Q. i can read piano sheets but i don't understand piano chords please teach me. it's a song i really love and i can't find any piano sheets on it only piano chords :'(
A. Learning to play skillfully from just chords takes a lot of hard work and study. Basically, here are the steps to working out what the notes are - this is simplified and I'm trying to do it without too much specialized terminology:
1. A chord is generally 3 notes built up in thirds from the letter name of the chord. So a C chord has the letter names c-e-g, a D chord has the letter names d-f-a. You leave out a letter name in between each one that you use.
2. Figuring out when to use black keys is a little harder. If the letter name of the chord is capitalized it is probably major. The white key major chords are C, F, and G. D, F, and A major have the middle note sharped. C#(Db), Eb, and Ab go black-white-black. F# is all black keys. Bb is bb-d-f, B is b - d# - f#. You probably will not have any other chords.
3. If it says sus4 maj7, 7, etc. don't worry about that for now. Those are added notes and alterations that give more color to the music but first you are better off being very very solid with your chords.
4. if it is a small letter or has a little m after it, it is a minor chord. First find what it would be if it were a major chord, then take the middle note and change it to the very next key (black or white, whichever one it is) to the left. That gives you the minor chord.
5. If it says dim, follow step 4 and then also lower the top note to the very next key to the left. That gives you a diminished chord.
6. For the longer term, study theory. See web sites below
Understanding alternate chords?
Q. What are some good music theory guidelines (or a source for some) when it comes to playing alternate chords in a song? (I'm not asking about alternate ways to play a chord, but about different chords altogether.)
[For example, in Coldplay's Everything's Not Lost, the chorus throughout the song goes E E E7 E6... until the very end of the song the melody of the chorus stays the same but the chords change to E Bm7 F#m9 F#m9]
I know enough theory to get me in trouble, but I need a protip or 2 to help me understand this better... Is there something like a chart that gives compatible chords or other generals rules for this? Thanks
Thanks, that bit about ii and IV chords often being interchangeable and °7's was more along what I was asking. I really didn't mean you can always replace E7 with F#m9, but I was trying to get to why and how that can work... with that example, my guess is that the progression went from something like I â I â I7 â I6 into I â v7 â ii9 â ii9. I wanted to know a good starting point for understanding some of the ideas behind that (for seeing what is the context, how are the chords functioning, understanding whats happening in a song's melody)... Yeah, it's probably too complex for my head, but instead of just expelling the idea can anyone help by recommending specific resources they've found helpful or they've learned from?
A. I highly suggest looking for a music professor or someone who has studied Theory. In this question, I've listed a couple of topics that you should go through chronologically:
Beginning to End:
Rudiments:
- Notation (staff, notes, flats, sharps, double flats, double sharps)
- Key signatures (*must* be mastered before intervals and scales)
- Major scales
- Whole steps and half steps (piano visuals)
- Enharmonic Equivalencies
- Rhythm (4/4, 3/4, 6/8, 9/8, 2/2, 3/2, 5/4, 11/8, etc.), both simple and compound
- Rhythmic dictation
- Minor scales
- Intervals (Perfect, Major, Minor) - fluency in written notation and ear training is important at this part.
- Triads and 7th chords (major, minor, Mm7, mm7, M7) - fluency in written notation and ear training is important here - I usually do intervals and triads concurrently.
Intervals & Triads are what I would call the "developmental stage" before actually doing Theory stuff.
Music Theory I:
- Roman Numeral Analysis, Figured Bass, Inversions of triads and seventh chords.
- Theory of chord classification (i.e. iii -> vi -> IV/ii -> V/V7/viiº -> I).
- Application of Roman Numeral Analysis to "popular" American music.
- Historical aspects/applications to analysis
- Melodic dictation
- 4-part chorale writing (SATB) and composition
- 2-part dictation
- 4-part dictation (if advanced)
- Creative composition
Music Theory II:
- Cadences
- Nonharmonic tones
- Modulation by common chord
- Secondary leading-tone/dominant chords
- Introduction to Form (Sonata, Rondo)
Music Theory III:
- Non-traditional resolution of secondary dominant chords (e.g. the deceptive resolution)
- Borrowed chords (or modal mixture) - by far, my most favorite unit.
- bII (or N6, the neapolitan chord), and the A6 chords (Italian, French, German)
- Enharmonic respelling of leading-tone chords (for use in multiple keys)
- Chromatic mediants
- Harmonic substitutions
- Enharmonic respelling of the Ger+6 chord (another favorite device of mine)
Music Theory IV:
- Emphasis on Form (Rondo, Sonata, Sonata-Rondo, Songform, etc.)
I would highly suggest Ralph Turek's "Elements of Music," book 1, for the beginner stuff - and either the Turek, Book 2, or the Kostka/Payne "Tonal Harmony" text afterward.
piano chords?
Q. does anyone by any chance have a big picture or PDF file or something that has all the piano chords or alot of the nice basic and advanced chords do yall? ive looked all over the internet and i cant find anything. ten points goes to the first person who can get me these please. if you need to, email me files to alexdra9015@yahoo.com
thanx and god bless
A. Mark Levine's book Jazz Piano is the only place where all of the way modern jazz chords are voiced is explained. I don't think you could ever right them down in one big picture, there are too many.
It is better to understand them the way Levine breaks it down, for example, two handed chord voicings in fourths, voicings based on upper partials, etc.
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Title : Can someone PLEASE teach me how to read piano chords?
Description : Q. i can read piano sheets but i don't understand piano chords please teach me. it's a song i really love and i can't find any ...