4 + 6: = 7th. Chords = 3-note chord.*
*This is easier to play but I recommend you go for the full, 4-note 7th. chord.
And that's all there is to it. Who needs chord charts? Just remember the five formulas above and you will be able to find all the scales and all the most used chords on a keyboard. And the great thing about this system is that you don't actually have to remember loads of scales and chords because, with these formulas, you already know them all.
Here is how it works:
Finding the scales.
Let's start where everybody starts from - Middle C.
Every note which we start with, for our formula, is always the 'Home Note'
and is zero-rated. In other words it is never counted. See below:
C scale. C is zero rated because it is the Home note.
C D E F G A B C
0 2 2 1 2 2 2 1
If you start at C and count every note from there - including the black notes - using the above formula you will play the C scale. C is the home note. Now count 2 and we hit the D. Now count 2 again and we hit the E, now count 1 and we hit F, and so on. No matter which note you start on - as the home note - you will always end up playing the correct scale. Try it out for yourself right now. Easy, isn't it. In about two minutes you have learned how to play every scale there is. Great! Look at the scale of Bb below:
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
0 2 2 1 2 2 2 1
The Bb scale using the formula underneath it.
It works every time and takes a minute or so to remember. Try finding any scale picking any note to start with. |
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Minor chords.
Formula: 3 + 4.
Let's start with F# minor.
F# is Home note: Plus 3 is A + 4 is C#. ( F# + A + C# )
Ab minor.
Ab is Home note: Plus 3 is B + 4 is Eb. ( Ab + B + Eb )
Minor 7th. Chords.
Formula: 3+4+3. This is the minor chord fomula + 3.
D minor 7th.
D is the home note: Plus 3 is F + 4 is A +3 is C. ( D + F + A +C). The inversion of CDFA may be easier for you to play.
7th. Chords.
Formula: 4 + 6. (3-note chord).
Formula: 4 + 3 + 3. (4-note chord). This is a major chord formula + 3.
C7: Home note C + 4 is E + 6 is Bb. ( C + E + Bb ) 3-note chord.
D7: Home note D + 4 is F# + 3 is A + 3 is C ( D + F# + A + C ) 4-note chord.
Add 3 to a major or minor chord formula to make a 7th.
There are, of course, inversions to all the chords which you can easily work out for yourself. Any combinations of each chord will work on a keyboard. You simply choose the one which works best for you. We are discussing here only the most widely used chords. The more experienced you become with your playing the less you'll need the formulas. But heh, if they help you remember your chords use them all the time.
As an exercise why not try to work out the formulas for 6th. and 9th. chords. In the early stages of your playing you will not be called upon, most of the time, to play 6th. and 9th. chords on a keyboard, guitar players are more likely to use these. You could be really clever and work out diminuished and augmented chords if you like.
Study all the above information and remember it. It really isn't difficult. Once you have these formulas committed to memory you will never have problems in remembering all the most widely used chords. As you can now see it is possible to play keyboard using mathematics.
Remember this!
There are thee major chords in each scale based on the 1st. 4th. and 5th. notes in that scale. If you played only the three major chords in each song you play, you'll play to an acceptable level. When counting the notes in a scale the home note is counted as 1.
So in the scale of C the first chord (Note 1) would be C major, the second chord (Note 4) would be F major and the third chord (Note 5) would be G major.
As a beginner I used to work out the Key (scale), I would be playing in, (2212221), write it at the top of the page, then I would write the Formula along side it. So the top of my page would look like this:
Scale = G. (G A B C D E F# G). Formula 4 + 3. Main chords = G, B, C. If I missed a chord I would simply play one of the three main chords for that scale and usually got away with it.
Article Source: http://www.articlesofnote.com
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