Can someone clarify the following for me?

1) Can a chord have more than 4 distinct notes within an octave? (I know a 7th contains 1 3 5 7. Can I add any more notes to it in the SAME octave?)

2) In Jazz notation, how do I represent the addition of a Minor 6th to a chord?

For example, if I add Major 6th to tonic chord of C-Major, I write it as: C6 (6 in superscript). How do I represent it if I add Minor 6th to the tonic chord in C-Minor scale?

Thanks in advance for the help.....

Question 1.... yes.. or less too.

But which notes?, please explain. Would it sound good if I play 1 2 3 5 7 or 1 3 5 6 7? I mean, are they normally played?

Thanks for the response

Just don't omit the third.

The notes need not be within the same octave... that would be fairly close harmony. Notes further apart will give a more open sound.

As for what sounds good, play some and see.

Well actually 1 3 5 7 9 is the same as 1 2 3 5 7 in a close position. But make you sure know how to resolve your 7's and 9's unless you plan on doing something ultra modern.

Just noticed that the heading says for grade 5 theory....

You don't actually need any of that for grade 5 theory (at least last time I looked).
The harmony at that level is much more simple.

Hiya
Some chords can have more than 4 notes yes, chromatically altered chords and extended chords such as 9ths, 11ths, 13ths etc but like someone said thats not really needed at grade 5.

And if you want to represent a minor 6th chord then you need to label it as Cmb6 (or in roman numerals which is the way you normally label chords in the theory iib6) but once again its not covered in grade 5, its all worth knowing though ready for grades 6,7,8.
Debs

Deborah,

The lack of a proper flat symbol defeats us. Does your iib6 mean

iia (flat-)6 not the first inversion of chord ii with a 6th added.

Not sure if I'm wrong but isnt the preferred way to treat these chords as secondary 7ths in one of their inversions so this would be a flat-VIIb7 (b as in B and 7 a superscript).

Systems based on naming the key of the chord is a bit different, like Emin#6.

* * * * *
Sandesh, as already said you don't need this for grade 5.

For experiment you can put what notes you like in a chord. You have a maximum of 12 (which would sound nasty (to me) all played in the same ocatve (a "cluster") but suitably spread and the right dynamic it could sound dramatic, mysterious or surreal. Some listeners may find the cluster appealing. Each to his/her own.)

Also think about real parts in real life. If you're working on something for 3 voices, you can have only 3 notes at a time. If you're on a keyboard, have as many notes as you can cover with hands and sustaining pedal.

(edit:What's happened to the AB site this morning. It's 6.45am on a Sunday and they still can't handle the traffic? A carrier pigeon wouldve got this post there quicker).

Thanks everyone for the enlightening discussion...!

Ya, I know this wasn't necessary for Grade V. But I got these questions when studying AB Guide. Thought I would put them up here...

Hi,

Based on what all you guys wrote, I worked out something. Can someone clarify if I did it correct?

My question was how to repesent 1 3 5 6 in C-Minor.

1 3 5 6 in C Minor are the notes - C Eb G A

To put these notes in a Jazz notation, I think it would suffice to write: Ao7 (with 7 in superscript).

By 'Ao7' I mean a diminished chord with A as root and a minor 7th added.

Let me explain. Starting with A as root, the diminished chord would be A C Eb (minor 3rd and diminished 5th). Now add a minor 7th from A i.e., G. Together they would be A C Eb G.

Am I thinking right?

Cm6.

I know if you manipulate the note order it can be many different things but it depends on what the function of the chord is in the key you are in.
Which I suppose makes it tricky to give a label to any chord in isolation.

Thanks sbhoa! But I guess I mis-interpreted my own question!!!

If I want a major 6th, Cm6 would be correct as it gives the notes: C Eb G A

(AB Guide says when you write 6 in Jazz notation it would always mean Major 6th and 7 would always mean a Minor 7th irrespective of the key! To specify a Major 7th, you need to write it as Maj7. But it did not give any specific notation for a minor 6th!)

My question was how to add a minor 6th in C Minor....means I want the notes C Eb G Ab. (I wrote the last note wrong in my previous post).

How about AbMaj7 (7 in superscript)? It would give Ab C Eb G which is ofcourse a manipulation of the order of the notes as you said.... but they are what I require...

Correct me if I am wrong. Probably I am digging too much into the text of theory....may be I would be much clearer when I grow up and have much more 'practical experience' in music like you...

Thank you so much for your patient replies!

Cm6 gives the notes C Eb G Ab because in minor chords you use the minor scale to construct your chords. So Cm6 would be correct to get the minor 6th to a minor chord. Or am I Wrong?

Try posting it on the jazz board.
you might get someone with a better working knowledge.

I think to get the Ab you need to put b6 (flat 6)
I just found a book with chords written in over keyboard part and it has Fm6 with a D natural.. I'm going off that.

I posted it in a music forum on orkut and I got this reply from someone:

AbMaj7/C

(This would be rightly spelt has C Eb G Ab).

So the trick lies in forming the required notes somehow in some order and then specifying the appropriate bass followed by '/'.

It still depends an what key you are in and what function the chord has.
Sometimes it will be called one thing and sometimes another....

Thanks sbhoa, for your reply. But if you don't mind, could you explain with an example...I mean, how can the same chord be named differently depending on which key I am in and what function it has...

or....Leave it, if you bored enough of this topic...

Thank you