The chord extensions are always built from the major scale - regardless of which type of chord it is - even for minor 7 chords, V7 chords, and so on. The 6th of the scale is also the 13th = A. The 4th of the scale is also the 11th = F. The 2nd of the scale is also the 9th = D. So for a C7 chord, you’d walk up the notes of C major scale to find each extended note: To find the 9th, 11th, or 13th - just imagine a major scale running up from the chord’s root note. How do you figure out what the extended harmony notes are? Most chords are written as 7th chords - which makes it easy for the player to read at speed, and allows you, the pianist, to add chord extensions based on your own taste. In fact, most of the chords in a lead sheet will not specify to add chord extensions. You can add one, two, or all three chord extensions to any chord - whether or not it's written in the lead sheet's chord symbol.

These notes can be added to any of the 6 chord types we’ve looked at. ‘Chord extensions’ are the 9th, 11th and 13th - known as the 'extended harmony'. Only do this to a major 7 or minor 7 chord when it's the I chord.įREE RESOURCE: You can download my free ‘ Chord Symbol Reference Guide' which shows you ALL types of jazz chord on one page.

In fact, you can ‘reharmonize’ any song and play a 6th chord instead of the 7th chord that’s written. In each of these chords, the 6th is played instead of the 7th (not in addition to the 7th).Ħth chords function the same way as 7th chords, but they have a softer sound. There are just two types of 6th chord that exist - major 6 chords and minor 6 chords: In addition to these 7th chords, 6th chords are sometimes used in place of a 7th chord. Here are the 6 types of 7th chord which exist:Ĭ major 7 (C E G B), can be written as ‘ CΔ’, ' C maj 7’, ‘ C ma 7’.Ĭ minor 7 (C Eb G Bb), can be written as ‘ C-7’, ’ Cm7’, ’ C min 7’, ‘ C mi 7’.Ĭ dominant 7 (C E G Bb), written as ‘ C7’.Ĭ half-diminished (C Eb Gb Bb), written as ‘ Cø’, ‘ C min 7 b5’, ‘ C-7b5’.Ĭ diminished 7 (C Eb Gb A), written as ‘ C✧’Ĭ minor-major 7 (C Eb G B), written as ‘ C min Δ’, ‘ C-Δ’. At the bottom of it all, there’ll always be a simple type of 7th chord. Virtually all types of jazz chord boil down to a 7th chord at their core.Ĭhord extensions can always be added (9ths, 11ths, 13ths) but these are just decoration on top. The difference between 6th and 13th chords explained! ('C6' vs 'C13'). How to add chord extensions on top of these 6 chords (9ths, 11ths, 13ths). The 6 types of chord that jazz is made of. In jazz, there are just 6 types of chord that really exist, and every complicated-looking chord can be boiled down to one of these simple chords at its foundation:

Jazz piano chord charts