Chords Workshop

by Mark Fowler
Based mostly on:
– 2 straight-forward articles by David Hamburger in Acoustic
Guitar Magazine (August & September 2003)
• http://acousticguitar.com/lessons/Chord_Names/1.html
• http://acousticguitar.com/lessons/Chord_Names2/1.html
– What Makes Music Work, a book by P. Seyer, A. Novick, & P. Harmon
• http://www.lovemusiclovedance.com/what_makes_music_work.htm
• An amazingly simple but effective little book!!
– Chords & Progressions for Jazz and Popular Guitar, a book by Arnie Berle
– Wikipedia Entry
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_notation

Got Questions? mfowler@binghamton.edu

Get Full-Size, Full-Color Handout: Next
http://www.ws.binghamton.edu/fowler
(Click on “Other”)
1/44
 What We’ll Cover
• Part Ia
– What notes are in the “normal” chords?
• Part Ib
– What notes are in the “weird” chords?
• Part II
– How do you play the “weird” chords?
• Part III
– When do you use the “weird” chords?

Next
2/44
 Part Ia
What Notes Are In The
“Normal” Chords?

Next
3/44
What is a Chord?
• Three or more different notes played together

What Makes a Certain Chord?

• It depends on the “Intervals” (i.e., distance) between
the notes

What Is an Interval?
• A measure of the distance between two notes
• Interval names are based on positions in scales
– Actually, they are really based on the # of “half steps”
between the notes
Note: 2 notes a half step Next
apart are one fret apart
4/44
Intervals within the C Major Scale
C
H Major
“b7th” B
(Minor 7th) 7th
W Bb

A
Major
6th
W G#

G Perfect
5th
W F#

Perfect 4th
F
H Major
E
Minor 3rd
3rd W Eb
Major
D 2nd

W C#
Next
C
5/44
Intervals Between Strings On The Guitar
A 4th “up” is
¾ 4ths a 5th “down” ¾ 5ths ¾ Maj 3rds ¾ Min 3rds
Adjacent Strgs Skipped Strgs

Next 6/44
 Triads – Simplest Chords
There are only 4 types of triads:
¾ Major ¾ Minor ¾ Diminished ¾ Augmented
R35 R b3 5 R b3 b5 R 3 #5
C C C C

B B B B
Bb Bb Bb Bb
A A A A Sharp 5th
G# G# Perfect 5th G# G#
Perfect 5th
G G G G
Gb Gb Gb
Flat 5th Gb

F Major 3rd F F F Major 3rd

E E Minor 3rd E Minor 3rd E
Eb Eb Eb Eb
D D D D
C# C# C# C#
C C C C

These constitute about 99% of the chords We won’t be needing these!

you see traditionally in a fiddle tune Next
7/44
Triads-Based Guitar Chords: An Example
C Major C Minor
3 2 0 1 0 4 1 0 1 x
Note: In a typical Guitar
Chord-Form we often
repeat triad notes

CEGCE C Eb G C
R 35 R3 R b3 5 R

¾ Major ¾ Minor
R35 R b3 5
C C
B B
Bb Bb
A A
G# G# Perfect 5th
Perfect 5th
G G
Gb Gb
F Major 3rd F
E E Minor 3rd
Eb Eb
D D
C# C#
Next
C C 8/44
Triads-Based Guitar Chords: Another Example
D Major D Minor
0 0 1 3 2 0 0 2 3 1
In some Guitar Chord-
Forms the triad notes don’t
appear “in order”

A D A D F# ADADF
5 R5R 3 5 R 5 R b3

¾ Major ¾ Minor
R35 R b3 5
D D
C# C#
C C
B B
Bb Bb Perfect 5th
Perfect 5th
A A
G# G#
G G
F#
Major 3rd
F#
Minor 3rd
F F
E E
Next
Eb Eb
D D 9/44
 Part Ib
What Notes Are In These
“Weird” Chords?

