Extended Harmonies & Popular Chords

This lesson is part of the Fundamentals of Twelve-Tone Equal Temperament category.

Objectives

• Students will be familiar with naming conventions for popular chords and extended harmonies in different systems.
• Students will be able to derive a chord given a chord name or symbol in different systems.
• Student will be able to notate chords in slash, lead sheet, and figured bass notation
• Focus on: extended chord types (9ths, 11ths, 13ths), add2, add4, powers, 6 chords.
• Student will learn the basics of jazz harmonic scales.

Class Activities

• Discussion and definition of popular chord types versus classical naming conventions
• Discussion and definition of extended harmonies and popular/jazz naming conventions
• Construction and performance of a given popular chord or extended harmony

Assignments

• Writing popular chords and extended harmonies
• Identifying popular chords and extended harmonies
• Identifying and naming chords in different stylistic contexts (i.e. inverted 7th versus 6 chord)