Help me out on a C chord extension

david moon

Attempting the Blues
All things lead back to the I chord, eventually, but the "set up" isn't always achieved in the same way.

Playing the high G in the C chord isn't adding to, extending or augmenting the chord. It's a note in the chord. You're simply doubling the G instead of the E. You might consider this "good" voice leading back to the I chord.

Playing a C in a G chord or a G in a D chord is adding a note not in the Major chord. In both cases the 4.

They are both "add4" chords (1345). The 4 sounds "suspended" and "needs" to resolve.

They could resolve to a I chord, but not necessarily.
What he said. "add4" or "sus 4". Sus being "suspended" and wanting to resolve.
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
Oops! My bad.:eek:

The D chord with the G on the first string is a Dsus4, since the 3rd is absent. (XXDADG, no F#)

While the G with the C on the 2nd string is an "add4" since the 3rd (B) is present. (GBDGCG)

It's been a hard day's night. I should have known better.:sneaky:


In both cases you are actually "adding" the 4, which is "suspended" and "needs" to resolve.

However, when naming the chord, it's an add4 if the 3rd is present and a sus4 if it isn't.

You might find someone else naming them differently.

Like add11 instead of add4.

Or Gsus2 instead of Dsus4.

You just gotta go with the flow.



(I went back and tried to "salvage" my previous post.)
 
Last edited:

david moon

Attempting the Blues
In my experience with big band and theater charts, chord naming is not standardized. And let's not get into whether the key is B or
Cb :sneaky:
 

david moon

Attempting the Blues
Oops! My bad.:eek:

The D chord with the G on the first string is a Dsus4, since the 3rd is absent. (XXDADG, no F#)

While the G with the C on the 2nd string is an "add4" since the 3rd (B) is present. (GBDGCG)

It's been a hard day's night. I should have known better.:sneaky:


In both cases you are actually "adding" the 4, which is "suspended" and "needs" to resolve.

However, when naming the chord, it's an add4 if the 3rd is present and a sus4 if it isn't.

You might find someone else naming them differently.

Like add11 instead of add4.

Or Gsus2 instead of Dsus4.

You just gotta go with the flow.



(I went back and tried to "salvage" my previous post.)
And going back all the way to the top, adding the G on the first sring is not an "extension", just a different voicing of the Cmaj triad
 

Momantai

Red nose, red guitar
Looking back I see I made a mistake too. I thought it was about the G on the 6th string (low E) not the 1st. I guess the G on the 6th string would make it a C/G. Right @david moon ?
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
I guess the G on the 6th string would make it a C/G. Right?

I'm not David, but YES!

Playing the 6th string open would be C/E and with the 3rd fret, C/G.

So you have 3 options for the 6th string (Bass note of resulting chord in red):

Mute the 6th string (root position XCEGCE), play it open (1st inversion ECEGCE) or play the G (2nd inversion GCEGCE).
 

david moon

Attempting the Blues
For a lot of reasons, playing anything on the 6th string over a C chord doesn't usually work. Unless you're walking to somewhere else. Even though E and G are chord tones, it just doesn't work in the lower register
 
Last edited:

ronico

rainyislandblues
Great thread though the mind boggles a bit! Everything you need to know about C! Need some time to digest this. Keep up the good work! BTY don't play E on the A or E and A on the D although I used to
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
Let's just say sometimes I play the lower string open, sometimes I play a note on it and sometimes I mute it with the edge of my thumb.

However, when strumming, I usually hit all 6 strings. Unless there's some good reason not to. And I'm emphasizing strumming for a reason.

Saying "don't" play those open strings is saying "always play root position", in which case there's no sense in bringing up inversions.o_O
 

ronico

rainyislandblues
Let's just say sometimes I play the lower string open, sometimes I play a note on it and sometimes I mute it with the edge of my thumb.

However, when strumming, I usually hit all 6 strings. Unless there's some good reason not to. And I'm emphasizing strumming for a reason.

Saying "don't" play those open strings is saying "always play root position", in which case there's no sense in bringing up inversions.o_O
Sorry that should have read "I don't usually play those low notes" . Particularly if I'm playing with someone else. Seems to get too "boomy" especially with acoustics.
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
It's all good. I just didn't want to get into a discussion of all the possible times when I would or wouldn't play a particular string.

So for my part in the discussion I'm referring to strumming all 6 strings, rather than playing fingerstyle or alternating bass or, etc., etc.

BTW: Nobody's mentioned playing the open C Major chord with your pinky on the 3rd fret of the 4th string.:sneaky:
 
Last edited:

david moon

Attempting the Blues
It's all good. I just didn't want to get into a discussion of all the possible times when I would or wouldn't play a particular string.

So for my part in the discussion I'm referring to strumming all 6 strings, rather than playing fingerstyle or alternating bass or, etc., etc.

BTW: Nobody's mentioned playing the open C Major chord with your pinky on the 3rd fret of the 4th string.:sneaky:
OK that note would be an F and make it another sus4 voicing.
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
Hmmm! Are you guys sure?:unsure:

There is a method to my madness, i.e. a reason why I pointed out the "omission".

Here are two chord diagrams taken from the "all knowing", authoritative internet.:rolleyes:


Csus4.jpg Cadd4.jpg
I gotta go with the chord formulas I've learned and the "theory" behind them.

By "modern" defininition, a "Suspended" chord has no 3rd.

(Our use of the term "suspended" isn't the same as it's "original" meaning in composition.)

It's not either Major or minor. (1-2-5) or (1-4-5)

Or you can think of it as a 2 or 4 taking the place of a 3 or "substituting" for it.

Either way, the chord sounds "suspended" and open and unresolved.

We are held in "suspense" wondering where it's going to go next.



An "add4" adds a 4 to a triad.

It has a 3rd and the 4 is being "added" to a chord that is, in our case, "unambiguously" Major. (1-3-4-5)

The 4 still creates tension and sounds like it "needs" to resolve, the chord may still feels like it's "floating", but it isn't considered "suspended" because the 3rd is there.


Either way, I'm just going to make sure I'm playing the same thing as the next guy. I'm not going to start a discussion regarding what is "theoretically correct." I just like to understand all the possibilities so I can "get along" with everybody.

That's what I mean by "going with the flow".

Otherwise, nobody will play with me.:(


Oops!!!! I almost forgot. The Cadd4 (C E F G) could also be considered a FMaj7sus2 (F G C E).:confused:

But since we're talking about using our pinky to "add" different notes to a C Major chord, I'm going with Cadd4.:)

And on Griff's forum, he is the authority.:sneaky:

From page 34 in his theory course:

sus chords.jpg
 
Last edited:
Top