Let's go fellas. we need some more good chord voicings for the lesson section, some Steely Dan turn arounds or something for the chord junkies; namely me. One of the reasons I joined this forum was seeing the juicy knowledge being put in the lesson section by you two.

chords are everything

I take requests. Here's a minor bues in c, straight 12 bar form, one chord per measure:

C-9 - C-9 - C-9 - C7#9#5
F-9 - F-9 - Db13 - Db13
Abmaj9 - Ebmaj7 - D7#9 - G7#9#5

Here is an alternate turn-around for the last two bars: each chord for 2 beats -
C7#9 - D-11 - Ab13 - G7/6, resolve back to c minor. It's a major turnaround in a minor key. I snagged it from Robben Ford. Keep a Bb (the 9th) on top of the Ab13 and a G on top of the G7/6. Voice the D-11 like this from high to low: AFCGD.
Hope you like these, - KL

Thankyou, I just wish I could play guitar at work. Are those first 3 chords C minor 9, or just c9?

chords are everything

Yes, the dash (-) in C-9 indicates that it's minor. Whenever I play a minor blues (or a tune like the old R&B staple "Smiling Faces"), I like to have some harmonic movement when the chord is static for 2 or 4 bars. Here's a typical move in C minor:


E ---10----10-----10----10--
B ---8-----10-----11----10--
G ---8-----10-----12----10--
D ---8-----10-----13----10--
A --------------------------
E --------------------------


Steely Dan might dress it up something like this:


E --3----5-----6----6--
B --4----6-----6----6--
G --3----5-----7----5--
D ---------------------
A --3----5-----6----5--
E ---------------------


To expound on that - for this example, the numbers in (parentheses) indicate notes that are played by the first & third fingers utilizing hammer ons & pull offs, while the other notes are still ringing. You can have your first finger in position on the G string, or just use a full barre.


E ---------------------------------------------------------------------
B --4------------6------------8------------6-----------8----11-----11--
G --3(2 - 3)-----5(3 - 5)-----7(5 - 7)-----5(3 - 5)------8----10-----10--
D -----------------------------------------------------8----12-----10--
A --3------------5------------6------------5---------------------------
E -----------------------------------------------------8----11-----10--


Try transposing those ideas to the IV minor chord (F minor). Here's a move over the IV chord that moves back to the I chord. BTW, if you examine the diatonic harmony, you'll see that some rules were broken - it's cool, Becker & Fagen made a career out of breaking the rules.


E -----------------------------
B --1-----3-----4-----6-----8--
G --1-----3-----3-----5-----8--
D --1-----3-----5-----7-----8--
A -----------------------------
E --1-----3-----4-----6-----8--


The first C minor chord here has the 9th on top, but what makes it sound cool is the cluster of the b3rd & 4th. This voicing also subs nicely for its relative Eb major 7. The second voicing is for C minor 11.


E --10--------13--
B --11--------11--
G --10--------8---
D --13--------8---
A --10--------10--
E ------------8---

Thanks guys, that'll keep me from doing my wife's list of things to do for tonight.

chords are everything

Not to mention that C minor7 or C minor9 can be used as a sub for F9 and F13 respectively. It's a little on the jazzy side but you can make it work in lots of musical contexts. Try all that stuff over a static F9 or F13 funk/jazz vamp. Don't focus on the lower 'C' and 'G' notes in the voicings. This opens up a whole new world for improv as well because you can solo in C minor(dorian) too. Just keep in mind that the vamp is an F dominant chord so "home" is gonna be F.