Chord Construction Design Your Own Chord Shapes Part 2
Contents String Grids... 3 Grid A...... 4 C Major Harmonized scale - Grid A... 5 Scale Tone Seventh Chords... 9 Scale Tone Seventh Chord Shapes - Key of C... 13 Chord Functions... 15 Chord Categories... 16 m7b5 - Half Diminished Chords... 17 Page 2
Design Your Own Chords Imagine the fingerboard to be a series of 3 - lined GRIDS. Each Grid representing a group of three strings. GRID A GRID A 1st 2nd & 3rd strings GRID B GRID B 2nd 3rd & 4th strings GRID C GRID C 3rd 4th & 5th strings GRID D GRID D 4th 5th & 6th strings Page 3
Design Your Own Chords Lead guitar players find Grids A & B ideal for solos and accompanying singers. Our first project will be to apply the information from Chord Construction Part 1 to string grid A. GRID A 1st 2nd & 3rd strings GRID A Referring to the Chord - Reference Chart (page 6 Chord Construction part 1) we will now proceed to learn all the chords (and design our own chord shapes) for the key of C, playing them on string grid A. Once we understand the keynote principle that governs high speed chord memorization it will be a relatively simple process to play chords in any key. Discussion THE CHORD KEYNOTE Principle. AUDIO 1 Page 4
C Major Harmonized scale - grid A Chord 1 = C Keynote 1 AUDIO 2 Chord 2 = Dm 1 Keynote 2 3 AUDIO 3 Page 5
Chord 3 = Em AUDIO 4 1 Keynote 2 3 Chord 4 = F AUDIO 5 Keynote 2 1 3 Page 6
Chord 5 = G Keynote AUDIO 6 2 1 3 Chord 6 = Am Keynote AUDIO 7 1 2 3 Page 7
Chord 7 = B dim Keynote AUDIO 8 2 1 4 Chord 8 = C AUDIO 9 Keynote 2 REVIEW AUDIO 10 1 3 Page 8
Design Your Own Chords - Scale Tone Seventh The purpose of this lesson will be to create new rich sounding chords, these fresh sounds can be used as substitute chords to help you create your own individual presentation of a song. The chords presented in this lesson will have a different musical weight and density then the triadic (three note) chords you learnt in Volume 1. In Volume 1 we discussed the concept that chords were not unrelated combinations of notes, as you will recall chords are created from scales. (Now would be a good time to review Chord Construction Volume 1, pages 3 to 6) Remember how we layered the notes of the scale (like a layer cake) in thirds on top of each other? Here is a quick reminder, using the concept of notes being like little stepping stones we would leap frog over every second note in the scale to produce the chord. The chords in Volume 1 were created by two hops, this produced what musicians refer to as the triadic (three note) version of the chords. (Refer to page 6 of Chord Construction Volume 1). We will again apply the same leap frog process we used in Volume 1, except this time we will hop three times to create a four note chord the scale tone seventh version. This leap frog process will produce the following results in the key of C Major. C D E F G A B = C MAJ7 (major seventh) chord one C D E F G A B C = Dm7 (D minor seventh) chord two C D E F G A B C D = Em7 (minor seventh) chord three C D E F G A B C D E = F MAJ7 (major seventh) chord four C D E F G A B C D E F = G7 (dominant seventh) chord five Page 9
