The Diminished Chord - How to Alter and Apply

Master the sophisticated art of the diminished chord with renowned jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur in this essential masterclass that transforms a simple passing chord into a powerful harmonic tool. This course reveals the professional secrets behind using diminished chords not just as transitions, but as colorful harmonic devices that add depth and sophistication to your playing. You'll discover the critical relationship between diminished chords and dominant 7th chords, learning how to seamlessly convert between them using Ben-Hur's half-step technique. Through practical demonstrations using jazz standards like "What's New" and "Spring is Here," you'll understand exactly when and how to apply these voicings in real performance situations. Ben-Hur breaks down the mathematical elegance of the diminished structure—its cycle of minor thirds—and shows you how this knowledge translates into instant chord inversions and substitutions on the fretboard. Most importantly, you'll learn to add colors and tensions that move beyond the basic diminished sound, incorporating flat 9 extensions and understanding which progressions welcome these sophisticated harmonies. Ben-Hur addresses the crucial exceptions—when not to use diminished substitutions over IV and II dominants—ensuring you apply these techniques tastefully. Whether you're looking to enhance your comping vocabulary or add harmonic sophistication to your chord-melody arrangements, this course provides immediately applicable techniques that separate professional players from intermediate guitarists. Perfect for experienced players ready to elevate their harmonic understanding beyond basic chord progressions.