Adding Extensions & Alterations

Root C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B Chord Major Minor Diminished Augmented Major 7th Dominant 7th Minor 7th Half Diminished 7th Diminished 7th Suspended 2 Suspended 4 Major 6th Minor 6th

Formula

Spatial Degrees

C Major 7th

Spatial

Major triad with M7

Degrees

1 3 5 7

Symbols

CM7, Cmaj7

Active Formula

1 3 5 7

C Major 7th selected

Now that you know how to play the basic standard chords as well as Suspended and 6th Chords, we can now add extensions and alterations to all these chords.

From a Major Scale Degree system of thinking, the “extensions” to a chord are 9, 11, and 13. We add those extensions to our chords as well as alter those extensions by flatting and sharping them.

These are all the possibilities of what we can add: 9, b9, 11, #11, 13, b13

Collectively these are called “tension notes”. Because when you add them to a chord, they create tense intervallic relationships with the existing notes of the triad or 7th chord.

In the following page, I show you examples of what notes you will most commonly see added in music. Have fun experimenting adding tension notes to the different chords that you’ve learned.

Adding ”Tension Notes” Chart

Category	Chords	Added Notes You’ll Most Encounter in Music
Triad	Major	9
	Augmented	9, #11
	Minor	9
	Diminished	9, 11, b13
	Sus4	9
6th	Major 6th	9, #11
	Minor 6th	9, 11
7th	Major 7th	9, #11, 13
	Dominant 7th	b9, 9, #9, 11, #11, b13, 13
	Dominant 7th #5 (Augmented 7th)	b9, 9, #9, #11, 13
	Dominant 7th b5	b9, 9, #9, b13, 13
	Dominant 7th Sus4	b9, 9, #9, b13, 13
	Minor Major 7th	9, 11, 13
	Minor 7th	9, 11, 13
	Half Diminished 7th	9, 11, b13
	Diminished 7th	9, 11, b13

Adding Tension Notes to Triads and 6th Chords

When we add a tension note to a Triad (3 note chord), we just write the word “add” plus what note we are adding. Here are examples of Triads with an added tension note.

Chords	Symbols
C Major add 9	C(add9)
C Suspended 4 add 9	Csus4(add9)

When we add the 9th scale degree to our Major and Minor 6th chords, we get a special chord called a 6/9 chord with its own unique chord symbol.

Chords	Symbols
C Major 6th add 9	C6/9
C Minor 6th add 9	Cm6/9

9th, 11th and 13th Chord Symbols

When we add the 9th scale degree to a 7th Chord we get a 9th Chord. Here’s a C Major 9th Chord and its symbols:

• CM9
• Cmaj9
• C∆9

When we add both the 9th and 11th scale degree to a 7th Chord we get an 11th Chord. Here’s a C Major 11th Chord and its symbols:

• CM11
• Cmaj11
• C∆11

When we add the 9th, 11th, and 13th scale degrees to a 7th Chord we get a 13th Chord. Here’s a C Major 13th Chord and its symbols:

• CM13
• Cmaj13
• C∆13

In Summary, when we create a 9th, 11th, or 13th Chord, we replace the 7 in the chord symbol for 9, 11, or 13.

In the example below, we have only the 9 and 13 added. Since the 11 is missing it is not a 13th Chord. It’s a 9th Chord with an added 13.

• CM9(add13)
• Cmaj9(add13)
• C∆9(add13)

The 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th Chord Symbols Preferred Format

This is ideally, how I like to write out Chord Symbols for 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th Chords:

CM7(#11, 13)

• C = Root
• M = Chord Quality
• 7 = 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th
• (#11, 13) = Extensions / Alterations

The chord above is a C Major 7th Chord with an added #11 and 13. We put all added extensions and alterations in superscripted parentheses. Here is another example:

CM13(#11) This is a C Major 13th Chord with the 11 sharped.

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