I grew up on 70’s am and early 80’s fm radio and never felt Steely Dan was a “rock-n-roll” band. But I was always stoked when they came on because they were so different and never knew why. As a result Aja was one of the first albums I bought with my own money as a teen. Thank god for that.
My guitar playing music companions and I just called them “Steely Dan chords.” I knew that there had to be a science behind it. There was too much consistent structure to think otherwise. I’m sure Michael Omartian was hip to all this as a Dan musician. Some of his solo works sneak in a μ or two 😆
Many years ago, I read an article in the then superb Guitar Player Magazine (late 70's issue). The write up was by then Steely Dan guitarist, Denny Dias. He wrote on the μυ (Mu) major chord. As soon as I played that chord I knew I was on to something that no one in my area had a handle on. I have to mention, however, that the Beatles were using this chord as early and 1964. I often used it (in either a bold manner, or subtle) to color to songs my band and I already had in our repertoire. I learned to use it enough to where this chord became an integral part of my sound. To this day, it adds a subtle extra texture and I can tell the positive effect it makes on the listeners. Fantastic article, and thank you loads, Denny Dias!
I have been learning the piano and I wanted to improve my knowledge and range of chords. Since I loved Steely Dan and Donald Fagen’s music I thought it might be helpful to learn some of their songs. I selected 3 slowish ones and started to learn them. I started with Home at Last and then moved on to Third World Man. This gave me what I wanted, and pleased with this I went on to my 3rd song, Maxine. I looked it up on Ultimate Guitar, as usual, to find the chords. I was in for a bit of a shock to find that it contained 56 different chords, of which I already knew...5. It took me about 2 months to learn but I’m so glad I did as it’s lovely to hear these chords and even better to actually play them.
I feel better knowing that I am not the only one who sleeps in a zippered hoody with a microphone strung though my shirt and wakes up talking about Steely Dan. Wait until I tell my wife about this!
There are a lot of players with a lot of theory under their belt but no ears. Becker and Fagen had both in abundance. They are simply one of the most musical acts ever to grace the rock world, and this is in part because they were very clear about what they were going for. They knew how to straddle the line between blues, jazz and rock. Just listen to those chords in "Peg" and "Josie".
Damn dude! Growing up in the 70s and 80s sure did come back as a huge flash as you played the music. I didn't know why Steely Dan sounded so damn good then and now I do! Thanks for sharing!
I learned how to play Rikki don’t lose that number on guitar around 1985 or so. My teacher taught me the D-A-E progression as Mu major chords. Until about 2 years ago, those were the only Mu major chords I knew and I never heard anyone talk about them. I even had another guitar teacher 25 years ago say there’s no such thing. There is a French guy on UA-cam that does fantastic guitar lesson videos, and he did a Mu major video. It blew my mind and unlocked the rest of the Mu major world. I’ve been playing Rikki for 37 years, and every time I play those chords I still get goosebumps. This was a fantastic video, and nice to see a piano perspective. You proved my personal quote correct that I share with folks posting Steely Dan reaction videos. “When real musicians get off work, they listen to Steely Dan.”
this was new to me and you explained it adequately and made it useful in some ten minutes with pretty nice renditions of examples to boot. thanks and well done!
@@DoktorLorentzBig WOW!!! First time in 45 years that I've triggered somebody by discussing the way I learn/play music. Beat the wife much, Sport ? 🖕🖕🖕
Jackson, you should do a class on another Steely Dan classic chord. Don't know the name but its composition is, for example, an F bass note on a C major triad. They used this chord structure in many tunes.
Just discovered you .... fantastic Knowledge and presentation style .... intrigued and looking forward to watching many more of your entertaining and uniquely engaging ventures to freely educate ... thanks
this is a great explanation. love the µ. also, at the moment Jackson says "when he was talking about how they would teach Steely Dan songs to their musicians, Walter Becker said this:" it cut to a commercial where a woman said "There is nothing that makes me happier than biting into warm, fresh bread"...I hope, over the years, Becker happened to say that at least once.
