I’m really surprised at the response from the video and wish I had all your comments beforehand so that I could have addressed them in the video. Here’s a few extra words that might address some of them. Firstly, I think it’s important to appreciate that chord symbols give ‘information’ not ‘instructions’. A C13 gives us information of chord tones we can add and also what function the chord plays but we can also just play that as a C triad and it won’t sound ‘wrong’. Often what sets one player apart from another is which notes they choose to include or omit and the chord symbol gives them information of their options. Often guitarists and pianists will omit the root note (if there’s a bass player) and 5th of the chord in order to include the other extensions. In fact, regardless of how I outlined things in the video, people don’t ever really play a 11th as part of a 13 chord because it creates a dissonance between the major 3rd and 11th. It’s much more common to see #11 chords when you’re playing extensions on a major triad. __________ The number of the note, 9 or 2 for example, have no bearing on where you play that note, which octave. You choose where the notes are located depending on the ‘voicing’ you choose to play, not the chord symbol. Chord symbols aren’t exact instructions, unlike notation and tablature, so when you’re writing chord symbols of others, or reading them, they will be interpreted by the individual. A lot of time experienced players will add extensions which aren’t written in the chord symbols to add their personal touch, extra colour and/or stylistic choices. I hope this extra info is helpful too!
@@michaelkeithson … yes…! I occasionally take jobs playing with one of my fantastic friends and music professor … Jim Wallace , he is straight up jazz Guitarist, Extraordinaire, he also teaches at Gadsden State University, and part time at a high school… when we play out, he will drop a sheet in front of me that looks like Chinese….😹😹 luckily I am old enough to be able to hear where songs are going simply through being familiar….🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻❤️ but I am forever taking a 13th or ninth, and adding this or that to it for flavor…..👍🏻🎼 when you are playing songs like September song , Take the A-Train, autumn leaves, Harbor lights… ! You don’t want to get too far out in the backyard …. I He works my tail off…!!! But it keeps me on my toes ….😹😹
even though the note number doesn't dictate position, it seems to me that 9 is more sensible than 2 in the sense that it represents the most harmonious position of the note, where 13579 represent the 4th 5th 6th 7th 9th harmonics of the note two octaves below the root; even though these aren't exact harmonics in 12TET, and even though the 9 can be played in a discordant or non-overtone position. it's an ideal, as well as a nod to the 12TET 9 being remarkably close to the true harmonic
Hey Michael, I found your channel a few weeks ago and have been really enjoying your videos - the stuff on modal interchange and backdoor progressions really helped me. Have you ever considered making very basic music theory videos for complete beginners? I definitely think it would be a lot of work to prepare, but it might draw even more people to your channel. Your explanations are concise and easy to understand, plus you have visuals, so I’m sure it would be popular.
@@Max-no1gl Thanks Max, I appreciate your comment and encouragement. Glad you're enjoying the content. I do have some thoughts or plans around some more basic lessons and a course maybe. Watch this space!
You just cleared fifty years of my own musical frustration in a mere ten minutes. Your students are more fortunate than they will ever realize. Subscribed, and thank you!
This gentleman has the best channel ever for learning music theory (and I've seen a few...). He explains things in a paced, systematic way that is better than understandable, and seems to answer obscure questions I've searched for and had a hard time finding (like the concept should have just been obvious and not worth asking...but he just seems to intuitively answer them anyway. It's been great). For music theory videos, he's kind of the "anti-Beato".
I’d be too embarrassed to admit how much I’ve learnt from this single video (even though I first picked up a musical instrument around three decades ago). Thank you so much, Michael!
You are very welcome Chris, I'm glad it was helpful. Seems like it's quite a common blindspot for people so there's no need to be embarrassed! Thanks for the comment! 👍
I think one of the reasons it's a blind spot for some people is because a lot of teachers don't even acknowledge the existence of chords symbols - which leaves people to learn about them on their own - and then the people who are learning keep encountering other people's conflicting misinterpretations of how the symbols work without realizing some of those people are wrong, so it all ends up becoming an insurmountably confusing mishmash in their minds - they think it's too complicated or that there's something wrong with _their own_ understanding of the symbols, and they just stop paying attention. And I think it's worse now because people are learning off of RUclips videos that are being made by people who don't understand how chords symbols (and lots of other things) work and are just passing on misinformation 😐
Hi, it’s me again, authentic cadence guy. Before I get all nit picky, I want to state, once again, that I love your channel and that you are one of the best music educators on RUclips. That being said, I have always had a major problem with this way of chord building. When you say at 6:49, “yeah, it’s a bit confusing…” there’s a good reason for that, and that is because this is all backwards. Building chords using tertiary harmony is the fundamental method of chord building, not the other way around. When I was first learning theory over 30 years ago, I would have been reprimanded for calling a chord Cadd2 or Cadd4, because 2,4, and 6 were never considered chord tones. 1,3,5,7,9,11, and 13 were chord tones and 2,4, and 6 were specifically reserved for suspensions, I think in part, to avoid the very confusion you’re talking about, and the reason we would use “add” would be to indicate that you were including an extension without the other previous extensions. For example, C9 would include all five chord tones C,E,G,Bb, and D, while a Cadd9 would just mean that you are playing the triad plus that one individual extension, 9, without the 7, and this principle could apply to any other upper extension. The other reason this is confusing goes back to something you actually pointed out. We don’t use 8, 10, 12, and 14, because they’re already accounted for as 1, 3, 5, and 7, but the thing is, 2, 4, and 6 are also already accounted for when you think in terms of tertiary harmony. In other words, when using tertiary harmony (stacking thirds up until repetition), you build a theoretical chord to its maximum, 1,3,5,7,9,11, and 13. Now, this can of course be used as an actual chord if you want, an uninteresting voicing though it may be, not to mention that natural 11’s are tricky, but the point is, now you have a chord, using proper chord building, and all the basic values are set. To drive this home, if you voice a C chord starting at middle C, let’s say, and instead of using the closest E up from it, you use the one an octave up from that, even though it is an interval of a 10th, you don’t call it the 10th of the chord, because the value is already set. In any C major chord, with or without extensions, it doesn’t matter what E you play in any octave, it will always be the 3rd of the chord. Do you see where I’m going with this? It means that voicing should have no bearing on what you call a given chord tone, because all of those values are set by the theoretical chord, built from first principles using tertiary harmony. So what I’m saying is that whether you put a D a 2nd away from your C root or an actual 9th away, or literally anywhere else, if you are claiming that C is your root, then D is the 9th… period. The actual interval away from the root of something is not the same as its pitch function in the chord. This is why 6/9 chords break my brain. To me, that sounds like using two different incompatible units of measure, like telling you that I’m 5 feet and 7 gallons tall. That makes no sense. I don’t know when or where this started, and it’s almost assuredly born out of jazz nomenclature, but this is not how I learned chord building, and I’m glad, because it is unnecessarily complicated and confusing.
if I may, won't you tend to play the 9th above the 6th in the 6/9 chord? (and get the "pile of" fourths sound) Also worth considering is wether the chord has tonic or dominant function ( you wouldn't write add 2 or add 6 next to a dominant).
@ I think you’re misunderstanding the fundamental principle I’m laying down. I’m unsure if I can say it any more clearly without the use of visual aides, but I will try. So firstly, to address what you’re saying, yes, if you are playing the closest possible voicing of such a chord, C, E, G, A, and D, the A is an interval of a 6th above the root, and the D is an interval of a 9th above the root, so it looks like they should come in that order, and if not for the method by which we properly build chords, that would be correct, but that’s not how chords are built from first principles. This is my entire point. Chord tones are not established by simple intervals away from the root, but specific intervals away from each other in ascending order from the root, there’s a difference. This establishes your theoretical chord that gives you all of the values of every diatonic chord tone, and then the only thing that should change is the sharping or flattening of any of those to produce specific tensions (b9, #11, etc.), but all of your fundamental chord tones, which are simply stacked thirds from a given root, and I always use C in general examples, unless there’s a reason to give an example in another specific key, are determined by stacking thirds, which gives you C, E, G, B, D, F, and A, or 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. This is a purely theoretical chord in this context. As I said in my earlier post, you can of course play this as a real chord, but what I mean is that this chord, built this way, simply establishes what should be all of your available chord tones, and now you can voice them any way that you like. To look at it another way, imagine I wanted to build my chord on a keyboard starting from C1, but I want to use the E three octaves higher. If my math is right, that’s an interval of a 26th, but you would never call that the 26th of the chord. E is just always the 3rd, no matter where you put it. So what I’m saying is that, even if you voice a chord where there are chord tones other than 1, 3, 5, and 7 within an octave of the root, that doesn’t mean they should all of a sudden have different designations. To drive that point home even further, what if I’ve got a C triad in first inversion? What does that mean? It means that the E is in the bass, or in other words, the E is a minor 6th below the root. Do I call that a negative 6th as a chord tone? Of course not! It’s the 3rd. When you have a first inversion triad, the 3rd is in the bass. It doesn’t magically become a different function in the chord. This is my problem with calling things 6th chords, unless you’re referring to the augmented 6th or Neapolitan 6th chords, which are so named because of the unique way in which they are spelled, because they are built on non-diatonic tones, which has nothing to do with this, otherwise, there’s really no good reason to change these designations as far as I’m concerned. It actually makes things more complicated.
