Questions tagged [chords]

For general questions about chords like how to play them, construct them, or what symbols represent them. For more in depth analysis of the ideas behind chords themselves, please use the chord-theory tag.

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Are 7th chords made up from 4 notes?

I'm new to guitar, and I have been learning basic chords over the months. I know that C Major is made up from C E and G When learning C7, there's an extra finger and that makes up 4 notes, so, C E G ...
user65342's user avatar
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14 votes
7 answers
9k views

Why can't I identify major and minor chords?

I am playing violin for 6/7 years now and doing ABRSM grade 7 this year. Problem is I still can't identify chords. Sad/Happy feeling doesn't work for me even a bit. Because of this, I can't identify ...
Lasitha Yapa's user avatar
14 votes
9 answers
19k views

Is Emajor the dominant chord in the key of A minor?

I read somewhere that Emajor is the dominant (V) chord in A minor. Is this correct? If so, why is it not Eminor, since the A minor scale has no sharps or flats in it?
tarun's user avatar
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14 votes
8 answers
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Is there a term for chords like F/G and C/D?

Chords like F/G and C/D are really quite common in jazz, blues and soul music yet I have never heard or been able to find a concise name for them. To be clear, I am referring to any major (or indeed ...
Tim Hargreaves's user avatar
14 votes
7 answers
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Can any diminished chord be used as V anywhere?

I've been playing with diminished chords as 'V' in ii-V-I progressions. I often use one of the three diminished chords in a ii-V-I progression -- I sharpen the 5th note of the scale and hang a ...
David Wallis's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
5k views

What does the chord notation X/Y ("slash chord") mean?

Questions about slash chords are frequent enough that this question was created to answer the general concerns as well as link to related or more specific questions on the topic. Chords notated like ...
Aaron's user avatar
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14 votes
4 answers
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Confused about diminished chords

I came across several guitar chords which seem to be 'diminished' chords: X° X°7 Xø Xø7 I read some articles which might provide useful informating, including the Dutch Wiki article Chord (music), ...
MC Emperor's user avatar
14 votes
6 answers
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I need help understanding the concept of chord inversions.

This article from wikipedia, states: In the first inversion of a C major triad the bass is E—the 3rd of the triad—with the 5th and the root stacked above it (the root now shifted an octave ...
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14 votes
4 answers
8k views

Why do the notes of a blues scale sound good with the I, IV, and V chords?

If you are playing the blues in the key of C, any note in the blues key of C should sound good in the melody with either of the C, F or G (I, IV or V) major chords in the bass. Why is this and how do ...
wkm's user avatar
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14 votes
6 answers
4k views

Why rootless chords?

I understand the functionality of rootless chords in a band setting where there is a bass player, but rootless chords are supposedly used in solo piano as well (the Jazz Piano Book says this, and I ...
Airdish's user avatar
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3 answers
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Do Neapolitan chords exist in modes with a minor second?

In relation to a question I asked earlier—What is a Neapolitan 6th chord—I have a follow up question. A Neapolitan chord is pretty much a Major chord built on the lowered second scale ...
Dom's user avatar
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3 answers
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When, if ever, are arpeggiated six-four chords really "real"?

Textbooks traditionally teach that there are four types of six-four (i.e., second inversion) chords: Pedal six-four (also sometimes called neighbor), where the bass stays the same; Passing six-four, ...
Richard's user avatar
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13 votes
4 answers
4k views

A♭ major 9th chord in Bach is unexpectedly dissonant/jazzy

Measures 21-24 in Prelude VII from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier I I was looking at the Prelude VII by Bach and noticed that on the measure 23 Bach ended that phrase with a A♭ maj9 chord. I was ...
Diego Alvarez's user avatar
13 votes
7 answers
10k views

How was the D chord constructed?

I'm a beginner trying to teach myself guitar, and I thought I understood how chords work but the D major chord just confuses the heck out of me. From what I know, chords are built out of triads, and ...
aroundthecoroner's user avatar
13 votes
7 answers
986 views

Learn guitar chords?

I like to play guitar and I'm quite good playing tabs. However, I don't know the chords and I would like to learn them and to play them easily. Any tips on where to learn them on internet or tips to ...
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13 votes
9 answers
4k views

Which advanced chords can I use for a song composition in scale of G?

I am making a song composition in a scale of G. I have already used major chords G, C and D and in some places I have used Am, Em and Bm. I would like to make this composition richer with some ...
Jeril Nadar's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
5k views

What is the (Practical) theory behind applying chords for a Song?

