When Will I See You Again Chords
Chording 101: Everything You Need to Know About Pianoforte Chords
Charmaine Li / Chording / Aug 24
Understanding piano chords will take you far. In fact, knowing just a handful of chords will unlock hundreds, if non thousands of pop songs. Chords underlie modern Western music (pop, jazz, Classical, folk, rock, yous name it) and are how we build beautiful melodies and harmonies.
And you don't necessarily need to be a master sight reader to be good at chords.
This article will give y'all an in-depth, loftier-level introductory wait at piano chords. It'll also straight you to more detailed resources such as free lessons on intervals, progressions, and chord notation systems.
Sign upward for Chord Hacks, our Gratis half-dozen-lesson pack on everything yous need to know almost chords. Unlock hundreds of songs with just a handful of chords. Start today! 🎹 Adopt a more than hands-on approach?
Tabular array of Contents
CHAPTER 1: WHAT ARE CHORDS?
Simply put, a chord is any combination of ii or more notes played at the same fourth dimension. That'southward it!
1.one Why Piano Chords Are King
So what's the big deal with chords?
Well, chords are what allow united states to harmonize, grade melodies, and write cadences that end a song in a satisfying style.
The presence of chords may not be immediately obvious when you expect at a slice of music, but once y'all learn how to identify them, you'll start to run into chords everywhere. For instance, take a look at the sheet music for "Someone Yous Loved" by Lewis Capaldi.
As you tin run into, in the start measure, all the notes of the melody belong to the D chord (D-F#-A). And in the second measure out, most of the notes hail from the A chord (A-C#-East).
Another good thing about chords is y'all don't necessarily demand to know how to read canvas music in order to use them.
Nosotros'll run over piano chords in detail in this commodity. But commencement, let'due south review what intervals are.
one.2 Intervals
Chief article: Understanding Intervals on the Pianoforte
An interval is the distance between 2 notes.
Each interval has a singled-out sound. There is also theory behind each interval, but the easiest manner for beginners to become a feel for intervals is to acquaintance them with a song. Hither are some intervals that apply C as a starting point:
Intervals Past Ear
| INTERVAL | Proper name | SONG |
|---|---|---|
| C to D | Major 2nd | Mary Had a Little Lamb |
| C to Db | Minor 2nd | Jaws theme |
| C to E | Major 3rd | When the Saints Go Marching In |
| C to Eb | Small 3rd | Greensleeves |
| C to F | Perfect fourth | Nuptials March |
| C to G | Perfect fifth | Twinkle, Twinkle Piffling Star |
| C to A | Major sixth | My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean |
| C to Ab | Minor 6th | "Considering" (The Beatles) |
| C to B | Major 7th | "Don't Know Why" (Norah Jones) |
| C to Bb | Minor 7th | Star Trek theme |
| C to C | Perfect Octave | Over the Rainbow |
The other mode to understand intervals is to recollect how many half or whole steps are between them.
Hither's a summary of intervals understood in terms of one-half and whole steps. Don't worry too much most memorizing all this data for now. Just refer dorsum to these tables if you're non certain what we mean by an interval.
Intervals past Steps
| INTERVAL | NUMBER OF Half STEPS | NUMBER OF WHOLE STEPS |
|---|---|---|
| Major 2d | two | 1 |
| Small 2nd | 1 | n/A |
| Modest 3rd | three | 1.five |
| Major 3rd | 4 | ii |
| Perfect 4th | 5 | 2.five |
| Perfect fifth | 7 | 3.5 |
| Major 6th | 9 | four.v |
| Small-scale 6th | 8 | iv |
| Major 7th | 11 | 5.5 |
| Small seventh | 10 | five |
| Perfect Octave | 12 | six |
The best way to remember intervals and chords is to play them. With plenty practise, y'all'll be able to hear chord and interval types by ear, no memorization required.
A basic agreement of intervals will aid you lot identify and build chords.
