Q. Ive been playing piano for 3 years im considered a prodigy at my skool but now I have a problem I gotta memorize chords...
A. There are about 8,400 possible chords
ref: http://www.playpiano.com/Articles/29-howmanychords.htm
You don't need to memorize the structure of each of these chords. You can use a CHORD BUILDING FORMULA to build a basic major chord. The remainder of the chords is simply alterations of and/or add-on's notes to the major chord.
5-4 MAJOR CHORD BUILDING FORMULA
Half-steps are used to build the major chord. A half-step is simply the smallest distance between 2 notes on the piano (i.e., C to Db is a half-step; D to Eb is a half-step; B to C; F# to G; A to Bb; etc.).
Using the 5-4 formula for building the major chord is as follows
If you begin with the C noteâ¦
C - Count up 5 half-steps starting with the C root note as the "1" count you end up on
E - Count up 4 half-steps starting with the E note as the â1â count you end up on
G
The C major chord consists of C-E-G
If you begin with the Ab noteâ¦
Ab- Count up 5 half-steps starting with the Ab root note as the "1" count you end up on
C - Count up 4 half-steps starting with the C note as the â1â count you end up on
Eb
The Ab major chord consists of Ab-C-Eb
Using this formula you now know how to construct and play every major chord
To play the minor chords you simply alter the major chord by lowering the middle note by a half-step. Using the 2 examples above
C major = C-E-G to make a C minor you lower the middle note E by a half-step
C minor = C-Eb-G
Ab major = Ab-C-Eb to make a Ab minor you lower the middle note C by a half-step
Ab minor = Ab-Cb-Eb
You now know how to make all your major and minor basic triad chords.
I'm not going to get into augmented and suspend and diminished and dominant 7's and sixes and inversions and blah blah blah... you need to learn all that on your own.
Just remember all chords are nothing more than alterations and/or add-ons to the basic major chord.
How do you come up with chords for ukulele just by looking at a music sheet?
Q. I'm new to ukulele... and I'm wondering how you can make up your own chords for a song that you have a piano sheet to(without tabs or chords).
A. if it has the key signature you can work it out from there. look up chord formulas if you get stuck
I can't figure out how to recognise chords - how is it most easily accomplished?
Q. I'm attempting to teach myself music theory. Something I am having trouble with is identifying triads. Is there some kind of trick or formula? I understand that they are composed of the root, third and fifth, but I get confused as to how to identify them as being either major, minor, augmented or diminished. Can anybody help?
A. It takes time. The best way is to just sit down at a piano (or electronic keyboard, then you can practice hearing them with different sounds) and hashing your way through them. There's nothing better than doing these yourself.
If you've got yourself a book, it should explain the nuts and bolts of how to recognize a major from a minor and a diminished chord.
Basically, if you teach yourself to hear and recognize the 3rd of a chord in major chords first, you can teach yourself to find the root, and sing up a major third, and when this is a half step lower, you'll note that this is a minor chord. As for diminished or augmented, they'll become easily recognizable as it doesn't have a perfect 5th. (Really quite a different sound) It will be harder to find the root in these though, at least it was for me, because the chord can be played with any root, and can still have the "off" sound to it. (unlike if you hear a major chord with the 3rd or 5th in the root, they don't sound ready to end)
But, either way, my suggestion is to sit down at a keyboard and play these. You don't have to be able to play piano to do this, because you can take 10 minutes to set your fingers in place if you need to. (though eventually you will be able to do it quicker) The idea is just to hear them.
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Title : How many piano chords do you actully have to learn?!?
Description : Q. Ive been playing piano for 3 years im considered a prodigy at my skool but now I have a problem I gotta memorize chords... A. There are...