Next
10/44
 Bigger Intervals
(shown relative to C in C major scale)

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Next
11/44
Nearly-Complete Jazz Chord “Family Tree”
For Jazz Chords: sequentially add other notes to a maj/min triad
Note the main pattern: 1 3 5 7 9 11 13
b3 b7

These are the

Major Triad “Dominants” Minor Triad Dim Triad

Add 6 Add b7 Add b7 Add bb7

Add 7 Add 6
Add 7
Maj6 Maj7 7 m6 m(maj7) m7 dim 7
1 356 1 357 1 3 5 b7 1 b3
5 6 1 b3 5 7 1 5 b7
b3
1 b3 b5 bb7

Maj6/9 Maj9 9 m6/9 m(maj9) m9

13569 13579 1 3 5 b7 9 1 b3 5 6 9 1 b3 5 7 9 1 b3 5 b7 9

Notes in ( ) are
Maj11 11 usually omitted.
m11 = 6!!
1 b3 5 b7 9 11
1 (3) 5 7 9 11 1 (3) 5 b7 9 11
It is common to
leave out other
Maj13 13 notes too, m13
1 b3 5 b7
9 (11) 13
1 3 5 7 9 (11) 13 1 3 5 b7 9 (11) 13
especially on
guitar Next
Altered Chords (e.g., A7#5b9): Raise or Lower the 5, 9, 11, or 13
12/44
 Part II
How Do You Play These
“Weird” Chords?

Next
13/44
 An Example
C Major C7
3 2 0 1 0 3 2 4 1 x
This now
For this becomes
form we
sacrifice “Movable”
CEG CE C E Bb C the 5th ! D7
R 35 R 3 R 3 b7 R 3 2 4 1 x

¾ Major ¾ Dom 7
R35 R 3 5 b7
C C
B B b7th
D F# C D
Bb Bb R 3 b7 R
A A
G#
Perfect 5th G# Perfect 5th E7
G G 3 2 4 1 x
Gb Gb V
F Major 3rd F Major 3rd
E E
Eb Eb
D D
C# C# E G# D E Next
C C
R 3 b7 R
14/44
A Structure-Based Approach: Find a Root and
AMaj7 A7 Keep Lowering It
A
0 2 1 3 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 2 0 3 0

A E A C# E A E G# C# E A E G C# E
R5 R3 5 R5 73 5 R 5 b7 3 5

Make It Movable:

C CMaj7 C7
1 2 3 4 1 1 3 2 4 1 1 3 1 4 1

III III III

CGC EG CGB EG C G Bb E G
R5 R 3 5 R5 7 3 5 R 5 b7 3 5
Next
15/44
More Examples of that Rule: Find a Root and
Keep Lowering It
G Gmaj7 G7 G6
3 2 0 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 0 1 3 2 0 0 0 1 3 2 0 0 0 0

GB DGBG G B D G B F# GB DGBF GB DGBE

R 3 5 R 3R R 3 5 R 37 R 3 5 R 3 b7 R 3 5 R 36

D Dmaj7 D7 D6
0 0 1 3 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 2 0 3

A D A D F# A D A C # F# A D A C F# A D A C F#
5 R 5 R 3 5 R 5 7 3 5 R 5 b7 3 5 R 5 6 3

Next
16/44
Another Structure-Based Rule: Find a 5th and
Keep Raising It
G G6 G7
1 3 4 2 1 1 1 3 x 2 1 1 1 3 x 2 1 1

III III

GDGB DG GD B EG GD B F G
R 5R 3 5R R 5 3 6R R 5 3 b7 R

Or Use Our 1st Rule:

Lowering a Root
G Gmaj7 G7 G6
1 4 3 2 1 4 2 1 1 2 4 3 2 1 4 3

III III III III

GDGB DG G F# B D G F BD G E BD
R 5R 3 5R R 7 3 5 R b73 5 R 6 3 5

Gray Circles = notes left out to make the new Next

chords playable playable!!!
17/44
 And More:
A
1 3 4 2 1 1

A E A C# E A Find the Maj 3rd

R 5R 3 5R and lower it

Am Ammaj7 Am7 Am6

1 3 4 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 x 1 3 3 3

V V V V

AEA C EA A E G# C E A AEG C EA A F# C E A
R 5 R b3 5 R R 5 7 b3 5 R R 5 b7 b3 5 R R 6 b3 5 R

2 x 3 3 3 3

Find a Root and V “Certified

keep lowering it Jazzer’s
A G C EA Form” Next
R b7 b3
5R
18/44
Another Rule: Making the dom 9th Chord
C7 Find a Root and Raise It
3 2 4 1 x
¾ Dom 9 Recall:
R 3 5 b7 9 For this This form is movable
form we D9
9th sacrificed 2 1 3 3 3
D C E Bb C the 5th !
C# R 3 b7 R
IV
C

