Invite to the latest installment of Chord by Chord, a series developed to develop your understanding of harmony and the fretboard. In previous lessons I taught you how to make dominant seventh chords. This time I’ll build on that chord type and show you a couple of dominant ninth chords.
Keep in mind that a dominant seventh chord is made from a significant triad with a flatted seventh. Example 1 shows the building and construction of a C7 chord. To get a C9 chord, simply include the ninth, D, as shown Example 2. The dominant ninth chord actually adds a brand-new color, as typically heard in designs like jazz and funk.
Example 3 demonstrates how to get from an open C7 chord to C9. Keep in mind that on this C9 shape, you can get rid of the highest note and utilize your third and 4th fingers on strings 3 and 2, rather of the third-finger barre. Also, you might have noticed that these chords are missing the fifth, G, which is considered an inessential tone.
Example 4 demonstrates how to make a C9 chord at the eighth fret– all you need to do is include your fourth finger to the C7 shape. For some more compact voicings in the exact same area, see Example 5.
Example 6 illustrates how to form a G9 chord from a G7. Keep in mind that these voicings are like those in Ex. 3, only 7 stresses higher and removing the first string. Again, these are understood as portable shapes. You can likewise use the shapes from Examples 4 and 5 to play G7 and G9 chords– simply ensure the most affordable note is the third-fret G on string 6.
In Example 7, you’ll see how to change a D7 chord to D9– the like Ex. 6, however down five stresses. Similarly, you can get alternative D7 and D9 shapes by moving Examples 4 and 5 up 2 frets.
The Outcome
You have actually discovered how to develop numerous dominant ninth voicings from dominant seventh chords. A fine example of ninth chords at work can be discovered in Frank Sinatra’s version of “Fly Me to the Moon.” Now you should recognize with a wide array of chord types that you have actually found out over the course of 30 lessons. Starting next time, we’ll duplicate that cycle, using chords in various keys.