Thank you for enlightening me. I've always wondered what that unique tonality was that was part of Steely Dan's charm and trademark (besides outstanding lyrics, musicianship, arrangements...etc.). Your video is a delight.
Brilliant offering Jackson. For a penultimate music collector and aficionado for the past 50 years, I have somehow never managed to comprehend the musical "calculus" that was Fagen and Becker. My ear loves their work but my brain could not follow how it was created...until now. I knew I liked what I hear but, I had not a clue as to how their consistent brilliance was created. You shed some light on that and in a way musical troglodytes like myself could never figure out on their own. There is a special place in musical heaven for you. Thank you.
"Penultimate" means second last. Maybe that's what you meant but ... I think OC and Stiggs were a duo whose adventures were created by a National lampoon writer. One of the best parts of Nat Lamp as it was declining
This was brilliant because if video wasn't included then audio would have been almost just as well. I'm not a musician, but a close friend of mine is a professional jazz trombonist, so I asked him to check this out and he replied that it was pretty darn good. He said that Parodi's singing wasn't up to snuff, but that's okay because Parodi simply demonstrated in audio how masterful the Steely Dan duo was. My friend said that Steely Dan is itself a separate league of music and that no other music team approaches this level of sophistication in the jazz-rock hinterland. I myself didn't realize it. Good job, Parodi. I don't know if your singing is good, but the music sounded alright to me.
Loved it. You are spot on about Jack of Speed. FWIW, Circus Money is one of the greatest records ever. Just perfect. They were geniuses - separately and together.
Very entertaining Jackson thank you. when I was growing up in the '70s I might add there was a lot of mysticism about it. But I don't know much music theory I'm mostly play by ear.
Very cool. Appreciate the knowledge and the humor. While the so-called Mu Major is a chord SD employed, for me, the chord that they use all the time that truly defined their unique sound is the major triad with the 4th in the bass, or, the slash chord, for example, E/A, G/C. A/D etc. Example: "Josie", it's all over the place in that song.
My first cassette tape was Can’t Buy a Thrill when it was new. Likewise, my first CD was Nightfly. I was going to buy the sheet music book for CBaT, but didn’t as it didn’t have the piano intro for Fire in the Hole. God, I still love that song. During the period when my voice was changing, I did a mean imitation of Donald Fagen’s singing , but could find a band who would or even could do covers of their tunes. The book did have a brief discuss of the mu chord, and I have since kicked myself fir not getting it, but as a 10th grader, money was a challenge.
Great stuff. Thanks for providing it. Anyone with any kind of theory background can't help but to impressed with the voicings of non-harmonic tones in the chords of the Dan's music. For something else wild, check out the bridge in Deacon Blues. There's a raised 6th at one point that has blown my mind for the last 40+ years. Rock on, Steely Dan!
Wow, thanks for explaining the duo's secret sauce, and demoing it for us! I remember years ago coming across an essay written by Denny Dias explaining this very thing. Doing a video demonstrating the key chord really helps.
Jackson thanks for posting this. Really great explanation and entertaining as well. I’m a beginner piano player and die hard steely dan fan. Awesome video man
In "Peg" it was in with a third in the Bass (3-9-5-1) and using a plagal cadence. F∆ (F-E-A-C) to Cadd9/E (E-D-G-C), C is the Common Tone, the inner two voices descend by a whole step the base voice by a half step. Robert Glasper uses in his composition "Oh Yeah" also.
Anyone who gets this much into Steely Dan is alright by me.
Simon Boyers Only a fool would say that.
@@BeeRich33 or Any Major Dude
You've got to be joking man, where did you get those shoes.
@@BeeRich33 lol
He's the king of the world, (as far as I know)
The mu chord is very old. It was discovered written on a wall, in the Caves of Altamira.
Didnt they hear the call and write it on the wall when there wasnt even any hollywood. Or so i thought.
@@paulorben6830 Dude...I'm smacking myself for not thinking of it myself. Brilliant!
In a fade yellow green?
In his old school.
