Chord Color Tones

     Triads are harmonies composed of three pitches and seventh chords are harmonies composed of four pitches.   These pitches found in a triad are the 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th of a given root, and a seventh chord also includes the 7^th.  The remaining intervals within the scale are the 2^nd, 4^th and 6^th.  These are the pitches that can be used as color tones. 

     When adding these color tones to triads, they are labeled as 2^nd’s, 4^th’s and 6^th’s.  One acceptable use for a triad color tone is as a suspension.  In this case, the color tone temporarily replaces a chord tone, and then resolves to the missing chord tone.  The most common suspension is the 4^th resolving to the 3^rd.  Other uses are the 2^nd resolving to the 3^rd, or the 2^nd resolving to the root.  When attempting to have the 6^th resolve to the 5^th, the rhythm must be short (like a grace note).  Otherwise the ear will hear the 1^st, 3^rd and 6^th as a different triad (3^rd, 5^th and 1^st) inverted. 

     We can also add color tones to triads as a fourth pitch that is not part of the structure of the chord.  The pitch simply adds color and texture to the sound of the harmony.  The most popular color tone for this effect is the 2^nd.  The fourth can also be used, but it tends to have a strong suspension quality to its sound.  When the 6^th is added to a major triad it will cause the chord to sound like a major seventh.  In addition, the 6^th can convert a minor triad into a minor seventh chord.  The 6^th can be used as a substitution for the 7^th in both cases.

     When adding color tones to seventh chords, the pitches are usually identified as upper extensions.  This means that they are named by intervals that are one octave higher than their basic identities.  The 2^nd is called a 9^th, the 4^th is called an 11^th and the 6^th is called a 13^th.  The primary purpose for these alternate names is to simplify chord labels.  For example, a major seventh chord with a tonic of C would normally be labeled as C^Δ7 or Cmaj7.  If we add a 9^th to this chord the label could get confusing (C^Δ7+9 or Cmaj7 add 9).  The use of the label “9” implies that the 7^th is present since upper extensions are only added to seventh chords.  This allows us to simplify the chord label in our example to C^Δ9 or Cmaj9. 

     The seventh chords that usually have upper extensions applied to them are the minor seventh, dominant seventh and major seventh.  When these upper extensions are added, they are labeled as natural, flat or sharp.  We do not assign qualities to them such as major or minor, because qualities imply structural significance.  Since these pitches are not structural cord tones, they do not have an impact on the structural quality of the cord. 

     
     The primary uses for the major seventh chord are adding the 9^th or the #11^th.  The flat 9^th clashes since it would create a seriese of 3 consecutive half steps between the major 7^th , the root and itself.  The sharp 9^th is enharmonically equivalent to the minor 3^rd.  Having a minor and major 3^rd sound simultaneously in one chord would be too dissonant.  The flat 11^th is enharmonically equivalent to the major 3^rd, so it automatically takes on this identity as a chord tone.  The natural 11^th is a half-step away from the major 3^rd.  This creates a strong sense of suspension that clashes too much when both pitches are present simultaneously.  The only use for the 13^th is as a 6^th substituting for the 7^th.  A sharp 13^th would sound like a minor 7^th simultaneously next to the major 7^th (way too harsh).  A flat 13^th would sound like an augmented 5^th simultaneously next to the perfect 5^th (way too harsh).  A 6^th and major 7^th played simultaneously usually sound too rich and dense (although it may have a use in some contexts). 

     The primary uses for the minor seventh chord are adding the 9^th or the 11^th.  The flat 9^th is still too harsh being a half step above the root.  The sharp 9^th is enharmonically equivalent to the minor 3^rd.  The 11^th is now acceptable since it is a whole step from the minor 3^rd.  The flat 11^th would sound like a major 3^rd simultaneously next to the minor 3^rd (too harsh).  The sharp 11^th would be an augmented 2^nd away from the minor 3^rd (also too harsh).  Again the 13^th could be used as a 6^th substituting for the 7^th.  The sharp 13^th is enharmonically equivalent to the minor 7^th.  The flat 13^th and natural 13^th do not work for the same reasons mentioned with the major seventh chord.

     The most versatile seventh chord when adding upper extensions is the dominant seventh chord.  This is mostly due to the tritone that is formed between the 3^rd and 7^th of the chord.  This sonic quality allows for increased levels of dissonance to sound permissible.  Every type of 9^th (flat, sharp or natural) can be added to a dominant seventh chord.  In addition, both the flat and natural 13^th can be added.  The sharp 13^th would be enharmonically equivalent to the minor 7^th.  Finally the sharp 11^th can be added.  The other forms of the 11^th are not usable for the same reasons mentioned with the major seventh chord. 

     The use of chord color tones can be a confusing musical topic.  However, the proper use of these tones can add depth and dimension to our harmonies.  Hopefully, this discussion and attached video will allow you to confidently add these tones to your playing, composing and arranging.

        This Learning Music With Ray video discusses chord color tones.  These are the additional pitches that can be added to a chord beside the fundamental chord tones.  In this video, I identify these color tones and explain the ways they can be added to both triads and seventh chords.  I explain why they are sometimes named as intervals within an octave and sometimes named as upper extensions (beyond one octave).  Finally, I demonstrate the acceptable uses of these color tones on the piano keyboard.