5 Chords EVERYONE Plays (And You Should Too)

[@Dericulus]

Snobs: "These voicings are lame. Everybody's heard these 1000 times." Adam: "So What?" The Converted: "You right."

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@bret6484]

@@reggaefan2700 generally speaking, anywhere a 7th chord can be played (whether major, minor or dominant) a ninth chord could take its place and vice versa. There are times when specifying which one is useful, but most of the time calling something a seventh chord is enough to imply that more extensions are possible.

[@rillloudmother]

if you make them 4 note voicings these are used on guitar all the time.

[@lospopularos]

@@reggaefan2700 In classical music, yes. But this is jazz, libertine music, you do what you please as long as it pleases others, you call chords what you want, some people even call them "so what" chords.

[@lancejones6465]

So what!!! LOLOLOL

[@raycharles1796]

The Maj7 voicing is called "So What"-Chord (three fourths with a maj 3rd on top), made popular by Bill Evans in the "'amen' response figure" to the head of the Miles Davis tune "So What".

[@dereklarsen]

and all this time i thought it was Herbie. thanks. for posting

[@GreggOliverBass]

you know your business, sir

[@AlanBlackman]

Diminished scales are symmetrical and the chords derived from them are as well. So, voicings can be transposed up or down in minor 3rds. Also, it's a 3 for 1 deal: any voicing for say a C dim7 chord also works for Eb-Gb-Adim7 chords as well!

[@mjazzguitar]

I used to do that on guitar with those: instead of looking for the root, I'd find the nearest diminished chord with one of those notes in it.

[@dereklarsen]

Adam Maness is a Genius Educator, and virtuoso pianist. So Grateful for Open Studio content. All geniuses in my book. Attention Serious Musicians These Guys Are The Real Deal! Great Stuff!! VALUABLE!!

[@Notamusicianfr]

As a saxophone major. These videos help me so much so I can play the harmony and have a deeper connection to the music. Thank you!

[@OpenStudioJazz]

🎷👊

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@gidikalchhauser]

@@reggaefan2700 you can call them whatever you want if it helps you think about them and employ them beneficially. the consensus is, though: "7th chord" is a category of chords - a sound category like "triad" or "interval". 9, 11 & 13 (whether altered or not) are considered extensions to chords that add color without redefining the sound completely.

[@bigaaron]

Man as someone who plays a one note at a time type instrument, it really opened my eyes to whats going on in the rest of the group looking at scores and trying to learn a little keyboard. It all makes more sense now 😊

[@gabrielbotsford791]

I agree, great content for non-pianist jazz musicians

[@Hitsko]

3:56 Major / minor (A) 4:20 Major / minor (B) 6:52 Dominant (A) 7:00 Dominant (B) 11:10 Min7b5 (A) 11:28 Min7b5 (B) 12:52 Dim (A) 13:32 Inversions of the diminished

[@jaijeffcom]

Fabulous. I was aware of (most of) these voicings, but I can't pull them out instantly over just any changes. Now, a nice bounded enumeration of them along with a practical etude. In my daily practice routine now until I access all of them habitually. Thanks!

[@BluesImprov]

Amazing isn't cliche. . .This is why I find it hard to talk with other musicians. They seem to just have a need to find a way to denigrate something musically to show some special sophistication that THEY have but that most others don't. I only enjoy talking about music with non-musicians because they don't have that need to impress me with some special knowledge or understanding that only THEY have. If something sounds great, it's not cliche. . .It's GREAT!

[@MomLAU]

Wow--I hope _I'm_ not like that! (Professionally, I'm a church pianist, but I also do other types of music for fun (and I'm also learning guitar) and hope to pursue these other genres more on a professional level when I retire from my data entry job, whenever that may be.) I can't stand snobbish attitudes and I try not to have one.

