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One of the Most Valuable Chord Types
You'll Ever Learn...
In
the first week of this class (week 8), 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. Then
we changed 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.
Today we're going to take up 7th chords-- very important
chords, because they move you from one tonal base to another
tonal base. In other words, when we move from the C chord
to the F chord, we often use C7 between the two as a "connector."
Actually, there are two types of 7th chords -- a 7th, which
we're considering today, and a major 7th, which we will
take up next time.
To form a 7th chord, just find the 7th note of the scale
and lower it 1/2 step. (Next week we'll take up the "Major
7th" chord, which uses the scale 7th.) But with a
plain 7th chord, we lower the 7th 1/2 step. So here
is the formula for a 7th chord:
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A 7th Chord = Root - 3rd - 5th - flat7th
Just
add the lowered
7th note of the scale -- not the 7th --
the lowered
7th -- to
the major triad.
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Here's what 7th chords look like on the staff:
(Remember that accidentals
carry over in each measure!)
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Musical
Suggestion
You can achieve a "cleaner," less thick chord sound
by omitting the 5th degree of any seventh chord, whether
or not the chord symbol indicates the omitted 5th,
e.g. C7(omit 5). This practice is a matter of personal
taste. On the PSR-2000, if you omit the 5th,
the chord is still recognized as a 7th. Play
C-E-G-Bb or C - E - Bb and the PSR-2000 assumes you
are playing C7. - JW
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And here's what they look like on the staff when played
with the left hand:
(They
appear in the same order as before:)
7th
chords want to move up a perfect 4th -- they don't
have to, but that is their tendency. So if you encounter
a G7 chord, what is the next likely chord? Sure -- a C chord.
Why? Because it's a 4th higher than G. If you encountered
an Eb7 chord, what is the most likely chord to follow it?
Right. Ab. Why? Because Ab is a 4th above Eb. Just knowing
that gives you a tiny idea of how much you can gain from
knowing chord progressions, which we will take up as soon
as we get through learning all the chords.
As usual, now it's up to you. Play each 7th chord
in root position, then 1st inversion, then 2nd inversion,
then in 3rd inversion (the 7th 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.
Exercises
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.
Then
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!
And
then add 7th chords
and their inversions....
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 or your keyboard like you hope
to!
So
here's our revised chord scorecard:
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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 now
12 7th chords
that
makes 96 chords and 3 or 4 inversions of each
which means you can now play
Over 300 chords!
Yea!
Gimme a high five!
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In the next lesson we will
add 12 more chords to our growing list of chords we can
play by adding major 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.)
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