Lesson 18 - Constructing chords in real time

Introduction

You’ll learn how to construct any chord in real time by knowing your intervals.

Interval collection

A chord is a collection of intervals and may contain any of the twelve intervals although we need to constrain our options to create meaningful chords.

Chords and thirds

If we constrain a chord to stacked thirds, this becomes a useful foundation when including other intervals outside the key signature. The follow diagrams represents our foundation of thirds in the key of C, all the white notes. When stacking thirds, stacked chords are also created. To cover every interval in the western major scale, you only need two chords, CM7 and Dm (IM7 and IIm). The diagrams do not stack alternate thirds because we wish to stay within the key of C. When stacking alternate thirds you cross key signatures.

In diagram 1, the chords are, C, CM7, CM9, CM9add2, CM13. (CM13 drops the 11)

In diagram 2, the chords are, Dm, Dm7, Dm9, Dm11, Dm13

Chord naming

Today in this lesson, we’re not too concerned about chord naming, this will be covered in a future lessons. It’s more important to understand what you’re doing before you remember more complex chord naming.  It’s easier to consider complex chords as a simple chord and a high melody interval. This gives you a greater understanding rather than just blindly remembering chord names and only relying on visualisation. This approach will help develop your ear to hear melodies and locate the intervals on the keyboard.

Basic chord names

These are the default diatonic chords in the western major scale. They’ll be your foundation to create any other chord by using simple tone and semi-tone alterations.

• Major Triad  1  3  5

• Minor Triad  1 -3  5

• Major Seventh 1  3  5  7

• Minor Seventh 1 -3  5 -7

• Seventh      1  3  5 -7

• Half diminished  1 -3 -5 -7

Quickly locating intervals on the piano

To build chords, you must be able to locate any interval on the keyboard quickly in real time. The first step is to know all the power chords and octaves; these will become your reference intervals. Make sure you know all the power chords well, by now you should be able to identify them quickly.

Remember the fifth rule

Once you're capable of finding fifths quickly on the piano, all you need to do is remember how to find the other intervals from the table below, and you'll have the foundations to create any chord on the piano. Chords are named after the root note, so if you know all the notes of the piano instantly, then you know all your chords with these simple rules.  If you don't know the name of the chord you're creating, that isn't too important for beginners, many chords are descriptive of the intervals in their character, so just be aware of the intervals you include in the chord construction.

I have all the chord names in my book, "The Secrets To Playing Music by Ear- The Akousunesis Method".

Finding interval quickly

Major third

A major third is two tones above the root note, just count for now, eventually your visual memory will take over. The major third is the longest interval you’ll ever have to count, two tones. We’re going to look at methods to quickly visualise major and minor thirds in the next video 

Minor third

A minor third is one and a half tones above the root note, just count for now, eventually your visual memory will take over. The major and minor thirds are referenced up from the root note of the chord.

Major seventh 7

To locate the major seven, don’t count-up from the root note, that will take way too long, simply visualise a semi-tone down from the high root octave. A major seventh is simply a semi-tone down from the root octave. Example, if C is the root note, look for the next high C, an octave higher, a major seventh is simply a semi-tone down, just flatten the high root note to the note B.

Major seventh 7

To locate the major seven, don’t count-up from the root note, that will take way too long, simply visualise a semi-tone down from the high root octave. A major seventh is simply a semi-tone down from the root octave. Example, if C is the root note, look for the next high C, an octave higher, a major seventh is simply a semi-tone down, just flatten the high root note to the note B.

Minor seventh -7

Likewise, with the minor seventh, count down from the high root octave, but this time count down a tone. It’s easy to visualize a tone down from the high root note, so sevenths can be found quickly in real time.

Perfect fourth 4

Using the perfect fifth as a reference interval, a perfect fourth is one tone down from the perfect fifth.  Always locate your fourth down from a fifth, never up from a third because thirds can be minor or major, so you must remember two interval distances, rather than one distance.

Sixth 6

Using the perfect fifth as a reference interval, a sixth is one tone up from the perfect fifth. Always locate your sixth up from the fifth. The sixth is an added interval, giving the chord more character. Sometimes the fifth is dropped, it depends on the composition of music and the sound you’re trying to create.

Diminished fifth -5

Using the perfect fifth as a reference interval, a diminished fifth is a semi-tone down from the fifth, simply flatten the fifth. The fifth is no longer played.

Augmented fifth +5

Using the perfect fifth as a reference interval, an augmented fifth is a semi-tone up from the fifth, simply sharpen the fifth. The fifth is no longer played.

Second 2

A second is a tone up from the root note.

Minor second 2

A flat second is a semi-tone up from the root note.

You now have the knowledge to create any chord you desire, for all the chords name, see here. You’ll find most names are descriptive of the intervals you’re adding.

Exercises

Exercises 1

C >< || RT1 M3 P5

C ==    LP1 M3 T5  

C6 >< || RT1 M3 P6

C6 ==    LP1 M3 T6 

Cadd4 >< || RT1 M3 R4

Cadd4 ==    LP1 M3 I4      

Exercises 2

Cb5 >  RT1 M3 R-5 <M3 T1

Cb5 >  LP1 M3 T5 <M3 P1

Caug > RT1 M3 P+5 <M3 T1

Caug > LP1 M3 T+5 <M3 P1

CM7 >< RT1 I3 M5 P7

CM7 >< LP1 R3 I5 T7

Exercises 3

C7 >< || RT1 I3 M5 R-7 P1

C7 ><    LP1 R3 I5 T-7_T-7

Cm7 >< || RT1 I-3 M5 R-7 P1

Cm7 ><    LP1 M-3 I5 T-7_T-7

CmM7 >< || RT1 I-3 M5 R-7 P1

CmM7 ><    LP1 M-3 I5 T-7_T-7

Exercises 4

C > || RT1 I-2 I2 M-3 T3 <M-3 T2 I-2 T1

CM7 == LP1 M3 I5 T7

C > || RT1 I-2 I2 M-3 T3 <M-3 T2 I-2 T1

Cm7 == LP1 M-3 I5 T-7

C > || RT1 I-2 I2 M-3 T3 <M-3 T2 I-2 T1

CmM7 == LP1 M-3 I5 T7