Tension note.

What are tension notes?

Usually, we see these in jazz music. Normally, we use 1-3-5 in major chords. Occasionally, to add a little touched taste, we use 1-3-5-7, we call it major7.

For jazz players, they tend to add in more. If i draw out a scale in two octaves:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16;
where 1=8, 7=15, etc.

So jazz player sees 9, 11,13 as tension notes. Not only these, even the b7, b9, #9, b13, #13 are tension notes as well. Chords involved will be written out such as:

Cmaj9 (1-3-5-7-9 / C-E-G-B-D) or can be written as CM9 (different from c minor 9 "Cm9")

C 9 (1-3-5-7b-9 / C-E-G-Bb-D) - C dominant 9

C mM9 (1-b3-5-7-9 / C-Eb-G-B-D) - C minor major 9

G13 (1-3-5-7b-9-11-13 / G-B-D-F-A-C-E)

Gb13 (1-3-5-7b-9-11-b13 / G-B-D-F-A-C-Eb)

F9 (1-3-5-7b-9 / F-A-C-Eb-G)

So, tension notes' chords tend to have too many notes and are relatively hard to play. Hence, as in making assumptions in physics, we cut off some of the "unwanted" notes:

• The 3rd, 7th and the last tension notes are the most important amongst all others. The 3rd governs the chord's major/minor. The 7th governs the dominant7 / major7. Last tension note is the note you want if you are using such chord.

• The root can be cut off since there'll be a bassist to assist the playing. Playing root is a redundant.

• The 5th sound is not so important, as well as other "lower ranked" tension note. (For 7-9-11-13, 13 is the last tension note and 7-9-11 are the lower ranked.)

Tension notes make jazz chords very difficult to obtained by hearing, especially those root-eliminated chords.. Some chords even have two wanted tension notes, such as:

Cmaj7 (b9 b13).. These species sound pretty wierd!! LOL! But fun to have a try on it..