I’m with you. I always consider a D compared to a root C as a 9th, regardless of the octave it’s played in. And using the term “add” where necessary. I think calling it a C2 chord makes me ask more questions than it provides me solutions
Thanks for this contribution to the conversation. Yes, this is obviously a contentious and confusing topic but what you're saying makes complete sense. Maybe 2s and 4s should just be used for sus chords?
This is just an issue of semantics, and people can argue about semantics forever. To me, "add2" makes much more sense considering the actual intention of the chord, and I also think "add9" is unnecessarily confusing. I personally think it's best to keep things as simple as possible - using lots of complicated terminology to make a simple point doesn't help anybody. Also, the fact that people "don't use" 8, 10, and 12 doesn't mean it doesn't make sense to use 2, 4, and 6. Maybe someday people will decide that it's handy to write "C8" when you want people to play two C's an octave apart from each other, like how we know "C5" means that we're supposed to play a power chord.
I love this guy. It’s like he’s saying watch me act smug and pretentious while demystifying music theory for the smug and pretentious who want you to think this stuff is esoteric knowledge. He breaks it down and adds the dryest humor ever into the mix. One if the best RUclips channels for practicing musicians. Kudos and thanks.
Just the best tutorial I could imagine for a topic like this. I’ve been playing piano for 20 years and nobody has ever explained chord symbols as simply and clearly as you. Truly demystifying an otherwise mysterious language. I feel like you unlocked a cheat code for us lay people that professional musicians seem to inherently understand. Bravo!
Dude you go over it all so calm and nonchalant as well as rather quick. I don’t know how but you’re the dude to make it all make sense for me. Thank you so much. I didn’t even have to stop and go back. I’ll be referring back to you from now on! 🎉
Trained musician of 30 + years here. I got 30 seconds in and instantly subbed. This is such a brilliant example of how to teach music theory in such a profoundly clear and understandable way! Bravo
Finally.... Self taught guitarist for 45 years and can play anything, but I don't read music and did not understand these names. Such a clear simple explanation. Thank you.
You raised some very good points about theory and its pedagogical history. I was what you call a "street musician," where most of my playing was by ear and very modern (Bebop, Rock, Blues etc.) At that time, I had very little formal training - or what we would call "classical conservatory music training". I was definitely the outlier when I went to McGill to study music and had a hard time understanding music theory in the traditional sense. It took me years to rewire my brain and ear, and I was worried I would lose some of my street chops with this new approach. However (and with hard work), the classical conservatory music training really helped me understand what I had been doing my whole life by ear but with less work! Today, I try and spend a lot of time navigating both worlds and I think it made me a better musician. Thanks for connecting the dots. Have a great Thanksgiving break
Fantastic . . . . as always. Thank you Michael. Now I know there is a name for all those odd chord shapes I've been struggling to identify that I've been playing (just been calling them "H"chords up till now). You've brought what I thought was just a dark art out into the open and made sense of it all. Thank you again!!
@ Oh, please don’t think it wasn’t useful to me. It summed up things that I knew but was helpful in assimilating. I am subscribed and have much to learn. Thanks.
Quick comment at 3:20 (C7) - when you see only the 7, that’s dominant seventh chord and you play the b7 instead. If you played the natural 7 you would be playing a Cmaj7. He explains it later in the video, but just a pointer for that part
I was wondering how a flat (or a sharp) could show up in C major! But yes, I noticed the explanation that he gave later. And doesn't that flat 7 turn the whole thing in to mixolydian? 🤔
@Michaelkeithson I’m not even a quarter of the way through and you are amazing in your ability to explain things! I’ve never found someone who so succinctly clarifies chords. In a few minutes you have covered so much ground. You are able to cover so much with only a few words. Your tone and demeanor are fantastic. I just want to keep listening and learning. I’m hooked. Subscribed. Thank you so much.
Thanks so much for this video. I’ve been an amateur pianist since I was a kid and while I learned to read sheet music, a lot of great jazz chords have eluded me because I couldn’t understand the notation describing them
This video is fantastic, and it answers several questions I have had for many years about chord names as a mostly self-taught musician. This comment was especially eye-opening for me: "Nearly all modern music" (and I would include gospel, which you didn't mention, but which informs several other modern genres) is "learned by word of mouth, by copying... by watching and listening" and absorbed (and then taught to others) in a way that makes sense to the person learning I also think of "modern" music as music "of the [common] people," not music that you had to go to a highly selective conservatory to understand. So chord names/labels evolved organically in modern music, and were not dictated on high from some central music authority somewhere in Europe. And that is why chord names are a bit all over the place. I really learned so much from this brief video. And as someone else said, it does reduce my music theory anxiety.
For I who knows nothing but rudiments. You have explained this perfectly for ME to understand and I thank you profusely for your time in making this video of which I just happened to come by browsing. It is my most important video to watch and it will expand my knowledge,vocabulary and creating with knowledge of all things I will do. I am a 68/ 56 year old forever a student. Thank you again for the shared knowledge I get.
Dude, as always you manage to target something I need clarification on and proceed to explain it in the clearest way. This channel has been so useful to me, thank you so much for the time and effort you spend to make this videos! 🙏🙌
Thanks for this! Really appreciate the clear, concise descriptions. Being self-taught leaves a lot of gaps like this in my knowledge and it's great to finally have a stronger understanding of how to build higher interval chords
One of the most insanely good music channels on RUclips. Just watching your videos and exactly copying what you teach alone took my piano playing miles ahead of what I used to play. Humble request to please teach some technical part and improvisation. A problem I face is my hands don't follow what my brain creates and thinks musically, I don't understand how to execute all this beautiful theory on the piano. Some advice on technique and improvisation would be amazing. Huge fan brother. Love and support from my side❤
🙏 Thank you! Really great to hear that my videos have a made a positive impact on your piano playing! I did recently make a video about improvising, if you've not already check that out, but will think about some others for upcoming videos. I will say that a lot of these things take a little time to make down from your brain to your fingers and then into muscle memory and unfortunately some of that is just practice, patience and persistence. Happy practising!
You explained this better than any textbook I've read. Thank you for this explanation. Several lightbulb moments. Especially the counting down in 3rds, and the other notes being implied even though they aren't part of the chord name.
Holy cow, been wanting to learn this for literally decades, how you’ve conveyed this concept to me in a way I’ve fully understood is some kind of magic to me, thank you so much for this gift.
I have played as a professional musician for 40 years and learned some incredibly fundamental things watching this particular video that I missed all these years. Thank you thank you thank you.
Wow, just wow. I've been playing for years playing C2, C6, C9, and didn't know what I was acutally doing. This is so clear now in how you explained this. Also, your tone, pace, clairity, and sense of humor in your video's are just fantasticlly perfect for learning. I always strugged why the 7th was called a seventh versus the major 7, makes perfect sense now. And now I'm going to add to my vocabulary with the 11 and 13. Also, clairification on the Maj9 was super helpful as was the Cadd9. Well done kind sir, I so hope you keep doing these videos, top game quality stuff here! There is a lot of piano instructor videos on youtube, this really has in short order risen to the top! Oh, and I almost forgot. Your explination on the sus chords was perfect. Been playing them for years and didn't realize that it was the 3rd that is suspended and you're just playing the 2 or the 4 and omiting the 3rd (not to be confused with C2)!
Michael, one thing I like to use for my students for easily finding the 9,11,and 13 of a key is to just play the 2 minor in the next octave. It sounds simple but it makes the more difficult keys much easier to navigate. i.e. Eb play Fm in the next octave or Db play Ebm above. As long as you know your scales it's very quick. Really enjoy your content, you're and excellent communicator.
I have never understood the numbers except a few of them and this video was an eye opener. Where has this been all my life. My brain is finally connecting the dots and it's so surreal. Never has anyone explained this so well!
