ACompleteGuidetoPianoChords

by
JERMAINEGRIGGS

Pianochordsarelikebloodtothehumanbody.Withoutthem,yoursongswonthavelife.

Notescreatescales,scalescreatechords,chordscreateprogressions,andprogressionscreate
songs.

Ifchordsareblood,chordprogressionsrepresenttheflowofblood.

Inthispost,weregoingtoexploreallthedifferenttypesofpianochordsyouneedtoknowinorder
toplaymostoftodayssongs.
PianoChordsNotes

Idontwanttoassumeyouknowallthenotesofthepiano,soheresahandydiagramillustrating
themall:

Thepianousesthefirst7lettersofthealphabet:
A,B,C,D,E,F,andG.

Theseareshownonthewhitekeys.

Buteachnotecanalsobesharped(raised)orflatted(lowered).

Sharp==Raise
Flat==Lower

*Justrememberaflattirelowersthecar.Lower
meansgoingdeeperinpitchtotheleftonthe
Raise
piano. meansgoinghigherinpitchtotherightonthepiano.

#1Mistakewithsharpsandflats

Alotofmusiciansthinksharpsandflatsareonlydesignatedtoblackkeys.Sure,ifyoulowerD,you
getDb(pronouncedDflat),theblackkeydirectlytotheleftofD.AndifyouraiseF,yougetF#
(pronouncedFsharp),theblackkeydirectlytotherightofF.

Butyoucanalsoraiseandlowerwhitekeysthatdonothaveblackkeysdirectlyinfrontorbackof
them.Forexample,loweringFiscalledFb(Fflat),eventhoughtothebeginner,itsthesameas
playingE.Likewise,raisingEiscalledE#(Esharp),eventhoughitusesthekeymostpeople
knowasF.

Thefancynameforthedifferentspellingsofthesametoneis
Enharmonic
.

Thesemayseemlikeadvancedtopics,butgettingthisclarificationEARLYwillensurethatyounot
onlyplaypianochordswell,butspellthenotescorrectly.

PianoChordsIntervals

distance
Anintervalinmusicissimply orthedifferencebetweentwotones.

Justlikeinches,feet,yards,andmetersdescribedistanceinphysicalspaces,intervalslikehalf
stepsandwholestepsdescribedistanceinmusic.

Heresapoem:

Halfstepsarefromkeytokeywithnokeysinbetween,

WholestepsalwaysskipakeywithONEkeyinbetween.

Intheprevioussection,whenwetalkedabouthowflattinganotelowersitandsharpinganote
raisesit,wewerereferencinghalfsteps.

Thesetonesareallhalfstepsapartbecausethereare
NO
keysinbetween:


Thesetonesareawholestepapartbecausethereare
ONE
keyinbetweenthem:


Withamasteryofhalfandwholesteps,yourereadytolearnwhatchordsaremadeof.

PianoChordsThreeMethodsToBuildThem

scales
Wellcoverthreewaystobuildpianochords.Oneusing intervals
,oneusing ,andoneusing
combiningofchords
the toproducebiggerones.
Majorscales

Youdonthavetobeamusiciantoknowthesoundofamajorscale.Weveallheardthem.

Thereare12primarymajorscalesintotaloneforeachuniquekeyofthepiano.

Amajorscalehas7uniquenotesinit.

TheeasiesttorememberistheCmajorscale.

Cmajor:

*TheCmajorscalehasallwhitekeysandnoblackkeys.

Buttheotherscalesarentsoeasytoremember.Forexample

Dbmajor:


Sohowdidweformthesescales?

Withyourfriends,thehalfstepandwholestep.

HeresacoolmnemonicdeviceImadeupover10yearsagotohelpyouremembertheformulafor
majorscales:

W
W
hy H
ont W
e W
ear W
hite H
henot

(Illspareyouthefullstorybutitstemsfrommywifemakingfunofmeforwearingreallyhotand
darkclothesduring95degreesummerweather.WhyWontHeWearWhiteWhenHot?she
asked.)

