Piano · Level 8 · Advanced
Altered dominant chords in D major on Piano
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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".
Em7
Notes: E · G · B · D
A7♯9
Notes: A · C♯ · E · G · B♯
Dmaj7
Notes: D · F♯ · A · C♯
A7b9
Notes: A · C♯ · E · G · B♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Em7, A7♯9, Dmaj7 and A7b9. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
- 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.
- Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
- 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.
D major has 2 sharps; its relative minor key is B minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii7–V7♯9–Imaj7 / ii7–V7♭9–Imaj7 in D major?
In D major the progression is Em7 | A7♯9 | Dmaj7 | Dmaj7 | Em7 | A7b9 | Dmaj7 | Dmaj7.
What is the key signature of D major?
D major has 2 sharps. Its relative minor is B 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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