Affiliate 2: BASIC Piano CHORDS
Building chords made up of notes that sound skilful together is easy. By remembering a few simple formulas, y'all can build chords on any note in whatsoever key.
The first type of chord y'all should learn how to build on the piano is a triad. A triad is a chord made upwardly of three notes arranged according to certain rules.
2.one How to Build Major and Minor Triads
Main article: Major vs. Minor Chords—What's the Difference?
Major and minor triads are piano chords that you lot'll find in almost every single vocal. Major triads sound "happy" and modest triads sound "distressing."
One thing to remember when talking nigh chords is the term for each note in a standard chord "stack":
- The root note is the notation the chord is built upon. Withal, the root annotation isn't always at the very bottom of the stack! (Learn more than about this in the inversions department.)
- The third is the annotation a 3rd above the root. In a triad, it's sandwiched in the middle
- The fifth is the notation a 5th above the root.
- The 7th is the note a 7th above the root.
Major Triad Formula
A major triad contains a major third, a minor third, and a perfect fifth. A major triad can also be formed by counting iv half-steps above the root note (the note you choose to build a chord upon), and by counting 3 one-half-steps from the middle note.
Minor Triad Formula
A minor triad contains a small-scale third, a major third, and a perfect fifth. You can likewise grade this chord by counting 3 one-half-steps above the root note, and by counting four half-steps above the middle note.
ii.ii Seventh Chords
Main commodity: Playing With Pocket-sized and Major Seventh Chords
Seventh chords have a dreamy, colorful sound. If you program to play jazz piano, 7th chords are a must-know.
In that location are several unlike types of seventh chords, but the ones you lot'll run into nigh are major 7th chords, minor 7th chords, and dominant 7th chords.
Major 7th Chords
A major seventh chord consists of a major triad and a minor triad. For example, Cmaj7 consists of the triad C-E-Grand (major) and the triad E-One thousand-B (minor). You'll also notice that the interval between C (our root note) and B (our seventh) is a major 7th interval.
Minor seventh Chords
A minor 7th chord contains a pocket-sized triad followed by a major triad. For example, Am7 has the triad A-C-E (pocket-size) and the triad C-Eastward-G (major). The interval been A and G is a minor 7th.
Ascendant 7th Chords
In general, a dominant 7th chord is a seventh chord built on the 5th note of the scale. For example, the dominant 7th of C Major is G7 (G-B-D-F), and the ascendant 7th of A Minor is Em7 (E-Thousand-B-D).
In chord charts, ascendant 7th chords are written without the "maj" like C7, G7, and C#vii.
Ascendant 7th chords employ the same sharps and flats as the key they're the fifth note of. So, the intervals involved don't apply the same seventh interval.
2.3 Diminished Chords
Main article: The About Villainous Chord Pianoforte Chord
A diminished chord is a stack of minor thirds. Hither is a diminished seventh chord in C Major. The superscript "o" indicates the chord is a macerated chord.
Diminished chords are rife with tension and create a dramatic, horror-movie-like audio.
You lot'll discover that the more types of chords you larn, the more colors you lot'll have in your palette to make interesting music.
2.iv What Pianoforte Chords Go Well Together (Diatonic Chords)
Main article: Diatonic Chords, Explained
If you want an easy way to find chords that fit well together, learn diatonic chords.
The term "diatonic chords" sounds very scientific and complex, merely information technology's a pretty simple concept. Diatonic chords are just chords built on the degrees of a scale. C is the commencement degree of the C Major calibration, D is the second, and so on.
If you don't know how to read canvass music yet, that'due south okay! In fact, it may be easier to visualize diatonic piano chords on the keyboard. Simply apply the triad shape and scooch it up the scale, like this:
If you build a triad on every notation of the scale, you would find all the diatonic chords of that central. These triads, major or minor, are what chords go well together if you're chording a song in C Major.