70 years after my BORING piano lessons, I am FINALLY understanding it. Mrs. Underwood was very patient with a 7 year old boy, but exasperatingly boring. "Massa In The Cold Cold Ground?" Mexican Hat Dance would have been more inspiring. "Turkey In The Straw" was my duet recital premier! 😂
Well thanks for this. I play extensively with my spouse and as our music has evolved into slightly more sophisticated tones and riffs in the country folk genera that we reside in most of the time I've tried to man-splain my understanding of harmony but because of my blind spots and limited understanding I'm afraid I don't do a very good job. Next time the subject comes up in one of our practices I will show her this video. It's so excellent. I remember asking my high school music teacher (who had a bachelor of music and some sort of degree in voice) to help me understand some of these concepts. He went into something that just seemed too convoluted for my rock and roll brain, then he gave me a book on the subject and I just thought "well forget it then". Cheers.
Wow! This really explained a lot of questions I had about chord building over the last years in the most comprehensive way. I wish my piano teacher 20 years ago was more like you.... instant subscription!
Well, we guitar players use different rules. Take a minor11th chord. As long as you have the flat-7 and the 11, you can skip the 9. And for a 13th chord, you can follow the same rule and skip the 9 and 11. I mean, it would be NICE to have that 9 in the 13th chord and if you can do it, good for you! Many jazz guitar players will tell you that you should always aim for 4-note voicings. So if you're playing an X7b13, the notes you can't do without are the 3, the b7 and the b13. That 4th note can be the root or the fifth depending on what sound you prefer. I don't use that 4-note rule myself. So guitar players do it their own way.
I was going to ask/say something very similar: ie Could it be that the 'difference' between Cadd9 and Caddd2 has arisen in part from extended guitar chord shapes? A standard electric guitar has a range of 4 octaves, minus two notes - plenty of room for chord extensions.
This is how it's done in classical music too. It's common to drop out extensions and fifths in order to preserve the 4 note chord structure. In 7th chords sometimes the fifth is dropped out and the root is doubled.
Loving these conversations going on in the comments! This isn't my understanding of the correct way (but I'm starting to wonder if there is a correct way and I shouldn't have bothered with this video! 😂). I believe chord symbols to 'information' not 'instructions'. A 13th chord gives you information of chord tones that can be used and what function the chord plays. It's very common for pianists and guitarist to drop the root (if there's a bass player) and the 5th in favour of some of the extra extensions. And there are also exceptions to the rule - we don't typically play the 11 in a 13 chord or maj13 chord because of the clash between the 3rd and 11th. Chord symbols give us guidance on what we can do and then depending on the player and the style of music you're playing you make your choice. It's also pretty common for experienced players to add extra extensions that aren't listed in the chord symbol. That's how I see it!
Hey Nick! As I understand it the number of the note, 9 or 2 for example, have no bearing on where you play that note, which octave. You choose where the notes are located depending on the ‘voicing’ you choose to play, not the chord symbol. Chord symbols aren’t exact instructions, unlike notation and tablature, so when you’re writing chord symbols of others, or reading them, they will be interpreted by the individual. A lot of time experienced players will add extensions which aren’t written in the chord symbols to add their personal touch, extra colour and/or stylistic choices.
This was my understanding too. I treat numbers above 7 as merely requiring the 3rd, the 7, and the note in question. Anything else is optional. That still leaves a distinction between things like the 13 and the 6, in that the 13 requires the 7 be present, and the 6 requires that the 7 isn’t present.
Very nicely explained, and what a refreshingly pleasant style and pace of presentation. This has confirmed things I had deduced for myself or had half-explained to me, and clarified the remaining confusing gaps for me. Thank you very much.
I have wondered about this for ages but never took the time to research it. This was perfect. I think I get it after one viewing. I really enjoy your videos and your deadpan (if that's the right word) humor. Very little makes me laugh out loud, but you do on occasion. These days we all can use a little chuckle. Thanks, well done.
This video is essential for all intermediate/advanced players. Thank you for what you do and sharing your knowledge. Making the music world an easier place to navigate
I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I found your videos recently and your way of explaining makes a lot of sense to me. I am super happy because it feels like my knowledge of music has advanced so much in very little time. THANK YOU!!! I pray that God blesses you in your life with his wisdom as you have blessed many with your knowledge. Please don't stop making these videos.
This is a great video and guitarists need to watch this. So many people have it wrong because of the limitations of our instrument. We physically cannot play all of the notes in Cm13, so people tend to understand incorrectly about the rule of including the 9th and 11th in that chord. I will be sending this to some of my jazz students. The only thing I think could've been added has to do with the "add whatever" rule. Cm7add11 would imply that we're skipping something along the way - in this case the 9th. Cm7add13 would skip the 9th and the 11th. Maybe I missed this though, I was wrapping presents while I was listening. There's also a lot of "special case" chords like C13 and Cmaj13 widely being understood to exclude the 11th because of the clash it creates between the major 3rd and natural 11th. Or the existence of C7susadd3, which is a sweet chord as long as you voice it with the 3rd above the 4th. C F G Bb E. Kind of like those annoying special spelling and grammar rules in the English language - use apostrophe s to show possession except on the word "its." I think there's also some interpretation of C2 vs Csus2 vs Cadd9. I like writing Csus2 in my charts because it leaves nothing to interpretation. I know some arrangers that use C2 as C D G. Personally that's also why I use Cadd9 and not C2 in my charts. I've often thought about making a video on this subject directed at guitarists, but I know it would set the comment section aflame as some people are so stubborn. You're brave for posting this haha. Seriously great video!
Helpful revision and I find your explanation style very clear, thank you. What you didn’t mention however, although you did demonstrate it at one point when you played the root only in the left hand, is the convention of leaving some of the triad cords out when playing the higher numbered cords. For example playing a 13th could comprise the root in the left hand and the 7, 2 & 13 in the right hand. Thus not playing the root as well in the right hand or the 5 at all
Thanks Martin! I guess the primary purpose of the video was understanding chord symbols and really trying to explain when you should use one number instead of the other when they both indicate the same note, i.e. a 6 and 13. I think you’re point is more about voicings than chord symbols. Maybe that should be a future video! Cheers!
Michael, never heard your channel! But I am subscribed, I am learning piano and I have sorted a lot of these questions out myself but the way in which you break down your teachings and build it out answers any of the edge-case questions we all have while you are going over music theory! Subscribed!!! Solid teacher and incredible script
This is great. I've played for years without any real theory training and have kind of halfway figured a lot of this out just through experience, but getting the actual explanation is super helpful to fill in some of those gaps that I've never quite understood.
Wow this was very very helpful. Enlightening. Its so simple, but you really put it together in a way thats very elegent, and likely will benefit those beginner musicians.
Are you not the Best thing that ever happened to piano learning?! Jezzz!! I’ve never understood these aspects of music but here you go demystifying the entire thing..😩😩
As a guitar player, this was super helpful. Thank you for explaining this in simple to understand terms. And yes, I was wondering why you played that flat. Great job!
Glad it was useful! Seems that flat7 confused a few people. I mistakenly skimmed over 7ths because I thought most people would have a grasp on that so I've ended up making a separate video just about 7ths to clear something up!
@@michaelkeithson Oh great! I will look for that video too. I understand it to the point, then I don't play for a bit and forget it. One of those things. Again, this video was awesome. You gained another subscriber.
It’s crazy but I took so much notes out of this video and learned so much. I have been playing guitar and piano using this chords for the longest and I never knew how to build them. Wow thank you so much for this great content!
I'm definitely recommending this video to anyone who asks me to explain this to them rather than wasting their time and my energy...you do it 5 times better
Wow, that was so useful! Thanks for explaining it so clearly and idiot proof, not leaving out the super obvious (from your point of view). It’s probably super boring to you but for us beginners (playing lead guitar for 25+ years in bands ; ) it’s very, very helpful. Thanks! 🙏
You’ve made it very easy for me to understand this concept which was a hard stone for me… Thank you very much for removing it. 😊 Bright students are made out of a great teacher.. You are one of them.. 😇
Jazz guy here. When I was a teenager (long ago), I read a brief article in GP magazine called “Chord construction” and it taught me all I needed to know. I wish all articles were as “constructive” (pun intended). Here’s my 2 cents; C = C maj triad C add9 = add D (octave up) to the triad C9 = CEGBbD Cmaj9 = CEGBD C2 = CDEG Csus2= CDG (the 3rd is suspended) Csus4 = CFG (again, the 3rd is suspended) (Yes, the above 2 chords are neither maj nor min) C13 = dom 13 (with 9, 11 unless told otherwise) C11= Dom 7 add 11 This is a great video. I pity the player who hopes to read any intermediate jazz chart w/o knowing this.
Well done... This stuff is not that hard, if it is explained properly. I started playing piano again ( after childhood lessons 60 years ago) when I fell and broke my wrist about a year ago and could not play guitar. I have made amazing progress from watching this channel and one other, presented by gifted teachers. Thank you so much for sharing your gift.