[@cooperbeats-v4o]

They are just pandering to you and thinking you are the bourgeoisie like the virtuoso snobs

[@puzzzzzzy7476]

​@@MomLAUthere's a balance between improving your skill with complicated technique and implementing them at the right time and keeping it simple, it's all about the attitude tho if you're a humble musician I wouldn't worry but the people who are trying to be the "best musician" and just flex strait complex impressive music can take away from the groove by trying to be "the best" but the groove is half the music and it's best simple

[@musinKanto]

Release the snob in you. It’s liberating! 😆

[@johnalewisjazzmusic]

Yep for sure I’ve heard Keith Jarrett play a simple triad and wow.

[@sammusic7537]

13:50 because a diminished chord is symmetrical in four ways and there are (at least) 4 different keys where you can play the same diminished chord instead of a dominant chord, you can always play the root note of the dominant chord of the key where you are in, with the diminished chord. And you can do that in four keys so that’s why you can play 4 different voicings of the same diminished chord. Is that a good explanation?

[@zachstennes2569]

These work very well on guitar (probably because of the tuning being in fourths)

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@tjprosper7704]

​@reggaefan2700 It can be confusing, but in jazz harmony, it's common to notate chords as just 7ths. This shows all the tonal information you need to know the chord quality. The extensions you add from there are a matter of taste and don't usually change the function of the chord (ie: 9, #9, 11, 13 b13 etc). That's how I view it anyway!

[@johnd.4536]

C half diminished (Eb mi6 with 6th in bass) is an Ab 7 add 9 with 3rd in bass or Dalt with 7th in bass. Add F natural 1/2 step below Gb makes an Eb mi 6/9 with 6th in bass which is a 5 note voicing which can be played with all 5 fingers of one hand. Played chromatically descending alternates a 7th #11 and an Alt chord in circle of fourths or ascending in circle of fifths.

[@0601989m]

Exactly what I need right now. Adam's presentation is stellar. The jazz gods must have special leather on order for his sandals by now.

[@cursedswordsman]

wut?

[@OpenStudioJazz]

🤣

[@leifbaker2302]

This was so useful! For as long as I’ve played jazz, diminished and half diminished chords have always been a challenge for me. I never had anyone show me how to voice those chords. Now I have something to practice :)

[@jegoy68]

Yes, I've heard that a million times...and been desiring to do that...and nobody ever got to explain it until the great Adam Maness!!! THANK YOUUUUUUUU!!!! 🙂

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Boom🙏

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@kookoo275]

@@reggaefan2700 the natural 9 can be added to any chord without changing its quality. If it's a sharp or flat 9 it does change the sound, so that's why those are usually explicitly written out. The guide tones (third and seventh) are the only notes that matter for determine the quality of a chord (besides accidentals like flat 5, sus4 etc)

[@scrat8177]

they function the same@@reggaefan2700

[@justie1220]

I watch your shorts religiously. This is my first time catching a long form video. If this video is representative of the content that is in your courses, I may be purchasing content from you guys. This is a well put together video and even though it’s basic jazz chord structure, I still found myself learning things that I can use when playing!

[@TimSmolens]

Amazing. Some of the best voicing I have seen. Thx for sharing.

[@DrIIGerMusic]

Like how you take your time with that, and assist the learning process. Fantastic pro voicing of course

[@normbellas1933]

Very nicely presented Adam. It is accessable for all levels. You offered direct access to the material if desired, but touched briefly and tastfully on the theroretical backstory if someone wished to make the effort to grasp the whole picture. Commendable educational effort on your part.

[@RogerLato2]

Another essential and straight to the point vídeo. Thank you!

[@markbai]

An absolute clear, warm and quality lesson to me, much appreciated Adam.

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Thanks, Mark.👊

[@fabiancosster8848]

man you are a very good teacher because you teach which kind of chord to use by playing a jazz standard before i had a lot of problem which kind of chord to use the system who helped me a lot is you magic voicing system man god bless you forever long

[@shreddaily101]

This is exactly what I needed in my practice right now. Thanks Adam!

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Awesome! Happy practicing.

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@New_in_jazz]

The same! 🙋

[@malcolmzackery3099]

This is so useful and well taught Adam! I love the demonstration you did at the end to get a feel on how to use delicious cookie cutter chords! Thanks!!

[@craiglacour8887]

The best Jazz Channel to me.

[@RalphBrooker-gn9iv]

Open Studio. Such an excellent on line source.

