Mandolin · Level 8 · Advanced
Altered dominant chords in A♭ major on Mandolin
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Altered dominants add a raised or lowered ninth to V7 for extra tension before resolving. The 7♯9 is also the famous "Hendrix chord".
B♭m7
Notes: B♭ · D♭ · F · A♭
E♭7♯9
Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D♭ · F♯
A♭maj7
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G
E♭7b9
Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D♭ · F♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: B♭m7, E♭7♯9, A♭maj7 and E♭7b9. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Mandolin frets are close together, so reach with the fingertips and press each pair of strings evenly.
- Set the tempo to 69 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Compare the ♯9 and ♭9 versions back to back over the same ii and I.
- Strum down on every beat, then try the bluegrass “chop”: a short, muted strum on beats two and four.
- Raise the tempo to 92 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the sharper bite of ♯9 and the darker pull of ♭9.
Listen for
Aim for the sharper bite of ♯9 and the darker pull of ♭9. A common mistake is resolving too early, before the tension registers.
Why it works
Altered ninths are a half step away from chord tones of I, so they resolve by the smallest possible step.
A♭ major has 4 flats; its relative minor key is F minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii7–V7♯9–Imaj7 / ii7–V7♭9–Imaj7 in A♭ major?
In A♭ major the progression is B♭m7 | E♭7♯9 | A♭maj7 | A♭maj7 | B♭m7 | E♭7b9 | A♭maj7 | A♭maj7.
What is the key signature of A♭ major?
A♭ major has 4 flats. Its relative minor is F minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 8 lesson (advanced). If it feels too hard, start with “Dominant thirteenth chords”.
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