IT’S TIME TO LEARN MORE CHORDS
BUT FIRST
A REALLY USEFUL
MEMORY TRICK
FOR ALL CHORDS
3-2
THE ALL CHORDS MEMORY TRICK
As you now know, there are 12 tones on the piano
You can build a major and a minor chord on each of these tones
How on earth are you going to remember them all?
THE ALL CHORDS MEMORY TRICK
If you play all the 3 note major OR minor chords in your RIGHT
hand in ‘root’ position (THUMB on ROOT note) you will notice that
except for the 4 ‘B’ chords (Bb, Bbm, B and Bm) the other 20 chords
ALWAYS have the same colour key for the THUMB and the
5th FINGER (the 1st and 5th of the chord)
Then all you have to memorise are the position of the‘middle’ notes
(the ‘3rd’)
With MINOR chords the middle note is to the left
With MAJOR chords the middle note is to the right
Check this by playing all the chords on the next page
This also makes the four B chords easy to remember because your THUMB and
5th finger will be on DIFFERENT coloured keys.
3-3
ALL 24 ‘basic’ MAJOR AND MINOR CHORDS
C Gb
Cm Gbm
Db G
Dbm Gm
D Ab
Dm Abm
Eb A
Ebm Am
E Bb
Em Bbm
F B
Fm Bm
3-
INVERSIONS
INVERSIONS
3-5
INVERSIONS
So far, you have played chords in what is called ROOT position, which means
that your THUMB is on the note that gives the chord its name (the ROOT note)
ie. the chord of C
C ROOT POSITION
C E G
ROOT
THUMB
There are TWO other ways to play
the 3 notes of the C chord (C, E, G)
These are called INVERSIONS
C MIDDLE INVERSION
Fig (1)
G C E
ROOT
C BACKWARDS INVERSION
Fig (2)
E G C
ROOT
Fig (1) is called a MIDDLE inversion because the MIDDLE finger is on the
ROOT note
Fig (2) is called a BACKWARDS inversion because the chord is in the
OPPOSITE direction from the ROOT position with the small (5th)
finger on the ROOT note
3-6
THE EASY WAY TO FORM INVERSIONS
1. To form a MIDDLE inversion first place your MIDDLE finger on the root note of
the chord then find the other two notes of the chord
2. To form a BACKWARDS inversion first place your LITTLE finger on the root
note of the chord, then find the other two notes of the chord
C
ROOT POSITION E G
C
C
MIDDLE INVERSION
G C E
C
BACKWARDS INVERSION E G C
Try this technique on all the other chords you’ve learned so far
3-7
SO WHY USE INVERSIONS?
You may have noticed that if you play all your chords in ROOT position only,
you have to move your hand quite a bit to get from chord to chord.
This is not only difficult but it also makes the sound very ‘jumpy’.
INVERSIONS enable you to play different chords in close proximity without
having to move all up and down the keyboard.
It sounds BEST if you can play all your chords as CLOSE to middle C as you can
make them - using INVERSIONS.
Try the following example and notice how SMOOTH the chord transitions are.
C C
ROOT
F
MIDDLE INVERSION F
ROOT
G
BACKWARDS INVERSION G
ROOT
3-8
INVERSIONS - A COMMON MISTAKE
Very often you will play a sequence of chords such as C followed by C7.
To make C7 you moved your THUMB (which is on the root note of the chord)
LEFT by 2 keys (see book 1 page 49).
But what if you were playing C middle inversion and you wanted to turn it into C7
Most people (without thinking) automatically move their THUMB two keys left.
But you have to remember that in C (Middle Inversion) the thumb is NO LONGER
on the root note and it is the ROOT NOTE that needs to be moved two keys left
too make C7.
In ROOT position the ROOT note C is moved two keys left.
C C C7
With a MIDDLE inversion, it is STILL the ROOT note C that is to be moved to
make C7.
C C7
Middle C Middle
Or, in a BACKWARDS inversion, the ROOT note C is the note ‘moved’.
C C7
Bkwds C Bkwds
MOVE THE NOTE - NOT THE FINGER
Don’t worry if this seems a bit complicated at the minute. When you put it into
practice it will become a lot clearer.
3-9
INVERSION PRACTICE
Try using inversions in some of the tunes you played earlier
Remember that the LEFT hand DOESN’T CHANGE - it still uses the ROOT note.
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (AMAZING GRACE)
G (mid) G7 C G (mid) G G7 D D7
G (bkds) G7 C G (mid) G D7 Am G
Rhythm - Split chord (SOMETHING - The Beatles)
G (Middle) Gmaj7 G7 C
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (AULD LANG SANG)
C Am (Bkds) Dm G (mid) C C7 F (mid)
C Am (Bkds) Dm E F (mid) G (mid) C
Rhythm - Oom Pah (BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS OF VIRGINIA)
G (Middle) A (Backwards) D G (Middle)
Rhythm - Bossa Nova (ISN’T SHE LOVELY - Stevie Wonder)
Em (middle) A (Backwards) C/D G (middle)
*The above progressions are for improvisational purposes only.