C D E F G A B C D E F G = Am7 (minor 7th) chord six C D E F G A B C D E F G A = Bm7 b5 (minor 7th flat 5) chord seven C D E F G A B C D E F G A B = CMAJ7 (major 7th) chord eight Notice how chord eight is the same as chord one. It helps to think of the scales as horizontal structures and chords as vertical structures (derived from the parent scale). Important : The above process always produces the same chord structures in every key. Chord one in every key is a major 7th chord Chord two in every key is a minor 7th chord Chord three in every key is a minor 7th chord etc, etc, How to use the chord construction reference charts : Page 11 lists all the major scales (parent scales) in every key. Page 12 lists all the chords (children of the scales) generated by our leap frog process. The two charts are designed to fit over one another (like a transparency). If you want to know what notes make up a Bm7 chord, simply locate any Bm7 on the chord reference page (every major and minor chord will appear in three separate scales, it doesn't matter where you start the answer will be identical). Once you have chosen your starting point, simply go to the scale reference page and start at the same point (three hops and you will have your answer). Here are some examples for you to study : Bm7 = b, d, f#, a ( # = sharp ) F#m7 = f#, a, c#, e ( # = sharp ) G7 = g, b, d, f Page 10
MAJOR SCALES - Reference Chart The symbol (#) in music is called a sharp. The symbol (b) in music is called a flat. Page 11
CHORD - Reference Chart 4 note (scale tone seventh) chords derived from the major scale The symbol (#) in music is called a sharp. The symbol (b) in music is called a flat. Page 12
Scale Tone Seventh Shapes C MAJ7 (C E G B) 2nd finger 1st finger 3rd finger 9!@#jrg Dm7 (D F A C) W9$12jke Em7 (E G B D) 9^!#rts 2nd finger 1st finger F MAJ7 (F A C E) 9!jk2ef 3rd finger 1st finger 2nd finger 2nd finger G7 (G B D F) $9@#$1th 1st finger 2nd finger 4th finger 3rd finger Page 13
Scale Tone Seventh Shapes Am7 (A C E G) 2nd finger 9!#%j2r 1st finger Bm7b5 (B D F A) 1st finger 3rd finger 9j\etsf 2nd finger 4th finger AUDIO 11 CHORD SUBSTITUTION DISCUSSION Page 14
CHORD FUNCTIONS Chord Function Discussion AUDIO 12 Chord SYMBOL TECHNICAL NAME EFFECT C MAJOR HAPPY/BRIGHT Cm MINOR SAD/ DARK C7 DOMINANT 7TH RESTLESS/ UNRESOLVED Page 15
CHORD CATERGORIES Chord Categories Discussion Commentary AUDIO 13 Chord Symbol Technical Name Comments C MAJ7 MAJOR 7th The Major 7th chord can be used as a substitute for a MAJOR chord In terms of sound and function, the Major 7th tends to add an airy, Jazzy sound to a chord. C7 DOMINANT 7th Dominant 7th chords are restless by nature, they exist as the FIFTH CHORD of a major key and want to resolve to the ONE chord (e.g., C7 is the fifth chord in the key F major and wants to return to the F chord.) The Dominant 7th chord is the strongest, most leading chord in diatonic music. It s unique function is that it pulls your ear to a resolution on chord one. A great example of this pulling factor is the Beatles Twist and Shout, when they sing Aah, aah, ahh,ahh right before shake it up baby now. Page 16
m7b5 - Half Diminished Chords On page twelve (column seven) you will notice a new type of chord the minor 7th flat five chord. This chord (m7b5), can also be named half diminished. It is simply two ways of describing the same chord. The symbol for half diminished is Ø m7b5 = Half Diminished Bm7b5 = BØ F#m7b5 = F#Ø B C#m7b5 = C#Ø Ø G#m7b5 = G#Ø D#m7b5 = D#Ø A#m7b5 = A#Ø E#m7b5 = E#Ø B#m7b5 = B#Ø Em7b5 = EØ Am7b5 = AØ Dm7b5 = DØ Gm7b5 = GØ Cm7b5 = CØ Fm7b5 = FØ Bbm7b5 = BbØ m7b5 /Half Diminished chords discussion AUDIO 14 Page 17
I do hope you are enjoying this fascinating journey into the world of harmony Our next project (Chord Construction Part 3) will be your passport to TOTAL CONTROL and UNDERSTANDING of: Suspension chords (sus2nd / sus4th) Celtic Chord progressions Augmented Chords Diminished 7th Chords Ninth Chords Plus Chord substitution and other mysterious and intriguing chordal related subjects. My very best wishes to you in your continued musical success Page 18