In this lesson, I’ll be showing you how to play the major scale using phat-sounding minor eleventh chords.
At the moment, phat-sounding chords are no longer the toast of the industry; especially because top Christian songs now are based on triads and suspended chords.
However, we’ll explore how these phat-sounding chords for musicians who play for audiences and congregations made up of older generation listeners. I’m talking about those who love adding a touch of Jazz, Gospel, and Neo-soul to their craft.
Just before we go ahead, let’s be sure that everyone knows what I mean by phat-sounding chords.
“Hey! What Are Phat-Sounding Chords?”
Have you ever heard a chord that creates an amazing ambience around you? I mean, beyond the notes, you feel the harmonic sophistication of the chord literally and figuratively.
I’m not talking about the regular C major triad:
No!
I’m talking about an extended chord that is sophisticated in harmony and also encompasses a section of the keyboard layout.
Think about the C major thirteenth chord:
…played in a different voicing:
This voicing of the C major thirteenth chord:
…literally sounds FAT or PHAT, hence, it is said to be phat-sounding.
Phat-sounding chords are usually found in the chordal vocabulary of advanced musicians especially in Jazz and Gospel styles and they are recognizable by their sophisticated harmony and wide range.
Here’s How To Play The Major Scale Using Phat-Sounding Minor Eleventh Chords
The major scale can be harmonized with phat-sounding minor eleventh chords; every tone of the major scale harmonized by a minor eleventh chord.
Before we go on, let’s explore the minor eleventh chord voicing we’d be using and the concept of parallelism before we proceed.
The Phat-Sounding Minor Eleventh Chord
The minor eleventh chord can be voiced in fifth intervals. For example, the C minor eleventh chord:
…can be voiced in this manner (using fifth intervals):
…to produce a phat-sounding minor eleventh chord that sounds sophisticated and encompasses over two octaves.
“Here’s The Phat-Sounding Minor Eleventh Chord In All Twelve Keys…”
C minor eleventh chord:
C# minor eleventh chord:
D minor eleventh chord:
Eb minor eleventh chord:
E minor eleventh chord:
F minor eleventh chord:
F# minor eleventh chord:
G minor eleventh chord:
G# minor eleventh chord:
A minor eleventh chord:
Bb minor eleventh chord:
B minor eleventh chord:
The Concept Of Parallel Harmony — Explained
When a chord ascends or descends using the same intervallic structure, this produces parallel harmony. For example, when major triads ascend in whole steps from C major:
…to D major:
…to E major:
…etc.
Minor eleventh chords can also be played in ascending and descending order on the keyboard using a fixed intervallic structure.
“Check Out This Movement…”
Here are the first five tones of the C major scale played in descending order:
G:
F:
E:
D:
C:
The notes above can be harmonized below…
D minor eleventh chord:
C minor eleventh chord:
B minor eleventh chord:
A minor eleventh chord:
G minor eleventh chord:
Here’s The Major Scale Using Phat Sounding Minor Eleventh Chords
The C major scale:
…can be harmonized in ascending and descending order using the phat-sounding voicing of the minor eleventh chord.
The C note:
…can be harmonized with the G minor eleventh chord:
…and every other chord can be derived from the G major scale:
…because the lowest-sounding note in the G minor eleventh chord is G:
Using the rest of the notes in the G major scale:
…the C major scale can be harmonized.
G minor eleventh chord:
…harmonizing C:
A minor eleventh chord:
…harmonizing D:
B minor eleventh chord:
…harmonizing E:
C minor eleventh chord:
…harmonizing F:
D minor eleventh chord:
…harmonizing G:
E minor eleventh chord:
…harmonizing A:
F# minor eleventh chord:
…harmonizing B:
“In A Nutshell…”
The C major scale can be harmonized with the phat-voicing of the minor eleventh chord in the key of G major.
For example, the sixth tone of the C major scale (which is A):
…can be harmonized by the phat-voicing of the sixth tone of the G major scale (which is the E minor eleventh chord):
Final Words
In a subsequent lesson, we’ll explore other phat-sounding chords and also take our knowledge of parallelism to the next level.
I recommend that you practice playing this harmonization of the major scale in other keys as well.
All the best!
