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An altered chord is a chord in which one or more notes have been chromatically raised or lowered. Altered chords are used to create tension, colour and a stronger pull toward the next chord.
What is an altered chord?
In chord notation, alterations are often written in parentheses after the chord symbol. Common examples include C7(b5), G7(#5), G7(b9) and G7(#9).
Altered chords are especially common in dominant chords, where the altered notes create dissonance that wants to resolve to a more stable chord, often the tonic.
How are altered chords used in piano playing?
For piano players, altered chords are a powerful way to create a more sophisticated and jazzy sound. By raising or lowering a chord tone by a semitone, you can add drama and forward motion to a chord progression.
On the piano, an alteration is often created by moving one note of the chord to a neighboring key. Learning to use altered chords clearly and tastefully is an important step toward more expressive jazz, blues and contemporary piano playing.