Definitely worth to take note and save this video for future reference. Finally a video i met that explains my confusion about building chords. Thank you so much.
Excellent & informative video, thanks so much for this & others you’ve made. There is one more number that frequently shows up in chord symbols that isn’t covered here however - the “5 chord” (e.g. C5, E5, B♭5, F♯5), more commonly referred to as the power chord. This one works slightly differently from the other symbols in that you omit a note from the basic triad without replacing it with anything else. So if you see a 5 next to a particular chord that means you need to omit the 3rd and play just the root & the 5th. Common in heavier/harder guitar-driven music styles. Some argue since the power chord is just 2 notes that it’s not a chord at all but simply an interval and there’s some truth to that statement, but considering they function as chords in the songs that use them (their quality is usually determined by either the vocals or a lead instrument) and typically you do play more than 2 notes at a time (most often doubling the root an octave up) then practically speaking they are still chords. Just an extra tip for those of you who may have seen the 5 symbol next to chords in various song charts and wondered how that fits in with the rest of these symbols!
Thanks, that’s really well explained & matches what I’d nearly worked out after nearly 40 years of playing music. If RUclips had been around in the 80’s I’d be unstoppable by now ;) as it was I’ve managed just about on Ralph Deyner’s Guitar book & the 1st 5 pages of the Mickey Baker book x
As a self-taught guitarist with little musical training, thank you for expanding my understanding! That seems like such an easy to understand explanation, you're a good teacher. Now I understand why so much more about these chords, and why some of them can't even be made completely on guitar because you run out of fingers and strings. Sometimes you can make different tunings on the guitar which would make it possible to play some of those higher numbered chords using open strings.
Thanks for the comment Dale! Really glad the video was helpful. It' pretty common when playing these extended chords to omit certain notes so that we can optimise the colour of the chords with however many fingers are available. Usually the 5th of the chord is the first to be dropped, then, if you have a bass player playing the root note, you can drop the root too. If you play a 13 chord, you'd typically drop the 11th (although that's usually because the 11th with a major 3rd cause dissonance). Anyway, you have options! Happy exploring!
@@michaelkeithsonI would expand on your “add9” analysis by saying that particularly on the guitar it is impractical (e.g. impossible) and generally sonically unpleasant to play an add2 because of the stretches involved and the wonky temperament of the damn thing, so we almost always defer to the add9 moniker to suggest adding the note from the next octave. I also like to always point out that sometimes just because a chord is played as spelled “correctly”, doesn’t mean that it will sound good based on the voicing chosen. I usually cite Steely Dan as an example of music where it’s generally equally important to play the correct voicing as the correct chord lest it just not sound right. Awesome video, thanks!!!!
Great summary. I have taught dozens of people this and you did it in such a great way. I am now changing the way I teach this. Now to figure out how to convince guitar players to learn these chords and not just play a basic major!!!!!!
what a wonderful video, I can't believe I can access this info for free. As a casual piano player, I've been wanting to know about this for forever, so thank you very much for putting this on YT. Can I make one suggestion? I like to pause videos to absorb the content a little better, like looking at all the keys that are played for a certain cord. When the video is paused, YT keeps the player controls visible and they obscure everything below about the lower 6th of the screen. That means your keyboard and some text in certain places is obscured. It'd be great if they were elevated or something. Just thought I'd pass it along! Thanks again.
Thank you, Michael! You explained everything very clearly. I finally understand those mystery numbers and I got a distinct buzz of pleasure as everything clicked. 😊 Thanks again.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I’m really surprised at the response from the video and wish I had all your comments beforehand so that I could have addressed them in the video. Here’s a few extra words that might address some of them.
Firstly, I think it’s important to appreciate that chord symbols give ‘information’ not ‘instructions’. A C13 gives us information of chord tones we can add and also what function the chord plays but we can also just play that as a C triad and it won’t sound ‘wrong’.
Often what sets one player apart from another is which notes they choose to include or omit and the chord symbol gives them information of their options. Often guitarists and pianists will omit the root note (if there’s a bass player) and 5th of the chord in order to include the other extensions.
In fact, regardless of how I outlined things in the video, people don’t ever really play a 11th as part of a 13 chord because it creates a dissonance between the major 3rd and 11th. It’s much more common to see #11 chords when you’re playing extensions on a major triad.
__________
The number of the note, 9 or 2 for example, have no bearing on where you play that note, which octave. You choose where the notes are located depending on the ‘voicing’ you choose to play, not the chord symbol. Chord symbols aren’t exact instructions, unlike notation and tablature, so when you’re writing chord symbols of others, or reading them, they will be interpreted by the individual. A lot of time experienced players will add extensions which aren’t written in the chord symbols to add their personal touch, extra colour and/or stylistic choices.
I hope this extra info is helpful too!
@@michaelkeithson … yes…!
I occasionally take jobs playing with one of my fantastic friends and music professor … Jim Wallace , he is straight up jazz Guitarist, Extraordinaire, he also teaches at Gadsden State University, and part time at a high school… when we play out, he will drop a sheet in front of me that looks like Chinese….😹😹 luckily I am old enough to be able to hear where songs are going simply through being familiar….🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻❤️ but I am forever taking a 13th or ninth, and adding this or that to it for flavor…..👍🏻🎼 when you are playing songs like September song , Take the A-Train, autumn leaves, Harbor lights… ! You don’t want to get too far out in the backyard …. I He works my tail off…!!! But it keeps me on my toes ….😹😹
even though the note number doesn't dictate position, it seems to me that 9 is more sensible than 2 in the sense that it represents the most harmonious position of the note, where 13579 represent the 4th 5th 6th 7th 9th harmonics of the note two octaves below the root; even though these aren't exact harmonics in 12TET, and even though the 9 can be played in a discordant or non-overtone position. it's an ideal, as well as a nod to the 12TET 9 being remarkably close to the true harmonic
Hey Michael, I found your channel a few weeks ago and have been really enjoying your videos - the stuff on modal interchange and backdoor progressions really helped me.
Have you ever considered making very basic music theory videos for complete beginners? I definitely think it would be a lot of work to prepare, but it might draw even more people to your channel. Your explanations are concise and easy to understand, plus you have visuals, so I’m sure it would be popular.
@@michaelkeithson on point.
@@Max-no1gl Thanks Max, I appreciate your comment and encouragement. Glad you're enjoying the content. I do have some thoughts or plans around some more basic lessons and a course maybe. Watch this space!
This channel is where anxiety surrounding music theory comes to die. Very clear, easy going. 👌
Love this comment! Thank you 🙏 Glad you enjoyed it.
You just cleared fifty years of my own musical frustration in a mere ten minutes. Your students are more fortunate than they will ever realize. Subscribed, and thank you!
🙏 Thanks for the nice comment. I really please this was helpful and clear up some things for you!
This gentleman has the best channel ever for learning music theory (and I've seen a few...). He explains things in a paced, systematic way that is better than understandable, and seems to answer obscure questions I've searched for and had a hard time finding (like the concept should have just been obvious and not worth asking...but he just seems to intuitively answer them anyway. It's been great). For music theory videos, he's kind of the "anti-Beato".
Thanks Jeff 🙏
I really appreciate the kind comment. Glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
I agree! I play guitar but I've learned SO MUCH from this channel.
Agreed!
Agree.
100% agree. I like how he uses the absolute bare minimum of words to describe complex subjects. So easy to follow.
I’d be too embarrassed to admit how much I’ve learnt from this single video (even though I first picked up a musical instrument around three decades ago). Thank you so much, Michael!
Same, except for me it's five and a half decades.
You are very welcome Chris, I'm glad it was helpful. Seems like it's quite a common blindspot for people so there's no need to be embarrassed! Thanks for the comment! 👍
I think one of the reasons it's a blind spot for some people is because a lot of teachers don't even acknowledge the existence of chords symbols - which leaves people to learn about them on their own - and then the people who are learning keep encountering other people's conflicting misinterpretations of how the symbols work without realizing some of those people are wrong, so it all ends up becoming an insurmountably confusing mishmash in their minds - they think it's too complicated or that there's something wrong with _their own_ understanding of the symbols, and they just stop paying attention. And I think it's worse now because people are learning off of RUclips videos that are being made by people who don't understand how chords symbols (and lots of other things) work and are just passing on misinformation 😐
@@kumada84 Talking a lot of sense here!