🔥🎹 HOT TIP: If y'all're curious about why we use Roman numerals to indicate chords built on a certain calibration caste, check out the Nashville Number System. Using numbers to talk about chords frees you lot from the constraints of central and makes transposing a slice of block.
ii.5 Four Pianoforte Chords to Know Commencement
Main commodity: Play Hundreds of Songs With But Four Chords
We've talked about major, pocket-sized, seventh, diminished, and diatonic chords. Wow, that'south a lot of chords!
This can exist very overwhelming for a beginner, which is totally understandable.
But here's a undercover: if you just desire to start playing songs on the pianoforte and have fun, you lot actually only need to know a handful of specific chords. In fact, at that place are four chords that appear over and over once again in pop songs. These chords are: C, G, Am, and F.
Here's how to play them on the right hand with the bass note on the left.
THESE are your 4 hugger-mugger ingredients! You tin literally play dozens of songs with just these chords.
Don't believe united states? Here are some famous songs you can play right away:
"Let Information technology Be" (The Beatles)
"Let It Exist" is one of our most pop song tutorials ever, and for good reason. Almost everyone knows (and loves) this classic, information technology's like shooting fish in a barrel to sing, and it'southward uncomplicated to play. Nosotros have a full free tutorial for this song that remains one of our biggest crowd-pleasers.
"Cups" (Anna Kendrick)
This is a campfire archetype from everyone'south favorite a capella moving-picture show, Pitch Perfect. You can download the free chord nautical chart here and make sure to check out our 4 Easy Piano Songs tutorial where we feature this song. In one case yous can play the piano role, why non grab a friend to play the cups and duet together? 🥤
"Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen)
Funny enough, "Hallelujah" references the verbal diatonic chords we're talking about in the lyrics: "It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the small-scale falls, the major lifts…" (F and Thousand are the fourth and fifth chords of C Major). There'due south an extra E chord that appears well-nigh the end, but otherwise, it's mostly just our four bones chords.
CHAPTER iii: Beyond ROOT POSITION
Then far, we've been talking about chords in root position. Root position is the default position of chords. It's when all the notes of a chord are neatly stacked in thirds of a certain order. Some people call these Snowman Chords.
In this department, we'll look at playing chords in means other than root position. We'll mix them upwards, switch in notes, and even visit unusual chords that give distinct sounds.
three.1 Chord Inversions
Main article: Ultimate Guide to Piano Chord Inversions
Inversions are when y'all re-position the notes of a chord a certain fashion.
For example, take the root position of the C Major chord, C-E-G. The 1st inversion is when we flip C up to the height, creating Due east-Thousand-C. The 2d inversion is when we flip the chord once again, making Yard-C-E.
The tricky thing to remember nigh inversions is that 1st inversion is non the first position of this chord. Root position is.
Inversions are useful considering they give you a diverseness of ways to play the same chord. This mode, you create the same harmonic consequence equally a root position chord with simply a slight difference in sound.
Inversions can also serve equally a shortcut between chords. For example, jumping from the root position of C Major to the root position of F Major is a bit of a leap.
BUT, moving from C Major root position to F Major 2d inversion is a piece of cake. Right next door!
The all-time manner to practice and become familiar with inversions is to memorize shapes, non notes. Inversion shapes are consistent beyond keys.
You can find more practise tips and a downloadable set of inversion chord charts here.
three.2 Slash Chords
Master article: What Are Slash Chords?
Slash chords look weird, simply they're straightforward to decipher.
The beginning letter of the alphabet to the left of the slash is the chord you lot're playing. Usually, we play this with our right hand.
The letter to the right of the slash is the note you'll play in the bass with your left paw. So, the slash essentially means "over."
So, if you meet Grand/B, you play the G chord (K-B-D) on your right paw "over" a B on your left.
You may notice that this is, essentially, a Grand chord in 1st inversion. So, yous can think of slash chords as instructions to play inversions.
3.3 Sus Chords
Main article: Sus Chords 101
No, sus chords aren't suspicious 🙂 The "sus" stands for "suspended" and information technology simply means to substitute the middle note of a chord (the third) for something else.