Thats a cow you nutter!
I grew up on 70’s am and early 80’s fm radio and never felt Steely Dan was a “rock-n-roll” band. But I was always stoked when they came on because they were so different and never knew why. As a result Aja was one of the first albums I bought with my own money as a teen. Thank god for that.
I thought you were dead
If this is the only thing he ever does, he's done enough. Bravo Jackson.
My guitar playing music companions and I just called them “Steely Dan chords.” I knew that there had to be a science behind it. There was too much consistent structure to think otherwise. I’m sure Michael Omartian was hip to all this as a Dan musician. Some of his solo works sneak in a μ or two 😆
after carefully reading these comments, I will definitely sing in more videos
Hahaha. Nice!!
YES!
Try adding some reverb to your voice, and see what you think.
Many years ago, I read an article in the then superb Guitar Player Magazine (late 70's issue). The write up was by then Steely Dan guitarist, Denny Dias. He wrote on the μυ (Mu) major chord. As soon as I played that chord I knew I was on to something that no one in my area had a handle on. I have to mention, however, that the Beatles were using this chord as early and 1964. I often used it (in either a bold manner, or subtle) to color to songs my band and I already had in our repertoire. I learned to use it enough to where this chord became an integral part of my sound. To this day, it adds a subtle extra texture and I can tell the positive effect it makes on the listeners. Fantastic article, and thank you loads, Denny Dias!
I have been learning the piano and I wanted to improve my knowledge and range of chords. Since I loved Steely Dan and Donald Fagen’s music I thought it might be helpful to learn some of their songs. I selected 3 slowish ones and started to learn them. I started with Home at Last and then moved on to Third World Man. This gave me what I wanted, and pleased with this I went on to my 3rd song, Maxine.
I looked it up on Ultimate Guitar, as usual, to find the chords. I was in for a bit of a shock to find that it contained 56 different chords, of which I already knew...5.
It took me about 2 months to learn but I’m so glad I did as it’s lovely to hear these chords and even better to actually play them.
i can’t understand 80% of this but im still watching it
And this is why there is UA-cam - came for the chord, stayed for the vid
When all my dime dancin' is through
I run to mu
and by the way ..it's really true .. Katy Lied
People who are into The Dan always stay loyal to The Dan.
No....you’re Steely Dan, I’m the Dan man!
@@mikedeuce13 aren’t you Mike?
They’re the soundtrack to my life
@@PoopVintner Same for me.
I've tried.. many times, I guess The Dan doesn't want me.
I feel better knowing that I am not the only one who sleeps in a zippered hoody with a microphone strung though my shirt and wakes up talking about Steely Dan.
Wait until I tell my wife about this!
If she ever comes back to you.
@@Ndlanding Well we are working on that.
@@judsonkr Good luck! I hope she hasn't mµtated!
She's lonnnnng gone, my friend.
😅
There are a lot of players with a lot of theory under their belt but no ears. Becker and Fagen had both in abundance. They are simply one of the most musical acts ever to grace the rock world, and this is in part because they were very clear about what they were going for. They knew how to straddle the line between blues, jazz and rock. Just listen to those chords in "Peg" and "Josie".
Continue on with this kinda stuff. Very interesting especially Steely Dan material. Thanks
Such a great video. Steely Dan is the perfect example of how jazz concepts can work in classic rock. The perfect combination.
"Daniel played a secret µ-chord. He played it loud and it pleased the µ-lord."
Well it goes like this: the third, the perfect fifth,
The added ninth, but only as a whole tone dissonance
@@wordpolice7564 😅
Damn dude! Growing up in the 70s and 80s sure did come back as a huge flash as you played the music. I didn't know why Steely Dan sounded so damn good then and now I do! Thanks for sharing!
As a new guitarist, I remember learning about the mu major in the seventies. I loved Steely Dan, one of my all time favorite bands.
I learned how to play Rikki don’t lose that number on guitar around 1985 or so. My teacher taught me the D-A-E progression as Mu major chords. Until about 2 years ago, those were the only Mu major chords I knew and I never heard anyone talk about them. I even had another guitar teacher 25 years ago say there’s no such thing.
