Can anybody please explain this chord progression?

izzy1

New member
I'm having a hard time understanding these chords. Are the chords in the right hand based in the left hand chord tones? Like the 3rd 5th or 7th tones? For example, for the 1st chord I understand the left hand is the root chord but ab minor 9 is different from the regular position and inversions. I also understand the left hand bass notes are power chords. I'll post the the chord progression start times. Thank you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yck33Y67DJA

@ 3:10, 3:55 and 4:23
 
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so what don't you understand? on the first resolution he inverts the 9th to form a block chord. perhaps i missed something but it seems quite straightforward.
 
Thanks for replying. So, right hand is an inversion of the ab minor? Because I inverted the ab minor and the inversions don't look like the chord in the right hand. That's where I'm lost at.
 
ab minor 9 is different from the regular position and inversions.
Not sure what you mean by 'regular position'.

For minor 9 chords there isn't really a standard position apart from the root is usually in the bass, which it is here.

When playing big 5 note chords like Abm9 (Ab,B,Eb,Gb,Bb) (1-b3-5-b7-9) people normally spread the notes apart a lot to reduce clashing, especially for the lower notes. So the left hand bass plays 1,5 and b7, and the right hand plays 9, b3 and another 5 because why not add another 5.
 
I'm starting to get it now. Just still getting lost with the right hand on the other chords. He confuses people wel.. Me with how he explains the chords. Left hand I got 100% though.
 
Not sure what you mean by 'regular position'.

For minor 9 chords there isn't really a standard position apart from the root is usually in the bass, which it is here.

When playing big 5 note chords like Abm9 (Ab,B,Eb,Gb,Bb) (1-b3-5-b7-9) people normally spread the notes apart a lot to reduce clashing, especially for the lower notes. So the left hand bass plays 1,5 and b7, and the right hand plays 9, b3 and another 5 because why not add another 5.

Precisely what scrapheaper said. "Regular" position you refer to is likely "root" position. People do often play "spread" chord voicings (as the name implies, the notes are spread out a lot more than a standard tri-tone chord) when utilizing jazz extensions. Although, "crunch" voicings are also used with some frequency as well (notes are often inverted and "crunched" together, generally giving a fairly dissonant sound). The lower the octave, the more important it is to not only spread things out, but utilize harmonic frequencies which complement each other (most often these are the perfect fifths and octaves). Keep in mind that although music theory is (almost) a perfect science, its application is rarely utilized to perfection. Largely, that's because the art form is largely subjective. Some people love dissonant jazz, others love the strong chord resolutions in much of soul/gospel/blues. The point being that if you don't fully understand every detail of music theory lessons, don't worry about it! It takes a lifetime to learn just a fraction of the available info. Getting caught up in minutia can be slightly counterproductive imho. But good for you to take on the subject. You will be an expert in no time and will probably be teaching us lessons lol. Stick with it. Slow and steady wins the race in this game of music theory.
 
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