Justtakethefirstletterofeverywordandthattellsyouwhethertouseawholesteporahalfstep.

Aloteasierthanhavingtoremember:

WWHWWWH

YoucanformANYmajorscaleyouwantbystartingonanytoneandusingtheaboveWWHWWWH
formula.

Forexample,formingtheFmajorscaleisaseasyasstartingonF:
AddingawholestepbecausethefirstwordofourformulaisWhy.

GisawholestepupfromF.

FG

Wontisthenextwordsoweneedtoaddanotherwholesteptothisscale.ThatgivesusA.

FGA

Heisthenextwordsoweneedtoswitchthingsupandaddahalfsteptothemix.ThatgivesusBb
(Bflat).

FGABb

(IfyouweretemptedtouseBinsteadofBb,youprobablygotcarriedawaywiththetwowholesteps
inthebeginning.Dontforgettoswitchtothehalfstep!)

Wearisthenextwordsowerebacktoneedingawholestep.ThatsC.

FGABbC

Whiteisupnext,whichcallsforanotherwholestep.ThatsD.

FGABbCD

Whengivesusanotherwholestep,E.

FGABbCDE

Hotgivesusourfinalhalfstep,whichwillalwaysbringusbackhometothesamenotethatstarted
ourscale(butjusthigher).
Fmajor:

Homework:
YougotCmajorandFmajordown.Canyoufigureouttheother10majorscales?

PianoChordsUsingmajorscalestolearnchords

Withmajorscalesunderyourbelt,learningchordswillbecomeacinch.

LetsgobacktoCmajorandletsnumberthisscale:

Cis1

Dis2
Eis3

Fis4

Gis5

Ais6

Bis7

Withthesenumbers,youcanlearnalmostanychordoutthere!

MajorTriadPianoChord

ChordType:
Majortriad

Formula:
1+3+5

NotesinC:
C+E+G

Justasitlooks,wetookthe1st,3rd,and5thtonesoftheCmajorscale,playedthemtogether,and
producedourfirstchord
Cmajor.
MinorTriadPianoChord

ChordType:
Minortriad

Formula:
1+3+5

*Withminorchords,youllbeputtingwhatyoulearnedaboutflats()intogooduse.A3means
totakewhateverthethirdtoneofthescaleisandloweritbyahalfstep.

Asareminder,
neverchangetheletter
whenyouflatit.ToflataCdoesnotgiveyouB(even
thoughitmayseemlikeit).Instead,itgivesyouaCflat.
NEVERCHANGETHELETTERwhenyou
flatit.
Moreonthattopic
here
.

NotesinC:
C+Eb+G

DiminishedTriadPianoChord

ChordType:
Diminishedtriad

Formula:
1+3+5

*Doyouseeapatternhere?Mostchordswillusesomeversionofthe1,3,and5thtones(later,well
addinthe7thtone,whichisHUGEinmusic).Diminishedchordstakethesadandserioussoundof
minorchordsevenfurtherbyflattingyetanothertone(the5th).Thisgivesyouascarysounding
chord,butisusedintonsofsituations.

NotesinC:
C+Eb+Gb

AugmentedTriadPianoChord

ChordType:
Augmentedtriad

Formula:
1+3+5

*Theaugmentedchordalmostdoestheoppositeoftheminoranddiminished.Wetaketheregular
majortriadandraisethe5thtone.

NotesinC:
C+E+G#

Diminished
meanstomakesmaller.

Augmented
meanstomakelarger.

Isntthatexactlywhatthesechordshavedone?

ConsonanceandDissonance

Thesearetheoppositeofeachother.

Whatisconsonantisnotdissonantandwhatisdissonantisnotconsonant.

Iknow,soundsconfusing.

Accordingto
wikipedia
,
Consonanceanddissonancedefinealevelofsweetness/harshness,
pleasantness/unpleasantness,acceptability/unacceptability,ofthesoundsorintervalsunder
consideration.

