Basics of Music: Chords

When you look at a peice of music, any peice, and strip it down to its bare bones, you will find the chords. They may be spread over all the instruments, or held up by a single rhythm guitar, nevertheless, the importance of chords is massive as without them, the peice has no structure, no direction, no finish.

What is a Chord?

Put simply, a chord is two or more different notes played at the same time, usually on the same instrument by the same player. Frequently in bands, one note of the chord will be strummed by the bass guitar, while the “meaty” section of the chord is played on the rhythm guitar.

How to Create a Chord

Chords are made up of melodic intervals. An interval is just the “gap” between two notes. For example, the interval of E from C is major third, becuase E is the third note in the C major scale. The most common chord, the major/minor triad, is composed of a major interval followed by a minor interval (for major triad, C-E-G) and a minor interval followed by major interval (for a minor triad, C-Eb-G).

Common chords and How to Form them

• Major Triad: the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes in a major scale.
• Minor Triad: the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes in a minor scale.
• 7th Chords: Major 7th: 1st, 3rd, 5th, and flattened 7th notes (one semitome lower) in a major scale
• 7th Chords: Minor 7th: 1st, 3rd, 5th, and flattened 7th notes (one semitome lower) in a minor scale.
• Diminished: starting on the root note of scale, each chord note is 3 semitones higher.
• Augmented: major triad with the last note increase by 1 semitone (sharpened 5th)
• 4ths, 2nds, 6ths, 9ths etc: sometimes chords are created where there is a root chord (major/minor triad, 7th) along with another note of the scale added for embellishment (adding 2nds, 4ths, 6ths 9ths, 13ths).

Chord Sequences

Also known as a chord progression, form the most basic harmony of a song. Playing a series of chords in order, and repeating is known as a chord sequence. Usually, each chord leads on from the one before it. The link is based on the root chord, normally the starting chord.

Common Chord Sequences alternate between the 1st, 4th and 5th chords in a scale (eg. in the key of C, the 1st chord would be C, the fourth would be F and the fifth G). Sometimes, a minor chord would be added, usually on the 2nd or 6th notes of the key (in key of C, the 2nd would be Dminor, and the 6th would be Aminor).

Popular Chord Progressions

House of the Rising Sun: Am-C-D-F-Am-E-Am-E (Im-III-IV-VI-I-V-I-V)

The Passenger: Am-F-Am-E (Im-VI-Im-V)

Hotel California: Bm-F#-A-E-G-D-Em-F#m (Im-V-VII-VI-VI-III-VIm-Vm)

12 Bar Blues: C-C-C-C-F-F-C-C-G-F-C-C (I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I) (can be with added 7ths)

Hey Jude (outro): F-Eb-Bb-F (I-VIIb-V-I)

Wonderwall: Em7-G-Dsus4-A7sus4 (Im7-III-VIIsus4-IV7sus4) (’sus4′ simply means you add the fourth note of that scale to the chord, so Dsus4 would be a D chord with added G).

Killing Me Softly: Am-F-C-G-Am-Dm-G-G-F-C-C-F-Bb x4-Am x4 (Im-VI-III-VII-Im-IVm-VII-VII-VI-III-III-VI-IIb x4-Im x4)

Yesterday: F-Em-A7-Dm-Bb-C-F-Dm-G7-Bb-F (I-VIIm-III7-VIm-IV-V-I-VIm-II7-IV-I)

Ruby Tuesday: Bm-A-G-A-D (Im-VII-VI-VII-III)

My Way: F-A-Cm-D7-Gm-Gm7-C7-F-F-F7-Bb-Bbm-F-C7-Gm-F (I-III-Vm-VI7-IIm-IIm7-V7-I-I-I7-IV-IVm-I-V7-IIm-I)

Let It Be: C-G-Am-F-C-G-F-C (I-V-VIm-IV-I-V-IV-I)

Baba O’Riley: F-F-F-C-Bb-Bb-Bb-Bb (I-I-I-V-IV-IV-IV-IV)

Along with many many others!