In that location are two types of sus chords, sus2 and sus4. In a sus2 chord, we substitute the third with the second annotation from the root. In a sus4, we substitute the third with the fourth notation from the root.
Here's an example with a C Major chord:
Because sus chords can sound unresolved, a good rule of thumb is to return to the non-sus chord and cease on that. For example, if you lot take a C chord for four beats, you tin play a sus chord on the 3rd beat for an extra splash of color, then state back on the C chord for the fourth beat.
3.four BONUS! Special Chords
Throughout history, some musicians have established a signature sound with unique chords. Here are a few.
The Hendrix Chord
The Hendrix Chord comes from rock legend Jimi Hendrix's hitting "Imperial Brume."
The original chord in "Regal Haze" is E7#9. What this means is we take an E7 chord (Due east-Grand#-B-D) and add a ninth on acme: F# (the F is sharped because that'south a Major 9th interval above Due east).
Then, we sharp the F# once again, landing us in Fx (F-augmented), otherwise known as G natural.
The final chord is E-G#-B-D-One thousand. This chord is and so funky because it sounds major and minor at the same fourth dimension. Usually, putting G# and G-natural next to each other will clash, but since these notes are spread beyond a altitude, the chord doesn't sound bad, just unique.
The Neapolitan Chord
Some special chords require the context of a chord progression to understand their significance.
Take the Neapolitan Chord. Does this chord come in 3 flavors—vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry? Non exactly, but, every bit demonstrated in this insightful video, the Neapolitan does add some dramatic flavor to European classical music.
The Neapolitan chord is a major triad congenital on the flattened supertonic (supertonic = second note) of a calibration. When used in a chord progression like bii – V7 – i, it creates a satisfying, dramatic, and moody sound. If it reminds you of Beethoven, you're on to something. Beethoven used the Neapolitan Chord in Moonlight Sonata.
The Tristan (or Harry Potter) Chord
The Tristan Chord takes its proper name from Richard Wagner'south opera Tristan and Isolde, a dramatic story nigh beloved, murder, potions, and all that exciting stuff. Information technology'southward a decidedly dissonant chord, and it was considered revolutionary at the fourth dimension because it challenged what was accepted as sounding "nice."
As shown in this video, the Tristan Chord lies between a i chord and a V7 chord. The video explains that, ordinarily, it's the V7 chord that creates tension. Yet, the Tristan chord adds additional "pre"-tension to the V7's tension…which creates the illusion that we're resolving on the V7.
This chord is used in John Williams' score for the Harry Potter movies. So, perhaps a more modern name for this chord is the Harry Potter Chord. Indeed, information technology does sound dark and witchy…
Affiliate 4: PIANO CHORD PROGRESSIONS
Chords, by themselves, sound okay. But what makes chords magical is when they're used in a chord progression. Everything y'all've learned about chords volition coagulate here!
4.one What is a Chord Progression?
Main article: All About Pianoforte Chord Progressions
A chord progression is a sequence of chords that sound practiced together. Chord progressions are what songs are made of. The motility of chords evoke tension, narrative, and, when chords resolve, a sense of abyss.
A chord progression many music students learn commencement is the cadence. A cadency is a progression of two chords that terminate a song or section of a song. The most common cadences are the perfect cadence (5-i), plagal cadence (4-ane), and imperfect cadency (1-v).
The perfect and plagal cadences evoke a sense of resolution, while the imperfect cadence expresses a "we're going somewhere" feeling.
4.2 The one-5-6-4 Progression
Main article: The one-5-6-4 Chord Progression
The one-5-six-4 progression is the most common progression in pop music. Once you acquire this progression, y'all'll starting time seeing it everywhere.
Recall that diatonic chords are chords built on the degrees of a scale. This is what the numbers in "1-v-6-4" mean. In a major key like C Major, the progression tin can too be notated as I-Five-vi-Four, where the uppercase messages point a major chord and the lowercase letters indicate a minor chord.