Inotherwords,consonantchordsandintervalssoundgoodandharmonioustous.Dissonantones
soundlessharmoniousandhavemoretension.

Majorandminorchordshavemoreconsonancethandiminishedandaugmentedchords.

IfIhadtorankthembyconsonance,itdbe:

Majorchords

Minorchords

Diminishedchords
Augmentedchords

THISDOESNTMEANDISSONANCEISABADTHING.

Infact,atonepoint(hundredsofyearsago),dissonantchordsandintervalslikediminishedchords
and
tritones
(anothertopic)were
banned
fromthechurch!Theywerecalledthedevilsinterval.

Thisisnotthecasetoday.Infact,mostmodernmusiciansaggressivelysearchforwaysto
flavorfuldissonance
add totheirplaying.Itisdissonancethatcreatestheunpredictabilityandsound
thatcharacterizesmuchoftodayscontemporarygospel,soul,R&B,andsimilargenres.

Icallthesefourchordsmajor,minor,diminished,augmentedtheFANTASTICFOUR.

Theseareyourfourfoundationalchords.Withthesefourchordtypes,youcanlearnpracticallyall
others(Illproveittoyouinasecond).

PianoChordsUsingintervalstolearnchords

YouvealreadylearnedthefoundationalchordsbutIwanttocoverthesecondwaytobuildthem.
Thismethodtakesanintervallicapproach(fancywordforintervalordistance).

Whereasthemajorscaleapproachsimplygaveyouthenumbersofthescaletocombinetogether,
thisonewillusedistancetodeterminethechord.

IntroducingMajorandMinorThirds

Whenitcomestointervals,majorandminorthirdsmaketheworldgoroundnround.

Andthegreatpartisyoualreadyhavewhatittakestocreatethirds.
AQuickCrashCourseOnIntervals

Generic
Therearetwoclassesofintervals: Specific
and .

Genericintervals
wonttellyouspecificallywhattoplaybutitllmakesureyourereferencingthe
Specificintervals
notescorrectly. thentellyouexactlywhatnotestoplay.

Letmeexplain.

Intervalsaredescribedwithnumbers:
first,seconds,thirds,fourths,fifths,sixths,andsevenths.

(Wecouldtakeitastepfurtherandmoveintoextendedintervalslike
ninths,tenths,elevenths,and
thirteenths
butwellleavetheseoutfornow).

Sinceanintervalisthedistancebetweentwonotes,ifyouwanttofigureoutanyinterval,justcount
upthenumberofalphabetlettersencompassedbetweenthenotes.

WhatyouredoingwhenyourecountingalphabetlettersistryingtofigureouttheGENERIC
INTERVALatworkfirst.

Youretryingtofigureoutiftheintervalisathirdvsfourth,orasixthvsseventh(manymusiciansget
thiswrong).

Andatthispoint,sharpsandflatsdontevenmatter.Wereonlycountingalphabetletterssodropthe
sharpsandtheflats.Wellcomebacktothemwhenweretryingtofigureoutthespecificinterval
(whetheritsmajor,minor,diminished,augmented,orperfect).

Letsdoafew:

DbtoGb


Whatgenericintervalisthis?

Answer&Explanation:

Thefirstthingyoudoisdropthesharpsand/orflats.Wedontneedthemrightnow.Wellbringthem
backlater.

Sowereleftwith:

and

Now,takeitbacktoKindergartenandsimplycountthealphabetlettersencompassedinthisinterval.
Includethestartingandendingletters(DandG).

G
*EventhoughtheEandFarentplayed,theyareinside,orencompassedintheinterval.

Becausethishasfourletters,itsdefinitelyaFOURTH.

Whattypeoffourthdependsonwhatwefigureoutinthespecificintervalstep(butthatsnot
genericintervals
importantrightnowthisexamplewassolelyaboutunderstanding ).

Knowingaboutgenericintervalsisimportantbecauseaspecificintervalcanneverbedifferentfrom
itsgenericinterval.