Hi, it’s me again, authentic cadence guy. Before I get all nit picky, I want to state, once again, that I love your channel and that you are one of the best music educators on RUclips. That being said, I have always had a major problem with this way of chord building. When you say at 6:49, “yeah, it’s a bit confusing…” there’s a good reason for that, and that is because this is all backwards. Building chords using tertiary harmony is the fundamental method of chord building, not the other way around. When I was first learning theory over 30 years ago, I would have been reprimanded for calling a chord Cadd2 or Cadd4, because 2,4, and 6 were never considered chord tones. 1,3,5,7,9,11, and 13 were chord tones and 2,4, and 6 were specifically reserved for suspensions, I think in part, to avoid the very confusion you’re talking about, and the reason we would use “add” would be to indicate that you were including an extension without the other previous extensions. For example, C9 would include all five chord tones C,E,G,Bb, and D, while a Cadd9 would just mean that you are playing the triad plus that one individual extension, 9, without the 7, and this principle could apply to any other upper extension. The other reason this is confusing goes back to something you actually pointed out. We don’t use 8, 10, 12, and 14, because they’re already accounted for as 1, 3, 5, and 7, but the thing is, 2, 4, and 6 are also already accounted for when you think in terms of tertiary harmony. In other words, when using tertiary harmony (stacking thirds up until repetition), you build a theoretical chord to its maximum, 1,3,5,7,9,11, and 13. Now, this can of course be used as an actual chord if you want, an uninteresting voicing though it may be, not to mention that natural 11’s are tricky, but the point is, now you have a chord, using proper chord building, and all the basic values are set. To drive this home, if you voice a C chord starting at middle C, let’s say, and instead of using the closest E up from it, you use the one an octave up from that, even though it is an interval of a 10th, you don’t call it the 10th of the chord, because the value is already set. In any C major chord, with or without extensions, it doesn’t matter what E you play in any octave, it will always be the 3rd of the chord. Do you see where I’m going with this? It means that voicing should have no bearing on what you call a given chord tone, because all of those values are set by the theoretical chord, built from first principles using tertiary harmony. So what I’m saying is that whether you put a D a 2nd away from your C root or an actual 9th away, or literally anywhere else, if you are claiming that C is your root, then D is the 9th… period. The actual interval away from the root of something is not the same as its pitch function in the chord. This is why 6/9 chords break my brain. To me, that sounds like using two different incompatible units of measure, like telling you that I’m 5 feet and 7 gallons tall. That makes no sense. I don’t know when or where this started, and it’s almost assuredly born out of jazz nomenclature, but this is not how I learned chord building, and I’m glad, because it is unnecessarily complicated and confusing.
if I may, won't you tend to play the 9th above the 6th in the 6/9 chord? (and get the "pile of" fourths sound) Also worth considering is wether the chord has tonic or dominant function ( you wouldn't write add 2 or add 6 next to a dominant).
@ I think you’re misunderstanding the fundamental principle I’m laying down. I’m unsure if I can say it any more clearly without the use of visual aides, but I will try. So firstly, to address what you’re saying, yes, if you are playing the closest possible voicing of such a chord, C, E, G, A, and D, the A is an interval of a 6th above the root, and the D is an interval of a 9th above the root, so it looks like they should come in that order, and if not for the method by which we properly build chords, that would be correct, but that’s not how chords are built from first principles. This is my entire point. Chord tones are not established by simple intervals away from the root, but specific intervals away from each other in ascending order from the root, there’s a difference. This establishes your theoretical chord that gives you all of the values of every diatonic chord tone, and then the only thing that should change is the sharping or flattening of any of those to produce specific tensions (b9, #11, etc.), but all of your fundamental chord tones, which are simply stacked thirds from a given root, and I always use C in general examples, unless there’s a reason to give an example in another specific key, are determined by stacking thirds, which gives you C, E, G, B, D, F, and A, or 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. This is a purely theoretical chord in this context. As I said in my earlier post, you can of course play this as a real chord, but what I mean is that this chord, built this way, simply establishes what should be all of your available chord tones, and now you can voice them any way that you like. To look at it another way, imagine I wanted to build my chord on a keyboard starting from C1, but I want to use the E three octaves higher. If my math is right, that’s an interval of a 26th, but you would never call that the 26th of the chord. E is just always the 3rd, no matter where you put it. So what I’m saying is that, even if you voice a chord where there are chord tones other than 1, 3, 5, and 7 within an octave of the root, that doesn’t mean they should all of a sudden have different designations. To drive that point home even further, what if I’ve got a C triad in first inversion? What does that mean? It means that the E is in the bass, or in other words, the E is a minor 6th below the root. Do I call that a negative 6th as a chord tone? Of course not! It’s the 3rd. When you have a first inversion triad, the 3rd is in the bass. It doesn’t magically become a different function in the chord. This is my problem with calling things 6th chords, unless you’re referring to the augmented 6th or Neapolitan 6th chords, which are so named because of the unique way in which they are spelled, because they are built on non-diatonic tones, which has nothing to do with this, otherwise, there’s really no good reason to change these designations as far as I’m concerned. It actually makes things more complicated.
I’m with you. I always consider a D compared to a root C as a 9th, regardless of the octave it’s played in. And using the term “add” where necessary. I think calling it a C2 chord makes me ask more questions than it provides me solutions
Thanks for this contribution to the conversation. Yes, this is obviously a contentious and confusing topic but what you're saying makes complete sense. Maybe 2s and 4s should just be used for sus chords?
This is just an issue of semantics, and people can argue about semantics forever. To me, "add2" makes much more sense considering the actual intention of the chord, and I also think "add9" is unnecessarily confusing. I personally think it's best to keep things as simple as possible - using lots of complicated terminology to make a simple point doesn't help anybody. Also, the fact that people "don't use" 8, 10, and 12 doesn't mean it doesn't make sense to use 2, 4, and 6. Maybe someday people will decide that it's handy to write "C8" when you want people to play two C's an octave apart from each other, like how we know "C5" means that we're supposed to play a power chord.
I love this guy. It’s like he’s saying watch me act smug and pretentious while demystifying music theory for the smug and pretentious who want you to think this stuff is esoteric knowledge. He breaks it down and adds the dryest humor ever into the mix. One if the best RUclips channels for practicing musicians. Kudos and thanks.
Ah, thanks! It’s nice to hear you feel that way. Glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
You're absolutely right!
@@lauraroberts2250 ☺
Sounds smug and pretentious? That's just his British accent.
@@yeohiIndeed
Just the best tutorial I could imagine for a topic like this. I’ve been playing piano for 20 years and nobody has ever explained chord symbols as simply and clearly as you. Truly demystifying an otherwise mysterious language. I feel like you unlocked a cheat code for us lay people that professional musicians seem to inherently understand. Bravo!
Ah, thanks for the kind comment Adam. Glad you enjoyed it and found it useful.
Dude you go over it all so calm and nonchalant as well as rather quick. I don’t know how but you’re the dude to make it all make sense for me. Thank you so much. I didn’t even have to stop and go back. I’ll be referring back to you from now on! 🎉
Awesome! Thanks for the nice comment Noah, glad you found the video helpful. 👍
Trained musician of 30 + years here.
I got 30 seconds in and instantly subbed. This is such a brilliant example of how to teach music theory in such a profoundly clear and understandable way!
Bravo
☺️🙏🙏 Thanks so much for the kind comment! Appreciate the sub too 🙏
I love your channel Michael, your approach is easy to understand and engaging. Please don’t stop.
🙏 Thanks for the nice comment, glad you’re enjoying the videos. I’ve got no plans to stop anytime soon! 👍
Finally.... Self taught guitarist for 45 years and can play anything, but I don't read music and did not understand these names. Such a clear simple explanation. Thank you.
Thanks James Michael, glad the video was helpful! 👍
You raised some very good points about theory and its pedagogical history. I was what you call a "street musician," where most of my playing was by ear and very modern (Bebop, Rock, Blues etc.) At that time, I had very little formal training - or what we would call "classical conservatory music training". I was definitely the outlier when I went to McGill to study music and had a hard time understanding music theory in the traditional sense. It took me years to rewire my brain and ear, and I was worried I would lose some of my street chops with this new approach. However (and with hard work), the classical conservatory music training really helped me understand what I had been doing my whole life by ear but with less work! Today, I try and spend a lot of time navigating both worlds and I think it made me a better musician. Thanks for connecting the dots. Have a great Thanksgiving break
Thanks for the comment. Glad you enjoyed the video 👍
Fantastic . . . . as always. Thank you Michael. Now I know there is a name for all those odd chord shapes I've been struggling to identify that I've been playing (just been calling them "H"chords up till now). You've brought what I thought was just a dark art out into the open and made sense of it all. Thank you again!!
Thanks for the comment Tim, glad it was helpful 👍
Very well explained. I think I knew all of that but hearing it patiently and clearly explained was therapeutic.
Cheers John, glad you enjoyed it even if it wasn’t particularly useful. Thanks for the comment 👍
@ Oh, please don’t think it wasn’t useful to me. It summed up things that I knew but was helpful in assimilating. I am subscribed and have much to learn. Thanks.
