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<<<<<<<< back to Combination Chords
Color Chords
Chord Extensions
Color Chords are chords of four or more tones. Adding a fourth or more tones to the basic triad is called “chord extensions “by some musicians. Tetrachords are chords with four tones. Polytonal chords are chords with more than three tones. No matter what these large chords are called, they add tension, interest, mood or color to the sound of a musical piece. These chords are used extensively in jazz, newgrass, rock and roll and other forms. They should be used more often in dulcimer performances. Mastering these chords will dramatically increase performance options and performance quality.
Tetrachords
The term tetrachord may sound like the name of some dinosaur, but, actually it’s, just a chord with four tones in it. Mostly, these chords add either the 6th, 7th or 9th tone of the scale.
When the 6th is added, the chord becomes light and airy - sort of impressionistic. In some inversions it will sound like a minor chord.
♦ A D6 chord is spelled: D F# A B.
♦ A Bm7 chord is spelled: B D F# A
It is not the inversion of the tones that determines where the chord is called D6 or Bm7. It is the context of the harmonic progression. How the music arrived at the chord will determine what the chord is called.
The chord symbol just adds the number to the original chord. You might see these symbols: D6 or Em6.
When the minor 7th is added, the chord becomes technically a “Major, minor 7th chord.” No one ever says that. They just say a 7th chord and everyone understands. Usually, it is the V chord, the dominant chord, that is used as a tetrachord to become a V7 chord. You’ll recognize the sound when you hear it. The symbol might be A7 or G7. Note that the minor 7th is NOT part of the diatonic scale. It is the subtonic tone and part of the blues scale.
When the major 7th is added, the chord takes on an air of sadness and tension. It’s a wonderful chord. You will see it written: Vmaj7 or Gmaj7 or sometimes GM7.
Often arrangers will add the 9th to a chord. The 9th is a 2nd played an octave higher. The separation between the root tone and the 9th is usually important in making the chord work. That is why the chord is called a 9th chord rather than a 2nd chord. To be technically correct, a ninth chord requires the base triad plus the 7th tone plus the 9th tone. But very often the 7th tone is left out. The symbol for this employs the word “add” or the notation “+”. For example a D chord with an added ninth tone is written either Dadd9 or D+9. Any tone can be added to the triad this way. Note that D9 is a different chord and is spelled: D F# A C E. With five tones, the D9 is NOT a tetrachord.
Below you will find a simple chart showing some of the tetrachords in the key of “D”. You should try to write out the companion chords for the key of “G” and find them on the dulcimer.
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Polytonal Chords
In jazz, show tunes and many contemporary compositions, chords appear which have more than three or four members. There are really only three of these kinds of chords: 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths.
These three chords start with the minor 7th chord and then add each tone successively. By the time you get to a 13th chord, there is a lot of tonality and acoustic density.
The 9th chord is formed by adding the major 2nd an octave above the root to the basic 7th chord. For the 11th chord start with the 9th chord and add the octave high 4th. For the 13th chord start with the 11th chord and add the octave high 6th. Here is how it works:
D chord: D F# A
D7 chord: D F# A C
D9 chord: D F# A C E
D11 chord: D F# A C E G
D13 chord: D F# A C E G B
These chords are mainstays in blues and jazz. You may find them useful on the dulcimer for modern pieces. By the way, there is more to it. You can play these types of 9th chords: major 9th, minor 9th, 9th with a flat 5th, a 6/9 chord (which, by the way, if you play as an arpeggio produces a pentatonic scale), suspended 9th, augmented 9th, and so forth. It can get pretty complex, and, after all, we only have two hammers! Outside of music for jazz guitar and piano or a full musical score of an orchestra, you will rarely see polytonal chords written using all the chord tones. But parts of these chords appear as special and effective harmonies.
There is one special case of the polytonal chord that is particularly useful to dulcimer players. This is the IIm7+b5 chord. In the key of D this chord is Em7+b5. The symbol may look ominous. However, the sound is beautiful. It creates tension and is a wonderful lead into either the V or the I chord. The Em7+b5 is spelled: E D G Bb. Played as an arpeggio, these tones create the chord and lead beautifully and strongly into an A, A7 or D chord. The sound is fleeting but dramatically colors the arrangement.
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Common Tetrachords
Key of D
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Chord Name |
Chord Number |
Tones |
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D7 |
I7 |
D F# A C |
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Dmaj7 |
Imaj7 |
D F# A C# |
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Em7 |
iim7 |
E G B D |
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F#m7 |
iiim7 |
F# A C# E |
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G7 |
IV7 |
G B D F |
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A7 |
V7 |
A C# E G |
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Bm7 |
vim7 |
B D F# A |
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