Extended Chords

Extended Chords feature notes beyond the traditional triads, 7ths, and suspended 2nd/4ths. They are most commonly found in jazz, although some of the less complex ones can be seldomly found in other genres. The chords typically continue along the same route as the triads and 7ths, adding every other note from the root note. Although this goes past the octave, the number assigned to the additional notes continues to increment upwards from 7. For example, G B D F is a dominant 7th; G B D F A is a 9th, G B D F A C is an 11th; and G B D F A C E is a 13th.

Extended chords rarely feature all the notes, as that would make them quite dissonant. For example, a 13th chord features every note in the scale. Also, as you can imagine, there are more variations of extended chords than triads or 7ths; as the number of notes in the chord increases, the number of permutations available based on ♭/♯'ed notes increases exponentially. Some permutations simply sound awful and aren't used, or are enharmonic to other chords making them redundant. We will not list those below.

Harmonically, extended chords fall into the same functions as other chords: tonic, pre-dominant, and dominant. They are most commonly used as substitutes for traditional triad or 7th chords.

Because extended chords contain more intervals and thus harmonic complexity than triads and 7ths, they are typically played with an undistorted guitar tone. Otherwise, they can sound very dissonant. In fact, unlike triads and some 7ths, extended chords typically only have a few desirable voicings, avoiding highly dissonant intervals such as m2 between notes. Jazz musicians also typically roll down the tone knob on their guitar to reduce overtones for a darker sound, as well as finger-picking instead of using a plectrum. This allows the complexity of the interaction between the fundamental pitches to be more clearly heard.

When distorted guitar wants to play an extended chord, it must often be separated between multiple instruments, or arpeggiated.

9ths

R - 3 - (5) - (7) - 9

9th chords typically feature the root, 3rd, 7th, and 9th. Some additionally feature the 5th, while the "add 9" chords omit the 7th.

Dominant 9th

 R - M3 - P5 - m7 - M9
  -M3- -m3- -m3- -M3-
  ---P5---  ---P5---      
       ---tt---
  -----m7------
       ------m7-----
  --------M9--------

This is the most common 9th chord, regularly used to substitute for the Dominant 7th chord. It is the same chord with an added M9. It sounds more dreamy and mellow compared to the twangy, folksy Dominant 7th.

All Notes for Arpeggios	|1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|7|-| |-|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3|	|7|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |-|9|-|3|-| |-|-|7|-|1| |-|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|9|	|-|7|-|1|-| |3|-|-|5|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|7|-| |9|-|3|-|-| |-|7|-|1|-|	|5|-|-|7|-| |-|-|3|-|-| |7|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|7|-|	|-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |-|-|7|-|1| |-|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-|	|3|-|-|5| |-|1|-|9| |5|-|-|7| |9|-|3|-| |-|7|-|1| |3|-|-|5|	|9|-|3|-|-| |-|7|-|1|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|7|-| |9|-|3|-|-|

Root Position	5 |-|r|-|-|-| 9 |-|r|-|-|-| 7 |-|r|-|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|	|-|-|-|-|-| 5 |-|p|-|-|-| 9 |i|-|-|-|-| 7 |)|r|-|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-|

Dominant Minor 9th

 R - M3 - (P5) - m7 - m9
  -M3- -m3- -m3- -m3-
  ---P5---  ---tt---      
       ---tt---
  -----m7------
       ------d7-----
  --------m9--------

This chord is fairly uncommon. It contains the m2 (m9) and M3 in relation to the root note, implying a whole+half step, placing it outside of the standard major/natural minor scales; however it is diatonic to the harmonic scale, with the root note of the chord occurring on the 6th note of the scale.

All Notes for Arpeggios	|1|9|-|-|3| |5|-|-|7|-| |-|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|9|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|9|-|-|3|	|7|-|1|9|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |9|-|-|3|-| |-|-|7|-|1| |-|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|9|-|	|-|-|-|1|9| |3|-|-|5|-| |1|9|-|-|3| |5|-|-|-|-| |-|-|3|-|-| |-|-|-|1|9|	|5|-|-|7|-| |-|-|3|-|-| |7|-|1|9|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|9|-|-|3| |5|-|-|7|-|	|-|-|5|-|-| |-|9|-|-|3| |-|-|7|-|1| |-|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|9|-| |-|-|5|-|-|	|3|-|-|5|-| |-|1|9|-|-| |5|-|-|7|-| |-|-|3|-|-| |-|7|-|1|9| |3|-|-|5|-|	|-|-|3|-|-| |-|7|-|1|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|9|-|-|3| |5|-|-|7|-| |-|-|3|-|-|

Root Position	5 |-|p|-|-|-| 9 |i|-|-|-|-| 7 |)|r|-|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|	9 |i|-|-|-|-| 7 |)|-|r|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

