The Six/Nine Chord & Quartal Harmony

Music Lesson: Still Dreaming - Ninth Chords and Quartal Voicings

In this lesson, we will explore the concepts of ninth chords, major ninths, quartal voicings, and how to effectively incorporate them into your playing.

Starting with Ninth Chords

• We began by playing ninth chords:
  • Major ninths in the right hand
  • Root and fifth in the left hand

When I transitioned into the solo, I reverted back to playing root position sevenths. This technique also applies to the head of the piece.

• Reasoning:
  • I'm playing the ninths in the melody, hence there is no need to duplicate them in both hands.
  • By playing chords in the left hand with the root on the bottom, I'm compensating for the lack of a bass line, as the bass is only present in the backing track.

Switching to Six-Nine Shapes

When I started playing all the lines in the solo, I switched the left hand to what you call a 6, 9 shape.

• Example: F major 6 9
  • I replaced the major ninth with A, D, G.
  • Eliminated the C and E, so there's no seventh anymore.

This is why it's referred to as a 6, 9 shape:

• The right hand is playing 3, 6, 9 on all chords, followed by A flat, B flat, C.

Understanding Quartal Voicings

This arrangement creates what you might call a quartal voicing:

• It contains only perfect fourths, unlike most traditional chords, such as the major nine chord which is built in thirds.
• Characteristics: This immediately gives the sound a much more contemporary feel.

Historical Context

• Types of chords like this were used in classical music at the beginning of the 20th century by composers like Ravel, Debussy, and Bartok.
• They became very common in jazz starting from the 1960s onwards.

Practical Application of the 6, 9 Shape

This left-hand shape can be applied in various major ninth chords. It's also interesting to consider how inverting this shape can yield other useful formations:

1. Inversion examples:
   • Placing the A on top creates a perfect fourth and a tone.
   • Placing the D on top yields a tone and a perfect fourth.

Both of these shapes are derived from the quartal structure.

Using Quartal Arpeggios

In the solo, I utilized quartal arpeggios. For example, using A flat:

• Going up in fourths from the third is akin to arpeggiating the 3, 6, 9 shape.

Encouragement for Practicing

These are useful devices that you can incorporate into your solos. I hope you will give them a try!

• Practice Tip:
  • Eliminate the piano by selecting the backing track.
  • As soon as the bass and drums come in, feel free to start playing these quartal shapes in your left hand and explore various ideas in your right hand.

Happy playing!