Altered Chords

[@solenelle]

Great work! Thank you for video. A small correction: Dominant chords are not altered. They are in the key that they will resolve. C7 is not in the key of C, it's in the key of F. There's no sharp 13 because that'd be the dominant 7th.

[@keyboardtips8715]

Thanks for the comment. But wouldn't the C7 be altered relative to the C major scale? So it will be a C sharp 13 in C but a C7 in F. But will call it C7 in general. I hope you understand

[@solenelle]

@@keyboardtips8715 The C7 chord although has a note that doesn't exist in C scale, is unaltered because it's derived from the unaltered state of F major scale. Bb is a tonicization to the key of F when used in C. Same way G7 chord is derived from C major scale, only built on the 5th scale degree. (Just like F isn't altered in a G7 chord.) That's why Sharp 13 term isn't used. 13 can only be natural or flat.

[@keyboardtips8715]

@@solenelle I see. Maybe you're right but isn't it still in relation to the key/scale you're in? So like a C7 is also E dim sharp 5

[@solenelle]

@@keyboardtips8715 Key of F is closely related to the key of C because they have one accidental difference. To find the key of a chord, we look at the scale it is derived from. C7 naturally occurs on the 5th degree of the Key of F without the need of any alterations. So Bb is in the key signature rather than on the individual note. If a chord is found naturally on a degree of a major or minor scale, then it isn't alteration. The chord, rather tonicizes the scale it is found on. Needless to say, in practice we can use any chord we prefer. In fact C7 is used as I chord in a blues in C situation but that is a coloristic choice rather than a tonality defining one.

[@keyboardtips8715]

@@solenelle Then it must be true that if I play a D7 in C, then D minor has not be altered, I'm simply playing the 5th degree of the Key of G which has one accidental difference?

[@favourmbah3307]

thanks for this how/ when /where do we use them please

[@keyboardtips8715]

It depends. There are many uses for altered chords

[@solenelle]

Most altered chords (if they have their root note as the lowest note) resolve a perfect 5th down. If they have the 3rd in the bass, (which is a common situation to remove the root and keep the tritone on the bottom and the 3rd as the lowest note) it resolves a half step up. E Bb Eb Ab C C E Bb Eb Ab C These are the same chord. The only difference is the top one is rootless. They both resolve to F minor. (Fm9 or 11preferably) Gb E Bb Eb Ab C This is the same chord too. Just tritone substitution. Here, the root will move down a half-step. In all these cases, the chord actually resolves to the same place. Just perceived differently. Hope this helps.