Do these chords sound familiar? They're the aforementioned four chords we told you to keep in your back pocket in Chapter 2!
4.3 The two-5-ane Progression
Chief article: The 2-5-1 Chord Progression
The 2-5-1 chord progression is also called the jazz progression and is built on the second, fifth, and get-go degrees of the calibration.
But for the classic jazzy audio, add a seventh to each chord. This means you'll be playing a iivii-V7-I7 progression.
Y'all may also discover that the V7-17 ending is essentially a perfect cadency.
4.4 The Pachelbel Progression
Main article: Pop vs. Classical: You Dearest Classical Music (You Just Don't Know It!)
Finally, here is perchance the nigh famous chord progression of all fourth dimension.
This is Pachelbel's progression from "Catechism in D," the song that makes an advent in weddings everywhere. The chord progression in this song is as follows:
I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-4-V
This progression and its derivatives is present in and so many songs. In fact, the 1-5-6-iv progression is just a simplified version of this sequence.
Johann Pachelbel died in 1706, but his progression is very much still alive. Just sentinel this hilarious video in which a musician tin can't run away from the progression that haunts his nightmares.
Famous songs affected by this progression include:
- "Don't Await Dorsum in Acrimony" past Oasis
- "Memories" by Maroon 5
- "Starships" by Nicki Minaj
- "Basketcase" by Green 24-hour interval
- "Air on the Thousand String" by J.South. Bach
- "A Whiter Shade of Stake" by Procol Harum
Chapter 5: USING CHORDS
At present that you know chords, it's time to use them in everyday life 🙂
Knowing chords allows you to read and play widely available chord charts. Nosotros'll expect at reading chord charts and lead sheets in this chapter.
5.1 How to Read Chord Charts and Lead Sheets
Main article: How to Read Chord Charts on Piano
A chord chart is a document with the lyrics of a song and the corresponding chord changes on top.
A lead sheet is a document with the melody line notated in standard notation and the respective chord changes on top.
Chord charts and lead sheets are useful tools considering they 1) are widely available; and 2) give you guiding construction while assuasive infinite for artistic improvisation.
Where to Find Chord Charts
Many chord charts tin can exist institute for free on Ultimate-Guitar.com. Yes, this is a website meant for guitarists, but you tin toggle the diagrams to "piano" and it'll evidence you what keys to play on the keyboard too.
Do note that many free chord charts on the Web are notated past apprentice musicians, not the artists themselves. (Original chord charts tend to exist paywalled.)
So, there may be errors. Simply if something sounds wrong, trust your gut and encounter if you lot can figure out the right chord yourself! (Hint: Endeavour diatonic chords!)
Where to Discover Atomic number 82 Sheets
Lead sheets are a trivial more than difficult to discover. They require more work to create and are ofttimes copyrighted.
That being said, there are numerous costless or low-price lead sheets on MusicNotes and 8notes.
five.ii The Number Arrangement
Main article: The Nashville Number System – Explained
Congratulations! You've already encountered the Nashville Number System throughout this article 🙂 It'south the organisation we use when we refer to chord progressions like "ane-five-6-4."
The Nashville Number System uses numbers to indicate chords congenital on degrees of the scale. This is useful considering it allows musicians to talk well-nigh chord progressions without existence tied to key.
Hither'southward an instance. This is our favorite 1-5-half-dozen-4 progression in C Major:
Now, say you lot demand to transpose C Major to F Major. To do this, only substitute the C Major I chord with the F Major I chord and and so on.
Using numbers lets you lot transpose songs without having to rewrite sheet music. They're especially useful in ensembles such equally worship bands. For case, y'all can play in one key for a children'due south choir during the morning service, and another central for a grown-up choir during the afternoon service without having to write new sheet music!
Chapter 6: HOW TO Practice Pianoforte CHORDS
Now that you know why chords are important and how to use them, it's time to get good!