There is a French guy on UA-cam that does fantastic guitar lesson videos, and he did a Mu major video. It blew my mind and unlocked the rest of the Mu major world.
I’ve been playing Rikki for 37 years, and every time I play those chords I still get goosebumps.
This was a fantastic video, and nice to see a piano perspective.
You proved my personal quote correct that I share with folks posting Steely Dan reaction videos.
“When real musicians get off work, they listen to Steely Dan.”
I can't understand this without my fez on
Fez, as in Tarboosh? Sorry... I missed the "fez" inference. Would you please explain that to Mu?
@@4GuitarTrance the song are you kidding
No. Clearly, you're never gonna do it without the fez on.
@@christheiss4511 no no
this is the greatest comment i've ever seen
Such a great walk-through of the marvelous Mu. Thanks, Jackson!
this was new to me and you explained it adequately and made it useful in some ten minutes with pretty nice renditions of examples to boot. thanks and well done!
Steely Dan... the band your favorite band listens to... RIP Walter.... and thank you.
Oh My, I’ve been mu chording all these years and never know.
Twelve cranes in the crane box.
This observation is inteegral to the discussion.
I can"t take this video seriously because of this
Ohhhhhh
@@DaveBroTube Not integral, but fucking funny!!!
@@rodwilliams68 Ditto!
Been playing by ear for 45 years. Several instruments. Can't read a note of music. This makes my head want to explode.
Yes and just talking like a turd that doesn't know what he's talking about.
I'm with ya. I can hang in there til we get to the 1,4,5, then they lose me
This is how keyboard players talk when trying to describe stuff like “It’s like a cowboy E but you add your pinky on the D string at fret 4.”
@@DoktorLorentzBig WOW!!! First time in 45 years that I've triggered somebody by discussing the way I learn/play music. Beat the wife much, Sport ? 🖕🖕🖕
@@GFHanks You're the one who's "triggered", young man. He's talking about the guy in the video, not you. :)
Jackson, you should do a class on another Steely Dan classic chord. Don't know the name but its composition is, for example, an F bass note on a C major triad. They used this chord structure in many tunes.
Good call. They were also keen on minor 11 chords. Which is more than ok by me.
Great video! I could watch hours on end of you talking about Steely Dan harmonies and the way they're utilized in songs
Likewise.
Just discovered you .... fantastic
Knowledge and presentation style .... intrigued and looking forward to watching many more of your entertaining and uniquely engaging ventures to freely educate ... thanks
I really enjoyed the piano bits with the chords written over the top. Helps highlight the second note of the scale much better than the original song.
Are you with me, Dr. MU?
I see what you did there!
Peg, it will come back to MU
@@PeterByker I see what you did there!
"Daddy don't live in that MU York city no more!"
It sure looks good on MU.
This is great! I can’t wait to start sneaking 2nds into minor 7th chords, and also to see you make more videos like this!
this is a great explanation. love the µ. also, at the moment Jackson says "when he was talking about how they would teach Steely Dan songs to their musicians, Walter Becker said this:" it cut to a commercial where a woman said "There is nothing that makes me happier than biting into warm, fresh bread"...I hope, over the years, Becker happened to say that at least once.
Thanks you just made me lol I miss you Walter.
That line is actually the epitaph on Walter’s tombstone. May he RIP. It was such a gift that he and Donald met in the first place!
Thank you for enlightening me. I've always wondered what that unique tonality was that was part of Steely Dan's charm and trademark (besides outstanding lyrics, musicianship, arrangements...etc.). Your video is a delight.
I never learned to read music, but I love Steely Dan. I just learned something new.
It’s never too late. There are some videos I could refer you to.
@@Capcoor I’m interested in these videos
Our highlight was 1:13, when Jackson said “boner-fied.”
It's a dormant pun just waiting for an opportunity to flourish.
