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Chord Systems. Types of chords. There are five different types of chords with 3 of the types being the most used. You should get to the point where you hear each type. Major chords Minor chords Dominant chords Diminished chords Augmented chords . Chords relate to scales.
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Types of chords • There are five different types of chords with 3 of the types being the most used. • You should get to the point where you hear each type. • Major chords • Minor chords • Dominant chords • Diminished chords • Augmented chords
Chords relate to scales • In order to cover this we must first go over the major scales. • There are a total of 15 major scales in western music. • To figure out a major scale use the chromatic scale. • A ½ step is 1 place (or 1 fret) and a whole step is 2 places (or 2 frets). • All major scales have the same formula.
Pattern of the major scale • Background – a ½ step is 1 fret and a whole step is 2 – ½ steps. • For a major scale the pattern is as follows – whole, whole, ½, whole, whole, whole, ½ • You always go alphabetically. So there will always be some type of C, D etc. • Let’s do one scale as an example: C Major – start on the C then a whole step is D, another whole step is E, a ½ step is F, a whole step is G, a whole step is A, a whole step is B and a ½ step ends on C. • Let’s do G, G WS (whole step), A WS, B ½, C WS, D WS, E WS, F#, ½ G. • Try a few yourself – A, E and B. • Do one scale at a time. Use your ear to hear the sound. Best if you sing what you are playing. • All scales have patterns but they can all be related or derived from the major scale.
Now chord • You always use the major scale. • Chords are built off of the odd numbers: • Major is the 1 3 and 5th notes of the scale. • Minor is 1 lowered 3 (1 fret) and 5. • Dominant is 1 3 5 and lowered 7.
Now in any key the chords • If we build chords off of a major scale they will be as follows: • The I chord is always major • The II chord is always minor • The III chord is always minor • The IV chord is always major • The V chord is always dominant • The VI chord is always minor • The VII chord is diminished
Now key of C • If we build chords off of a major scale they will be as follows: • The I chord is always C major • The II chord is always D minor • The III chord is always E minor • The IV chord is always F major • The V chord is always G7 dominant • The VI chord is always A minor • The VII chord is B diminished
Now key of G • If we build chords off of a major scale they will be as follows: • The I chord is always G major • The II chord is always A minor • The III chord is always B minor • The IV chord is always C major • The V chord is always D7 dominant • The VI chord is always E minor • The VII chord is F# diminished
Chord movement • In any key the chords want to go back to the I chord. Any movement can be back to the I chord. • The V chord in particular will go to the I chord. For example, in the key of G the V chord is a D7 it wants to resolve or move to the I or G chord. • Chords also can move scalewise: For example in the key of G it would be common to go G to Am to Bm to C.
Other movement • The II chord wants to go to the V chord (in G Am to D7). • The III chord wants to go to the VI chord (in G the Bm to the Em chord). • The VI wants to go to the III chord (in G the Em to the Am chord). • Very common for the IV to go to the V (in G the C to D7 chord).
Use this to figure songs out • This information takes a little time but once learned can really help in figuring out the chord changes. • There are also some types of music that have variations. As and example in country music the II chord is usually a dominant rather than a minor chord (for you theory buffs this is called a secondary dominant). The movement would still be to the V chord though. Look at Hey Good Looking by Hank Williams Sr.
Summary • Scales are derived from the chord forms. You should know the forms before the chords. The scales all have the same whole – ½ step form. • The scales always go up the neck in the same order (CAGED). • Learn all the scale forms in every key. • Once they are mastered try the other scales. They are all derived from the major scale. • Chords are built off of the scales. • Chords move in some set ways.