B b7th
Bb C9 C9 D F# C E A
A 2 1 3 4 x 2 1 3 3 3
G# R 3 b7 9 5
5th
G
Gb E9
2 1 3 3 3
F 3rd
E
V
Eb C E Bb D C E Bb D G
D R 3 b7 9 R 3 b7 9 5
C#
C Here we E G# D F# B
gain back R 3 b7 9 5
the 5th !
Next 19/44
 Part III
How Do You Use These
“Weird” Chords?

Next
20/44
 Triads Harmonize the Scale
Choose triad type so that each chord uses only scale tones

I:G ii:Am iii:Bm IV:C V:D vi:Em vii:F#o

C
b5th
B B
Bb
5th Bb
A A A b3rd
G#
5th G# G#
G G G G G G G
F# F# F# F#
5th F# F#
b3rd
F#
F F F 5th F F 3rd F F
E E E E E E E
Eb Eb
5th Eb Eb
3rd Eb Eb Eb
D D D b3rd D D D D
C#
5th C# C# C# C# C# C#
C C C C C C C
b3rd
B B B B B B B
Bb 3rd Bb Bb Bb Bb Bb Bb
A A A A A A A
G# G# G# G# G# G# G#
G G G G G G G Next
21/44
 Typical Places to Use Jazz Chords
Recall: Number System for Chords (Example - Key of G)
I ii iii IV V vi vii
G Am Bm C D Em F#o
Jazzy Replacements
I Maj7, Maj6 (… in blues the I is played as Dom7)

IV Maj7, Maj6, (… in blues the IV is played as Dom7)

V Dom7

ii, iii, vi min7

To see why… see next two slides…

Numbered Chords with Replacements:

I ii iii IV V vi vii Next
GM7 Am7 Bm7 CM7 D7 Em7 F#o7
22/44
 Pick Extensions to Stay in Scale
Why I is either Maj7 or Maj6: Why IV is either Maj7 or Maj6:

I:Gmaj7 I:Gmaj6 IV:Cmaj7 IV:Cmaj6

Maj 7th
B B
Bb Bb Maj 6th
A A
G# G#
G G G G
Maj 7th 5th 5th
F# F# F# F#
F F F F
Maj 6th
E E E E
Eb Eb Eb
3rd Eb
3rd
D D D D
C#
5th C#
5th C# C#
C C C C

B B B B
Bb 3rd Bb 3rd Bb Bb
A A A A
G# G# G# G# Next
G G G G
23/44
 Pick Extensions to Stay in Scale
Why the V chord is Dom7: Why ii, iii & iv chords are min7:

V:D ii:Am iii:Bm vi:Em

Eb b7th
D
C#
C
b7th C#

B B
Bb b7th Bb
5th
Bb
A A A
G#
5th G#
b7th G# G#
G G G G
b3rd
F# F# F# F#
F 3rd F F 5th F
E E E E
Eb Eb
5th Eb Eb
D D D D
b3rd
C# C# C# C#
C C C C
b3rd
B B B B
Bb Bb Bb Bb
A A A A
Next
G# G# G# G#
G G G G 24/44
 Golden Slippers in G: Standard Progression
Let’s use our replacement rules (and a couple other
jazz ideas) to spice up the chords for this tune….

