Originally Posted By: Tano Music
Just a note on that chord. Shigeki correctly identifies it...it can be either a 7th chord with the flatted 5th, or a 7th chord with the ninth and then the #11 tone stacked on top. That last one is the one I was using.

I listen to a lot of Brazilian music, and this chord come very naturally out of that. The reason is based on the reliance of the Spanish or classical guitar used as the primary rhythm instrument in bossa nova. When you finger a chord like C9, you bar the strings, then use your fingers to create the chord ahead of the bar, but the “bar” leaves the highest (bottom) string sounding at the #11 tone (in the case of a C9, the #11 would be an F sharp). It creates a very interesting leading tone, or, if left “hanging”, adds a nice mystical feeling.


Thank you for the extra information. Appreciate it.

I've used the m7b5 many times over the years. With my compositions or arrangements, I tend to use it mostly with II-V type progressions in minor keys. For example: Bm7b5 --> E7 in the key of Am. Sometimes, but not too often, I use it as a VII-I or VII-III harmony in major keys.

The #11 variation, though, sounds very interesting. The usual of the 11th seems to be to resolve the chord to a 7th before resolving the 7th to the tonic (or temporary tonic). For example: in the key of C, G11--> G7--> C. This type of dominant harmony progression is one that I often use. (I've set BIAB so that it shows the 11 as a sus4 chord because that's how I tend to hear its resolution.)

The 9#11 extension to a chord, however, changes the story completely! Just listening to C9#11 now in BIAB, it sounds like a nicely ambiguous tension chord that could be useful in modulations.... off to experiment!

Thanks again for the added insight smile
Noel

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