Extended chord

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Dominant thirteenth extended chord: C-E-G-B-D-F-A play. The upper structure or extensions, i.e. notes beyond the seventh, in red. Upper-structure triad.png
Dominant thirteenth extended chord: C–E–G–B♭–D–F–A play . The upper structure or extensions, i.e. notes beyond the seventh, in red.

In music, extended chords are tertian chords with notes beyond the seventh. Ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth chords are extended chords. [1] The thirteenth is the farthest extension diatonically possible as, by that point, all seven tonal degrees are represented within the chord. In practice, however, extended chords do not typically use all the chord members; when not altered, the fifth is often omitted, as are notes between the seventh and the highest note (i.e., the ninth is often omitted in an eleventh chord; the ninth and eleventh are usually omitted in a thirteenth chord), unless they are altered to give a special texture. [2] [3]

Contents

Chords extended beyond the seventh are rarely seen in the Baroque era and are used more frequently in the Classical era. The Romantic era saw greatly increased use of extended harmony. Extended harmony prior to the 20th century usually has dominant function – as V9, V11, and V13, or V9/V, V13/ii etc. [4]

Examples of the extended chords used as tonic harmonies include Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music" (either a dominant ninth or dominant thirteenth). [5]

History

Classical music

Fifteenth chord discussed by Marpurg as resulting from the addition of a ninth below a (dominant) seventh chord Play Fifteenth chord from Marpurg on A.png
Fifteenth chord discussed by Marpurg as resulting from the addition of a ninth below a (dominant) seventh chord Play

In the 18th century, ninth and eleventh chords were theorized as downward extensions of seventh chords, according to theories of supposition. [7]

In 1722, Jean-Philippe Rameau first proposed the concept that ninth and eleventh chords are built from seventh chords by (the composer) placing a "supposed" bass one or two thirds below the fundamental bass or actual root of the chord. [8] With the theoretical chord F–A–C–E–G–B the fundamental bass would be considered C, while the supposed bass would be F. [8] Thus the notes F and A are added below a seventh chord on C, C–E–G–B, triadically (in thirds). This is also referred to as the "H chord". [9]

The theory of supposition was adopted and modified by Pierre-Joseph Roussier, Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg, and other theorists. A. F. C. Kollmann, following Johann Kirnberger, adopted a simpler approach and one closer to that prevalent today, in which Rameau's "supposed" bass is considered the fundamental and the ninth and eleventh are regarded as transient notes inessential to the structure of the chord. [8] Thus F–A–C–E–G–B is considered a seventh chord on F, F–A–C–E, with G and B being nonchord tones added above triadically. [10]

Diatonic fifteenth chord on B that opens Franz Liszt's Ossa arida (1879), in, "a striking anticipation of twentieth-century harmonic experimentation". Play Fifteenth chord from Listz on B.png
Diatonic fifteenth chord on B that opens Franz Liszt's Ossa arida (1879), in, "a striking anticipation of twentieth-century harmonic experimentation". Play

In 19th century, the seventh chord was generally the upper limit in "chordal consonance", with ninth and eleventh chords being used for "extra power" but invariably with one or more notes treated as appoggiaturas. [7] The thickness of complete ninth, eleventh or thirteenth chords in close position was also generally avoided through leaving out one or more tones or using wider spacing (open position). [7]

Final chord of Arnold Schoenberg's Sechs kleine Klavierstucke, 2nd movement, in thirds: C-E-G-B-D#-F#-A#-C. Play Fifteenth chord from Schoenberg on C.png
Final chord of Arnold Schoenberg's Sechs kleine Klavierstücke , 2nd movement, in thirds: C–E–G–B–D♯–F♯–A♯–C DoubleSharp.svg . Play

In the 20th century, especially in jazz and popular music, ninth chords were used as elaborations of simpler chords, particularly as substitutes for the tonic triad at the end of a piece. [7] The "piling up" of thirds above the tonic to make seventh, ninth, eleventh, or even thirteenth chords "is one of the most important characteristics of jazz harmony". [7] Vítězslav Novák's student Jaroslav Novotný (1886–1918) used a fifteenth chord in the fourth song of his 1909 song cycle Eternal Marriage. [13]

