Violin · Level 8 · Advanced
Altered dominant chords in B♭ major on Violin
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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".
Cm7
Notes: C · E♭ · G · B♭
F7♯9
Notes: F · A · C · E♭ · G♯
B♭maj7
Notes: B♭ · D · F · A
F7b9
Notes: F · A · C · E♭ · G♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord as an arpeggio, one note at a time: Cm7, F7♯9, B♭maj7 and F7b9. Press play on the card, then match each note.
- Stay in first position: use the open string where you can and keep the fingers close to the string.
- 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 chord tones one at a time, one note per beat, with a full, even bow on each.
- 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.
B♭ major has 2 flats; its relative minor key is G minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii7–V7♯9–Imaj7 / ii7–V7♭9–Imaj7 in B♭ major?
In B♭ major the progression is Cm7 | F7♯9 | B♭maj7 | B♭maj7 | Cm7 | F7b9 | B♭maj7 | B♭maj7.
What is the key signature of B♭ major?
B♭ major has 2 flats. Its relative minor is G 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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