Mu chords

[Ukecaster]

Saw this video about Steely Dans use of Mu chords, thought it was cool, they sure sound great.

Unfortunately, I know little to nothing about music theory, but was wondering if these chords are often used in uke music, and could anyone provide examples of standard uke chords, in tab, with corresponding Mu chords?

 

[don_b]

Hopefully you'll get some info, this could be a very interesting thread

 

[LorenFL]

I'm a huge Dan fan, love me some Mu Major. I looked into this a while back, and about the closest we can do on a uke, as I recall, would be 9 chords, which are closely related to 2 chords. I don't remember the chord math involved, but 2 and 9 are basically the same... at least for our purposes. (EDIT: After rewatching the Mu video... I realized that I watched it several years ago... and my memory was fuzzy, but close. Add2 and Add9 is what I should have said.)

Just start playing with "jazz chords", you can find some cool sounds like that, even on a uke. Just a step beyond the basic 7 chords. Sus2, Sus4, Maj9, etc.

Couple of great videos that I've found to get started...

This one was my first. So eye opening!



This one is really good, too.

 

[ripock]

If I have understood you folks correctly, the μ chord is just an add9 chord. For the sake of disclosure, I'll let you know how I make my movable add9 chords. I'll use G as an example.

1. G add9 rooted on G string=12 11 10 12
2. G add9 rooted on C string=4 7 5 5
3. G add9 rooted on E string=2 2 3 2
4. G add9 rooted on A string=7 9 7 10

Sometimes with the shapes rooted on the C and A strings I will omit the tonic to make the shapes easier to form...especially since I usually play the minor μ.

I don't really have a strategy in deploying my add9's. I know 80's metal bands like Ratt and Queensryche used them to sound cool and I use them in a similar fashion. I just drop them in. For example, I was playing a harmonic minor progression of Em, Am, B and I switched it to E add9, Bm, Am add9. Obviously, no rhyme or reason; just being different. I sounded fairly awesome. I like to pair my add9's with a sus4 and augmented chords.

 

[LorenFL]

For my weird "Low F" tuning...

0252, 0311, 0203 and 4100 are some choice chords! Thanks for saving me the trouble of doing all of that "chord math". I can understand that stuff, but I REALLY have to think about it.

And Ripock's set
12 11 1012 - very difficult for me, and not an area that I find pleasant to hear.
4755 - I physically can't do this one. Not gonna happen.
2232 - is nice.
7 9 7 10 - not too hard, but like the first one, not my favorite sound.

I need to start keeping a notebook or something with info like this in it.

 

[ripock]

I totally agree, Loren. These are stretchers. I mentioned above that sometimes I omit the tonic and play the chords rootless just to make it easier to fret. Or if I simply had to play an add9 chord for a song, I'd play a sus2 chord which are very easy to fret. After all a sus2 is an add9, only the 9 is an octave lower. Oh, and as was pointed out, it lacks any kind of third. I just meant if you want something with a 9 in it, the sus2 might work depending on the musical context.

 

[ripock]

inspired by this thread I have been investigating some other add9 options. The augmented add9 works fairly well. I was using the augmented shape that is rooted on the G and A strings. I just scoot the A string up two frets to get the 9, and the bottom three strings provide the augmented triad. The only problem is fingering this shape on higher frets. I can only get this shape by pushing the instrument to the side to achieve the correct angle. Add that to your list of reasons to get a strap: it makes it easier to play F#+ add 9.

 

[LorenFL]

I need to get used to using a strap. And a metronome. And taking notes.

Meh, I'll probably just keep noodling!

Poked around some song tabs online today. I'm finding that I can play a lot more of them than I used to be able to. If I learn some choice Mu chords, maybe I can insert them here and there?

 

[cdkrugjr]

Another thing to keep in mind with Steely Dan. As a keyboard player, I can tell you that many of the things Fagin plays are, "I'm playing the tonic chord while I change my LH notes," and Always with smooth voice leading. Translating to ukulele is necessarily going to be an approximation.

 

[Uncleleo]

Mu chord is not possible on ukulele. Only F variation is finger friendly. Not in the standart tuning. But you can always use a capo to replace your songs root tonality major chord with a Mu chord. Its working from F major to C# major with capo on 8th fret... Can you play ukulele with capo on 8th fret?