string guitar.
To overcome this, and often to create a more musically pleasing voicing, guitarists frequently omit certain notes in extended chords. Common notes to leave out are the 5th, and then potentially lower extensions like the 9th when playing a 13th chord. In some cases, even the root note can be omitted, depending on the musical context and arrangement.
For instance, if you encounter a Cmajor13 chord in a song, you have the flexibility to choose a voicing that best suits the musical situation. Sometimes, even simplifying it to a Cmajor7 or Cmajor9 might be more practical and musically effective, ensuring smooth chord transitions and playability, especially if the song wasn’t originally arranged for guitar.
Slash Chords: Decoding the Bass Note
Slash chords, represented with a forward slash (e.g., D/F#), are often misunderstood. They are not hybrid chords combining two different chords. Instead, they indicate a specific bass note to be played under a given chord.
Think of slash chords as inversions, a concept more commonly discussed in piano or other chordal instruments. Inversions rearrange the order of notes within a chord to create different sonic colors. While guitarists constantly utilize inversions naturally due to fingerboard limitations, slash chords explicitly notate the intended bass note.
The Anatomy of a Slash Chord:
The notation of a slash chord is straightforward:
Chord / Bass Note
- The letter on the left (before the slash) indicates the chord itself.
- The letter on the right (after the slash) specifies the bass note – the lowest note you should play.
For example, in D/F#, “D” is the chord (a D major chord), and “F#” is the desired bass note.
D (chord) / F# (bass note)
It’s crucial to remember that you are still playing a D chord. The F# bass note simply alters the harmonic foundation and creates a different voicing. You’re not adding notes from an F# chord; you’re dictating the lowest pitch of your D chord.
Slash chords can be achieved in various ways on the guitar. Sometimes, you might add the specified bass note to a standard chord voicing. Other times, you might need to play a different inversion of the chord, utilizing a different string set to naturally place the desired bass note as the lowest sound.
By understanding extended and slash chords, you gain a deeper comprehension of guitar harmony and unlock a wider range of musical expression. So next time you see a chord like “Am11” or “G/B,” you’ll be equipped to name that guitar chord and play it with confidence!
