Another Extended Chord You Need to
Know!
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.
Last week we learned
about major 6th chords. They are 4-note
chords -- the root, 3rd, 5th -- just like a major chord,
but you also add the 6th degree of the scale to the major
triad. The 6th is ALWAYS one whole step above the 5th --
never a half step -- so they are real easy to find.
Today
we will change those major 6th chords into
minor 6th chords
just by altering the 3rd 1/2 step -- in other words, a minor
triad with a 6th on top.
So here is the formula for a minor 6th chord:
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A Minor 6th Chord =
Root - flat3rd - 5th - 6th
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Here's
what Minor 6th chords look like on the staff:
(Remember
that accidentals carry over in each measure!)
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CHORD
SYMBOL DEFINITION
Minor
sixth chords appears
in lead sheets as any of the following chord symbols:
Cm6
Cmi6 C-(add 6)
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And here's what they look like on
the piano keyboard when played in root position:
As usual, now it's up to you. Play each
minor 6th chord in root position, then 1st inversion,
then 2nd inversion, then in 3rd inversion (the 6th will
be the lowest note of the chord) 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.
Now
add minor 6th chords to your repertoire of chords. They
are shown in root position above, but you know that you
can turn them upside down 'till the cows come home -- invert
them -- so go to it!
Do
you feel like you're getting a handle on chords yet? You
ought to -- I know we're going slowly, but chords are SO
important that you absolutely MUST master them if you are
ever going to play the piano like you hope to!
So
here's our revised chord scorecard:
|
12
major chords
to
12 minor chords
to
12 diminished chords
to
12 augmented chords
and
12 major 6th chords
and
12 minor 6th chords
and inversions
of each which means you can now play
240
chords!
Excellent!
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Next week we will add 12 more chords to our growing list
of chords we can play by adding 7th chords to our stash.
(Actually 48 more chords, since each 4-note chord such as
a 7th can be inverted 4 ways -- root position, 1st inversion,
2nd inversion, and 3rd inversion.)
Be
sure to check out the links below -- they connect you to
The
world's greatest piano courses!
How To Play Chord Piano...In Ten Days!
How To Dress Up 'Naked
Music' On The Piano!
How
To Dissolve Your Rhythm Problems Like Butter Melts In The
Sun!
Pro Secrets: The 36 Techniques Used By The Pros!
How To Play 'Praise
& Gospel' Piano!
The
52-Week Crash Course in Exciting Piano Playing!
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