How To Remember Larger Extended Chords

What Are Chords?

Chords are defined as a combination of tones which blend harmoniously when sounded together.

Three toned chord is called a triad. Read more about The Three Primary Chords

Four toned chord is a seventh. Read about Voicing 7th Chords

Five toned chord a ninth. Check out my post on The 9th Chord

Six toned chord an eleventh.

Eleventh chords are a lot easier to remember, especially if you know your seventh chord. The easiest way to think of this chord is the Major chord + the "5" dominant seventh chord. In the key of C major, this is simply C major (C-E-G) under a G7 (because G is the fifth tone of the C major scale. Use its dominant chord, which is G7). So, C maj + G7 = Cmaj11 (CEGBDF)

Formula for Remembering Eleventh Chords

Major eleventh: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11

Minor eleventh: 1 + b3 + 5 + b7 + 9 + 11 

(Cmin11: C Eb G Bb D F)

Dominant eleventh: 1 + 3 + 5 + b7 + 9 + 11 

(C11 : CEGBDF)

Dominant:

The dominant eleventh is identical to the dominant minor except for one change.

Major chord +b7 major chord = Dominant eleventh chord.

Instead of playing a minor chord at the bottom (like you did with this min11 chord, simply play a regular major triad. In  C major, this is Cmaj (C E G) under Bbmaj (Bb D F). Basically, 2 major triads stacked on top of each other. C11 =  Cmaj + Bbmaj

Seven toned chord a thirteenth. Finding Thirteenth Chords on Keyboard

The formulas for the three thirteenth chords:

Major thirteenth: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13

Cmaj13: C E G B D F

The major seventh chord + 2 major chord = Major 13th chord.

Example: Key of C, C maj7 (CEGB) under Dmaj (DFA).

All played together (CEGBDFA) create a Cmaj13 chord.

Minor thirteenth: 1 + b3 + 5 + b7 + 9 + 11 + 13

Cmin13: C Eb G Bb D F A

Min seventh chord + 2 major chord = minor 13th chord.

Example: Key of C, Cmin7 (C Eb G Bb) under Dmaj (D F A).

Cmin13 = C Eb G Bb D F A (Cmin7 + Dmaj)

Dominant thirteenth: 1 + 3 + 5 + b7 + 9 + 11 + 13

C13: C E G B D F A

Dominant seventh chord + 2 major chord + Major thirteenth chord.

Example: Key of C, this is C7 (C E G Bb) under Dmaj (D F A)

C13 = C E G Bb D F A

Either way, play C on your left hand while playing a Bbmaj7 on your right hand.

L.H. / R.H.

C / BbDFA

This produces the same sound as a 13th chord, just without the third and fifth present. Notice the Bb is the 7th of C... the D is the 9th... the F is the 11th... and the A is the 13th.

Other Posts on Chords:

Quartal and Quintal Chords

You'll find lots of information to chord study in a music theory handbook available for purchase, 300pg Piano By Ear Home Study Course

photo credit: The Music Man via photopin (license)
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Blessings,






"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Finding Thirteenth Chords On The Keyboard

Image via Wikipedia

Of all the common chords, thirteenths are the biggest - and the hardest to visualize on the keyboard. Any given type of thirteenth, for example, makes twelve different visual patterns of black and white keys, one for each root along the chromatic scale. Each pattern, of course, can be individually memorized. But such learning by rote is tedious. Here's an easier way to learn thirteenth chord patterns, a way that requires only the recognition of Major and minor thirds or the recognition of Major and minor triads.

* Major and Minor Third Recognition

White key Major thirds always enclose two black keys; white key minor thirds enclose only one. Example: Major 3rds F to A, C to E, G to B and Minor 3rds: B to D, A to C, E to G, D to F

Black key Major thirds always enclose another black key; black key minor thirds do not.
M 3rd: Gb to Bb and mi 3rd: Eb to Gb and Bb to Gb

Black and white key Major thirds always enclose two white keys; black and white key minor thirds enclose only one. M 3rds (white over black): Db to F, Ab to C, Eb to G, Bb to D. Then we have M 3rds (black over white): D to F#, A to D#, E to G#, B to D#

mi 3rds (black over white) F to Ab, C to Eb, G to Bb and (white over black) Gb to A, Db to E, Ab to B

* Thirteenth Chord Structures

Alternate letters along the musical alphabet specify chord components above the root. As the next example shows, thirteenth chords contain all seven:
1 3 5 7 9 11 13
C E G B D F A

Here's an easier way to learn thirteenth chord patterns. Just spot the Major and minor triads.

* The Model Thirteenth Chord Types

Among all the types of thirteenth chords, three predominate. The first type, the Major thirteenth (#11), alternates Major and minor thirds upward:
CM 13(11#) = C to E (M3), E to G (m3), G to B (M3), B to D (m3), D to F# (M3), F# to A (m3)

The second type, the minor thirteenth, alternates minor and Major thirds upward, just the reverse of the first, Cm13:
C to Eb (m3), Eb to G (M3), G to Bb (m3), Bb to D (M3), D to F (m3) and F to A (M3)

The third type, the Dominant thirteenth(#11), groups its inner thirds in orderly pairs. It encloses two successive minors then two successive Majors between its bottom Major and its top minor: Major, minor-minor, Major-Major, minor. C13 (11#):
C to e (M3), E to G (m3), G to BB (m3), Bb to D (M3), Gb to A (m3)

So the three types also look like stacked triads: Major-Major-Major, minor-minor-minor and Major-minor-Major. Altered notes produce additional types. and there's a way to find all the possible thirteenth chords types. Either position of the third (Major or minor) combines with any position of the fifth (Perfect, augmented, or diminished) to yield six types. Then, mixing in various positions of the seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth multiplies the number of possible types to more than two hundred! lol

I highly recommend the 300 page course book to you. Jermaine Griggs of HearandPlay.com
has a great theory instructional book for you that you will want to have and refer to it often.
Music Theory book

All the best,
~ LadyD