Jazz and funk

Jazz from the 1930s onward, jazz fusion from the 1970s onward and funk all have been seen to use extended chords as a key part of their sound. In these genres, chords often include added ninths, elevenths and thirteenths as well as their altered variations. In jazz and jazz fusion, compositions consist of complex chord progressions in which many of the chords are extended chords and in which many of the dominant seventh chords are altered extended chords (e.g., A7add9♯11 or D7♭9♯11).

Funk also uses altered extended chords, but in this genre, pieces are usually based on a vamp on a single chord, because rhythm and groove are the key elements of the style. When extended chords are voiced in jazz or jazz fusion, the root and fifth are often omitted from the chord voicing, because the root is played by the bass player. [14]

Chord structure

Building on each of the major scale degrees the thirteenth chord chord quality that is harmonic to such scale (i.e. with all its notes belonging to such scale), results in the following table. The numbering is relative to the scale degree numbers of the major scale that has the major scale degree in question as tonic:

Chord rootChord quality135791113
IIM13♮♮♮♮♮♮♮
iiiim13♮♭♮♭♮♮♮
iiiiiim7♭9♭13♮♭♮♭♭♮♭
IVIVM13♯11♮♮♮♮♮♯♮
VV13♮♮♮♭♮♮♮
vivim7♭13♮♭♮♭♮♮♭
viioviiø7♭9♭13♮♭♭♭♭♮♭

Other thirteenth chord qualities do exist but they do not belong to any mode of the major scale.

From the table it is clear that adding an eleventh or a thirteenth makes the seven chord qualities distinguishable from each other, as without an eleventh added the I and IV chord quality would be identical, and without a thirteenth added the ii and vi chord quality would be identical.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Basic Music. Secretary of the Army. 1978.
  2. ↑ Latarski, Don (1982). An Introduction to Chord Theory: A Practical, Step by Step Approach to the Fundamentals of Chord Construction, Analysis, and Function. Alfred Music. ISBN   978-1-4574-6317-4.
  3. ↑ Schmidt-Jones, Catherine (2018-01-28). Understanding Basic Music Theory. 12th Media Services. ISBN   978-1-68092-154-0.
  4. ↑ Sarath, Ed (2013-07-04). Music Theory Through Improvisation: A New Approach to Musicianship Training. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-135-21527-9.
  5. ↑ Stephenson, Ken (2002). What to Listen for in Rock: A Stylistic Analysis. p.  83. ISBN   978-0-300-09239-4.
  6. ↑ Sheldon, David A. (1989). Marpurg, Friedrich Wilhelm (ed.). Marpurg's Thoroughbass and Composition Handbook: A Narrative Translation and Critical Study. Pendragon Press. p. 8. ISBN   9780918728555.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Sadie, Stanley, ed. (1980). "Ninth chord". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. vol. 13, p. 252. ISBN   1-56159-174-2.
  8. 1 2 3 Sadie, Stanley, ed. (1980). "Supposition". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. vol. 18, p. 373. ISBN   1-56159-174-2.
  9. ↑ "extended tertian harmony". music.red-carlos.com. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  10. ↑ Jazz Player. Dorn Publications, Incorporated. 1993.
  11. ↑ Arnold, Ben, ed. (2002). The Liszt Companion. Greenwood. p. 361. ISBN   9780313306891.
  12. ↑ Shawn, Allen (2003). Arnold Schoenberg's Journey. Harvard. p. 120. ISBN   9780674011014. Technically a fifteenth chord
  13. ↑ Schweiger, Dominik; Urbanek, Nikolaus (2009). webern_21. Böhlau Verlag Wien. p. 45. ISBN   9783205771654.
  14. ↑ "Chord Extensions 9ths, 11ths & 13ths | Extended Jazz Piano Chords". PianoGroove.com. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 2021-04-23.

Further reading

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