Forexample,sincenotescanberaisedandlowered,sometimesmusiciansgetconfusedover
whethertocallsomething,forexample,aminorthirdoraugmentedsecondsincethoseboth
producethesamesound.Oranaugmentedfourthanddiminishedfifthsincethose,too,producethe
samesound.

Countupthealphabetlettersandthatllgiveyoutheanswer!

MajorandMinorThirdsConstructed
(SpecificIntervals)

Withwhatyouknowalready,howmanylettersdomajorandminorthirdsencompass?

Theansweris:
Three

Wheremajorandminorthirdswilldifferisbyhowmanyhalfstepsittakestoconstructthem.

Majorthirds=4halfsteps

Minorthirds=3halfsteps

Thereyouhaveit

Specific
thirdintervalsandthedifferencebetweenmajorandminorthirds.
Letstryafew:

MajorthirdonD:

StartonD.

Moveuponehalfstep(D#)

Moveupanotherhalfstep(E)

Moveupanotherhalfstep(F)

Moveupanotherhalfstep(F#)thats4halfsteps.

MajorthirdonD:D+F#

Doesitalsopassthegenericintervaltest?Inotherwords,doesitencompassthreealphabetletters?

Letsdropthesharpsandflats:

F
Lookslike3alphabetletterstome.

Checkoutthisinterval:D+Gb

Eventhoughthisintervalsoundslikeamajorthird,isitreally?

BecausewechosetouseGbasthehighestnoteinsteadofF#,thistotallychangesthetypeof
interval.Whiletherearestill4halfstepsatwork,itfailsthegenericintervaltest:

Thereare4alphabetletters.Thatmeansthisintervalisafourth.ItsjustaSMALLfourthorwhat
wecalladiminishedfourth.

Major,minor,diminished,augmented,andmostotherchordsyoulllearnuseTHIRDS.

Andnowthatyouknowhowtocorrectlycreatethemandwhatletterstouse,youshouldneverspell
achordwrongagainevenbig,fancychords.
Letsturnourcorrectmajorthird(D+F#)intoaminorthird.Sinceaminorthirdhasonly3halfsteps,
simplylowertheF#toFandnowyoureplayingaminorthirdinterval:

Notice,wehaventchangedletters.Werestillencompassing3alphabetlettersbetweenDandF:

Generictest?
Pass.

Specifictest?
Pass.

FantasticFourPianoChordsUsingIntervals

MajorTriadPianoChord

ChordType:
Majortriad

Formula:
Majorthird+minorthird
NotesinC:
C+E+G

C+(majorthird)=C+E

E+(minorthird)=E+G

Combinebothintervals:C+[E]+G

ChordType:
Minortriad

Formula:
Minorthird+majorthird

NotesinC:
C+Eb+G

C+(minorthird)=C+Eb

Eb+(majorthird)=Eb+G

Combinebothintervals:C+[Eb]+G


ChordType:
Diminishedtriad

Formula:
Minorthird+minorthird

NotesinC:
C+Eb+Gb

C+(minorthird)=C+Eb

Eb+(minorthird)=Eb+Gb


Combinebothintervals:C+[Eb]+G

ChordType:
Augmentedtriad

Formula:
Majorthird+majorthird

NotesinC:
C+E+G#

C+(majorthird)=C+E


E+(majorthird)=E+G#

Combinebothintervals:C+[E]+G#

SeventhPianoChordsMajorScale&IntervallicMethod
Nowthatyouvegottenacomprehensivelookathowtoformintervals,scales,andfoundational
chords,letstakeitastepfurtherbyexpandingourchords.