After hearing your cover of Steely Dan I appreciate Steely Dan so much more ... I guess that could be taken Different ways
Last night I dreamt you taught me something ridiculous and important to my well being and it came true
This was fun. From one Jackson to another... thank you. Cheers!
Brilliant offering Jackson. For a penultimate music collector and aficionado for the past 50 years, I have somehow never managed to comprehend the musical "calculus" that was Fagen and Becker. My ear loves their work but my brain could not follow how it was created...until now. I knew I liked what I hear but, I had not a clue as to how their consistent brilliance was created. You shed some light on that and in a way musical troglodytes like myself could never figure out on their own. There is a special place in musical heaven for you. Thank you.
"Penultimate" means second last. Maybe that's what you meant but ... I think OC and Stiggs were a duo whose adventures were created by a National lampoon writer. One of the best parts of Nat Lamp as it was declining
This is a Royal Scam, you won’t take me alive.
just hide inside a hall of rock and sand
Did he work it out one-by-one, or played in combination?
This was brilliant because if video wasn't included then audio would have been almost just as well. I'm not a musician, but a close friend of mine is a professional jazz trombonist, so I asked him to check this out and he replied that it was pretty darn good. He said that Parodi's singing wasn't up to snuff, but that's okay because Parodi simply demonstrated in audio how masterful the Steely Dan duo was. My friend said that Steely Dan is itself a separate league of music and that no other music team approaches this level of sophistication in the jazz-rock hinterland. I myself didn't realize it. Good job, Parodi. I don't know if your singing is good, but the music sounded alright to me.
You did a Mu video - a triad of entertaining, enjoyable and informative, with “easy to follow” slipped in. Nice work!!
And "easy to follow" was, of course, placed a whole tone below enjoyable :)
I’m glad you did the songs - you have passion ! Wonderful !!
I also really like Jack of Speed! One of my personal favs! Thanks for waffling along and for all the info 🙏🏼💪🏼
Yo I'm glad you did jack of speed even though there's no MU chords one of my favorites 👌
Cool as hell. I’m a guitarist and you know I’m gonna sit for an hour working this out on the fretboard. Thanks!
Wow, great short film sir! Fascinating how simple this ear catching chord is. Nicely done.
I never foresaw the whole UA-cam copyright thing working in my favour one day. Piano and vocal stuff at the end was delightful.
Jackson, this was delightful. Well played.
Loved it. You are spot on about Jack of Speed. FWIW, Circus Money is one of the greatest records ever. Just perfect. They were geniuses - separately and together.
Explaining music theory while on the throne. Legend.
This is awesome, thank you.
Totally unrelated. When I post videos of me sharing my thoughts from bed and the toilet, they take my videos down.
Thanks Jackson. You explain things gracefuly. Best regards from Medellín.
I enjoyed this. The "toilet perspectives" were not only a great album title, but humorous and enlightening
Yes. It sounds like an oxymoron, but it was pure shite.
Great witty, presentation! 👏
"They are like 12 cranes in the crane box."
Dumb, but at least he didn't misspell "crayons". Or was your comment a joke I didn't get? Like, get, like?
@@Ndlanding Listen to how he pronounces 'crayon'
This needs to go down in history with Benedict Cumberbatch's pronunciation of 'Penguin'.
@@smalleranimals Quite similar to the way I pronounce it, when I'm not speaking Frog.
Did someone do the "underrated" comment yet? Very underrated chord. Yes, I finally got there FIRST!
yes, that chord should be in the R&R Hall of Fame, but it's such a sham, it's not in there!
That chord is so "ahead of its time"
My thoughts are with the families of piano players who use that chord.
Great video, I'm glad UA-cam recommended this to me! You wearing sunglasses is really evocative of Donald Fagen, as well
Wonderful video about a wonderful band. Thanks for posting this.
Very entertaining Jackson thank you. when I was growing up in the '70s I might add there was a lot of mysticism about it. But I don't know much music theory I'm mostly play by ear.
what an utterly fascinating video. i don't know what you're talking about, but i now have a slightly higher appreciation for musicians.
