Intro
Learning Jazz chords may be overwhelming. The guide tones technique
provides a simple framework to get you started.
It requires you to learn six 3-finger shapes (three shapes where the root is on the 6th string
and similarly three where the root is on the 5th sting).
Then you learn how to add "color". Read on!
Step 1: no 5th
Forget the 5th of the chord. Thanks to it being so present in the harmonic series, the
5th is kinda already in the air as a harmonic of the root.
Step 2: memorize 3rds and 7ths
Some people claim all you need in a Jazz chord is root (to know which chord we mean),
third (defines major or minor) and a "tension" or a "color" note.
That's fine if all your color is 7s. But we want more than that, say a 9th.
In this case if you skip the 7th and play root, 9th and major 3rd, it's not clear if the chord is dominant
or major. So... memorize the 7s in addition to the 3rds.
Three chord types
This technique concerns major, minor and dominant chords. Augmented... you're on your own.
Diminished... you're on your own with the fully diminished. The half-diminished are covered, since
they are minor chords with flat 5 "color".
The three shapes with the root on the 6th
Major
Let's take a look at the Gmaj7 (aka G▵7) chord.
As you see the root G is on the 6th string, the major 7 (F♯) is played on the 4th string and the major 3rd
(the note B) is on the 3rd string.
As with all things guitar you can move this shape up and down the neck to get F▵7, A♯▵7 and so on.
Dominant
The difference between a major and dominant is the major 7 interval vs the flat 7. So here's G7:
Minor
The minor has flat 7 and flat 3. Here's Gm7 (aka G-7)
Note about colors: in this exercise the root is always going to be black, the minor 3rd is blue (it's sad, no?),
the major 3 is green (go! Positive!), the flat 7 is brown and major 7 is purple (I forgot why, but I'm almost positive
I thought of some logic). Next come the "color" notes. Always red. (Hot! Spicy!)
Step 3: add spice
The last and final step is to add one more note: it's one of 9, 11, 13, ♭9, ♯9, ♭5 or ♯5.
How do you remember those? Well you know the fifth (Black Sabbath!), so sharp and flat 5 are around it.
9 is always a step up (second + an octave), so if the chord is G, the 9th is A. Sharp and flat 9 are around it.
(For 11 and 13 you figure it out.) The spice/color/tension notes are played on the 2nd and 1st strings.
All the majors and their colors
G▵7♭5
G▵7♯5
G▵13
G▵9
Note that there's no 11, nor flat 9, nor sharp 9. Not in major 7 chords. Ask your guitar teacher why not.
Hint: too much tension for a "home" chord.
All the dominants and their colors
G7♭5
G7♯5
G13
G7♭9
G9
F7♯9 (sorry, I ran out of frets to do the G!)
Finally, all the minors
Gm11
Gm7♭5
Gm7♯5
Gm13
Gm9
Rinse and repeat with the root on the 5th string
Hey! You! You know what to do!
Note that the thirds are closer now, just a 3rd apart, as opposed to octave and a third as the case
was when the root is on the 6th string.
Major
C▵9
C▵7♭5
C▵7♯5
C▵13
Dominant
C7♭9
C9
C7♯9 (Yey, the Jimi chord! Foxey!)
C7♭5
C7♯5
C13
Minor
Cm9
Cm11
Note: only 9 and 11 here. The fingering is not too comfy for the rest.
Go and practice!
Here's some more info about
guide tones.
My favorite part: "In any circle of fifths progressions (including ii–V–I and iii–vi–ii–V) the guide tones move by step".
Mind: blown! Like in ii-V-I the 3rd of the ii is the same note as the 7th of the V. And the 7th of the ii moves by step to become
the 3rd if the V. Wowzers!