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29/11/2003 9:50 pm
I am wondering if inversions of extended chords are possible. Example: Cmaj9 C-E-G-B-D inverted= E-G-B-D-C. Is this something worth studying? Thanks
30/11/2003 1:54 am
Any chord can be inverted.
In terms of practicality for the guitar, let's separate playing technique into plectrum (pick) and classical (fingerstyle).
In plectrum, when you get into extended chords you're probably choosing which note to leave out; a 13th chord has 7 notes, and you've only got 6 strings. Most chord voicings will have four notes... you want the ones that best characterize the chord.
Once you've got the notes picked out (called the chord voicing), then you pick which voice, or note, will be the highest one.
You don't have the full range of choices available for inversions, since you're usually leaving out at least one note from an extended chord, but you've got inversions from each of the partial chords.
Classical style allows even more room to play around, as you can skip strings. (Yeah, I know all about hybrid picking styles... trust me, you've got more flexibility when you don't have one finger tied up anchoring the other side of the pick!). This allows you more room between any two chord tones than you generally have with plectrum... more choices means more complexity, more stuff to learn.
If I were you, I'd pick about four voicings for each chord type and master them before worrying about learning all the possible inversions, though!
Tom
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Topic starter
02/12/2003 1:57 am
Along these lines, if you haven't already, you may want to put some time into studying the chords within a chord concept. This may help you come up with some interesting voicings of inversions.
For example, a Cmaj9 contains an Em7 chord and a G chord. Knowing the triads and sevnth chords that are built from each chord tone in any given chord will serve to increase your vocabulary of voicings, extensions, etc.
The greater the extension, the more triads are present in the chord.
Take a 13 chord for example. Though you wouldn't, and couldn't, play all of these notes on the guitar, a major13 chord theoretically consists of the
1-3-5-7-9-11-13, all of the tones of any major scale. So, within this one extended chord are seven different triads (and sets of extensions!). Combining triads could lead to some really exciting voicings...
But... While this can lead to some seriously glorious harmonic creations, it can get confusing and overwhelming. Tom had a great suggestion, mastering a handful of voicings and then tackling the deep stuff.
Best, Mark