Thanks! Most beginners start with very basic, simple chords like me. Thanks for clarifying how those extended chords work.
Quick comment at 3:20 (C7) - when you see only the 7, that’s dominant seventh chord and you play the b7 instead. If you played the natural 7 you would be playing a Cmaj7. He explains it later in the video, but just a pointer for that part
Thank you, good man
good sire
Thank you for pointing it out.
I was wondering how a flat (or a sharp) could show up in C major! But yes, I noticed the explanation that he gave later. And doesn't that flat 7 turn the whole thing in to mixolydian? 🤔
Thanks man
Great teacher! Rarely breaks eye contact with you! Its like being back at school being taught by your favorite teacher... great stuff Sir!
Thanks Alec 🙏 Appreciate the kind comment. Glad you enjoyed it. 👍
@Michaelkeithson I’m not even a quarter of the way through and you are amazing in your ability to explain things! I’ve never found someone who so succinctly clarifies chords. In a few minutes you have covered so much ground. You are able to cover so much with only a few words. Your tone and demeanor are fantastic. I just want to keep listening and learning. I’m hooked. Subscribed. Thank you so much.
Thanks Ric 🙏 I appreciate the kind comment. Really glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the sub too! 👍
As a guitar player and piano noodler... you are THE best with discussing these concepts. Thank you!
🙏☺️ Thanks Travis! I appreciate the kind comment 👍
If you are in a studio recording and you get handed a chart with a (1)13, you better NOT play a 1,3,5,7,9,11,13 … you will be fired.
What even is a (1)13. Do you mean like if they play a 1 instead of a root?
1 equals root
What's that?
@@JLZ-15 They probably mean the I chord, so the root chord of the key, but as a 13 extension of that chord.
So what should you play? Could you explain?
Thanks so much for this video. I’ve been an amateur pianist since I was a kid and while I learned to read sheet music, a lot of great jazz chords have eluded me because I couldn’t understand the notation describing them
Awesome! Glad it was useful! Thanks for the comment 👍
This video is fantastic, and it answers several questions I have had for many years about chord names as a mostly self-taught musician. This comment was especially eye-opening for me: "Nearly all modern music" (and I would include gospel, which you didn't mention, but which informs several other modern genres) is "learned by word of mouth, by copying... by watching and listening" and absorbed (and then taught to others) in a way that makes sense to the person learning I also think of "modern" music as music "of the [common] people," not music that you had to go to a highly selective conservatory to understand. So chord names/labels evolved organically in modern music, and were not dictated on high from some central music authority somewhere in Europe. And that is why chord names are a bit all over the place. I really learned so much from this brief video. And as someone else said, it does reduce my music theory anxiety.
For I who knows nothing but rudiments. You have explained this perfectly for ME to understand and I thank you profusely for your time in making this video of which I just happened to come by browsing. It is my most important video to watch and it will expand my knowledge,vocabulary and creating with knowledge of all things I will do. I am a 68/ 56 year old forever a student. Thank you again for the shared knowledge I get.
🙏 Thanks for the nice comment. I'm really glad you stumbled over here and found my video to be useful. Happy practising!!
Dude, as always you manage to target something I need clarification on and proceed to explain it in the clearest way. This channel has been so useful to me, thank you so much for the time and effort you spend to make this videos! 🙏🙌
Hey Alex! That’s great to hear. Glad you’re enjoying the content.
Thanks for the support 🙏
You're the best music teacher out here!
It's how calmly you do it! How accurately and how you preempt the questions and answer them ❤
🙏 Thank you. Really appreciate the kind comment.
Thanks for this! Really appreciate the clear, concise descriptions. Being self-taught leaves a lot of gaps like this in my knowledge and it's great to finally have a stronger understanding of how to build higher interval chords
Cheers Ben! Glad it was useful 👍
Your voice is so soothing, also, thank you for explaining this better than all of my piano instructors combined.
Ah, cheers Judah! Glad you enjoyed it! 👍
This was excellent. Never understood about the 7th business and Maj7th. This clears things up. Thank you!
Thanks Frank! Glad it was helpful! 👍
honestly, I've been trying to learn this for literally years now. You've explained it so good, my friend, thank you for that! Cheers from Brazil!
Hey Alan, thanks for the nice comment. Glad you've got some value from the video 👍
One of the most insanely good music channels on RUclips. Just watching your videos and exactly copying what you teach alone took my piano playing miles ahead of what I used to play. Humble request to please teach some technical part and improvisation. A problem I face is my hands don't follow what my brain creates and thinks musically, I don't understand how to execute all this beautiful theory on the piano. Some advice on technique and improvisation would be amazing. Huge fan brother. Love and support from my side❤
🙏 Thank you! Really great to hear that my videos have a made a positive impact on your piano playing!
I did recently make a video about improvising, if you've not already check that out, but will think about some others for upcoming videos.
I will say that a lot of these things take a little time to make down from your brain to your fingers and then into muscle memory and unfortunately some of that is just practice, patience and persistence. Happy practising!
You explained this better than any textbook I've read. Thank you for this explanation. Several lightbulb moments. Especially the counting down in 3rds, and the other notes being implied even though they aren't part of the chord name.
Thanks Justin, appreciate the kind comment. Glad it was helpful 👍
Holy cow, been wanting to learn this for literally decades, how you’ve conveyed this concept to me in a way I’ve fully understood is some kind of magic to me, thank you so much for this gift.
You are very welcome! Glad I could help.
Man I love these videos. Saw two, now I’m in your playlist diving around. Thank you !
🙏 Thanks Anthony! Glad you're enjoying the content 👍
This clarifies so much! Thank you!
Hey Aaron, that’s awesome. Glad it was useful 👍
I have played as a professional musician for 40 years and learned some incredibly fundamental things watching this particular video that I missed all these years. Thank you thank you thank you.
🙏 Thanks for the nice comment. Really pleased the video was helpful for you.
Always feels nice to watch your videos.
🙏 Thank you! That’s nice to hear. ☺️
Wow, just wow. I've been playing for years playing C2, C6, C9, and didn't know what I was acutally doing. This is so clear now in how you explained this. Also, your tone, pace, clairity, and sense of humor in your video's are just fantasticlly perfect for learning. I always strugged why the 7th was called a seventh versus the major 7, makes perfect sense now. And now I'm going to add to my vocabulary with the 11 and 13. Also, clairification on the Maj9 was super helpful as was the Cadd9. Well done kind sir, I so hope you keep doing these videos, top game quality stuff here! There is a lot of piano instructor videos on youtube, this really has in short order risen to the top! Oh, and I almost forgot. Your explination on the sus chords was perfect. Been playing them for years and didn't realize that it was the 3rd that is suspended and you're just playing the 2 or the 4 and omiting the 3rd (not to be confused with C2)!
Thanks for the nice comment Garrett, really glad you enjoyed the video and got some value out of it! 👍
Michael, one thing I like to use for my students for easily finding the 9,11,and 13 of a key is to just play the 2 minor in the next octave. It sounds simple but it makes the more difficult keys much easier to navigate. i.e. Eb play Fm in the next octave or Db play Ebm above. As long as you know your scales it's very quick. Really enjoy your content, you're and excellent communicator.
Thanks Stu! Appreciate your contribution. 👍
Great trick! Thank you!
I have never understood the numbers except a few of them and this video was an eye opener. Where has this been all my life. My brain is finally connecting the dots and it's so surreal. Never has anyone explained this so well!
That’s great to hear! Thanks for leaving a comment. 👍
70 years after my BORING piano lessons, I am FINALLY understanding it. Mrs. Underwood was very patient with a 7 year old boy, but exasperatingly boring. "Massa In The Cold Cold Ground?" Mexican Hat Dance would have been more inspiring. "Turkey In The Straw" was my duet recital premier! 😂
You're never too old keep making progress! Glad that my videos are part of your journey. Happy practising!! 👍
I so love your approach to teaching theory. Such a clean and clear explanation and a bit of humor. Thanks for sharing!
🙏 Thanks man, nice to hear. HNY🥳
Informative, concise and super helpful.🙏
Thanks Paul! Glad it was helpful 👍
Your teaching is amazing, very clear...I'm just starting to play piano and I really love the way you teach...
Thanks Gideon! Glad you enjoyed it. Happy practising! 🎹
this was on my list of music stuff to figure out and you just did it in 10 minutes
Perfect!! Happy I could help! 👍
Well thanks for this. I play extensively with my spouse and as our music has evolved into slightly more sophisticated tones and riffs in the country folk genera that we reside in most of the time I've tried to man-splain my understanding of harmony but because of my blind spots and limited understanding I'm afraid I don't do a very good job. Next time the subject comes up in one of our practices I will show her this video. It's so excellent. I remember asking my high school music teacher (who had a bachelor of music and some sort of degree in voice) to help me understand some of these concepts. He went into something that just seemed too convoluted for my rock and roll brain, then he gave me a book on the subject and I just thought "well forget it then". Cheers.