Letslearn:

Majorseventhchord
Minorseventhchord
Diminishedseventhchord
Augmentedmajorseventhchord
HalfDiminishedseventhchord
Dominantseventhchord
Augmentedseventhchord
Minormajorseventhchord

ChordType:
Majorseventhchord

ScaleFormula:
1+3+5+7

IntervalFormula:
majorthird+minorthird+majorthird

NotesinC:
C+E+G+B

C+(majorthird)=C+E

E+(minorthird)=E+G


G+(majorthird)=G+B

Combineallintervals:C+E+G+B

ChordType:
Minorseventhchord

ScaleFormula:
1+3+5+7
IntervalFormula:
minorthird+majorthird+minorthird

NotesinC:
C+Eb+G+Bb

C+(minorthird)=C+Eb

Eb+(majorthird)=Eb+G

G+(minorthird)=G+Bb


Combineallintervals:C+Eb+G+Bb

ChordType:
Diminishedseventhchord

ScaleFormula:
1+3+5+7

IntervalFormula:
minorthird+minorthird+minorthird

NotesinC:
C+Eb+Gb+Bbb

*Dontletthe(doubleflat)throwyouoff.Ifonemeanstolowerbyonehalfstep,then
mustmeantolowerbyhowmanyhalfsteps?Yougotit,2.(Andbecause2halfstepsareequalto1
wholestep,youcanthinkofthisasonewholestepaswell).Inotherwords,thisformulacouldreally
be1+3+b5+6(althoughsayingAinsteadofBbbwouldnotbecorrectforgenericinterval
purposes).
C+(minorthird)=C+Eb

Eb+(minorthird)=Eb+Gb

Gb+(minorthird)=Gb+Bbb(akaA)

*Asfunnyasitsounds,mypianographicscriptdoesnotdoBbbsoImforcedtoplaceAthere.
Butyouknowthetruth!!!

Combineallintervals:C+Eb+Gb+Bbb(akaA)

*Seenoteabove:)

ChordType:
Augmentedmajorseventhchord

ScaleFormula:
1+3+#5+7

IntervalFormula:
majorthird+majorthird+minorthird

NotesinC:
C+E+G#+B

C+(majorthird)=C+E

E+(majorthird)=E+G#

G#+(minorthird)=G#+B

Combineallintervals:C+E+G#+B

ChordType:
HalfDiminishedseventhchord
ScaleFormula:
1+3+5+7

IntervalFormula:
minorthird+minorthird+majorthird

NotesinC:
C+Eb+Gb+Bb

*UnliketheDiminishedseventhchord,thehalfdiminishedchordisalittlemorewatereddownand
getsamajorthirduptop(givingusaregularBbinsteadofBbb).

C+(minorthird)=C+Eb

Eb+(minorthird)=Eb+Gb

Gb+(majorthird)=Gb+Bb


Combineallintervals:C+Eb+Gb+Bb

ChordType:
Dominantseventhchord

ScaleFormula:
1+3+5+b7

IntervalFormula:
majorthird+minorthird+minorthird

NotesinC:
C+E+G+Bb

C+(majorthird)=C+E


E+(minorthird)=E+G

G+(minorthird)=G+Bb

Combineallintervals:C+E+G+Bb


ChordType:
Augmentedseventhchord(akaAugmenteddominantseventhchord)

ScaleFormula:
1+3+#5+b7

IntervalFormula:
majorthird+majorthird+diminishedthird

NotesinC:
C+E+G#+Bb

*Thisoneisverysimilartothedominantseventhchord,exceptthe5thdegreeisraised.Thischord
isnottobeconfusedwiththemajoraugmentedseventhchord.Adiminishedthirdtakesaminor
thirdandlowersitonceagain.Thisiswhereunderstandinggenericintervalsreallyhelpsyou.

C+(majorthird)=C+E

E+(majorthird)=E+G#


G#+(diminishedthird)=G#+Bb

Combineallintervals:C+E+G#+Bb

Forabonus,letscoverthisrarechord:

ChordType:
Minormajorseventhchord
ScaleFormula:
1+3+5+7

IntervalFormula:
minorthird+majorthird+majorthird

NotesinC:
C+Eb+G+B

*Thischordgivesyouthebeginningofaminortriad(C+Eb)buttheendingofamajorseventhchord
(G+B).

