The secret of Steely Dan's mu chord 

Anyone who gets this much into Steely Dan is alright by me.

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.

The mu chord is very old. It was discovered written on a wall, in the Caves of Altamira.

after carefully reading these comments, I will definitely sing in more videos

i can’t understand 80% of this but im still watching it

"Daniel played a secret µ-chord. He played it loud and it pleased the µ-lord."

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 😆

If this is the only thing he ever does, he's done enough. Bravo Jackson.

And this is why there is RU-vid - came for the chord, stayed for the vid

When all my dime dancin' is through I run to mu

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.

People who are into The Dan always stay loyal to The Dan.

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".

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!

Been playing by ear for 45 years. Several instruments. Can't read a note of music. This makes my head want to explode.

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.

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!

Oh My, I’ve been mu chording all these years and never know.

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!

I can't understand this without my fez on

Wow, great short film sir! Fascinating how simple this ear catching chord is. Nicely done.

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!

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!

Such a great walk-through of the marvelous Mu. Thanks, Jackson!

Great video! I could watch hours on end of you talking about Steely Dan harmonies and the way they're utilized in songs

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

well done! perfect mix of casual, useful, and entertaining content.

Such a great video. Steely Dan is the perfect example of how jazz concepts can work in classic rock. The perfect combination.

Steely Dan... the band your favorite band listens to... RIP Walter.... and thank you.

Twelve cranes in the crane box.

Cool channel. First time viewing and I’m impressed by the presentation

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.

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.

Continue on with this kinda stuff. Very interesting especially Steely Dan material. Thanks

You did a Mu video - a triad of entertaining, enjoyable and informative, with “easy to follow” slipped in. Nice work!!

Last night I dreamt you taught me something ridiculous and important to my well being and it came true

I’m glad you did the songs - you have passion ! Wonderful !!

Excellent video, thanks! I have stumbled onto these without knowing why they are so appealing or how to create them!

This was fun. From one Jackson to another... thank you. Cheers!

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.

Are you with me, Dr. MU?

Wonderful video about a wonderful band. Thanks for posting this.

Great video, I'm glad RU-vid recommended this to me! You wearing sunglasses is really evocative of Donald Fagen, as well

Great explanation of the sound. Loved it, didn't understand it, but loved it.

"They are like 12 cranes in the crane box."

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 RU-vid 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.”

Awesome vid man, I subbed! It would be really cool if you could dissect more jazz rock songs like this!

Thanks Jackson. You explain things gracefuly. Best regards from Medellín.

Very edumacational, great editing as well.

Fantastic video. Thank you!

Informative and entertaining. Loved it! 😊

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

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.

Very well done Jackson. Thank you and carry on. Nice jams on the keys btw. Those songs are fairly simple , but somehow making them sound nice is very difficult. I’ve never pulled it off.

Bravo, very good presentation, content, and originality!

This is incredibly well done

Cool as hell. I’m a guitarist and you know I’m gonna sit for an hour working this out on the fretboard. Thanks!

Well done and educational. Thanks!!

I never learned to read music, but I love Steely Dan. I just learned something new.

This is a Royal Scam, you won’t take me alive.

I also really like Jack of Speed! One of my personal favs! Thanks for waffling along and for all the info 🙏🏼💪🏼

Great witty, presentation! 👏

Great video. I learned a lot!

Our highlight was 1:13, when Jackson said “boner-fied.”

Well done, Jackson! A step above the others.

Jackson, this was delightful. Well played.

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.

I enjoyed your vid Jackson cheers!

After hearing your cover of Steely Dan I appreciate Steely Dan so much more ... I guess that could be taken Different ways

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.

Great vid Buddy ! - Very informative ! - Thanking you very Mucho !

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.

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.

Nice job, It was always something about the way their chords sounded, that was different. Now I know thanks.

Great video. Entertaining and informative. I'm gonna go make a Steely Dan centered playlist

Great video!!

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!

this was educational, and entertaining. Thank you!

Great video. Lotsa help!!!

Great video... well explained

thanks for the info, i really liked it.

Great analysis and playing!!!

Nice work man. You're a talented dude.

Fabulous! Concise & entertaining too.

loooooooove this!!! Thank you for the theory!

I enjoyed this. The "toilet perspectives" were not only a great album title, but humorous and enlightening

Awesome dude-thanks!

All these PUNS are getting a THUMBS up from me, good job guys

Thanks for this

Your music theory videos are awesome

Yo I'm glad you did jack of speed even though there's no MU chords one of my favorites 👌

Nice analysis!

This is awesome.

I watch thousands of you tube videos, this is up there with the best...thanks...Jack of speed is one of my favourites too. Subscribed, 😎

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 vid, Jackson , wow i closed my eyes i really thought it was steely dan playing those songs when you were singing the intonation alone 😏😁 ... sunglasses effect and all ... Those Studio L.A. cats really thought they were sneaky... thanks for the entertaining vid a such great duo steely dan... cheers !!!

Bloody brilliant video

The best. Subscribed and notified

Explaining music theory while on the throne. Legend.