How "Gospel Feeling" Using Jazz Chords
Does the cold, cerebral feel of modern jazz leave you cold? Maybe you’d like to have a little bit of “gospel” in your jazz? Maybe you just want to take an old hymn and give it some updating. Then you’ll need to load yourself with an arsenal of gospel jazz chords.
Gospel jazz chords involve extending the dominant seventh chord with additional tones. The ninth, 11th and 13th chords are all used in gospel jazz. These are extensions of the basic dominant seventh chord. If you don’t know how to form a dominant seventh, here’s the rundown.
The dominant seventh is formed by taking a basic triad, which is 1-3-5, and adding a b7. In the key of C, you would play the notes C, E, G and Bb. The C chord is formed by the C, E and G. The major seventh is B, so you would lower it a half-step to get Bb. Play this chord and notice how it brings to mind some great blues and jazz. The C dominant seventh chord is written as C7.
Now you’re going to learn a bit more theory to understand the gospel jazz chords. Of scale into account the main are numbered 1-7, where the ninth tone is? Comes to scale beyond one octave. After the tone of meetings of the scale comes from the root, which is considered the eighth-tone scale. This is the ninth tone is different, but an octave higher. To form a ninth chord, dominant seventh and ninth added.
11 and 13 chords are formed similarly. 11-tone scale is onlyoctave above the fourth, while the 13th is an octave above the sixth. The 13th is one of the most used gospel jazz chords. By extending chords to these extremes, you’ll hear some interesting tonalities and overtones develop in a well-tuned instrument.
Since every note of these chords is easily played on a piano, the resulting sound may get a little muddy. Some of the tones create a clash with other tones. A clash is when two notes that are a half step apart are played together. Sometimes a clash is useful, while at other times it isn’t. For these reasons, less important tones are often left out of extended gospel jazz chords. Take the ninth chord, for example. The fifth is often dropped from the chord to create a cleaner emphasis on the third, seventh and ninth tones of the chord. Try it and hear the difference.
Though it all seems a bit complex at first, the simple theory of gospel jazz chords comes naturally with a little practice. Try these chords in different keys, omitted several tones of chords, and find out what the gospel jazz chords sound the best for you. These chords are useful in other styles of jazz, too. Even popular music now makes use of soft extended gospel jazz chords. tasteful use of these chords can be even spices in the hymns and gospel songs common.
