Have you ever given up on a Chord? I can't seem to get Gm(add9) Frustrated.

[Oneofthe]

Hi,

Are there chords you have given up on and if so what do you do? Here is my dilemma, this particular chord seems to be used quite a bit in Jazz it is a Gm(add9)

---3---G
---3---D
---3---Bb
---7---A
---5---D
---3---G

I've encountered it in two songs already. Now, I play an Epiphone ES 175 and I can sort of get the chord or get very close if I hold the guitar such that the neck is diagonal above 45 degrees. To do this I have to hold the guitar between my legs which I know is not common. I've gotten close just holding the guitar regularly but my hands just tense up, so I'm close one day and the next day not even close. If I'm being thorough I would write that the finger strength in my first finger is not where it should be.

0) Any tips on how to get this chord?
1) Is this a common Jazz Chord?
2) Can you do it and do you know if others do it, or is there a certain hand size that is needed?
3) I own a telecaster but the shorter scale length of the ES 175 gets me closer even with heavier strings. is this a guitar issue i.e. maybe in the future I should consider looking into something more for my size?
4) Can everyone at a certain point get this chord?

Thanks!

[pingu]

I've been playing 40 odd years
and I can't grip that ...

I do love those close voicings too so I have tried
If I can get to this on a good day
xx7333
I'm happy enough

PS my old teacher can play them easy and he has
much smaller hands so there you go

[M-ster]

Gm(add9) doesn't mean just that specific, 6-string voicing. It's any voicing of the notes G, Bb, D, and A. In the context of an actual performance, you may be grabbing more less than that, depending ...

Why not just xx5335 ? If there's a bassist, you may assume he'll sound the root, somewhere, so you might leave out the G and do something like x x 8 7 10 x.

There are many other possibilities.

[Michael Kaye]

You're not trying to play it upside down are you?

Barre 1st at 3rd fret
2nd picks up the D
4th picks up the A

[bako]

Everyone except maybe Ben Monder will give up on playing chord voicings at some point.

A couple things to consider:

1. To assess what your actual stretch ability is: hold your left hand in front and spread your fingers as wide as you
can without tensing. This is your natural stretch. Anything less when playing guitar means that there is something
about alignment and body usage that is inhibiting our stretching ability. Explore the angles.

2. To practice challenging stretches, work on them at first higher up the neck where the frets are closer together.
Gradually work your way down into as low as position as is feasible.

3. When I decide that a voicing is unplayable played simultaneously, I break it up into several playable segments.

2 possibilities:

G / D / A / Bb D G

G D / A Bb D G

[rlrhett]

I have two thoughts that don't directly answer your question, so feel free to ignore.

1) Do you love the sound of that chord/fingering? You say you have encountered it on two songs, but this's is jazz not classical music. Voicing, fingering, extensions, etc are up to you. If you love the way that particular voicing sounds in that piece at that place, then I get wanting to master it. If it is the A over Gmin you want, lots of ways to play it. Heck, its jazz. If A is what you need you don't have to even play a Gmin. Maybe Db sounds good there and is easier to grab.

2) I can't think of the last time I played a six note chord. I'm not saying no one should, and as above if you really love that specific six note voicing then it make sense to master it. Otherwise, can't you find an easier fingering around the G-Bb-D+A?

I know neither addresses your question on how to play that chord. But it does beg the question why you need to grab that particular fingering.


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[mr. beaumont]

Cool chord, an "Andy Summers" chord.

Don't think I'd ever play all six strings like that in jazz. Maybe if I were playing solo?

Part of what makes that chord sound so cool is the A-Bb interval...keep that in mind.

Try classical position.