Major 9th

R - M3 - (P5) - M7 - M9

All Notes for Arpeggios	|1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|-|7| |-|3|-|-|5| |-|7|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3|	|-|7|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |9|-|3|-|-| |-|-|-|7|1| |-|3|-|-|5| |-|7|1|-|9|	|-|-|7|1|-| |3|-|-|5|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|-|7| |9|-|3|-|-| |-|-|7|1|-|	|5|-|-|-|7| |-|-|3|-|-| |-|7|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|-|7|	|-|5|-|-| |9|-|-|3| |-|-|7|1| |3|-|-|5| |7|1|-|9| |-|5|-|-|	|3|-|-|5|-| |7|1|-|9|-| |5|-|-|-|7| |9|-|3|-|-| |-|-|7|1|-| |3|-|-|5|-|	|9|-|3|-|-| |-|-|7|1|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|-|7| |9|-|3|-|-|

Root Position

|-|-|-|-|-| 9 |-|r|-|-|-| 7 |-|-|p|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

9 |-|r|-|-|-| 7 |-|-|-|p|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

Minor 9th

R - m3 - (P5) - m7 - M9

All Notes for Arpeggios	|1|-|9|3|-| |5|-|-|7|-| |3|-|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|3|-|	|7|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |-|9|3|-|-| |-|-|7|-|1| |3|-|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|9|	|-|7|-|1| |-|-|-|5| |1|-|9|3| |5|-|-|7| |9|3|-|-| |-|7|-|1|	|5|-|-|7|-| |9|3|-|-|-| |7|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|3|-| |5|-|-|7|-|	|-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|3|-| |-|-|7|-|1| |3|-|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-|	|3|-|-|-|5| |-|-|1|-|9| |-|5|-|-|7| |-|9|3|-|-| |-|-|7|-|1| |3|-|-|-|5|	|9|3|-|-| |-|7|-|1| |-|-|5|-| |1|-|9|3| |5|-|-|7| |9|3|-|-|

Root Position	5 |-|-|r|-|-| 9 |-|-|r|-|-| 7 |-|-|r|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|-|m|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|	9 |-|-|r|-|-| 7 |-|-|-|p|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|-|m|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

Augmented 9th

R - M3 - (P5) - m7 - A9

All Notes for Arpeggios	|1|-|-|9|3| |5|-|-|7|-| |9|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|-|9|3|	|7|-|1|-|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |-|-|9|3|-| |-|-|7|-|1| |9|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|-|	|-|7|-|1| |3|-|-|5| |1|-|-|9| |5|-|-|7| |-|9|3|-| |-|7|-|1|	|5|-|-|7|-| |-|9|3|-|-| |7|-|1|-|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|-|9|3| |5|-|-|7|-|	|-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|-|9|3| |-|-|7|-|1| |9|3|-|-|5| |7|-|1|-|-| |-|-|5|-|-|	|9|3|-|-|5| |-|-|1|-|-| |-|5|-|-|7| |-|-|9|3|-| |-|-|7|-|1| |9|3|-|-|5|	|-|9|3|-|-| |-|7|-|1|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|-|9|3| |5|-|-|7|-| |-|9|3|-|-|

Root Position	|-|-|-|-| 9 |-|-|p|-| 7 |-|r|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-| |-|-|-|-|	9 |-|-|p|-| 7 |-|-|r|-| 3 |i|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-| |-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|

6/9

R - M3 - P5 - M6 - M9

This is the same set of notes as the Major Pentatonic Scale.

All Notes for Arpeggios	|1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|6|-|-| |-|3|-|-|5| |-|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|6| |1|-|9|-|3|	|-|1|-|9| |-|5|-|6| |9|-|3|-| |6|-|-|1| |3|-|-|5| |-|1|-|9|	|6|-|-|1|-| |3|-|-|5|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|6|-|-| |9|-|3|-|-| |6|-|-|1|-|	|5|-|6|-|-| |-|-|3|-|-| |-|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|6| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|6|-|-|	|-|5|-|6| |-|9|-|3| |6|-|-|1| |3|-|-|5| |-|1|-|9| |-|5|-|6|	|3|-|-|5| |-|1|-|9| |5|-|6|-| |9|-|3|-| |6|-|-|1| |3|-|-|5|	|9|-|3|-|-| |6|-|-|1|-| |-|-|5|-|6| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|6|-|-| |9|-|3|-|-|

Root Position

5 |-|p|-|-|-| 9 |-|r|-|-|-| 6 |i|-|-|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

1 |-|p|-|-|-| 5 |-|r|-|-|-| 9 |i|-|-|-|-| 6 |i|-|-|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-|