This is the best explanation I've seen so far.
🙏 Thank you!
Wow! This really explained a lot of questions I had about chord building over the last years in the most comprehensive way. I wish my piano teacher 20 years ago was more like you.... instant subscription!
Hey Gregor! Thanks for the sub 🙏 Glad you enjoyed the video and found it useful 👍
Well, we guitar players use different rules. Take a minor11th chord. As long as you have the flat-7 and the 11, you can skip the 9. And for a 13th chord, you can follow the same rule and skip the 9 and 11. I mean, it would be NICE to have that 9 in the 13th chord and if you can do it, good for you! Many jazz guitar players will tell you that you should always aim for 4-note voicings. So if you're playing an X7b13, the notes you can't do without are the 3, the b7 and the b13. That 4th note can be the root or the fifth depending on what sound you prefer. I don't use that 4-note rule myself. So guitar players do it their own way.
I was going to ask/say something very similar: ie Could it be that the 'difference' between Cadd9 and Caddd2 has arisen in part from extended guitar chord shapes?
A standard electric guitar has a range of 4 octaves, minus two notes - plenty of room for chord extensions.
This is how it's done in classical music too. It's common to drop out extensions and fifths in order to preserve the 4 note chord structure. In 7th chords sometimes the fifth is dropped out and the root is doubled.
Loving these conversations going on in the comments!
This isn't my understanding of the correct way (but I'm starting to wonder if there is a correct way and I shouldn't have bothered with this video! 😂).
I believe chord symbols to 'information' not 'instructions'. A 13th chord gives you information of chord tones that can be used and what function the chord plays. It's very common for pianists and guitarist to drop the root (if there's a bass player) and the 5th in favour of some of the extra extensions. And there are also exceptions to the rule - we don't typically play the 11 in a 13 chord or maj13 chord because of the clash between the 3rd and 11th.
Chord symbols give us guidance on what we can do and then depending on the player and the style of music you're playing you make your choice. It's also pretty common for experienced players to add extra extensions that aren't listed in the chord symbol.
That's how I see it!
Hey Nick! As I understand it the number of the note, 9 or 2 for example, have no bearing on where you play that note, which octave. You choose where the notes are located depending on the ‘voicing’ you choose to play, not the chord symbol. Chord symbols aren’t exact instructions, unlike notation and tablature, so when you’re writing chord symbols of others, or reading them, they will be interpreted by the individual. A lot of time experienced players will add extensions which aren’t written in the chord symbols to add their personal touch, extra colour and/or stylistic choices.
This was my understanding too. I treat numbers above 7 as merely requiring the 3rd, the 7, and the note in question. Anything else is optional. That still leaves a distinction between things like the 13 and the 6, in that the 13 requires the 7 be present, and the 6 requires that the 7 isn’t present.
Very nicely explained, and what a refreshingly pleasant style and pace of presentation. This has confirmed things I had deduced for myself or had half-explained to me, and clarified the remaining confusing gaps for me. Thank you very much.
Thanks for the nice comment. Glad you enjoyed it. 👍
Thank you so much for clearly explaining this in a way that is easily understandable - you are empowering other musicians to spread the light & love!
Thanks for the kind words 🙏 and ‘party on dudes’! 😉
I have wondered about this for ages but never took the time to research it. This was perfect. I think I get it after one viewing. I really enjoy your videos and your deadpan (if that's the right word) humor. Very little makes me laugh out loud, but you do on occasion. These days we all can use a little chuckle. Thanks, well done.
Thanks Gary! Really appreciate your kind comment and glad I get giggle sometimes too!
This video is essential for all intermediate/advanced players. Thank you for what you do and sharing your knowledge.
Making the music world an easier place to navigate
🙏 Thank you for the kind comment! Glad you enjoyed it 👍
I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I found your videos recently and your way of explaining makes a lot of sense to me. I am super happy because it feels like my knowledge of music has advanced so much in very little time. THANK YOU!!! I pray that God blesses you in your life with his wisdom as you have blessed many with your knowledge. Please don't stop making these videos.
🙏 Thank you Eli! I really appreciate your kind words. Great to hear that my videos are helping you progress.
Happy practising!
Thank you for answering the questions I‘ve had for 20 years. And all of it delivered so concisely. Love your humour and videos!
🙏 Thanks for the nice comment. Glad it was helpful and you enjoyed the video.
This is a great video and guitarists need to watch this. So many people have it wrong because of the limitations of our instrument. We physically cannot play all of the notes in Cm13, so people tend to understand incorrectly about the rule of including the 9th and 11th in that chord. I will be sending this to some of my jazz students.
The only thing I think could've been added has to do with the "add whatever" rule. Cm7add11 would imply that we're skipping something along the way - in this case the 9th. Cm7add13 would skip the 9th and the 11th. Maybe I missed this though, I was wrapping presents while I was listening.
There's also a lot of "special case" chords like C13 and Cmaj13 widely being understood to exclude the 11th because of the clash it creates between the major 3rd and natural 11th. Or the existence of C7susadd3, which is a sweet chord as long as you voice it with the 3rd above the 4th. C F G Bb E. Kind of like those annoying special spelling and grammar rules in the English language - use apostrophe s to show possession except on the word "its."
I think there's also some interpretation of C2 vs Csus2 vs Cadd9. I like writing Csus2 in my charts because it leaves nothing to interpretation. I know some arrangers that use C2 as C D G. Personally that's also why I use Cadd9 and not C2 in my charts.
I've often thought about making a video on this subject directed at guitarists, but I know it would set the comment section aflame as some people are so stubborn. You're brave for posting this haha. Seriously great video!
Thanks for the comment Alex! Appreciate your contribution to the conversation! 🙏
Gifted music teacher! So relaxed and makes the lesson interesting and easy to understand!
🙏 Thank you. I appreciate the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the video 👍
Helpful revision and I find your explanation style very clear, thank you.
What you didn’t mention however, although you did demonstrate it at one point when you played the root only in the left hand, is the convention of leaving some of the triad cords out when playing the higher numbered cords. For example playing a 13th could comprise the root in the left hand and the 7, 2 & 13 in the right hand. Thus not playing the root as well in the right hand or the 5 at all
Thanks Martin!
I guess the primary purpose of the video was understanding chord symbols and really trying to explain when you should use one number instead of the other when they both indicate the same note, i.e. a 6 and 13.
I think you’re point is more about voicings than chord symbols. Maybe that should be a future video!
Cheers!
I've struggled understanding extended chords...this has been explained very clearly and understandable..thank you so much Michael...
Thanks John! Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for leaving a comment 👍
Michael, never heard your channel! But I am subscribed, I am learning piano and I have sorted a lot of these questions out myself but the way in which you break down your teachings and build it out answers any of the edge-case questions we all have while you are going over music theory!
Subscribed!!! Solid teacher and incredible script
Thanks for the sub 🙏 Glad you enjoyed the video 👍
This is great. I've played for years without any real theory training and have kind of halfway figured a lot of this out just through experience, but getting the actual explanation is super helpful to fill in some of those gaps that I've never quite understood.
Thanks Danny! I appreciate the comment. Glad it was useful. 👍
Wow this was very very helpful. Enlightening. Its so simple, but you really put it together in a way thats very elegent, and likely will benefit those beginner musicians.
Thanks for the nice comment Nick, glad it was helpful. 👍
I followed you completely. That was extremely useful. You filled in my music theory gaps with ease.
Awesome! Glad it was helpful 👍
The best explanation of this topic I have seen so far. Good job. 👍
🙏 Thanks Jan, appreciate the kind comment.
I know a lot of this stuff, but to hear you explain it makes me understand it more clearly. Thank you!
For years I was looking for an explanation like this! Finally I found! Thanks for your good work!
Hey Antonio! Happy I could help! Thanks for the nice comment 👍
One of the best explanation on youtube. Great job!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 👍
i think this is one of the best channels for learning music theory
🙏 Thank you Dian! Glad you enjoyed it.
Are you not the Best thing that ever happened to piano learning?! Jezzz!!
I’ve never understood these aspects of music but here you go demystifying the entire thing..😩😩
🙏🙏 Thanks man! Appreciate the kind comment. Glad it was helpful
As a guitar player, this was super helpful. Thank you for explaining this in simple to understand terms. And yes, I was wondering why you played that flat. Great job!