[wolflen]

Oneofthe

I can play it..you do have to lift the neck high and bring it close to your chest to get it to ring true..I have a Les Paul..so my neck scale length is the same as yours-you may want to try this as an Ami9..and try it on the tele also

Disclosure--I studied with Ted Greene for 2 years

ok with this type of chord you have to play it "a little at a time"..and relaxed..try the three low notes first G D A..use the very top part-not the tip-of you first finger to depress the G note..and just play the three notes as an exercise slowly..then just depress the three notes..hold you fingers on the strings but don't depress them..ok..now "bounce" on them in time .. then fingers off the strings..repeat the exercise .. then try the notes C G D..same exercise..make sure you are using the very top part of your finger not the tip but not using the flat part of the finger do this exercise on several string sets slowly until you can play it in comfort with you eyes closed..and relax..breath..

ok .. now A Bb D G notes..again neck of guitar held high and close to chest..this part you are going to visualize playing this shape..and you are going to hear it play true..first just rest your fingers on the strings not depressed..relax..hold the guitar high and to your chest..ok relax start over .. pick the guitar up neck high close to chest place fingers on the strings don't depress..can you form the shape without any discomfort..if so..lets put just a little pressure on the strings.. slowly bounce in time for an 8 count..do the bounce again..this time strum on the down beat..stop..now depress the form and play one string at a time..repeat this until each note rings true

This may take a bit of practice and time but with determination...just keep the neck high and close to your chest and use the very top part of your first finger for the G note

ok last part..Play the G D A thing slowly..rest for a beat now just play the A Bb D G --yeah go through all the bounce things

don't give up..you will be happy when it all comes together..go slow breath and relax..your hand will adjust..

when you fell a bit more comfortable with this chord follow it with an Ab13..and vamp these chords .. throw in a riff or two..give it some life..in time this chord will be your friend..promise !

hope this helps

[Geechnyc]

If that voicing is a part of the tune you need, don't give up, keep working at it!

Check out these six-fret chord voicings (starting with the Bbm7) in Barry Galbraith's comping study for Out of nowhere (circled numbers designate string):

[rpjazzguitar]

I might be able to play it on a very short scale guitar with light strings and a low action.

But why? In a band context, it's way too many notes. You'd do better to think about 2 and 3 string voicings. 4 string voicings can work. 5 and 6 string voicings are likely to make the band's sound more muddy.

For solo guitar work, there's a role for the occasional 5 or even 6 string voicing, but most solo guitar work uses fewer strings than that -- because it sounds better.

So, although somebody else already brought this up, here's my version.


G D Bb A D G.

That's two roots, two fifths, a b3 and a 9.

The bassist, if there is one, will probably hit the low G and maybe the D.

The D is heard, subliminally, but it's there, as an overtone of the G. If you pluck the G and listen carefully, you can hear it. That's one reason why fifths get omitted.

The Bb and A are interesting notes. The Bb defines the chord type as minor (if the G in the bass is heard) and the A creates some interesting sounding dissonance. In many situations, those two notes, voiced a half step apart, and at least an octave above the bass note, would be all you need to present the correct sound to the audience.

I'd probably add the D on the B string because it's easy to play and creates a slightly fuller sound. In solo guitar I might find myself barring the 3rd fret (to get the low G and the Bb), grabbing the A with my pinkie, and plucking the chord, without plucking the A string and maybe without the high E string.

I see Gm9 all the time. I don't see Gmin add9 that often. Why not include the b7? Usually it sounds good. But, maybe the arranger doesn't want it. In which case you might play xx5335. Or xx733x.

Who's going to complain?

Hi,

Are there chords you have given up on and if so what do you do? Here is my dilemma, this particular chord seems to be used quite a bit in Jazz it is a Gm(add9)

---3---G
---3---D
---3---Bb
---7---A
---5---D
---3---G

I've encountered it in two songs already. Now, I play an Epiphone ES 175 and I can sort of get the chord or get very close if I hold the guitar such that the neck is diagonal above 45 degrees. To do this I have to hold the guitar between my legs which I know is not common. I've gotten close just holding the guitar regularly but my hands just tense up, so I'm close one day and the next day not even close. If I'm being thorough I would write that the finger strength in my first finger is not where it should be.

0) Any tips on how to get this chord?
1) Is this a common Jazz Chord?
2) Can you do it and do you know if others do it, or is there a certain hand size that is needed?
3) I own a telecaster but the shorter scale length of the ES 175 gets me closer even with heavier strings. is this a guitar issue i.e. maybe in the future I should consider looking into something more for my size?
4) Can everyone at a certain point get this chord?

