Bluff your way, 9, 11, and sus4 chords. 2 2
To begin with, try not to worry about what these names are, 3 3
what the theory behind it all is, for now anyway. 4 4
Just memorize the formulas, use them in the exercises, 5 5
and later on, you'll understand it all better. 6 6
So play first, ask questions later. 7 7
It's like learning to drive. 8 8
You don't need to know how the engine works, you just learn certain things, and 9 9
you drive and enjoy. 10 10
So the more tunes that you play, you will start to see chords with the number 9, 11 11
11, or sus4 written after them. 12 12
It's important to be able to play them because they will add so 13 13
much more color to your playing. 14 14
And there will be a definite reason for having these chords in a progression. 15 15
So what I've done is just devised one magic formula, 16 16
which will let you bluff these three types of chord in one go. 17 17
It'll give you roughly the sound that the composer of the song was wanting. 18 18
Now, it may not work on every single 9, 11 or sus4 chord. 19 19
And you will note when it doesn't work, 20 20
you'll be able to hear that something not right. 21 21
But generally, it'll be close enough. 22 22
So although all you need to do is memorize the formula, I'm going to give you some 23 23
idea where the numbers 9, 11, and sus4 come from. 24 24
Part 1, where the numbers come from. 25 25
Chords are based on scales, and chord note numbers are derived from these scales. 26 26
So for instance, let's look at a C7 scale over two octaves. 27 27
[MUSIC] 28 28
Okay, and you can count them, one, two, three, four, 29 29
five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, and so on. 30 30
So can you see where the 9 and the 11 come in? 31 31
And the four, two, three, four. 32 32
[SOUND] Let's look at other chords. 33 33
Chord of C uses one through five. 34 34
[MUSIC] 35 35
C suspended fourth, there's a fourth suspended in there. 36 36
[MUSIC] 37 37
A chord of C plus is sharpened fifth. 38 38
One, three, sharpened fifth. 39 39
[MUSIC] 40 40
Chord of C6, one, three, five and six. 41 41
[MUSIC] 42 42
Chord of C7, one, three five and seven [SOUND]. 43 43
Chord of C9, and we'll add on five, seven, 44 44
eight, nine, [SOUND] that's the nine. 45 45
Chord of C11, we'll add on 11, 10, 11. 46 46
[SOUND] All right? 47 47
So you can see the top three notes there are B flat, D, and F. 48 48
All right, and the root of the chord is C. 49 49
[SOUND] And that's what's gonna give you that sound of a 9, 11. 50 50
Okay, you play the 7 because the 7's required when you extend the chord. 51 51
[SOUND] And the 4th down here, is already being played as the 11th. 52 52
Don't worry why, just remember the formula. 53 53
[MUSIC] 54 54
All right, now you can look at what I'm actually playing, 55 55
I'm playing a C in the root. 56 56
And in the right hand, you can see that that's actually a major chord of B flat. 57 57
Again, don't worry about the theory of this, just see it as a formula. 58 58
So, something easy to remember, okay? 59 59
It's a major chord over the root of chord. 60 60
Now, how do I find that major chord easily? 61 61
Well, if you look at the root, [SOUND] and look at the root up here, [SOUND]. 62 62
I'm playing a major chord two left. 63 63
[MUSIC] 64 64
All right? 65 65
So, that's the formula, okay? 66 66
The formula is to bluff Any particular 9, 11, or suspended fourth chord. 67 67
The left hand plays the root of the chord in the bass. 68 68
And the right hand plays a major chord, 69 69
whose root is two notes left of the root chord in your right hand, okay? 70 70
So the left hand, let's move it all down. 71 71
So you're playing C9, 11, or suspended 4th. 72 72
You play the root note C in the left hand. 73 73
Then the right hand, you go two notes left of the root. 74 74
One two, and play a basic major chord, 75 75
triad in the right hand [SOUND] and 76 76
that'll give you your [SOUND] 9 and 11, okay? 77 77
And remember always to count black keys as well when you're counting down. 78 78
Now, let's try some more examples of bluffed 9, 11, suspended fourth chords. 79 79
So the next page, try D9, D11, or D sus4. 80 80
So, the formula is play the root of the chord on the left hand. 81 81
[SOUND] In the right hand, look for the root, and go two left, 82 82
so one, two, and play a basic major triad chord, okay? 83 83
[SOUND] All right, So, that's C major over D [SOUND] that's 84 84
giving you the seventh, the ninth, and the eleventh. 85 85
[SOUND] Don't worry about counting it, or looking at it, or 86 86
working out what the seven, nine, eleven is. 87 87
Just work out that you play the D in your left hand. 88 88
Go up to the D in your right hand, but you've gone two left and 89 89
played a major chord. 90 90
[SOUND] So let's try the next one, B flat. 91 91
The left hand does what it's told, it goes straight to the B flat in the left hand. 92 92
[SOUND] It doesn't do anything else. 93 93
The right hand, you're gonna play B flat, 9, 11, or suspended 4th. 94 94
So you go to the B flat, and you go two left and you play a major chord. 95 95
[SOUND] So A flat over the B flat root [SOUND], can you hear the sound? 96 96
[MUSIC] 97 97
Okay, let's try G9, 11, or sus 4. 98 98
Left hand does what it's told, goes to G. 99 99
Right? 100 100
Right hand you can play up here or down here, uou can go, let's try it up here. 101 101
You go to the G, which is the root. 102 102
You go to left, one, two, and you play the major chord. 103 103
[MUSIC] 104 104
All right, so that's F major over G. 105 105
Let's try F 9, 11, or sus 4. 106 106
So the left hand does what it's told, goes for an F chord in the bass. 107 107
[SOUND] Right hand goes to the F, but goes two left, so one, two. 108 108
Remember the kind of black chords, black notes, okay? 109 109
When you play a major chord best of E flat for E flat major. 110 110
[MUSIC] 111 111
And that's giving you the 9 and the 11 and the 7, okay? 112 112
[SOUND] Don't worry, but just remember this is what you do to get a 9, 113 113
11, or a sus4. 114 114
Root note, go to the root, go two left, play a major chord. 115 115
[SOUND] Let's look at it one more time and see. 116 116
So you're playing C root. 117 117
[SOUND] You go to the C in the right hand, you go two left. 118 118
[SOUND] All right. 119 119
That's giving you 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 120 120
[SOUND] And you can see the B flat over C. 121 121
Very often, that sound will want to resolve back into the root chord, so. 122 122
[MUSIC] 123 123
And, you'll hear it a lot in your playing.