Combining chords

[necessarius]

I have been doing this lately and it sounds pretty cool like, a Cm with a GM. Or Dim with major. Basically what I was wondering is there some type of theory or formula to keep in mind for this to make it work theoretically? Or is it just find out what sounds cool and do it? If there is a thread on this I would greatly appreciate the link, if not drop a line .

Thank you.

[jimbo320]

If there's a theory for it I never heard of it. If it sounds cool and fits the music do it...
But then again I don't know everything....lol

[musicluvr49]

That sounds really interesting... That's something I'd like to try out.

[quantum]

Just experiment and find what sounds cool.  Don't think that you have to fit your chords into some theoretical framework. 

If you want to listen to a composer who used some pretty cool chords check out Scriabin.  His middle and late periods have some really intriguing harmonies.   

[nystul]

In jazz there are a lot of extended chords.  Some of the notes are essential to the function of the chord and others are for color.  If you combine a C minor chord with G major chord, you get C-Eb-G-B-D.  That's a C minor chord, but with a major seventh.  Sometimes called a C minor-major chord, believe it or not.  It kind of corresponds to the melodic minor scale.

[necessarius]

Thanks for all the replies guys I really appreciate it .

[becky8898]

Hi Necessarius: Combining a Cm and a GM gives you a C minor Major 9th chord.  And yes there are all kinds of rules for this along how inversions affect things.  An example would be taking the B and playing it as your highest note.  It radically changes the tone coloring.   As you know the third step of the scale say E IN a C scale determines the mode of the scale your working with.  Have an E and your in a major mode, have an E flat and your in a minor mode.  The next most important coloring tone is the seventh step of the scale.  IN this case a B.  There are tons and tons of rules about this. You really have two choices either take several years of theory or just use your ear and begin thinking things out.  Just for the heck of it heres something interesting.  in the Key of C play a strong G with the left hand in the base .  in the right hand play  an F minor chord plus an E on top.  That chord is a g13 with a flated 9 . It is a great great chord for resolving back to C Major 7.  The technical reasons have to do with  you in effect playing the Dominant in the base and the sub dominant  in the right hand.  Anyway im not sure that helps any.  but keep listening hard and you will find all kinds of neat things.

Cheers, Becky