Today I was in a verbal scuffle. Someone disrespected the author of this blog. So he snapped back. Sometimes people don’t know you and take you for someone else. Sometimes you gotta show them who you are. Once, twice and maybe even a few more times you take their shit because you realize they’re sick, or going through some shit. Everyone goes through things though, and its not only them. So when you step onto a bear’s territory, you had better know where you stepped. There just might be some consequences that you just might not like.

photo by: Thomas Lefebvre

A Little Piece of Advice

You don’t have to use these chords, but they are so cool that you might have a hard time not using them. Even if you like power chords and don’t like the open chords too much these chords will give you a fresh new sound that your ears have never heard before. Sure some of you have heard these and used these quite a bit but some of you haven’t. Try them out, experiment with them, explore.

As an artist told me once as I asked her for advice on my drawing and painting abilities, she simply said…”the only thing I can tell you is to explore.”

Thats all she had to say to me and Ive been exploring the world of art and its techniques since then and I’m all the better for it.

I take that advice to music and the guitar as well.

You should too. The possibilities of sound using a single scale can be quite plentiful. Imagine if you knew the scale well and could do anything you want to it. Manipulate it at will without any effort because you’ve already put in your dues. You’ve studied with the guitar, you’ve studied without it and now you can produce any kind of emotion you’re looking to express. Wouldn’t that be cool?

Explore.

Lets talk a little about these chords.

Chords and Chord Tones

The scale of E Harmonic Minor

It has a raised 7th degree. E F# G A B C D# – the D# is raised up from D.

I simply added notes from the scale to a basic triad giving me all kinds of sounds Ive never used in a song before. You can do this for any key. Simply add notes of the scale to any triad and you have a chord extension. This adds a new kind of flavor to the chords, sort of like a new spice or hot sauce on your favorite steak. Personally I like my steaks with a little sweet on top.

Now lets look at the chord tones...

The first chord is a basic C Triad and has C E G.

D#o7 – D# F# A C

Em(maj7) – E B D# G

Em(maj7)add9 – E B D# B F#

F#o7 – F# A D# A C F#

F#half diminshed – F# C E A

G+ – G B D# G

G+add9 – G A D# G B G

G+add11 – G B D# G C

G+add 13 – G B D# G B E

Amadd9 – A E B C E – no 7

Am9 – A E B C G – contains the b7

Amadd11 – A D D E C

Amadd13 – A F# E C

B9 – B D# A D C# F# – this one comes from the Melodic Minor Scale so if you use this chord simply raise the 6th degree (the C) up a half step to C#. I included it because of its sound.

You could use B7b9 which would use C and still be able to use Harmonic Minor over it. That chord would be B D# A C F#

B7add11 – B E A D# F#

B11b9 – this is similar to B7b9 only it has an 11 as well – B E A D# F# C

Baddb9 – B E C D# F# – also similar but no 7 (the A)

B7#5 – B A D# G – the #5 (G) replace the 5 (F#)

B7addb13 – B F# A E G – this is similar to the #5 chord only it has an F# as well

D#dim7addb9 – D# A E F# C D#

Cmaj9 – C E B D G

Emadd9/C – C F# B E G

Cmaj7add13 – C G B E A

Chord Progression Possibilities

Amadd13 – Amadd11 – B11b9 – Em(maj7)

aka ivadd13 – ivadd11 – V11b9 – i(maj7) –

I give you the Roman Numerals so you can use this progression in any of the 12 minor keys.

Em(maj7) – Em(maj7)add9 – G+add13 – Cmaj9 – Cmaj7add13 – Baddb9 – B7#5 – Em(maj7)add9

aka i(maj7) – i(maj7)add13 – III+add13 – VImaj9 – VI(maj7)add13 – Vaddb9 – V7#5 – i(maj7)add9

See you real soon…