# basic question about extended chords



## FPwtc

I have a very basic theory question that is driving me mad! I have started to get more into music theory and playing guitar. I have several extremely comprehensive guitar chord books however I find that neither list major 13th or major 11th chords. They do have dominant 11th and 13th and minor 11th and 13th however.

My question is why don't they list the major 11th and 13th they have pretty much every other and often rather obscure chords listed. Are major 11th and 13th chords known under another name or are they the same as another chord so not listed?

Thanks!


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## Nate Miller

generally, the extensions are used on the dominant chords. Natural extensions in major, altered extension in minor

in major keys, generally people use the #11 as the natural 11 will sound more like a sus4 (which it is)

also, in guitar voicings, since we can't play all the notes in a 13th chord, there are conventions regarding which note to leave out

for 9ths omit the root, for #11, and 13ths, omit the 5th

that is more of a guildeline than an absolute. when I play with my jazz trio, I never play the root (I trust the bass player to play that) I put the 3rd and 7th on the D and G strings and use the upper B and E strings for whatever extension I hear being used by the soloist. 

so no, the major extended chords aren't really known by other names, its just that the convention is that when you say a "13th chord" you mean a dom7 13th


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## FPwtc

Nate Miller said:


> generally, the extensions are used on the dominant chords. Natural extensions in major, altered extension in minor
> 
> in major keys, generally people use the #11 as the natural 11 will sound more like a sus4 (which it is)
> 
> also, in guitar voicings, since we can't play all the notes in a 13th chord, there are conventions regarding which note to leave out
> 
> for 9ths omit the root, for #11, and 13ths, omit the 5th
> 
> that is more of a guildeline than an absolute. when I play with my jazz trio, I never play the root (I trust the bass player to play that) I put the 3rd and 7th on the D and G strings and use the upper B and E strings for whatever extension I hear being used by the soloist.
> 
> so no, the major extended chords aren't really known by other names, its just that the convention is that when you say a "13th chord" you mean a dom7 13th


Sorry i think I missed this from last year! Just saw it, thanks so much for replying and the helpful info!


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