6th, 9th, and Sus Chords

Let's delve into some more very common chords for guitar players. This lesson is expanding on the previous lesson on chord extensions. These chords are so common that it is important to understand how to make them, memorize common shapes for them on the neck, and understand the environment in which they normally occur. 

First, let's do 6th chords. 

You can add a 6th degree to any triad, but normally we encounter major 6th or minor 6th chords. Major 6th means a major triad with the addition of a 6th degree. Minor 6th means a minor triad with the addition of a 6th degree. In either case the 5th is optional.

It is important to add that, if you wanted to have a b6 instead of a regular 6, you just need to notate it and play accordingly, ie: Cmi6 or Cmib6. 

6th chords are very playful chords. They don't necessarily imply specific tonal movement - the way a dominant chord does - as much as they are used to get a certain sound. 

Mostly, the 6th degree is very commonly used in creating melodies, so adding a 6th to a chord fattens up the melody structure a bit and forces the improviser to "sound" a certain way. 

Attached are the common shapes for both major and minor 6 chords.

9th chords mean the addition of the 9th degree (2nd degree) above a triad. 

To notate this, write "add 9" after triad, e.g., Cadd9 or Cmiadd9. The other common option is for 7th chords to have a 9 on top. For example, a dominant 7 plus the 9 we write C9. For a major 7 plus the nine we write CM9.  For minor 7 plus a nine we write CMi9. 

These chords perform the exact same function as the 7th chords they are built on,  they just add a level of embellishment. Most common scenario: FUNK. 

If you love funk, you love the dominant 9 chord. James Brown made a living on this sound. It is the sound of funk. Attached are the most common fingering for these chord types. 

Suspended chords, or “sus chords” as they are typically called,  simply mean the 3rd is suspended, or not played. 

Instead, we play either a 4th or a 2nd. 

These chords are very floaty and loose, being that they are neither major nor minor. 

They are extremely common in all kinds of music. Most of the time, they are found squeezed in between there relative major and minor chords and are used as embellishment. 

Attached are common fingerings for sus2 and sus4 chord shapes.