Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitar Slim II
So, are we saying the "alt" symbol is just intentionally vague? Is it just telling us rhythm cats "hey, its a dom chord, stupid, but add some extra tensions"?
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Sorry, still thinking about this. Now that I know it's "a thing", I want to understand it better if I ever encounter it again. And a question occured to me: Can you sub a plain dominant 7 chord for a "7 alt"?
So I tried it out on the chart for "A Child is Born" -- (after listening to Thad Jones and then Bill Evans play it, has there ever been a more beautiful ballad?)
And I'm still confused...subbing a D dominant for the "alt" chord towards the end of the tune sure "feels" right, despite the F nat. in the melody. It's pretty clear the F nat. should be interpreted as an E# (#9), and if you add the Bb (b13, also from the melody), that's a strong argument for calling it D7#9b13 -- a fairly common blues and jazz chord. Another way to interpret the chord is to spell the Bb as an A#, which would make it a #5#9. Either way it's the same chord tones, easily expressed in a conventional chord symbol.
So I'm still not sure I understand what the "alt" symbol is actually telling me do.