Major & Minor Sixth Chords

Music Lesson: Fly Me to the Moon in Bossa Nova

So, Fly Me to the Moon doesn't have to be played in a bossa groove. In fact, bossa novas are more associated with tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

The Bossa Nova Craze

There was a bit of a craze in the 60s led by jazz musicians such as Stan Getz, who went to Brazil and embraced bossa nova, just as bossa nova embraced jazz harmony.

Course Focus

For this course, I've decided to do Fly Me to the Moon in a bossa groove, which is why we just played the chords and the bass line.

What you've just done in bossa nova comping could serve as an accompaniment for someone else to play the melody or sing it. You could even sing it yourself!

Discussing the I Chord

Before we dive into Fly Me to the Moon, I want to talk about the I chord, which we were playing as C major 7.

• Don't forget that you can also play C6.
• You can apply this in bossa nova comping as well.

Instead of playing C major 7 when it goes to E minor 7 and A7, you could finish on C6 in second inversion here instead of C major 7.

Sound Considerations

You may not want the sound of the B and C together, which is a bit clashy in many ways, especially if the melody is C.

• When the C is the root of the melody, you often play a sixth chord to avoid the clash between the sound of the major seventh and the root.

Getting Comfortable with C6 Shapes

Now, you need to get comfortable with these C6 shapes and practice playing the three inversions.

• Positions: Get used to these in your left hand as well.
• When you play these inversions of C6, be aware that the third inversion with A on the bottom has the same notes as A minor 7.

Distinguishing Between Chords

How do you tell the difference? Well, it all comes down to what the bass is playing:

• If the bass is playing an A, you'd call it a minor 7.
• If the bass is playing a C, you'd call it C6.

In the same way, you can add a sixth to a minor chord.

• C minor with a sixth would be referred to as C minor sixth. This indicates that we're playing a minor triad while still adding the interval of a major sixth.

Practicing the C Minor Sixth

When you play C minor sixth up and down, you get these shapes.

• Notice how the top shape is also a minor 7 flat 5 (½ diminished).

Now you should be aware that some chords are ambiguous. C minor 6 can also be a half diminished, depending on what is in the bass.