Chord progressions are groups of chords played together to produce specific musical modes. While major chords may often be taught first in piano methods, this does not make the more challenging to learn; simply different!
Select a minor key and compose a simple chord progression using roman numeral notation, before practicing playing it.
Scales
Scales dictate the quality and tonality of chords, and thus many popular major chord progressions can be translated to minor tonality using scales – this is particularly evident when considering ballad-type lyrics involving an i-v-i chord progression.
Gaining an understanding of scales is essential in developing your musical understanding, as this will enable you to fully grasp how chords relate. Furthermore, developing your ear will allow you to recognize chord sounds more easily – enabling more fluency when performing them on stage.
Roman numeral analysis can also be beneficial, serving as a notation of various chord progressions. This notation universally represents major chords; lowercase letters indicate minor chords; and the superscript circle “o” denotes diminished chords. By understanding Roman numeral analysis you’ll make learning new chord sequences much simpler – for instance Bill Withers’s song “Ain’t No Sunshine” features this sequence: i-v-ii-v.
Triads
Triads are created by stacking three consecutive notes upon one another in sequence, which may or may not contain major, minor, or diminished intervals.
Major triads possess an expansive and fulfilling quality to their sound, while minor ones are sometimes melancholic and discordant. Diminished triads also add more of an air of melancholy.
To form a triad, start with selecting a note known as the root, then count up from there; its third and fifth notes will give it its identity.
Example of C Minor Triad in D: Root G, Minor 3rd B-flat and Perfect 5th D
Inversions
Inversions are an effective way of making chords simpler to play, whether for stylistic reasons or voice leading purposes (harmony between voices in chord progressions).
A minor chord played in its initial inversion has its root and fifth notes stacked above an inverted bass note E, while third and sixth intervals will appear above its root note.
In A minor, if you were to lower the ii chord by half step in order to create the bII chord, it will contain its roots, fifth, and seventh notes stacked above an inverted bass – along with an interval consisting of major third and minor sixth that appears directly above its root for added sweetness and tartness.
Try playing these chord progressions with different inversions to explore how each affects their sonic quality and develop muscle memory in your fingers! Doing this can also help strengthen them with chord shapes engraved deep within!
Diminished
Diminished chords form the cornerstone of many styles of music, creating tension and mystery with their unique sound. If used improperly in a progression, however, they can quickly become dissonant; therefore it is essential that we know when and how best to employ these chords in order to maximize their effect.
To construct a diminished chord, begin at its root note and count three semitones up or down from there to find its second note in the triad. Continue this process until all four notes of your triad have been found; repeat this procedure to identify their third and fourth notes respectively. You can also build diminished seventh chords by adding an extra minor seventh above a flat fifth note, this process being known as half-diminished seventh (m7b5 or dm7b5)
Master the intricacies of diminished chords so you can incorporate them into your music and add that sense of drama, suspense, and mystery that these chords are known for. Skoove’s chord progression maker provides the ideal opportunity to practice these diminished triads and sevenths.