Name these chords please

[Guitar Jones]

I'm a music illiterate among other unsavory things so if anyone could help me name these chords I'd be appreciative.


E - - - - - - - - - mute
B - - - - x - - - - E
G - - - - x - - - - C
D - - - x - - - - - F#
A - - - - x - - - - D
E - - - - - - - - - mute


and this one

E - - - - x - - - - A
B - - - - x - - - - E
G - - - - x - - - - C
D - - - - x - - - - G
A - - - - - - - - - mute
E - - - - x - - - - A


Thanks for the help.

[jefh]

I'm terrible with chords too, but I'll give it a shot. Gotta learn somehow!

The first chord looks like a D9
The second looks like a C/A

Am I right? Did I win?

btw, these chords brought to you by looking at different patterns here: http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/

[Cogs]

D9 & Am7

[jefh]

Aw crap....

[Cogs]

Originally posted by j d
Aw crap....

Well, you could call the second one a C6 w/an A bass :lol2

[Guitar Jones]

j d, I didn't know, that's why I asked.

71818, thank you. I'm eternally grateful.

[Harpua]

i'd name them judy and trish.

[Guitar Jones]

Originally posted by Harpua
i'd name them judy and trish.

Excellent, very fitting. But only you and I would know what we were talking about then.

[Harpua]

notice i refrained from the smartass answer until after you got a real one. enjoy your D9 and Am7. o)

[Guitar Jones]

Originally posted by Harpua
notice i refrained from the smartass answer until after you got a real one. enjoy your D9 and Am7. o)

It's cool either way. I don't take this stuff too seriously ya know.

[Harpua]

but of course.i don't either. weeeeee

[Zhangliqun]

I'm a late comer but, yup -- definitely D9 and Am7 -- though to me, the Am7 is a somewhat unusual voicing. Far from unheard of but not super-common either. With minor 7ths, you don't usually see the tonic (in this case, A) on top, it's usually the 3rd (C) or the 7th (G).

[Old Tele man]

there's a 'saying' in jazz that "...every FOUR note chord has at least SIX names," ie:

* One for each of the four notes...
* One (or more) when "no root" is played...
* One that "doesn't" have a name...

For instance, using the D9 chord, first consider just the four notes (C, D, E, F#). There are four different four-note chords (or chord fragments) possible:

root = D = D(R), F#(3), C(7), E(9) = D9

root = F# = F#(R), C(-5), D(+5), E(7) = F#7(+5/-5)

root = C = C(R), D(9), E(3), F#(-5) = Cadd9(-5)

root = E = E(R), F#(9), C(+5), D(7) = E9(+5)

...that's FOUR different chords! Granted, some are only chord "fragments" but that's often how they're played in jazz, just enough notes to "color" the tone.

Now, consider just SOME of the chord possibilities when we assume there's NO root note being played, ie the bass player is playing it!:

if root = G, then: C(4), D(5), E(6), F#(Maj7) = GMaj11/13.

if root = A, then: C(-3), D(4), E(5), F#(6) = Am11/13(no 7).

if root = G#, then: C(3), D(-5), E(+5), F#(7) = G#7(+5/-5).

...that's THREE more! remember: "...at least SIX names!"