Major #11 chord request

[CyrilleB]

The Major #11 chord (1, 3, #4, 5) chord (without the 7th), is really needed for many songs (especially modal type of songs). I couldn't find any substitute chords in the IRP chord library that can reproduce that specific type of sound.
It would be great to have it implemented in IRP.

 

[Keith88]

Cyrille, I'm curious to know how you would voice this chord. I'm used to chords like a C major 7 #11, voiced C E B D F#, leaving the fifth out. Often, I'd add an A on top to make it a C maj 13 #11.

 

[CyrilleB]

Well, this kind of chord is not so common in standard jazz, but often used in some world music, pop, folk, modal, fusion styles.
It's more often used by guitarists than by pianists. The most common voicings is with the bass playing either the 3rd (3,1,#4, 5 or 3,5,1,#4) or the 5th (5,1,3,#4 or 5,3,1,#4)

Here's two very different type of tunes where this chord can be heard:
- Jacknife (Brecker Brothers) : First chord of the bridge: B(#4)/F# (here's the bass plays the 5th), so the voicing is F#, B, D#, F (from low to high)
- Dust in the wind (Kansas) : Third chord (third bar of the instrumental bridge): F(#4)/A (the bass plays the 3rd), voicing: 3,1,#4,5 (from low to high)

 

[Keith88]

Thanks for the info. I try to learn something new every day.