C+(minorthird)=C+Eb

Eb+(majorthird)=Eb+G

G+(majorthird)=G+B


Combineallintervals:C+Eb+G+B

PianoChordsMethod#3Polychords

Whilewewontcoverextendedchords(ninths,elevenths,thirteenthsSeemy
4StepstoNextLevel
Growth
course),itsimportanttounderstandwhat
polychords
are.

Thisiswhenyoucombinesmallerchordstocreatebiggerchords.

Forexample,sincewevealreadyexploredmajor,minor,augmented,diminished,anddominant
seventhchordsabove,heresanotherapproach.

RememberwhenIsaidthefantasticfourchords(majortriads,minortriads,diminishedtriads,
augmentedtriads)canbeusedtolearnjustaboutanyotherchord?
Thatstillholdsabsolutelytrue.Ijusthadtoshowyouthemajorscaleandintervallicapproaches
FIRST.

Keepinmind:
ThisapproachrequiresthatyouknowALLfourfoundationalchordsinALL12keys.
Thats48chords(4x12keys)butonceyouknowthem,youhavethekeytoplayliterallyhundreds
ofotherchords.

Sohereareotherwaystogetthesamechords:

ChordType:
Majorseventhchord

Polychordformula:
1+3minortriad

NotesinC:
C+Eminor=C+[E+G+B]

*Whatthismeansis:
Playthe1toneinyourbass(the1toneisthetitleorkeynoteofthechord,in
thiscaseC).Then,gotothethirdtoneandplaythattonesminorchord.SowedsimplyhitCinour
lefthandandanEminortriad(E+G+B)inourright.

ChordType:
Minorseventhchord

Polychordformula:
1+3majortriad

NotesinC:
C+Emajor=C+[Eb+G+Bb]
*Whatthismeansis:
Playthe1toneinyourbass(the1toneisthetitleorkeynoteofthechord,in
thiscaseC).Then,gototheflatthirdtone(Eb)andplaythattonesmajorchord.Sowedsimplyhit
CinourlefthandandanEbmajortriad(Eb+G+Bb)inourright.

ChordType:
Diminishedseventhchord

Polychordformula:
1+3diminishedtriad

NotesinC:
C+Ediminished=C+[Eb+Gb+Bbb]

*Whatthismeansis:
Playthe1toneinyourbass.Then,gototheflatthirdtone(Eb)andplaythat
tonesdiminishedchord.SowedsimplyhitCinourlefthandandanEbdiminishedtriad
(Eb+G+Bbb)inourright.

*Bbbis
enharmonic
with(makesthesamesoundas)Abutmygraphicsprogramwontillustrate
Bbb.
ChordType:
Augmentedmajorseventhchord

Polychordformula:
1+3majortriad

NotesinC:
C+Emajor=C+[E+G#+B]

*Whatthismeansis:
Playthe1toneinyourbass.Then,gotothethirdtone(E)andplaythattones
majorchord.SowedsimplyhitCinourlefthandandanEmajortriad(E+G#+B)inourright.

ChordType:
Dominantseventhchord

Polychordformula:
1+3diminishedtriad

NotesinC:
C+Ediminished=C+[E+G+Bb]

*Whatthismeansis:
Playthe1toneinyourbass.Then,gotothethirdtoneandplaythattones
diminishedchord.SowedsimplyhitCinourlefthandandanEdiminishedtriad(E+G+Bb)inour
right.


TakingYourPianoChordsStudiesAStepFurther

Wow,youvelearnedalotinthisblogguide(andIhopeyouveenjoyedit).Butifyoureserious
aboutlearningevenmore(plusextendedchords,progressions/patterns,howtofindthekeyofa
song,etc),youllwanttoconsidermy
4StepsToNextLevelPlaying
workbook.


Thereyouhaveit.Acompleteguidetopianochordsfromyourstruly.

Untilnexttime.