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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!)
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