If you are looking for some great sounding neo soul chords for the piano with a nice jazz tinge, you might be closer to your goal that you think. By using a simple trick, you can create minor eleventh chords simply by combining plain major and minor chords. You can be sure that they will sound amazing on the piano or keyboard with a nice Rhodes patch.
Sounds too simple? It’s not! Here’s how you create a minor 11 chord in the key of C:
- Play a C minor chord (C, Eb, G) with your left hand.
C minor
- Then add a Bb major chord (Bb, D, F) on top with your left hand.
Bb major
- That’s it! There you have the minor 11 chord, which might have just that neo soul sound you are looking for.
C minor 11
With a simple formula you can create minor 11 chords in any key.
Just play a minor chord in the key you like, then add a major chord on the flatted seventh. To find the b7, move up one octave from the root, and count down two half steps.
So if you take the key of E for example, play an E minor chord (E, G, B) with your left hand.
E minor
Then move up an octave to the next E and count down two half steps. You will arrive at D, where you place the D major chord (D, F#, A).
D major
The two of them together form the E minor 11 chord.
E minor 11
The notes contained in this voicing are the root, minor third and fifth (these are all part of the minor chord), plus the minor seventh, ninth and eleventh (created by the the major chord on the flatted seventh).
You can move the chords to higher or lower octaves as you like. You can also play inversions of the right hand chord to get even more sounds using the same chords.
Using minor 11th chords in neo soul and jazz
By applying this simple trick, you can easily add some soulful and jazzy elements to your music. Minor 11ths chords are a popular choice as neo-soul piano chords and in contemporary jazz genres, as they add depth and complexity to the sound. The formula can be used in any key and provides endless possibilities for experimentation.
Incorporating minor 11th chords into your playing is a great way to expand your musical vocabulary and bring a new feel to your compositions. So, give it a try and see where your creativity takes you!
Check out the next post to learn how to create a neo soul chord progression on the piano using minor 11th chords.