Get instant access to the videos, sheet music, and backing tracks for this course with a PWJ membership!

Start Your Free Trial
Instructor
Jonny May
Course
Intermediate
03:31:54

Making sense of chord extensions and alterations can be confusing when you’re first getting started. In this course, Jonny simplifies the concept by teaching the most common chord alterations used in jazz and popular music. You’ll master each altered voicing by first finding the easiest way to identify it, and then practicing the concept with helpful exercises in 2 positions.

Course Objectives
  • Understand how to find the most common chord alterations
  • Learn the dominant 7(b9), dominant 7(#9), dominant 7(#11), and dominant 7(b13) alterations
  • Discover the combinations that work best, along with tricks to finding alterations
  • Practice with exercises in 2 positions, and around the circle of fifths
Learning Focus
  • Chords
  • Exercises
  • Lead Sheets

Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

The keys to the castle
This course breaks down the (for me) daunting subject of chord alterations and makes them comprehensible and achievable. Thank you so much!
Fun ,little bit frustrating, pushing for abillities
I enjoyed the stepwise developing to understand the theory and put it in my practise. I did not expect the time i need for passing the course. But it worth it.
Fantastic course -
The course is so well structured and clearly explained. It takes you through all chord alterations at a good pace and by the end of it I am feeling so much more confident in finding chords. The resources are great too
Whew!
Very challenging course. My brain hurts! This is one I will (must) revisit.
Challenging but worth it
Very well organized course. Will keep working on this!

Course Lessons

1
Chord Alterations – Lesson 1
21:11

What is a chord alteration?

2
Chord Alterations – Lesson 2
43:51

Dominant 7(b9) Chords

3
Chord Alterations – Lesson 3
30:50

Dominant 7 (#9) Chords

4
Chord Alterations – Lesson 4
41:17

Dominant 7 (#11) Chords

5
Chord Alterations – Lesson 5
51:59

Dominant 7 (b13) Chords

6
Chord Alterations – Lesson 6
22:46

Alterations around the circle exercise

Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

The keys to the castle
This course breaks down the (for me) daunting subject of chord alterations and makes them comprehensible and achievable. Thank you so much!
Fun ,little bit frustrating, pushing for abillities
I enjoyed the stepwise developing to understand the theory and put it in my practise. I did not expect the time i need for passing the course. But it worth it.
Fantastic course -
The course is so well structured and clearly explained. It takes you through all chord alterations at a good pace and by the end of it I am feeling so much more confident in finding chords. The resources are great too
Whew!
Very challenging course. My brain hurts! This is one I will (must) revisit.
Challenging but worth it
Very well organized course. Will keep working on this!
Related Courses

Demystify chord extensions with this comprehensive theory course on learning the most common extensions over major 7, dominant 7, and minor 7 chords.

Master your Dominant 7th chords with 17 exercises to easily play them all.  We'll explore each chord from multiple angles, including the Circle of 5ths, chromatically, with inversions, & progressions.

In this comprehensive course on Dominant 7 Chords, you'll learn how to build Dominant 7 Chords, the Chord Symbols, all 12 Dominant 7 Chords, 4 tunes to practice them with, & the most common Dominant 7 progressions.

Join Us

Get instant access to this Course and other member features with a PWJ membership!


Guided Learning Tracks

View guided learning tracks for all music styles and skill levels

Progress Tracking

Complete lessons and courses as you track your learning progress

Downloadable Resources

Download Sheet Music and Backing Tracks

Community Forums

Engage with other PWJ members in our member-only community forums

Become a better piano player today. Try us out completely free for 14 days!

Get Started