Chords are groups of three different tones stacked on one another to form chords. The interval between them determines which kind of chord it is.
Sometimes a chord will have a number written above it that corresponds with its number of tones above its root in a scale.
An “m” indicates that a chord is minor. This chord will still follow its usual pattern but with one less note in each tone position.
Root Position
Root positions of major chord triads serve as the starting point for all other inversions of that same chord, so it’s advisable to learn all twelve major chords in your key before moving on to other types of chords such as Dominant Chords built from Major Chords with an additional Minor 7th interval added on top.
Root notes of major chords are known as the roots and always represent the lowest note in each chord. After this note comes into play, two interval notes – thirds – two whole steps or four half steps away are known as thirds; finally there’s fifth which stands 1 1/2 steps or 3 1/2 half steps further out than any third note in that particular chord.
Learning all twelve root positions of each major chord is crucial to being able to play songs in any key. Learning this information will save time when starting other types of chord types.
Third Position
If you see C Major chords listed on a piano chord chart, it indicates the first, third and fifth notes from the C major scale. This basic progression can be found in many Classical pieces and has become associated with hope, positivity and optimism among listeners for many decades.
Chords can be expanded by adding extra tones (called intervals ) above their roots. One way of doing this is moving the bass note up or down an octave; you could also add extra tones above their root to produce different sounds and emotions in each chord you create.
An C Major chord can be expanded to become G Major by adding a Major 7th interval above its root. While both intervals differ by equal numbers of half steps, Major 7ths offer more comprehensive sound than minor thirds.
Fifth Position
Most chord charts will contain a section for fifth position, in which your fingers should rest at the natural octave harmonic of the root note. Although this can be challenging to do successfully, fifth position can be very useful when playing major 7th chords, composed from major chords with an extra Major seventh interval added on top.
Reading a piano chord chart requires looking at letters above the staff that indicate which chord should be played. Capital letters above indicate chords that begin with those letters (for instance an E major chord has its root as C).
Sometimes you will see a number written after the chord symbol; this indicates which notes should be played above the root note in its associated scale. For instance, Cmaj7 indicates playing 7th tone above C to give additional flavor and dimension to your chords.
Added Tones
Major triads, which consist of the root, third and fifth interval chords used for popular music performances.
Chords may also be expanded or contracted. An augmented chord has notes four semitones apart and sounds fuller; usually denoted by adding a plus sign next to its chord symbol such as C+ (C E G#).
A diminished chord is similar to a major chord but with its seventh note reduced or eliminated altogether, producing an eerie and sinister sound suitable for certain styles of music. Additional tones may be added on top of basic major triads for added complexity and flavor – often marked with numbers after their chord symbols to correspond to tones above and above root (using one tone from scale as one unit); for example a C7 chord would consist of C major triad with extra minor third added: C – E – G