Diationic chords

what are they and how do i use them in jazz???
any knowledge on them would help =)
thanks in advance

Diatonic chords are chords derived from the notes of a particular key. For example, lets say you were playing the key of C (using only the notes in the C major scale: C D E F G A B) some chords you could play are, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and Bdim. Those are just some generic examples. You could also play some more interesting chords such as, Cmaj7, Csus4, Fmaj7#5, Amadd9 or Esus4. All of those chords use the same notes, C D E F G A and B and can be found in the key of C major.

In jazz, a lot of players like to play 7th chords. So again, let's take the key of C major. Here are some diatonic 7th chords: Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7 and Am7 and Bm7b5.

Hope that helped.

@ Guitarslinger124

GREAT "short 'n' Sweet" Explanation.

lemme add a few small points if i may...

Diatonic(s) (good God that 'sounded too much like 'Dyonetics' LOL!)
okay , stopped laughing at that freaky word similarity...
*takes breath*

Diatonic(s)are, to my mind/hands, just a tad removed from the 'most often used' tonal currency in 'Jazz'; TRIADS (Triads will/should make ya cockeyed-crazy fer a few years then feel just as at home on yer Plank's Neck as the basic 7 modes .. and will dance well with them)

I'm older even than Phip, and therefore can't type worth a damn; so i lifted a small and very simplistic Diatonic-Triadic thang from a buddy o' mine, lol.
--i will place it, as well as a basic, beginner's guide to Triads below fer yer consumption

The Chord Triad deal =

C major C-D-E-F-G-A-B
Third---E-F-G-A-B-C-D
Third---G-A-B-C-D-E-F

Now if you check this you'll see that those are the diatonic triads of C major = C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim. If you keep adding thirds:

C major C-D-E-F-G-A-B
Third---E-F-G-A-B-C-D
Third---G-A-B-C-D-E-F
Third---B-C-D-E-F-G-A and so on

You now get the 7th chords of C major = Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, Gdom7(G7), Am7, Bm7b5. You see the pattern? So for what ever scale you are using, let's take A minor which is the relative minor of C. Just do the same thing:

A minor A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Third---C-D-E-F-G-A-B
Third---E-F-G-A-B-C-D

Which gives you Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F, G. The same chords as in C only from a different perspective. Do the same for whatever mode/scale, lay out the notes and count the thirds, this rule is universal I believe.

Oh, if you lay the notes out for example; A-C-E and you don't know what chord that is then take the major scale of A which is:
A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#
1-2--3-4-5-6--7 then look what they are
A-C--E
1-b3-5 which is the formula for a minor chord.


NOW for the intro to 'Triadic' playng (there is a TON more info)Via pal Roger 'Brotherhood' :

Here is a map of the major triads on the guitar. This is the relative
location of the Root, Third, and Fifth of a major triad. Here's what I
mean by the root, 3rd or 5th of a chord. The triad is constructed by
stacking up the notes of the scale "every other note". The first note
is called the Root. The second note is called the Third because it is
three scale steps away from the root. The third note is called the
Fifth because it is five scale steps away from the root. Check this out
for yourself in a C major scale:

5th -> G A B C D E F G E F G A B C D E C D E F G A B C
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
C D E F G A B C
maj min min maj maj min dim maj

Here is a graphic representation of the relationships of the roots
thirds and fifths of a major triad. This gives you all the possible
voicings for a major triad on the fingerboard. For the minor triads,
just lower the 3rd one fret.

E|---|---|---|-R-|---|---|---|-3-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|---|-R-|
B|-3-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|---|-R-|---|---|---|-3-|---|---|-5-|
G|-R-|---|---|---|-3-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|---|-R-|---|---|---|
D|-5-|---|---|---|---|-R-|---|---|---|-3-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|
A|---|---|-3-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|---|-R-|---|---|---|-3-|---|
E|---|---|---|-R-|---|---|---|-3-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|---|-R-|
^-----------^-------^-----------^-------^-------^-----------^
"G" "E" "D" "C" "A" "G"
shape shape shape shape shape shape

If you look closely, you will see that the "map" can be divided into
five "bar chord" areas that correspond to the five first position triad
shapes. You can link these five large bar chord areas together to learn
the fingerboard, then extract smaller, more easily playable triads.
This "map" is entirely movable. Be sure you try it with the root note
in many places on the fingerboard. Try to relate all the chords you
know to this map, even if it's just a power chord. As you play a chord,
ask yourself, "Which note is the root ... which one is the 3rd ...
which one is the 5th."

If you have any questions.....blah blah blah....ask away !
Guitarslinger124 did a great job and i'm sure between us (and the forum) we'll get ya inta the great, twisted, (even sounds wicked, lol)
"diatonic triadic approach to modal playing" [evil_laugh]WuuuHaHa[/evil_laugh]

seriously;
its a lot of fun climbing into this area of Plank-Knowledge!

Have FUN!

Cs

i kind of get the concept, ill do more research on it thanks for the examples

haha Carl that was just as good as a lesson.