Thanks!

[Lobomov]

Cool chord, an "Andy Summers" chord.

You beat me to it. I was a huge fan of The Police in the 80s, so I had to learn those voicings (message in a bottle, every breath you take etc.)

I learned them by spending a summer practicing patterns with large stretches like 5 7 9 on each string and later 5 7 10 (here Id use i m and pinky).

large streches are shorter up the neck, so Id practice there first before moving down to say 3rd fret.

I have small hand and play that stuff on a tele, cos that is what Andy did


But someone mentioned John Stowell. Check him out, he plays a lot of stretches and therefore holds his guitar almost vertically. But playing that chord should be possible in a normal position and on a fender scale guitar. It just takes some effort and time.

[darkwaters]

I've never seen any need to injure my left hand for the sake of a chord. Try this instead:

---5---A
---3---D
---3---Bb
---3---F
---5---D
---3---G

[Oneofthe]

I've been playing 40 odd years
and I can't grip that ...

I do love those close voicings too so I have tried
If I can get to this on a good day
xx7333
I'm happy enough

PS my old teacher can play them easy and he has
much smaller hands so there you go

This and so many other comments meant a lot to me. It's frustrating having the entire song down except for one chord. Thank you very much, sir. I'm going to substitute it for another Gm(add9) chord which M-Ster suggested XX5335.

Thank you to everyone who replied. This was a life saver.

[KirkP]

One could drop the min 3rd altogether. Without the 3rd you lose the sense of major or minor, but the listener can fill that in from the context. Since it's a Gm chord (not Gm7), a 6th or natural 7th often sounds good in it. So experiment with:
3 x 2 2 3 x
or
3 x 2 2 3 2

Or if you want to hear the min 3rd, experiment with:
x x 4 3 3 5
or
3 x 4 3 3 5
or
x x 2 3 3 5
or
3 x 2 3 3 5

Whether these work depends on the chord progression and melody.

[eh6794-2.0]

It is a bit of a stretch to make it sound smooth, but this is a great sounding voicing. Don't give up.

[rob taft]

It is a nice voicing. I can play this easily using a barre but I have a good finger span and play mostly solo guitar and I find that in order for me to play effectively I have to play in the neck up position so if I'm seated it is with a strap or a support. There is lots of good advice and alternatives offered in the thread. But I would keep working on it. I would as another poster said, start at a higher fret position and work your way down until the stretch is comfortable.

That said, I have a permanently bent ring finger and I have a number of chords that are just too hard to make clean and its mostly ones that involve 4 note voicing that require my ring finger on the high E i.e. chords that some others find easy. So I will alter the fingering or drop notes as long as it doesn't interfere with the song.

[Alder Statesman]

What is the chord preceding this one? Not trying to be argumentative, but that is not that difficult of a stretch. I waited until I got home from work and had no trouble on with it on my Tele.

Practice the change slowly and you will get it.

[emanresu]

For OP. When I was inventing things for classical guitar then nope. I never gave up on a chord that was the "right" one. If it was possible to switch&play of course. When started learning comping for jazz then absolutely. I have no time to practice "almost possible" things anymore. There are always alternatives. I feel jazz is the opposite of classical that way - to play what feels good in every way. I'm done with teeth grinding for technical reasons

[rpjazzguitar]

when I finally sat down and tried it, it wasn't that hard.

Easier than the first time I tried to barre an F major.

Maybe just keep working on it?

[grandstick01]

Cool chord, an "Andy Summers" chord.

Don't think I'd ever play all six strings like that in jazz. Maybe if I were playing solo?

Part of what makes that chord sound so cool is the A-Bb interval...keep that in mind.

Try classical position.

That was my first thought. "Every Breath You Take," "Message in a Bottle" - I've been playing that chord since I first started playing guitar 40 years ago. It is a bit of a stretch, and I only play it in passing, otherwise I end up with a cramped claw at the end of my arm. :-)


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[PB+J]

at the 10th fret?

x
10
7
8
10
x

and then you can slip easily into a Gm6/9

x
10
8
8
10
x