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What to play on 6 chords?

M

MichelD

May 19, 2014
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#1
I've recently started playing with a couple guys who play a lot of jazz standards and old swing tunes from charts. There are a lot of 6 chords, both major and minor.

For the most part I keep it simple, but they are also very liberal in demanding soloing from me. That's a challenge, as I'd say I am primarily a groove player so this is new territory.

Anyway, in accompanying them, when I come to a 6 chord, should I include the 5th, as in a C6 arpeggio could I go C-E -G- A? Or should I skip the 5?
 
#5
C-E-G-A is fine. Also, major pentatonic, major scale, Lydian scale. It really depends on what sound you're going for.

A true authentic major or minor sixth chord, is, to me, a dated sound. If you really want to keep it "In the box", so to speak, you can be more conservative in your note choices, especially when playing time, but as it is with jazz, you don't have to. IMO, it's worth experimenting with different modes to find what you like.
 
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#6
The fifth is usually one of the most transparent note in a chord. In fact, in arranging context, it's the first note to be left out of the chord if the number of voice is limited. This also mean that it is sometime a very safe choice when you feel unstable. Unless the fifth is altered, it won't have any effect or direction for that mater...

To answer your question in a different way whenever I'm wondering what can I play during a certains chord? (That is if I don't hear it) I ask myself what is the base of the chord and what is his fonction.

In this case you mention C6, the base of the chord is C (C-E-G) and 6 is the extension (A). The problem now is that there is no context. This makes finding the fonction harder. C6 could be a I chord, a IV chord or V chord. In each of these case it will feel different. Yes, you can play the same thing on all of them. But is it the most efficient choice?

Although, since you've mentioned old standard. Sixth chord are often associated with I chord. Except in some chord movement: Minor ballads variation of Cm, CmMaj7, Cm7, Cm6. Blues C6, C7, C6, C7 and so on...

Just to go agains't what you said, I'd suggest that you avoid the 6 ;P and play the chord as if it was simply a C major chord and see what will be the result...
 
#7
MichelD said:
….. Anyway, in accompanying them, when I come to a 6 chord, should I include the 5th, as in a C6 arpeggio could I go C-E -G- A? Or should I skip the 5?
Click to expand...

OK what does the 6th add? IMO it just gives a major bass line a more softer tone. So R-3-5-6 works fine. The major pentatonic is 1-2-3-5-6. I have no problem using both the 5 and 6 together.

Experiment - for example R-5-6-8 or R-3-5-6. If the guys are not giving you fish eyes, everything is cool.
 
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#8
Malcolm35 said:
OK what does the 6th add? IMO it just gives a major bass line a more softer tone. So R-3-5-6 works fine. The major pentatonic is 1-2-3-5-6. I have no problem using both the 5 and 6 together.

Experiment - for example R-5-6-8 or R-3-5-6. If the guys are not giving you fish eyes, everything is cool.
Click to expand...
I don't get heck no matter how bad it sounds.
 
#13
The 6 chords are used mostly in more traditional music when there is the root note in the melody.
Imagine you have a C6 chord, the singer has a C in the meldoy and a very fancy piano player plays a Cmaj7. Try to sing a C next to a B. That will possibly make the singer sound odd and usually doesn´t fit to more traditional styles.
BUT basslines might work different, and for solo work you are free to play some nice stuff with a B in it if it sounds right for you, why not.
 
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#14
Maj6 chords can be treated as a simple Major triad. The 6th is typically voiced by a more traditional melody instrument but you can play the 6th if you wish. As for the min6 chords, it depends on how old the chart is. Way back in the Tin Pan Alley days, min6 chords were the voicing of choice for what really are more properly thought of as a min7(b5) which is the ii chord of a i minor. For example:

Cmin6 = C Eb G A. Look this over; it's also an Amin7(b5): A C Eb G in first inversion.

So if you see something like this: Cmin6 D7(b9) Gmin7, then treat the Cmin6 as an Amin7(b5). In this example, it's serving as the ii chord in a ii V(b9) of i (minor).

Alternatively, if you see a progression such as:

Fmin Fmin(Maj7) Fmin7 Fmin6, this is telling you that someone (possibly you and/or others) needs to be playing the line F E Eb D over those four chords. So, context is everything.
 
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#15
6th chords in jazz are 'easy' in the sense that you can either chromatic from the 5th to the 7th and change chords, or 6th up to the root, or any combination. lot of room for chromatic fills from 5th to root that you can often get away with a 'lazier' pattern and not having to know 'all the chords' to walk in and out of some jazz standards with just the progression.

jazz snobs can feel free to correct any of my 'air quotes'.
 
#16
MichelD said:
I've recently started playing with a couple guys who play a lot of jazz standards and old swing tunes from charts. There are a lot of 6 chords, both major and minor.

For the most part I keep it simple, but they are also very liberal in demanding soloing from me. That's a challenge, as I'd say I am primarily a groove player so this is new territory.

Anyway, in accompanying them, when I come to a 6 chord, should I include the 5th, as in a C6 arpeggio could I go C-E -G- A? Or should I skip the 5?
Click to expand...
You might want to do all three depending on the song or where it is in the song. And there may be times you'll just want to do something simple like stay on the root note. All depends on the song, your sense of what sounds good, or the bandleader's sense of what sounds good.
 
#18
cheechi said:
6th chords in jazz are 'easy' in the sense that you can either chromatic from the 5th to the 7th and change chords, or 6th up to the root, or any combination. lot of room for chromatic fills from 5th to root that you can often get away with a 'lazier' pattern and not having to know 'all the chords' to walk in and out of some jazz standards with just the progression.

jazz snobs can feel free to correct any of my 'air quotes'.
Click to expand...

JimmyM said:
You might want to do all three depending on the song or where it is in the song. And there may be times you'll just want to do something simple like stay on the root note. All depends on the song, your sense of what sounds good, or the bandleader's sense of what sounds good.
Click to expand...

You guys have the same hat.
 
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#20
Sometimes you'll see X6 as the chord preceding the ii V... you can add the 6 in the I vi ii V turnaround to give a more rhythmic movement. Re what to play against a 6 chord...be careful about playing the 6 directly because (for example) if you play the A against a CM7, you'll instantly turn the chord into an Amin7. A cool reharm, but if that isn't in the melody, you may get a stinkeye look from the vocalist or soloist if they aren't savvy enough to know where to go with it. Lots of stuff and freedom in jazz (and other genres), just be aware...it's a caution more than a hard and fast rule. The bass is a powerful instrument in the harmonic mix.
 

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