I love playing Guitar. I can play the lead for any song by listening to it. But often in our prayer meeting people sing different songs in different keys. I can track the major they sing, but I am ...
franklins's user avatar
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13 votes
6 answers
13k views

Is there piano notation for finger sustained notes (as opposed to pedal sustain)?

In piano music how does one indicate that sequential notes in the bass clef are to be sustained with the fingers, not using the sustain pedal? For example, suppose I have the three sequential quarter ...
Robert's user avatar
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4 answers
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Why do we only build 7th chords on the supertonic and dominant of a major scale?

I am just cracking into a book on basic Harmony (Mark Sarnecki, 2nd edition), and the first section begins with a review of the triads built on each degree of a C major scale, as shown in this picture....
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13 votes
5 answers
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What chord is "A7+4"?

That's how it's notated and I think it's a really unusual notation. Could that be a synonymous notation for "A7sus4"? The key signature is E-flat.
blaster's user avatar
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6 answers
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Why is this chord notated as an Emin7 when it has no Es in it?

So I was analyzing "Yesterday" by The Beatles when I got to the word "Why". How come it has Em7 over the note when the score doesn't feature the note E? It doesn't look like an Em7 ...
Ian McGarry's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
3k views

How to play these overly extended intervals on piano?

There are two images I have attached. In the first one it says, I guess, play the top note on the treble clef with your left hand (cross hands). But how on earth am I supposed then to play the chord ...
John Smith's user avatar
13 votes
6 answers
2k views

Why do we call the Hendrix chord 7#9 instead of 7b10?

The Hendrix chord is usually mentioned when a harmony contains both the major and the minor third, together with the minor seventh. Were it a major seventh, I'd say we have an augmented 9th and thus ...
András Hummer's user avatar
13 votes
4 answers
3k views

"Correct" notation for a minor chord?

Over my career as a musician, I have seen many different kinds of notation for a minor chord for example each of the chord symbols below represents an A minor chord: Am Amin a A- Is there a reason ...
Dom's user avatar
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13 votes
8 answers
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Power chord: Can the lower fifth be used?

Normally a C power chord is played by using C and the G in the same octave (that is, 3rd fret of 5th string and 5th fret of 4th string). But a friend says the C power chord can be played just by ...
Ragesh Chakkadath's user avatar
13 votes
5 answers
22k views

How do I become a better electronic music producer?

I love music and I would love to make it and maybe become a music composer. However I do not know anything about music theory or anything. I can't play any instrument or so. How can I learn to make ...
user3144737's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
1k views

Why does B work as a bass note against F7 in Bb?

I wrote a song in Band-in-a-Box. It includes this turnaround: Dm Dbm Cm F7/B BbMaj7 The chord F7/B doesn't sound good on guitar (I play it as F7 or F9 instead), but the low B note works really well ...
Bob Lee's user avatar
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13 votes
5 answers
24k views

What is the '+' symbol mean in a chord?

When I played a music meet a D+9 and a A7/5+. I have tried search in google, but didn't find it. Does anybody know that?
blackcornail's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
2k views

Correct terminology for chord inversions

I am confused with what I've read in various sources concerning chord notations. Is there a standard notation for chord inversions? As far as I understand, a chord inversion is determined from the ...
kurto's user avatar
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13 votes
4 answers
839 views

Is there a common labeling system for tritone substitutions?

Imagine the following progression: C F D♭7 C We typically just explain that third chord as a tritone substitution—and we stop there!—but this must be maddening for beginners, because we aren't ...
Richard's user avatar
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12 votes
7 answers
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Do power chords have some kind of function/meaning?

Every guitar player runs into these at least once (and probably way more often, too): power chords. This is a general term for chords consisting of the root note, the fifth, and an octave. In most ...
Lee White's user avatar
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12 votes
8 answers
33k views

Barre chords kill my thumb!

I played guitar for about a year like 2 or 3 years ago, and then my guitar broke while I was moving, and I just bought a new guitar last month and started playing again. I am facing the same problem i ...
lonewaft's user avatar
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12 votes
12 answers
11k views

How common is the complete circle of fifths progression?

A complete circle of fifths progression would go (I)-IV-VII-III-VI-II-V-I, and it's taught that way in textbooks, but it seems to be rare in actual music. Could you give me any examples of songs that ...
mey's user avatar
  • 976
12 votes
5 answers
9k views

Is there a name for a chord which combines the major and minor thirds of the root?

