Ukulele · Level 8 · Advanced
Altered dominant chords in E major on Ukulele
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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".
F♯m7
Notes: F♯ · A · C♯ · E
B7♯9
Notes: B · D♯ · F♯ · A · C𝄪
Emaj7
Notes: E · G♯ · B · D♯
B7b9
Notes: B · D♯ · F♯ · A · C
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: F♯m7, B7♯9, Emaj7 and B7b9. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Use light pressure; the ukulele's nylon strings need far less force than steel.
- 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 add an up-strum between beats with a loose wrist.
- 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.
E major has 4 sharps; its relative minor key is C♯ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii7–V7♯9–Imaj7 / ii7–V7♭9–Imaj7 in E major?
In E major the progression is F♯m7 | B7♯9 | Emaj7 | Emaj7 | F♯m7 | B7b9 | Emaj7 | Emaj7.
What is the key signature of E major?
E major has 4 sharps. Its relative minor is C♯ 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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