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In the comments of EP486, Scott N asks a really good question, and here is my attempt to answer!
The short answer is yes, you can extend minor chords with a 6, 7, 9 (and more!) And also yes, chords can have multiple functions.
In the original example, Brian takes a G (GBD) and converts it to a G6/Em (GBE). But by playing 3 out of 4 notes in an extended chord, it makes it a little more ambiguous. A complete G6 chord is GBDE… which is actually also a Em7, EGBD (Still with me?)
We build extended chords by building thirds. A G major scale, extended in thirds:
G – B – D – F# – A – C – E – G
1 – 3 – 5 – 7 – 9 – 11 -13 -1
You can take any 4 of those notes in succession and it is an extended chord (of some sort.) Then, you can play 3 of those notes from your extended chord (or even 2) and “imply” the harmony of that chord. My point being… the sequences start to overlap, and these patterns are found in multiple extended chords!*Side note: The 6th is the same as the 13th scale degree (E, in the example key of G.) But when we label a chord a “13” (or 9, or 11) we are saying we are including all the degrees below. Which is why the example is a 6 chord, not a 13 chord.)
Now, on to minor. Take a Em for example, played open on the top 3 open strings (GBE.) Now play the second string second fret, that becomes GC#E… which is Em6, but is also a C#dim triad. And if we look at the full 4 note chords: C# half dim (aka C#mb5) is C#EGB… which is also Em6! (EGBC#)
I sure hope that helps, and doesn’t cloud the waters too much!
A great resource here for chord and scale spelling:
https://www.jazzbooks.com/mm5/download/FREE-scale-syllabus.pdfAnd one for actually applying it to the guitar:
https://www.guitar-chord-finder.com/?analyzer=on
(Build a chord on the fretboard and hit the “inv” button- it will cycle through the different chord name possibilities!) -
Hi Alan,
This is a very well thought out post. The other aspect of these triads, and Brian touched on it, is that even two of the triad notes can imply a chord. That could be a power chord, harmonized 3rd or 6th, tritone, 6th, 7th or whatever and doesn’t even always require the root. That can be incredibly useful in rhythm or lead and why it is important to start to recognize intervals in and around these triad shapes.
Another thing that occurred to me this morning is that seeing the triad shapes within the pentatonic boxes can help orient you on the fretboard. Seeing how minor and minor 7th arpeggios connect these minor triads and run through the pentatonic boxes is another layer to the puzzle.
John -
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Hi Alan,
That is indeed very well thought out and explained.
I just wanted to bring one little “correction” to your explanation: when you spell a chord “G13” as opposed to “G6” you do indeed imply all lower chord tones, but they don’t all have to be there. They could be there, but don’t have to.
In fact, there is “rule” in classic and jazz that says that the 11th and the 13th are totally incompatible in the same voicing. -
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Nice post, Alan. Seeing the relationship of some of these enharmonic chords or partial chords has been enlightening for me in the last couple of years.
Another super useful relationship is the one between a major 7th chord and the iii minor chord (the minor chord 2 whole steps up). For example, in the key of C, we’ve got C major 7th, spelled C, E, G, B. Well, leave out the root of that chord and you’ve got your Em: E, G, B.
This is very cool, because it implies that anytime you are on a C chord in a progression in the key of C, you can play all your favorite Em licks or arpeggios and they will sound great. Similarly if you are on the F chord in a progression in the key of C, all your Dm stuff works. Probably one of the most common chord substitution tricks that can get you a little further down the road.
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