5 Simple Chord Tricks to Sound Amazing

1  Add a Different Bass Note to Redefine the Chord

The simplest way to redefine a chord is to add a bass note other than the root.  It’s common to voice a simple triad by doubling the bass to fill out the chord.  Here’s C Major as an example.

If we substitute the C in the bass with A, we’ve now redefined the chord as A minor 7.

If we substitute the C in the bass with D, we’ve now redefined the chord as D11.

We can also apply the same concept to minor chords.  Here’s C minor.Substitute C in the bass with A flat and you have A flat Major 7.

Of course, we can go beyond simple triads to use this principle.  Let’s use an extended chord such as F Major 7.

Substitute D in the bass with F and you have D minor 9.

If we take C minor 7…

We can substitute C with E flat to give us E flat 6.

2  Arpeggiate Your Chord(s)

As you may know, an arpeggio is a broken chord.  In other words, when you arpeggiate a chord, you simply play it by breaking it up in fragments.  This can be done in a variety of ways with either or both hands.

With a left hand chord arpeggio, a simple triad can be played as a “voicing in 10ths” instead of just playing it all as one block chord.

You can also use an arpeggio to create a beautiful comping pattern to support the right hand.

Your right hand can also arpeggiate more than one note at a time

3  Half Step Slides

The element of surprise always creates interest in music.  The half step slide is an easy way to give the unexpected.  Whatever your target chord is (chord you're moving to).  You simply play the same chord a half step above or below it just before you slide into the chord.

A triad with a half step slide is the simplest example.A more common half step slide is utilized with more advanced chords.

4  Melody Note Substitution

It’s common to hear about chord substitutions.  But substituting melody notes are not as commonly thought of.  You only substitute melody notes sparingly because too many may make a song unrecognizable.  It’s an excellent strategy if you want to accommodate a chord or voicing that may not work otherwise.

As you can see from the following lead sheet, the highlighted melody note has been selected as a substitute for the original melody note.  It’s unexpected and creates interest for the listener. 

In this example, the melody note E can be substituted...

...for the melody note C.

This accommodates the G minor 11 chord that results in a substitution chord that wouldn't work otherwise.