Major Added 9th

R - M3 - 5 - M9

All Notes for Arpeggios	|1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|-|-| |-|3|-|-|5| |-|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3|	|-|1|-|9| |-|5|-|-| |9|-|3|-| |-|-|-|1| |3|-|-|5| |-|1|-|9|	|-|-|-|1|-| |3|-|-|5|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|-|-| |9|-|3|-|-| |-|-|-|1|-|	|5|-|-|-|-| |-|-|3|-|-| |-|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|-|-|	|-|5|-|-| |-|9|-|3| |-|-|-|1| |3|-|-|5| |-|1|-|9| |-|5|-|-|	|3|-|-|5| |-|1|-|9| |5|-|-|-| |9|-|3|-| |-|-|-|1| |3|-|-|5|	|9|-|3|-|-| |-|-|-|1|-| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|-|3| |5|-|-|-|-| |9|-|3|-|-|

Root Position

1 |i|-|-|-|-| 5 |i|-|-|-|-| 3 |)|m|-|-|-| 9 |)|-|-|-|p| 5 |)|-|r|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-|

5 |-|p|-|-|-| 9 |-|r|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

5 |i|-|-|-|-| 3 |)|-|r|-|-| 9 |)|-|-|-|p| 5 |)|-|m|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

Minor Added 9th

R - m3 - P5 - M9

All Notes for Arpeggios	|1|-|9|3|-| |5|-|-|-|-| |3|-|-|-|5| |-|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|3|-|	|-|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-| |-|9|3|-|-| |-|-|-|-|1| |3|-|-|-|5| |-|-|1|-|9|	|-|-|-|1| |-|-|-|5| |1|-|9|3| |5|-|-|-| |9|3|-|-| |-|-|-|1|	|5|-|-|-| |9|3|-|-| |-|-|1|-| |-|-|5|-| |1|-|9|3| |5|-|-|-|	|-|-|5|-|-| |1|-|9|3|-| |-|-|-|-|1| |3|-|-|-|5| |-|-|1|-|9| |-|-|5|-|-|	|3|-|-|-|5| |-|-|1|-|9| |-|5|-|-|-| |-|9|3|-|-| |-|-|-|-|1| |3|-|-|-|5|	|9|3|-|-| |-|-|-|1| |-|-|5|-| |1|-|9|3| |5|-|-|-| |9|3|-|-|

Root Position

1 |i|-|-|-|-| 5 |i|-|-|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 9 |)|-|-|-|p| 5 |)|-|m|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-|

5 |-|-|p|-|-| 9 |-|-|r|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|-|m|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

5 |i|-|-|-|-| 3 |)|m|-|-|-| 9 |)|-|-|-|p| 5 |)|-|r|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

11ths

R - [3] - (5) - 7 - 9 - 11

The 3rd is virtually always omitted due to its dissonant m9 (m2 above the octave) interval with the 11th.

Dominant 11th

R - [M3] - (P5) - m7 - M9 - A11

Root Position

|-|-|-|-|-| 11 |i|-|-|-|-| 9 |i|-|-|-|-| 7 |-|r|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-|

Minor 11th

R - [m3] - (P5) - m7 - M9 - P11

Root Position

|-|-|-|-|-| 11 |i|-|-|-|-| 9 |-|m|-|-|-| 7 |-|-|p|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|-|r|-|-|

Major 11th

R - [M3] - (P5) - M7 - M9 - A11

Root Position

|-|-|-|-|-| 11 |i|-|-|-|-| 9 |i|-|-|-|-| 7 |-|-|r|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 1 |-|m|-|-|-|

13ths

R - 3 - (5) - 7 - (9) - (11) - 13

Dominant 13th

R - M3 - (P5) - m7 - (M9) - (P11) - M13

Root Position

|-|-|-|-|-| 13 |-|-|p|-|-| 3 |-|r|-|-|-| 7 |m|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-|

13 |-|-|p|-|-| 3 |-|-|r|-|-| 7 |i|-|-|-|-| 5 |)|-|m|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

Minor 13th

R - m3 - (P5) - m7 - (M9) - (P11) - M13

Root Position

|-|-|-|-|-| 13 |-|-|p|-|-| 3 |i|-|-|-|-| 7 |i|-|-|-|-| 5 |)|-|r|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-|

13 |-|-|p|-|-| 3 |-|m|-|-|-| 7 |i|-|-|-|-| 5 |)|-|r|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|

Major 13th

R - M3 - (P5) - M7 - (M9) - (P11) - M13

Root Position

|-|-|-|-|-| 13 |-|-|p|-|-| 3 |-|r|-|-|-| 7 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-|

13 |-|-|p|-|-| 3 |-|-|r|-|-| 7 |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 1 |i|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|-|-|