Simple Beginner Guitar Lessons - My First Steps to Learning Dominant Ninth Chords on the Guitar

The trick with learning guitar chords isToday's project will focus on the dominant ninth
understanding how they function in progressions;chords ...
you can know how to play fifty chords and notDominant ninth chord symbol: C9
be able to play one single song, whereas aDominant ninth chord construction formula :
guitarist who knows how to link two chords1-3-5-b7-9
together correctly can play many songs instantly!Musical application: most often used as a
Learning chord shapes from a chord book is a lostsubstitute for a dominant seventh chord, ninth
cause, you learn shapes but will never understandchords add more tension to the basic dominant
how they work in a chord progression, it's likeseventh chord family.
learning random words from a dictionary ... youEssentially the idea is ... the greater the tension in
know the visual shape of the words but can'tthe harmonic background the greater the impact
string them together to communicate yourthe release chord has on the listener.
message clearly.Step 1. select a major scale
Once you learn the basic chords on the guitarStep 2. using our chord construction formula
your ear will automatically start searching forextract the required notes.
more complex harmonies; in fact the whole ideaStep 3. locate the appropriate notes on the guitar
of playing good rhythm guitar is to strike afretboard.
balance between tension and release.Example in C major
Here is the equation for musical motion (write itC major scale : C-D-E-F-G-A-B-Cchord
down ... it's important!)tension + release = motionconstruction formula : 1-3-5-b7-9
The basic set of chords beginner guitar playersC9 = C-E-G-Bb-D
learn are: major, minor, augmented and diminishedExample in G major
chords.G major scale : G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-Gchord
The next type of chords to learn would be theconstruction formula : 1-3-5-b7-9
seventh chords: major seventh, minor seventh,G9 = G-B-D-F-A
dominant seventh chords; as these chords willExample in D major
give the guitarist chords that contain addedD major scale : D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-Dchord
tension.construction formula : 1-3-5-b7-9
Of course too much tension and we will have anD9 = D-F#-A-C-E
unsatisfactory musical result in the same way asExample in F major
too much release will send the audience to sleep.F major scale : F-G-A-Bb-C-D-E-Fchord
We're wanting to use tension to create elementsconstruction formula : 1-3-5-b7-9
of surprise and interest in our musicalF9 = F-A-C-Eb-G
performance, you may never have thought aboutBonus tip: If you find some of the chord shapes
music in these terms, however all your favoritedifficult to form on the fretboard remember you
songs have this neat balance of tension andcan always omit the fifth note of the chord
release that's why you like them!without losing the flavor of the ninth chord.
Onwards and upwards, the next set of chords toI invite you to use these tips and tools when you
learn are the ninth chords: major ninth, minor ninthplay the guitar.
and dominant ninth.