[@dad_breams]

Videos like this get me so hyped on music theory . Thanks open studio

[@Keyano_keys]

I've been trying to work on quartal voicings. Thanks for the video

[@tylerburch8249]

a code to interpret midi and output animating the keys onscreen would help musicians who are less familiar with written notation (many are, especially amateurs and children). i have other ideas for your videos' graphics, but i really appreciate your channel's no-nonsense style of teaching music. expanding your audience to include more variety of musicians would be my biggest suggestion, and i'd love to help out if you'd like.

[@mobychuck]

I haven't read all the comments, but as far as I scrolled down I didn't see anyone commenting on your fingering the left hand voicings with your 5th and 2nd fingers. Perhaps that's because you want your thumb available for three-note voicings in your left hand. I've found it handy to have both 2 and 3-note LH quartal-based voicings in my tool kit. Love your videos, whether solo or with Peter Martin. Keep them coming.

[@barryoverstreet4876]

Not only is this great content, but everybody KNOWS Cookie Monster is the coolest motherplucker on the fanet...... Janet. Love it! ❤🎉😊

[@NathanBloch]

I’ve been looking for some solid two handed voicing a for basic chords. This video was perfect. Thanks!

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Glad we could help!

[@frequencymanipulator]

Can we take a moment to appreciate the quality content, WITH PDF, with only a mild request to explore paid services? I found you guys on the shorts, but I am now back practising my skills. If I were to pay for some extra content, I'm sure I would look to you guys first.

[@kilogreene8738]

Both of my Jazz piano and jazz theory courses took place at the height of the pandemic and lockdown so when we covered these chords I was never able to get the context that they're rootless lol the root pedal tone trick was all i needed to actually here these chords properly 😂

[@Dano62680]

About the diminished chord and it's 3 other shapes: As seen in the video... you can create a new diminished chord using any note of the chord as bass. For example, a diminished chord starting on C. Form another starting on E flat. Form another starting on G flat, Form another starting on A.

[@geraldmorganjr.4927]

The diminished voicings are technically a dominant 7 flat mine with a different bass note. Ex. The Bb dim was a C7 with a flat 9 with a Bb in the bass. C7b9/Bb

[@markfeatherstone9365]

This stuff is a bit beyond me… but I know it’s gold.. sounds so nice thanks

[@milo5147]

With the diminished inversions he is always using the fourth of the second note from low to high. It is whole-half scale harmonization

[@jamesg3475]

Sweet music to my ears...&...hands...thanks for the overview and your time and efforts to share....AND Adam....thanks for music without an agenda. (Because what a perversion of the beauty of music that would be😥). A beautiful explanation and introduction to the magnificence of sound. Thankyou 😉

[@CharlesAustin]

Pentatonics every other note .. G pent/C etc..Gbpent/C7 etc.. awesome outline ..

[@djshmul1]

Thanks for this format , please make it more

[@omarreroch]

This is great!!! Beatiful those colors.

[@paulward1586]

Adam, great content and beautifully and hilariously presented. One thing I love about your playing is your touch on these chords - very strongly, uniformly played. Adds to the strength and vibe of the chords!

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@Marc.22.]

@@reggaefan2700 Yes, but when writing chord names and symbols in a tune, if the extension (9th, 11th, 13th) isn't essential to the sound, we don't write it down. This way it can be read faster and the player can decide which extensions and alterations to play.

[@martinlehfeldt5514]

Thanks!

[@OpenStudioJazz]

🙏 Thanks!

[@Sneaky_Monkey_]

As usual, many thanks for the great lessons Adam!! :)

[@OpenStudioJazz]

My pleasure!

[@maloneycraig]

I like that emotion in motion funk version in the background.

[@OpenStudioJazz]

That's an on-the-fly Peter Martin original arrangement btw

[@olanrewajuadagba1291]

Thank you Adams. This sounds were always in my mind but I do not know the combination of notes that make this sound. Wow thank you so much.