Glad it was useful! Seems that flat7 confused a few people. I mistakenly skimmed over 7ths because I thought most people would have a grasp on that so I've ended up making a separate video just about 7ths to clear something up!
@@michaelkeithson Oh great! I will look for that video too. I understand it to the point, then I don't play for a bit and forget it. One of those things. Again, this video was awesome. You gained another subscriber.
@@lostingear Nice! Thanks for the sub 🙏
It’s crazy but I took so much notes out of this video and learned so much. I have been playing guitar and piano using this chords for the longest and I never knew how to build them. Wow thank you so much for this great content!
Hey Dan! Thanks for the nice comment. I'm really pleased the video was helpful 👍
I'm definitely recommending this video to anyone who asks me to explain this to them rather than wasting their time and my energy...you do it 5 times better
😆😂 Thanks! Yeah, send them my way!
Thanks for this video it explained a lot and I also like that you showed it on the piano for people who also need that visual learning tool as well.
You're very welcome Zach, glad it was useful 👍
Some can teach and others create an artist. Thankyou for clarity and made it easy to decipher. Brilliant love your work ❤
Thanks Shane! I appreciate the kind comment 🙏
Clear and concise. Thank you. Especially the part about add 9 and add 2.
Wow, that was so useful! Thanks for explaining it so clearly and idiot proof, not leaving out the super obvious (from your point of view).
It’s probably super boring to you but for us beginners (playing lead guitar for 25+ years in bands ; ) it’s very, very helpful. Thanks! 🙏
Thanks Mr. K! Happy to help. Don't worry though, I'm happy to talk about this stuff all day long if someone will listen!
I learnt so much from this, thank you for explaining it so clearly and effectively. Look out jazz sheets, here I come.
Ha! Glad you found it helpful! Happy practising!!
How clear and useful is this. Thank you sir! It all makes sense now to me as an amateur musician. So well explained
Thanks for the nice comment 🙏
Really glad it was helpful.
You’ve made it very easy for me to understand this concept which was a hard stone for me… Thank you very much for removing it. 😊
Bright students are made out of a great teacher.. You are one of them.. 😇
Thanks Enosh! I really appreciate the kind comment. Glad the video was useful 👍
High Quality Straight Forward content that just answered my question for 20 years. Like and AUTOSUBSCRIBED. ❤👍
🙏 Thanks for the kind comment. Glad you enjoyed it and found it useful!
Thank you. This clears up a lot of my errors from the past, and helps me moving into the future,
Awesome! Glad it was useful Craig. Cheers for the comment.
Jazz guy here. When I was a teenager (long ago), I read a brief article in GP magazine called “Chord construction” and it taught me all I needed to know. I wish all articles were as “constructive” (pun intended). Here’s my 2 cents;
C = C maj triad
C add9 = add D (octave up) to the triad
C9 = CEGBbD
Cmaj9 = CEGBD
C2 = CDEG
Csus2= CDG (the 3rd is suspended)
Csus4 = CFG (again, the 3rd is suspended)
(Yes, the above 2 chords are neither maj nor min)
C13 = dom 13 (with 9, 11 unless told otherwise)
C11= Dom 7 add 11
This is a great video.
I pity the player who hopes to read any intermediate jazz chart w/o knowing this.
Well done...
This stuff is not that hard, if it is explained properly.
I started playing piano again ( after childhood lessons 60 years ago) when I fell and broke my wrist about a year ago and could not play guitar. I have made amazing progress from watching this channel and one other, presented by gifted teachers. Thank you so much for sharing your gift.
🙏 Thanks for the nice comment. Really pleased that I've been part of your return to the piano! Hope your wrist is on the mend 👍
Definitely worth to take note and save this video for future reference. Finally a video i met that explains my confusion about building chords. Thank you so much.
You're very welcome Charl. Pleased the video was helpful for you 👍
Man thank you so much this is so easy to understand. I am looking forward to your next videos!
🙏 Thanks! Appreciate the kind comment. See you in the next one 👍
Really interesting and very clearly explained. I’ve played the guitar for 40 years and never really understood it until now!
🙏 Thanks for the nice comment. Glad you enjoyed it 👍
Excellent & informative video, thanks so much for this & others you’ve made.
There is one more number that frequently shows up in chord symbols that isn’t covered here however - the “5 chord” (e.g. C5, E5, B♭5, F♯5), more commonly referred to as the power chord.
This one works slightly differently from the other symbols in that you omit a note from the basic triad without replacing it with anything else. So if you see a 5 next to a particular chord that means you need to omit the 3rd and play just the root & the 5th.
Common in heavier/harder guitar-driven music styles. Some argue since the power chord is just 2 notes that it’s not a chord at all but simply an interval and there’s some truth to that statement, but considering they function as chords in the songs that use them (their quality is usually determined by either the vocals or a lead instrument) and typically you do play more than 2 notes at a time (most often doubling the root an octave up) then practically speaking they are still chords.
Just an extra tip for those of you who may have seen the 5 symbol next to chords in various song charts and wondered how that fits in with the rest of these symbols!
Hey Johnny! Thanks for the contribution 👍
Yeah, I mistakenly missed those out 😣
Thanks, that’s really well explained & matches what I’d nearly worked out after nearly 40 years of playing music. If RUclips had been around in the 80’s I’d be unstoppable by now ;) as it was I’ve managed just about on Ralph Deyner’s Guitar book & the 1st 5 pages of the Mickey Baker book x
Fantastic lesson, Michael.
Very clear, and well explained.
Many thanks.
Thank you 🙏 Cheers for the comment.
Hands down, no contest, the best I've seen on this subject. Thanks!
As a self-taught guitarist with little musical training, thank you for expanding my understanding! That seems like such an easy to understand explanation, you're a good teacher. Now I understand why so much more about these chords, and why some of them can't even be made completely on guitar because you run out of fingers and strings. Sometimes you can make different tunings on the guitar which would make it possible to play some of those higher numbered chords using open strings.
Thanks for the comment Dale! Really glad the video was helpful.
It' pretty common when playing these extended chords to omit certain notes so that we can optimise the colour of the chords with however many fingers are available. Usually the 5th of the chord is the first to be dropped, then, if you have a bass player playing the root note, you can drop the root too. If you play a 13 chord, you'd typically drop the 11th (although that's usually because the 11th with a major 3rd cause dissonance). Anyway, you have options! Happy exploring!
@@michaelkeithsonI would expand on your “add9” analysis by saying that particularly on the guitar it is impractical (e.g. impossible) and generally sonically unpleasant to play an add2 because of the stretches involved and the wonky temperament of the damn thing, so we almost always defer to the add9 moniker to suggest adding the note from the next octave.
I also like to always point out that sometimes just because a chord is played as spelled “correctly”, doesn’t mean that it will sound good based on the voicing chosen. I usually cite Steely Dan as an example of music where it’s generally equally important to play the correct voicing as the correct chord lest it just not sound right.
Awesome video, thanks!!!!
RUclips suggested your channel. Music theory simplified. Just subscribed 🎷. Continue the good work.
Praise be to the algorithm! I'm glad you're here! Thanks for the comment 👍
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos.
You're very welcome, hope it was helpful!
That was a brilliant explanation, easy to follow and understand, thank you!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it ☺️
Thanks a lot for explaining. this will make me reading jazz chord way more clear
You are very welcome! Glad it was helpful 👍
Great summary. I have taught dozens of people this and you did it in such a great way. I am now changing the way I teach this. Now to figure out how to convince guitar players to learn these chords and not just play a basic major!!!!!!
Cheers Marc! Glad you liked it and could take something from it 👍
what a wonderful video, I can't believe I can access this info for free. As a casual piano player, I've been wanting to know about this for forever, so thank you very much for putting this on YT.
Can I make one suggestion? I like to pause videos to absorb the content a little better, like looking at all the keys that are played for a certain cord. When the video is paused, YT keeps the player controls visible and they obscure everything below about the lower 6th of the screen. That means your keyboard and some text in certain places is obscured. It'd be great if they were elevated or something. Just thought I'd pass it along! Thanks again.
Thank you 🙏. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the suggestion too 👍
Thank you, Michael! You explained everything very clearly. I finally understand those mystery numbers and I got a distinct buzz of pleasure as everything clicked. 😊
Thanks again.
Perfect! That's great to hear. Thanks Laura! Hope you're having a fab weekend!
@michaelkeithson Thank you, I am. Hope yours is great too. 👍
Wow, this is very helpful. After years of playing, I think I finally understand this. Thank you!!
Awesome! Glad it was useful 👍
Holy crap, this video was very helpful. You just unlocked something I’ve been trying to understand for too long. Subbed 🤘
Thanks Deric! Great to hear it was helpful. Thanks for the sub 🙏