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The "Pepper"
of a Musical Meal
Hello
again, and welcome to the next lesson. I hope you are enjoying
learning about all the chords in the world -- and we're
going to cover them ALL before we're done --
you'll know more about chords than 99% of the people in
the world -- believe it or not, it's true.
If
you recall the first week we learned about the three
chords you absolutely, positively CAN'T do without.
Then the next week we took an airplane ride over Chordland
just to get the lay of the land -- the overview of the world
of chords.
Then in the next weeks lesson we showed you how easy
it is to learn ALL the major chords (there are 12
of them) and be able to play them in seconds
-- not hours or days or weeks or months or years. Next
you learned how to easily turn major chords into
minor chords just by moving one key one-half step -- by
lowering the 3rd of the major chord. Then
we learned diminished triads -- just by lowering the 3rd
and the 5th of a major chord 1/2 step. Then we learned inversions
-- how to stand chords on their head. If you need a review
of any of these lessons, just click the appropriate lesson
button at the top of this page.
Today
we are going to learn augmented chords. They are the "pepper"
of a musical meal, much like the diminished triads were
the "salt" of a musical meal. You wouldn't make a meal out
of them, but you use them as seasoning -- to liven up your
music. The formula is real simple:
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An Augmented Triad = Root -
3rd - raised 5th
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Here's
what they look like on the staff:
(The
symbols for an augmented chord is a "+" sign)
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CHORD
SYMBOL DEFINITION
A
augmented chord appears in lead sheets as
any of the following chord symbols:
C+
C+5 Caug
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And
here's what they look like on the keyboard:
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C+
= C - E - G# |
F+
= F - A - C# |
G+ = G - B - D#
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Db+ = Db - F - A
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Now it's up to you. Play each
augmented triad in root position, then 1st inversion, then
2nd inversion. Play each chord up and down the keyboard
for at least 2 octaves -- maybe 3 octaves. Play them with
your left hand, then play them with your right hand. Then
play them hands together.
Go through all 12 major chords, inverting
every one. Then go through all the 12 minor chords, inverting
each one up and down the keyboard -- hands alone, then hands
together. Then go through all 12 diminished chords,
inverting each one up and down the keyboard -- each hand
alone, then together. Then play the 12 augmented chords,
up and down the keyboard. Then skip around from major to
minor to diminished to augmented, etc.
When you can do that you ought to feel
really, really, really optimistic about learning chords,
because you've got a great start. After all, you have gone
from:
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12
major chords
to
12 minor
chords
to
12 diminished
chords
to
12 augmented
chords
and
3 inversions
of each
which
means you can now play
144
chords!
That's
12 dozen, a gross of chords!, -- more than most people
learn in their entire life -- and you've learned them
in 7 weeks!
Yea!
'Way to go!
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Now that
we have covered all the triads (3 note chords), we'll take
up
6th chords -- they are extensions of the basic major
and minor chords.
If
you play piano at your church, or would like to, then
you need to get ahold of:
How
To Play "Praise & Gospel" Piano
Whether
you are part of a contemporary
worship team or play at a more traditional church, you need
to learn the same techniques (believe it or not!)--
and I show you exactly how it is done in great
detail on these crystal-clear video courses! Check 'em
out!
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