[@matiquielma]

Super useful!! I really got a dopamine hit when you put the miles davis easter as I heard that as soon as you played the voicing the first time but thought oh well maybe its just similar haha

[@johncostigan6160]

Diminished chords are "Symmetrical"! They rotate nicely. Thanks for the pdf Adam, I'm going to inject it into my DNA. NOTE: I saw Mccoy Tyner twice and he didn't play any of these chords; He played ALL of them!

[@MilkMuscles]

Loving the video production along with the musical knowledge as well of course 👏

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Much appreciated!

[@hocheelin5599]

Thanks, this has been one of the most helpful videos. Very useful for my level of play

[@dpwaldman3145]

This video is hitting me like a lightning bolt from music heaven! What a great bridge of concepts to inspire forward commitment and joy!

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@Padrelio]

Another good option for "m7b5" is 1 b5 - 7 9 11. Widely used by Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock.

[@skattman11]

this guy is great ... proposing nice exercises and patterns ... thanks Mr. Gregg

[@louisfrere5543]

So useful ! Thanks very much

[@ericsabo9887]

Yes! Can you do a similar video with your go-to L.H. only rootless voicings please! This is so clear and concise. TYVM!

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@Erschophone]

@@reggaefan2700 You certainly are insistant with your silly question!

[@reggaefan2700]

@@Erschophone What silly question was that?

[@jelani2369]

I just love this channel.

[@DrIIGerMusic]

Super duper !! Killer no cookie cutter

[@colorfulwater5070]

Thank you so much! This was so clear and was a piece I was missing.

[@bigbadbillb]

Listen to Thelonious Monk. He used chords that probably sound weird to most people....but they WORKED!!!

[@bsorryrthatsit7055]

I'm on guitar and liked this lesson.

[@davidblanc458]

lucky me I wondered what it was for yrs. I know 6/9 chords but not in that open fourth order, never could guess by ear how it sounded so idk "Vegas in the 1960's" like. So thanks a lot! edit: also min 7 in open fourths is like old TV shows like hawaii five-o if I'm right

[@kojoamponsahefah7027]

That chord structure is called So What chords. From Miles Davis So What

[@kojoamponsahefah7027]

Structure is 3 4ths and a 3rd on the top. Similar to quartal voicing

[@doctorwillie2520]

Great! Thanks so much, Adam!

[@doug6868]

great lesson Adam!

[@colinpang15]

In Diminishedland, ˚7th chords minor thirds apart are inversions of each other.

[@nezkeys79]

13:46 They're just major chords with a root note a semitone higher? That's what made them easy to play for me. For example ... B/C D/Eb F/Gb Ab/A Obviously you can see the notes on both sides of the slash spell out diminished chords (from top to bottom) and are a minor 3rd apart. Even more interestingly if you take both of those it essentially spells out a Cdim7 superimposed on top of a Bdim7. Extending this further to include the one diminished chord not used in the above example you can see the slash chord you're playing can be found anywhere going horizontally if you extended this up the full chromatic scale... B/C/Db D/Eb/E F/Gb/G Ab/A/Bb That what you wanted to hear? BTW I'm not sure if this has any meaning but going diagonally in that grid produces a wholetone scale

[@petegreenwood2793]

Lovely lesson Adam!

[@TheNemesisProject]

Great video! I’ve been a classical / rock keyboardist most of my life and just recently getting into jazz. Beautifully explained and has helped me tremendously. Thank you!

[@New_in_jazz]

Wow! Amazing. Thank you very much Adam. This is what I need now 😍

[@PJRII]

Fantastic! Thanks so much.

[@MrFedemoral]

the humor leveled up a lot your vids adam!, more enjoyable than ever

[@d8gk35d2s]

Great lesson! Thank you! Nice ear training too for a guitarist ;) Thanks for arpeggiating

[@gustavogastelum9024]

I loved this lesson. Really appreciated. For me are advanced not cookie cutters at all 😅.Besides the beautiful sounding voicings mostly created in fourth etc, is there any reason why the minor ones are the only containing the root?

[@OpenStudioJazz]

No real reason other than that was the structure I chose for the minor7th. Thanks!