Great explanation. I use this chord excessively :')
Very cool. Appreciate the knowledge and the humor. While the so-called Mu Major is a chord SD employed, for me, the chord that they use all the time that truly defined their unique sound is the major triad with the 4th in the bass, or, the slash chord, for example, E/A, G/C. A/D etc. Example: "Josie", it's all over the place in that song.
Excellent video, thanks! I have stumbled onto these without knowing why they are so appealing or how to create them!
Every major mu would know.
My first cassette tape was Can’t Buy a Thrill when it was new. Likewise, my first CD was Nightfly. I was going to buy the sheet music book for CBaT, but didn’t as it didn’t have the piano intro for Fire in the Hole. God, I still love that song. During the period when my voice was changing, I did a mean imitation of Donald Fagen’s singing , but could find a band who would or even could do covers of their tunes. The book did have a brief discuss of the mu chord, and I have since kicked myself fir not getting it, but as a 10th grader, money was a challenge.
out of the ordinary camera angles. I'll have to check and see if you are often sitting on the commode in your other videos.
Great stuff. Thanks for providing it. Anyone with any kind of theory background can't help but to impressed with the voicings of non-harmonic tones in the chords of the Dan's music. For something else wild, check out the bridge in Deacon Blues. There's a raised 6th at one point that has blown my mind for the last 40+ years. Rock on, Steely Dan!
Great explanation of the sound. Loved it, didn't understand it, but loved it.
Wow, thanks for explaining the duo's secret sauce, and demoing it for us! I remember years ago coming across an essay written by Denny Dias explaining this very thing. Doing a video demonstrating the key chord really helps.
All these PUNS are getting a THUMBS up from me, good job guys
“Jack of Speed” is phenomenal!!! So is “Your Gold Teeth” (1 and 2)
Jackson thanks for posting this. Really great explanation and entertaining as well. I’m a beginner piano player and die hard steely dan fan. Awesome video man
My pleasure
This is incredibly well done
@Jackson Parodi - Still showing this video in my fourth-semester advanced theory classes! Hope you're doing well buddy!
Great video sir!! Love their music and your explanation of it!!!
Rad video! Turns out that I've been using the mu chord and didn't even know it, but an inverted add9 is definitely one of my favorite sounds.
well done! perfect mix of casual, useful, and entertaining content.
This is awesome.
Cool channel. First time viewing and I’m impressed by the presentation
Great video. Entertaining and informative. I'm gonna go make a Steely Dan centered playlist
Really cool to hear 2AN tracks played with just piano. Thanks
In "Peg" it was in with a third in the Bass (3-9-5-1) and using a plagal cadence.
F∆ (F-E-A-C) to Cadd9/E (E-D-G-C), C is the Common Tone, the inner two voices descend by a whole step the base voice by a half step.
Robert Glasper uses in his composition "Oh Yeah" also.
Awesome vid man, I subbed! It would be really cool if you could dissect more jazz rock songs like this!
Much appreciate the love for "Jack of Speed," amazing Dan track.
3:59 if you ask 100 guitarists to play a G you will get 4 voicings, open, open with the extra finger, barre, and the overachiever
Imagine running into this guy at a party while literally any song was playing...
Imagine running into this guy in a public toilet while literally any song was playing.
Imagine being at a party where a Steely Dan song was playing!
Great video. I learned a lot!
Fantastic video. Thank you!
Sounds like the opening to Twin Peaks!
Really nice explanation of mu! It translates to guitar with similar coolness. I don’t usually enjoy piano lessons, but you made a good one here.
BTW according to Becker the Mu chord has the third in the bass...
Well done, Jackson! A step above the others.
Thanks for solving the harmonic mystery
Lonnie played a mu cord
he snuck a two under a three
he played for forty-some years
the rest is history
Bring back the Mu chord, Jack.
Like your singing Jackson plenty of passion...... sweet MUsic tonight the night is mine.... hopeless Dan addict no interest in going into recovery
Your music theory videos are awesome
Well done and educational. Thanks!!