Extensions and Major Ninth Chords

Adding Ninth Chords to Basic Seventh Chords

In this chapter, we're going to look at adding notes to the basic seventh chords, which by now you should be pretty familiar with, to create ninth chords. This will give the harmony a much richer sound, and things are going to start sounding much more jazzy as well.

Understanding the C Scale

Let's look at the scale of C:

• Once we get above C, we're into the upper extensions.
• The first extension above:
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9 (that's the same note as the second).

If we continued up the scale, you'd get back to the third, which you could call 10.

• The fourth is also called the 11th.
• The fifth is the 12th.
• The sixth note is the 13th.

So those are the upper stages, up to the 13th.

Focus on the Ninth Chords

For a C scale triad, two chords up in thirds, and above the seventh:

• You've got 9, 11, and 13.

We're mainly going to be focusing on the 9 chords.

Playing C Major Chord

For a C major chord, that's the full chord with five notes:

• Root
• Chord
• Third
• Fifth
• Seventh

However, most people can't play that all at once. If you try to play it in one hand, you'd struggle. So usually, this root goes down an octave or maybe disappears, leading to what looks like E minor 7.

If you played it in the left hand, that would be here.

• This could either be E minor 7, but if you knew that there was a C in the bass, that would be C major 9.

It's written as:

• Cmaj9 (with a triangle or the word major and 9)
• or E minor 7 with C bass.

Arpeggio Practice

Let's try playing the C major 7 chord in the left hand and then play an arpeggio starting on the third:

• This is a 3, 5, 7, 9 arpeggio.

If you like, you can use this type of shape in the next piece: Still Dreaming.

Expanding Beyond C

Remember, we'll be practicing not just on C but also on:

• F
• E flat major
• A flat major
• B flat major

Just remind yourself that these look like minor sevenths.

If you start on the third of the major chord and go up to the ninth, the shape that will be under your fingers will resemble A minor 7th.

For example:

• B flat major 9 looks like D minor 7, but don't forget the root is B flat.