If practicing chords audio like a snoozefest, don't worry. Nosotros have tons of exercises on Pianote designed to go on yous interested and practicing.
half-dozen.one What to Practice
It may exist intimidating to figure out exactly what to practice. If y'all're new to chords, here are some basics to go you started:
Solid and Broken
Y'all can use solid and broken routines to practice a sequence of diatonic chords, a sequence of inversions, or even a pop progression.
Solid practice is when you play a sequence of chords with all the notes together.
Broken exercise is when you play a sequence of chords with the notes autonomously.
Practicing diatonic chords like this is helpful considering information technology hammers in the concept. When you're familiar with all the chords of a certain fundamental, you lot'll have faster access to the tools you need to play songs and improvise.
And when it comes to inversions, practicing them broken and solid volition get you used to the dissimilar chord shapes.
Chord Transitions
Main article: Change Chords Faster on the Piano
One way to practice inversions is to break them downwards into single transitions. Do transitioning from root position to 1st inversion a few times, and so 1st inversion to 2nd inversion, then 2d inversion dorsum to root position.
There are tons of combinations yous can apply to transition using inversions. This tin can feel intimidating, so we advise focusing on a few key progressions that are common:
- I-V: Become from the root position of the I chord to the 1st inversion of the V chord
- 5-vi: Go from 1st inversion of the 5 chord to the root position of the vi chord
- half-dozen-IV: Go from root position of the vi chord to 1st inversion of the 4 chord with a quick movement of your pinky!
Acquire Unlike Progressions
While the 1-5-half dozen-four pop and 2-5-1 jazz progressions are handy, to really empathize chords, information technology helps to know a diversity of progressions.
Hither are some progression routines to check out:
- Creating Cute Minor Chord Progressions. Guess what? You don't accept to use strictly small-scale chords for minor chord progressions.
- How to Write Pitiful, Hopeful & Happy Chord Progressions. Progressions convey mood. Here are three different progressions for three different moods.
- Chord Progressions That Move Y'all. Here are some more advanced progressions that each evoke a unique atmosphere. Rule of thumb if yous want to keep your progressions interesting: don't get-go on the I!
Practice Something Other Than C Major!
We all love C Major, just to actually challenge yourself to progress, make certain yous don't simply practice in C Major.
Instead, become around the Circle of Fifths. Start with keys that have one or two sharps or flats then slowly build upwards. Here are some skillful not-C Major keys to start with:
- G Major
- F Major
- D Major
- B Apartment Major
6.2 Beautiful Arpeggios
Another mode to add some spice to your practice routine is past practicing arpeggios. Arpeggios are substantially broken chords, merely they sound a lot more than musical.
Here are a few arpeggio practice routines.
Arpeggio Exercise With Both Hands
Lesson: Arpeggio Practice – The FUN Way
In this routine, yous play an unchanged arpeggio with your correct mitt while changing notes—and later arpeggios!—with your left manus. Lisa also shows you lot how to play two-octave arpeggios that sound absolutely cute.
Arpeggios With Crossovers and Sus Chords
Lesson: Cute Arpeggio Practice for Piano
Hither's a killer parcel of practice routines for your arpeggiating pleasance! This lesson includes a range of practice ideas that employ progressions, sus chords, and crossovers—wow. You'll create cute music and practice your chords at the same time.
Choose Your Ain Adventure With Piano Chords
In this lesson, y'all've learned what chords are, how to build them, how to vary them, and how to utilise them in your everyday pianoforte life.
Call up: chords are the backbone of modern music. A musician who understands chords has a solid foundation in music and volition exist well-equipped to learn songs quickly, play with others, and improvise.
To farther your cognition of chords, take a await at our library of complimentary chording lessons. Acquire how to practice chords in a non-boring style, acquire songs, and discover chord progressions for every mood. Happy practicing!
Charmaine Li is a Vancouver writer who has played piano for over 20 years. She holds an Associate diploma (ARCT) from the Royal Conservatory of Music and loves writing about the ways in which music—and music learning—affects the human experience. Charmaine manages The Note.
Source: https://www.pianote.com/blog/piano-chords/
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