HOW TO FIND CHORDS

SYMBOL
m + 6 m6 M7 or Maj7 or ^ 7 m7 2 Sus 7sus Maj9 or ^9 9 m9 o7

TYPE OF CHORD
Minor chord Augmented chord Sixth Minor sixth Major seventh Seventh (Dominant) Minor seventh Two chord Suspension Seventh suspension Major ninth Ninth Minor ninth Diminished seventh

HOW
Lower 3rd step Raise 5th step Add the note 1 whole step above the fifth Find minor, add the note 1 whole step above the fifth Lower root in R.H. step, play root in bass (L.H.) Lower root in R.H. 1 whole step, play root in bass (L.H.) Find minor, lower root 1 whole step in R.H., play root in bass (L.H.) Raise root in R.H. 1 whole step, play root in bass Raise 3rd step in R.H. Find 7th, raise 3rd step in R.H. Find major 7th, add note 1 whole step above root in R.H., play root in bass Find 7th, add note 1 whole step above the root in R.H. Find minor 7th, add note 1 whole step above the root in R.H. Lower the 3rd & 5th step, add the note 1 steps below the root in R.H., play root in bass Lower root, 3rd, and 5th 1 whole step in R.H., play root in bass Raise 5th 1 whole step, lower root 1 whole step in R.H., play root in bass Right Hand: thumb on 3rd 2nd finger (raise the 5 a step) 3rd finger (lower root 1 whole step, which is the 7) 5th finger (raise the 2 a step, which is the #9) Find 9th chord, raise 3rd step, play root in bass

EXAMPLE IN KEY OF C
Cm: CEbG C+: CEAb C6: CEGA Cm6: CEbGA Cmaj7: R.H. BEG L.H. C C7: R.H. BbEG L.H. C Cm7: R.H. BbEbG L.H. C C2: R.H. DEG L.H. C Csus: CFG C7sus: R.H. BbFG L.H. C C^9: R.H. BDEG L.H. C C9: BbDEG Cm9: BbDEbG Co7: R.H. L.H. ACEbGb C

11 13 #5, #9

Eleventh Thirteenth Sharp 5, Sharp 9

C11: R.H. BbDF L.H. C C13: R.H. BbEA L.H. C C(#5, #9): R.H. L.H. EAbBbEb C Bb

9th sus

Ninth suspension

C9sus: R.H. BbDFG L.H. C

IN THE CHART ABOVE, THE COLUMN THAT DESCRIBES HOW IS EXPLAINED USING THE NUMBER SYSTEM. IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE NUMBER SYSTEM, HERE IS A BRIEF EXPLANATION. LETS USE THE C SCALE FOR AN EXAMPLE. IF YOU PLAY UP THE C SCALE, STARTING ON C, C IS 1 D IS 2 E IS 3 F IS 4 G IS 5 A IS 6 B IS 7 AND C GOES BACK TO 1. IN SOME CASES, YOU MAY SEE SOMETHING REFERRED TO AS 9 OR 11 OR 13. IF YOU SEE THIS, INSTEAD OF THE C GOING BACK TO 1, YOU WOULD CONTINUE COUNTING UP SO THAT C WOULD BE 8 D WOULD BE 9 E WOULD BE 10 AND F WOULD BE 11, ETC IF ROOT IS USED TO DESCRIBE A POSITION, THAT IS REFERRING TO THE FIRST NOTE OF WHATEVER KEY YOU ARE INTHE ROOT POSITION OR THE ROOT NOTE. IF YOU ARE IN THE KEY OF C, THE ROOT NOTE IS C. IF YOU ARE IN THE KEY OF Bb , THEN THE ROOT IS Bb.