I V I
A Part: | G / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G / / / |

I IV V I
B Part: | G / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D / / / | / / / / | G / / / | / / / / |

I IV V I
|G///|////|C///|////|D///|////|////|G///|

A good place to start is with the V chords…

Next
25/44
 First Step: Change V to dom7
Jazzy Replacements
I Maj7, Maj6 (… in blues the I is played as Dom7)

IV Maj7, Maj6, (… in blues the IV is played as Dom7)

V Dom7

ii, iii, vi min7

This first step doesn’t make things too jazzy

Next
26/44
Some Jazz Dom7 Chord Forms for the V in G
D7 D7 D7
3 2 4 1 x 1 2 4 3 1 3 1 4 1
This one isn’t quite
X V as “jazzer-approved”
III as the other two

D F# C D D C F# A D A C F# A
R 3 b7 R R b7 3 5 R 5 b7 3 5

A simpler form to use for now… but it

just doesn’t have that nice jazz texture:

D7
0 0 2 1 3

A D A C F# Next
5 R 5 b7 3
27/44
 Golden Slippers in G: w/ Dom 7th on V
D7 D7 Could use this, for now
3

I V I
A Part: | G / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G / / / |

Could use this, for now

D7 D7
3

I IV V I
B Part: | G / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | G / / / | / / / / |

I IV V I
| G / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G / / / |
Next
28/44
 Second Step: Change I to Maj6
Jazzy Replacements
I Maj7, Maj6 (… in blues the I is played as Dom7)

IV Maj7, Maj6, (… in blues the IV is played as Dom7)

V Dom7

ii, iii, vi min7

Changing the I chord to Maj7 makes things

very “loungy-jazzy”… not so good for
fiddle tunes.

Changing the I chord to Maj6 makes things

more “western-swingy-jazzy” Next
29/44
Some Jazz Maj6 Chord Forms for the I in G
G6 G6
1 3 x 2 1 1 2 1 4 3 Leave out the
gray circles…
III III they are there
only to show
where this
GD B EG G E BD came from!
R 5 3 6R R 6 3 5

A simpler form to use for now… but it

just doesn’t have that nice jazz texture:
G6
3 2 0 0 0 0

GB DGBE Next
R 3 5 R 36
30/44
 Golden Slippers in G: w/ Maj 6th on I
G6 G6 Could use this, for now
1 3 x 2 41 3 2 0 0 00
3 D7 Could use this, for now

I V I
A Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |

I IV V I
B Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / | / / / / |

I IV V I
| G6 / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |
Next
31/44
 3rd Step: Change IV to Maj6… with a “twist”
Jazzy Replacements
I Maj7, Maj6 (… in blues the I is played as Dom7)

IV Maj7, Maj6, (… in blues the IV is played as Dom7)

V Dom7

ii, iii, vi min7

Changing the IV chord to Maj6 gives: C6 = C E G A

But… imagine re-arranging these same notes: AECG

Hey… that is an Am7 … which is the iim7 of G!!!

Can substitute iim7 for IVmaj6!!! Next

32/44
Some Jazz min7 Chord Forms for the ii in G
Am7 Am7
2 x 3 3 3 3 x 0 3 3 3 3

V V

A G C EA A G C EA
R b7 b3
5R R b7 b3 5 R

A simpler form to use for now… but it

just doesn’t have that nice jazz texture:

Am7
x 0 2 0 1 0

A E G CE
R 5 b7 b3 5 Next
33/44
 Golden Slippers in G: w/ ii min7th sub for IV
G6
3 2 0 0 00 for now

I V I
A Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |

for now for now

G6 Am7 Am7
3 2 0 0 00 2 x 3 3 33 x 0 2 0 10 D7 for now

I ii7 V I
B Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / | / / / / |

I ii7 V I
| G6 / / / | / / / / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |
Next 34/44
 4th Step: Insert Passing Chords
For now lets forget that we substituted iim7 for IV6

Notice how in the B part we have IV = C going up to V = D:

I IV V I
B Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / | / / / / |

I IV V I
| G6 / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |

A cool thing would be to go chromatically up through C#!!

But what chord type??!!

