Chords

In learning keyboard we saw the main topics in the basic lesson 1,2,3,4,5,6.Now we are knowing about very interesting and very important topic.we saw keyboard notes names,octaves,scales etc,but now we are going to see chords.We studied that example of hormony in music theory is chords etc in basic lesson1.so in this we see detail about Chords.

Chords define the harmony of a song, and are made by playing more than one note at the same time. They can be simple, but even beginner can create fun and exciting music with this chords.

WHAT IS CHORD?

A chord is created when more than one note is played at once, and contains two, three, or more individual notes. On the keyboard, this means you push down more than one key at the same time.

All chords contain a root note this is the note the chord is named after as well as one or more additional notes. Basic chords often consist of only two or three notes, while the more advanced chords tend to incorporate even more notes. The most common type of keyboard or piano chord is a triad, or three-note chord. A triad contains a root note and two other notes, most often the notes that produce the intervals of a third and fifth above the root note.

WHAT ARE INTERVALS?

The distance between notes in keyboard, called an interval, determines how they sound when played together. Intervals are two types.

Half-steps

A half-step is the distance from one key to the next key immediately to its right or left.

Example: If we playing note "C" now if we apply this half step,then we have to play note "C#".

Whole-steps

A whole-step is the distance of two half-steps.

Example: If we playing note "c" now we apply this whole step then we have play note "D".

How to play a chord with our fingers

One way to get the basic shape of a triad is to place your thumb and fingers on adjacent white keys and push down with your thumb, middle finger and pinky. Learning this technique will set you up to play various basic chords with ease.

Most commonly two type of chords are learn by beginners.There are:

1. Major chords
2. Minor chords

Major chords

Major chords are traid chords which means three note chords. It consists of three notes, the root, and other two notes. Its symbol is “Maj”. For instance C major chord can be written “C Maj chord” or we can simple write "C" chord no need mention Maj.

Common major chords:

• C major chord : C - E - G


• C# major chord : C# - E# - G#


• D major chord : D - F# - A


• Eb major chord : Eb - G - Bb


• E major chord : E - G# - B


• F major chord : F - A - C


• F# major chord : F# - A# - C#


• G major chord : G - B - D


• Ab major chord : Ab - C - Eb


• A major chord : A - C# - E


• Bb major chord : Bb - D - F


• B major chord : B - D# - F#

How to play major chord on keyyboard

When you saw above major chords list you got a doubt that how these chords are created.So now see how these chords created. To play a major chord, begin by choosing a root note(starting note of any scale), which can be any of the keyboard notes. From the root note, count up two whole steps. This note is the "third," named for being the third note in the key beginning with the root note. From the third, count up to three half steps or count one whole note and one half note. This note is the "fifth".
When you play these three keyboard notes together, you hear a major triad, which has a happy sound. Major keyboard chords are used in almost every song or music.

Example:

For example to find chord we see how C major chord was created.

Scale of C major.

C major chord explaination.

In C major there are three notes,root note "C",and two more notes "E","G". We know that root note is common to every chord,so root note "C" was occured in "C Maj chord".Next note "E" was occured by we see "third" in the above topic that from root note,count up two whole steps front.So we got note"E".Lastly we see how the note "G" was occur in "C maj chord"."G" note was occur by apply one whole step and one half step.

WHAT ARE MINOR CHORDS?

Minor chords are like major chords,But it was slightly different.Minor chords, like major chords, contain three basic keyboard notes, a root note, third, and fifth. For instance, C minor chord can be written as Cmi chord,C- or Cm chord.To indicate minor,we can show small "m" symbol after the scale name which means "Cm". Cm seems to be more common.

Common minor chords are:

• C minor chord : C - Eb - G


• C# minor chord : C# - E - G#


• D minor chord : D - F -A


• Eb minor chord : Eb - Gb - Bb


• E minor chord : E - G - B


• F minor chord : F - Ab - C


• F# minor chord : F# - A - C#


• G minor chord : G - Bb - D


• Ab minor chord : Ab - Cb - Eb


• A minor chord : A - C - E


• Bb minor chord : Bb - Db - F


• B minor chord : B - D - F#

How to play minor chord?

To play a minor chord, select any root note, then count three half-steps up to the third. From the third, count two whole-steps four half steps to find the fifth.

Example:

For example to find minor chord we see how C minor chord was created.

Scale of C minor.

C minor chord explaination.

C minor chord consists of three notes,C(root note),"D#"(minor third note) and "G"(perfect fifth note) that we know.Root note "C" was find by seeing starting note of minor scale which we discussed in before lessons.Next minor third note "D#" was finded by counting three half steps.Then perfect fifth note "G" was find by counting two whole steps. This way you can find minor chords.

These are about major and minor chords.

Diminished and Augmented Chords

Two more types of basic chords are there which beginner has to learn.There are:

• Diminished chords
• Augmented chords

What Are Diminished Chords?

Diminished chords are triads as well, and consist of three notes, the root,minor third, and one half step low than fifth of the scale. To find the notes of a diminished chord, count a whole step and a half step from the root to the third, and then a step and a half from the third to the fifth. A diminished chord is represented by the symbols "dim". For instance B diminished can be written as Bdim.

Let's take a look at 12 diminished triad chords and the notes which form them.

• C diminished chord : C Eb Gb


• C# diminished chord : C# E G


• D diminished chord : D F Ab


• Eb diminished chord : Eb Gb A


• E diminished chord : E G Bb


• F diminished chord : F Ab B


• F# diminished chord : F# A C


• G diminished chord : G Bb Db


• Ab diminished chord : Ab Cb D


• A diminished chord : A C Eb


• Bb diminished chord : Bb Db E


• B diminished chord : B D F

What Are Augmented Chords?

An augmented chord is also a triad. It is a three note chord consisting of the root, third and sharp fifth of the scale. Augmented chords use a major third and a note which is one step upper of perfect fifth.The interval of an augmented fifth is four whole-steps, or eight half-steps up from the root note. Augmented chords have a very distinct, unusual sound to most peoples ears.The symbol for an augmented chord is + or aug. For instance C augmented can be written as C+ or Caug.

Twelve augmented chords:

• C augmented chord : C E G#


• C# augmented chord : C# F A


• D augmented chord : D F# A#


• Eb augmented chord : Eb G B


• E augmented chord : E G# C


• F augmented chord : F A C#


• F# augmented chord : F# A# D


• G augmented chord : G B D#


• Ab augmented chord : Ab C E


• A augmented chord : A C# F


• Bb augmented chord : Bb D F#


• B augmented chord : B D# G

These are basic chords which beginners have to learn.By practising these chords you can make a fun with them and make background a songs also.
Not only these above chords are there, Many other chords are also there we will see coming lessons.