[@lancejones6465]

First class video - thank you

[@ganjarulez009]

The bill evans „so what“ voicing :D

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Exactly

[@paulrhodesquinn]

Love this! I like to think of these diminished voicings as a 7th with b9 so for the Diminished 7 starting on Eb in the bass - I'm thinking of that as the b9 of with D7 on top (bottom up - b9 5 R 3 b7) so D7 with the b9 on the bottom if that makes sense, then transposed up in minor 3rds. Helps me to see the notes better! 🎹😀

[@reggaefan2700]

Hello Open Studios. If you're playing the 9, can the chord still be viewed as a 7th? Isn't it a 9th chord at this point?

[@777leviandades]

lovely, thanks for this

[@kencory2476]

The "So What" chord also comes from the standard tuning of the guitar.

[@kaldenorr-bills5506]

4:25 as a guitarist, i felt that

[@MrIsaknb]

Thanks, great video, as always from this channel👌

[@EduardoSposito-e4y]

Great master Adam!!!! THANKS A LOT!!!!!😊😊😊😊

[@oriomenoni7651]

Does the harmony starting from 17:42 belong to "Stompin' At The Savoy"?

[@phly23]

Thanks Adam, such a great energy and lesson

[@emuhanna]

Love you guys. Keep bringing it!

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Will do.

[@catalystdrums123]

I love these voicings. Thanks for sharing the PDF. I noticed though that the PDF has sharp 5's notited as flat 6's much of the time, and sharp 9's as minor 3rds. Thats pretty confusing, although it might make the reading easier.

[@mem1gui]

My jazz teacher always had issues with "#5" in charts, that it should really be b13 most of the time. I agree that #9 should be notated #9. IMHO, they should be notated functionally. b6 and b3 as you mention are probably because of the software used, unfortunately.

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

I was able to do all of this on guitar! And I tune my guitar in all fourths

[@JuissB]

Is it E A D G C F then ?

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

@@JuissB yes

[@dr.strawberry5773]

@@insidejazzguitar8112 sounds amazing might try

[@henryd2537]

Haven't seen anyone address the diminished chord inversion question: you just move that voicing up a minor 3rd, since diminished chords are built on minor 3rds

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Bingo.

[@glockensurreal7523]

@@OpenStudioJazz I thought about it and all the notes you used build the whole- half diminished scale, I didn't really understand that chord or that scale very well until this video. The way I'm thinking about it is using the major 9 in front of each inversion of the chord moving up in minor thirds.

[@rogerball6265]

As a guitarist is great to see how a pianist looks at these chords. Opens doors ....

[@dmytropashynskyi]

A lot of thanks! It's wonderful!

[@Observation001]

Awesome lesson!! I’m going to eat some cookies and practice!🍪🎶

[@georgesember9069]

I’ll try to use these, with some adjustments, on guitar.

[@MattG1027]

I don't play piano and am a novice at music theory, so pardon the ignorant question, but why at @3:58 do those chord degrees (?) seam "out of order"? Like I just assume the 13 is always higher than the 9, which is always higher than the 7, but it doesn't seem that way how you named them. What am I getting wrong?

[@dragolov]

Thank you, Maestro!

[@HenryNewbury]

These vids are SO great, thanks a bundle! ☺️🎹

[@AnonymousCustomer-q3k]

I’ve barely done any ear training but is it just me or are some of those chords near the end (dominant 7 alt) oddly reminiscent of Oscar Peterson Baubles Bangles and Beads? That came immediately to mind but not sure if I’m crazy or not

[@stevemiller6321]

1.) I will try this on the opening phrase of Till There Was You. 2.) How does one blend these fourth voicings with a 3 - 7 shell in the left hand?

[@stmserio]

Love the polychord aspect to each chord … thanks Adam 👍

[@grampiano]

Thank you very much, its very useful and interesting material for me!

[@tyronnhamilton254]

Excellent video and I agree.. thanks for the enlightenment… What was the name of the second example at the beginning of this video?

[@OpenStudioJazz]

That was Miles Davis' "Solar". Thanks for watching.

[@jefframey9561]

Love your vids, and this channel

[@OpenStudioJazz]

Thanks so much!