Next
35/44
 Dim7 Chord Forms
So… let’s take a C7 chord and move the root up to a C# but leave
everything else the same… that gives us a “passing chord” that
provides some chromatic motion:
C7 C#o7
1 3 1 4 1 1 3 1 4 1

III III
Everything but the
root from a C7
C G Bb E G C# G Bb E chord… plus the C#
R 5 b7 3 5 R b5 bb7 b3

C7 C#o7
3 2 4 1 x 3 2 4 1 x Cool Things about Dim7 Chords
1. Root can be taken as
ANY note in the chord.

2. Shift it three frets and you get the

Bb
CE C E Bb C# G same chord again!!!
R 3 b7 R b3 bb7 R b3

Next 36/44
 Golden Slippers in G: w/ dim7 passing chords
Example #1
I V I
A Part: | G / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G / / / |

C#° 7 C#° 7 Could use this, for now

3

I IV IV#°7 I
B Part: | G / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / C#°7 / | D7 / / / | / / / / | G / / / | / / / / |

I IV IV#°7 V I
| G / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / C#°7 / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G / / / |
Next
37/44
 4th Step Revisited: Insert Passing Chords
But… we substituted iim7 for IV6… So our B part looks like this:
I ii7 V I
B Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / | / / / / |

I ii7 V I
| G6 / / / | / / / / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |

A cool thing would be to go chromatically up through G#!!

But what chord type??!!
G7 G7 G#o7
G#o7 0 1 0 2
1 2 4 3 0 0 0 2
2 1 3 1

III III

G F BD D GBF
R b73 5 5 R 3 b7 Next
38/44
 Golden Slippers in G: w/ dim7 passing chords
G6 D7
for now
3 2 0 0 00 for now Example #2

I V I
A Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |

for now for now for now

G6 G#°7 Am7
3 2 0 0 00 x x 0 1 02 x 0 2 0 10 D7 for now

I I#°7 ii7 V I
B Part:| G6 / / / | / / G#°7 / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / | / / / / |

I I#°7 ii7 V I
|G6 / / / | / / G#°7 / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |
Next 39/44
 5th Step: Further Jazzify the Chords
Our first step didn’t make things too jazzy
We made the V chords dom7…

Jazzy Replacements
I Maj7, Maj6 (… in blues the I is played as Dom7)

IV Maj7, Maj6, (… in blues the IV is played as Dom7)

V Dom7

ii, iii, vi min7

Now… to make things even jazzier…

use jazzy extensions: add in the 9
(& maybe 11, 13)
Next
40/44
A Jazz Dom9 Chord Forms for V in G
D9
2 1 3 3 3

IV

D F# C E A
R 3 b7 9 5

A simpler form to use for now… but it

just doesn’t have that jazz texture:
D7
0 0 2 1 0

ADAC E Next
5 R 5 b7 9
41/44
 Golden Slippers in G: w/ Dom 9th on V
G6
3 2 0 0 00 for now D9
D9 for now

5
I V I
A Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |

G6 D9 D9
3 2 0 0 00 for now for now

I IV V I
B Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / | / / / / |

I IV V I
| G6 / / / | / / / / | C / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |
Next
42/44
 Golden Slippers: “Complete” “For Now” Forms
G6 D9 G6
3 2 0 0 00 3 2 0 0 00

I V I
A Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |
The ii – V – I progression shows up all over in Jazz!!!
G6 G#°7 Am7 G6
3 2 0 0 00 x x 0 1 02 x 0 2 0 10 D9 3 2 0 0 00

I I#°7 ii7 V I
B Part:| G6 / / / | / / G#°7 / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / | / / / / |

I I#°7 ii7 V I
|G6 / / / | / / G#°7 / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |
Next 43/44
 Golden Slippers: “Complete” “To Work On” Forms
G6 D9 G6
3
3
5

I V I
A Part: | G6 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |

The ii – V – I progression shows up all over in Jazz!!!

G6 G#°7 Am7 D9 G6
3 3 3

5 5

I I#°7 ii7 V I
B Part:| G6 / / / | / / G#°7 / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / | / / / / |

I I#°7 ii7 V I
|G6 / / / | / / G#°7 / |Am7 / / / | / / / / | D9 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | G6 / / / |
STOP 44/44