I noticed while noodling on my acoustic guitar that playing Cm using the Am shape barred on 3rd fret, that opening the high E string gives a pleasingly discordant sound. I realised the E comes from ...
Mr. Boy's user avatar
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12 votes
6 answers
4k views

How would this chord from "Rocket Man" be analyzed?

[Chorus:] Bb Eb And I think it's gonna be a long, long time Bb 'Till touch down brings me roung again to find ...
Lennon_Ashton's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
2k views

In sheet music, can notes of a chord have different length, or how to read this sheet?

I have some sheet music that I'm trying to understand, but I'm unfamiliar with the correct terminology and my understanding of it (just starting out learning music). Specifically, the notes that are ...
Michael Stum's user avatar
12 votes
7 answers
3k views

Which chords are recommended for checking guitar tuning?

Notwithstanding innate intonation issues, just versus equal temperament, and a variety of tuning methods, I would like to ask what other guitarists use as their "check chords". That is, what chords do ...
Kirk A's user avatar
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12 votes
3 answers
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If I press C4, C5 and C6, is this a chord?

Are there any other special requirements for three sounds to be a chord by musical definition? Do overtones or the same note just sounding on different octaves (sounding together) still can be named a ...
h22's user avatar
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12 votes
7 answers
64k views

Fingers Too Short for Barre Chords?

My wife is learning the guitar and is getting pretty good. She gets frustrated though because she can't play barre chords. She claims that her fingers are literally too short to ever be able to play ...
user avatar
12 votes
7 answers
9k views

Sharp 5 or flat 13? Sharp 9 or flat 10?

Let's say I'm in C major. I have a dominant altered chord built on G. This very popular voicing has the following tones (I'm including both enharmonic spellings for the accidentals): G B (D# or Eb) F ...
Duncan Malashock's user avatar
12 votes
6 answers
3k views

Why does C9 sound so good resolving to D major 7

So, I have been playing this chord progression in the key of D major with the chords DM7, Bm7, GM7, C9, and I can't seem to figure out why the c9 resolves so nicely to the D major 7 chord. Is it just ...
Phoenix Krebs's user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
20k views

How do I correctly borrow chords from one key to another?

So how does one decide to borrow chords? Let's say I am in the key of C Major. Can I borrow chords, say, from the G Major key? How does this work?
DiggDugg's user avatar
  • 353
12 votes
3 answers
4k views

Confused about D7 Chord notation on Alfred's Book

In the book we have the following image for D7: But every other resource I consult, all 7th chords have 4 notes (this only has 3). What's on the book seems to match the 1st inversion for D7 (minus ...
fmendez's user avatar
  • 299
12 votes
2 answers
787 views

"Punning chord"

I'd like to know if the following description is accurate: "A composer modulates from one key to another by the use of the “punning” chord, the augmented sixth (punning because it is also a dominant ...
Veta Veta's user avatar
  • 129
12 votes
4 answers
850 views

What does 'on' mean in chord notation?

For example, Em(onD) and Em(onC♯). I found these in a Japanese guitar tab book I bought.
Sam's user avatar
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12 votes
6 answers
2k views

Sus2 doesn't exist?

On this stack post answer: Chord naming conventions: add2 versus add9 And on this website: https://www.brendanpauljacobs.com/spelling.htm The writers imply that sus2 chords actually do not exist. ...
Numpy's user avatar
  • 568
12 votes
4 answers
6k views

Is an inversion a different chord, or a different voicing?

If I play C4, E4, G4, it's a C-major chord. First inversion would be E4, G4, C5: is this considered a different chord, or just a different voicing of the same chord? I'm thinking specifically for ...
brianmearns's user avatar
12 votes
4 answers
646 views

How can I make two chords on the ukulele sound interesting for a whole song?

I'm accompanying my friend on one of her own songs with my uke. However, the song only has two chords the whole way through! The chords are Dm and Am - eight even beats of each. It's mostly slow and ...
Abbie's user avatar
  • 233
12 votes
3 answers
7k views

How would you describe F G A chord progression?

I like the sound of F G A chords progression on a guitar, three major bar chords. Do these chords fit any scale? Am with an added 3 in it? Does it make it a 6-7-1 progression? When I solo over this ...
creator's user avatar
  • 465
12 votes
3 answers
4k views

Minor major seventh flat five chords: do they exist, and if so, how should they be used?

When randomly playing chords, my husband and I stumbled upon an interesting four-note combination of C, Eb, Gb and B natural, which sounded pretty nice to us despite the dissonance. This looks like a ...
mey's user avatar
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