You can purchase sheetmusic (and view the first page for free)
at www.sheetmusicdirect.com or www.musicnotes.com or www.musicroom.com
3-10
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
This Split Chord tune makes GREAT use of INVERSIONS
C F (middle) D G (middle)
G A A B
E C F C F# D G D
Count + 1 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 + etc
C F D G
E Am (middle) F G C
B C C D
G# A A B
E E F G
E A F G C
Am (middle) G (middle) D G (middle)
C B A B
A G F# G
E D D D
A G D G
C G (middle) F (middle) G (mid) C (bkwds)
G B A B
E G F G
C D C D
C G F G C
3-11
NEW CHORDS
Cm, Fm, Gm
and
Db, Eb, Ab
3-12
Cm, Fm, Gm
You can easily form these three new chords using three chords you
ALREADY know
FIRST play the 3 major chords you know - C, F and G
C F G
Then, transform each of these chords into Cm, Fm, and Gm
by simply moving your MIDDLE finger DOWN onto the black notes as follows
* * *
Cm Fm Gm
Notice the difference between the SOUNDS of the minor and the major
MAJOR is BRIGHTER, happier
MINOR is SAD
3-13
Db, Eb, Ab
The easiest way to learn these three chords is to notice that they all
look very alike.
IN ROOT POSITION
The ROOT note is BLACK
The 5th is ALSO BLACK
Db
The middle note is WHITE
Eb
Ab
OTHER USEFUL MEMORY TRICKS
• Notice there are TWO black keys between the ROOT and the 5th
• Notice that in both Db and Ab the white key is the one on the ‘right’ of the two
white keys. Think ‘right for major - left for minor’
3-14
PRACTICE PROGRESSIONS FOR Cm, Fm, Gm, Db, Eb, Ab
Rhythm- Twist 2 (PRETTY WOMAN - Roy Orbison)
G Em G Em C C D D
D D Cm F7 Bb Gm Cm F
Bb
Rhythm- Very slow Half Beat Bounce 1 (I AM SAILING - Rod Stewart)
F Dm Bb F G7 Dm Gm F
C7
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce ( AULD LANG SANG)
Bb Gm Cm F Bb Bb7 Eb Bb Gm Cm D
Eb F Bb Bb Gm Cm F Bb Bb7 Eb
Bb Gm Cm D Eb F Bb
Rhythm - Split Chord (GOODBYE TO LOVE The Carpenters)
Eb Ab Bb Eb Ebmaj7 Ab Bb Dm Cm Eb Ab
Eb G Cm F7
Rhythm - Half beat Bounce 1 (ROCKET MAN - Elton John)
Gm Gm7 Bb/C C7 Gm Gm7 Bb/C C7 Eb Bb/D Cm Cm/Bb
F/A
Note the Slash chords and the bass run from the Eb
*The above progressions are for improvisational purposes only.
You can purchase sheetmusic (and view the first page for free)
at www.sheetmusicdirect.com or www.musicnotes.com or www.musicroom.com 3-15
PRACTICE PROGRESSIONS FOR Cm, Fm, Gm, Db, Eb, Ab
Rhythm - Bossa Nova (YOUR SONG - Elton John) Eb bass note throughout
Intro Eb (mid) Ab (bkwds) Bb Ab (bkwds) Repeat
E E E
Rhythm - SPLIT CHORD (FOR ALL WE KNOW - The Carpenters)
C D D7 F Fm C G7
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (I DREAMED A DREAM - Les Miserables)
F F/E F/D F/C Bb Bb/A Bb/G C7 F F/E F/D F/C Bb Bb/A Bb/G C7
D D/F# Gm Gm/Bb D D/F# G G/B C C/E Fm Fm/Ab C F
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY - Van Morrison)
F Am7 Bmaj7 C F Am7 Bb C Bbmaj7 Am7
Gm Gm/C F Bb/C
Rhythm - 3 Beat Bounce (IF I COULD SAVE TIME IN A BOTTLE)
Dm Dm/Db Dm/C Dm/B Gm/Bb Gm/Bb
A A7
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (TROUBLE - Coldplay)
F Dm Am Eb Gm F
*The above progressions are for improvisational purposes only.
You can purchase sheetmusic (and view the first page for free)
at www.sheetmusicdirect.com or www.musicnotes.com or www.musicroom.com
3-16
4 NEW CHORDS
ALL THE ‘B’s
b b
B , B m
and
B, Bm
3-17
Bb, Bbm, B, Bm
The ‘B’ chords are actually easy to remember because they are a different shape
from ALL the other (root position) chords.
All other chords have the SAME colour key for ROOT note and 5th
But the B chords have DIFFERENT colour keys for ROOT note and 5th
so if the ROOT is WHITE - the 5th will be BLACK
or if the ROOT is BLACK - the 5th will be WHITE
Then it’s just a matter of memorising the middle note (the 3rd)
Notice that B is the OPPOSITE shape to Bb
Bb = BLACK + 2 WHITE notes
B = WHITE + 2 BLACK notes
Bb B
To make the MINOR’S simply move the 3rd (MIDDLE FINGER)
one note to the LEFT
Bbm Bm
3-18
PRACTICE PROGRESSIONS FOR Bb, Bbm, B, Bm
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (DESPERADO - The Eagles)
F F7 Bb Bbm F Dm7 G C7
Rhythm - Twist 2 (CROCODILE ROCK - Elton John)
G G Bm Bm C C
D D
Rhythm- Half Beat Bounce (SITTIN ON THE DOCK OF THE BAY - Otis Redding)
G (bkwds) B C A Repeat
Rhythm - Twist 2 (POETRY IN MOTION)
D Bm Em A Keep repeating
Rhythm - Bossa Nova (SILLY LOVE SONGS - Paul McCartney)
G Bm Cmaj7 Cmaj7 Keep repeating
*The above progressions are for improvisational purposes only.
You can purchase sheetmusic (and view the first page for free)
at www.sheetmusicdirect.com or www.musicnotes.com or www.musicroom.com
3-19
PRACTICE PROGRESSIONS FOR Bb, Bbm, B, Bm
Rhythm - Bossa Nova (EASY LIKE SUNDAY MORNING - Lionel Richie)
G Bm Am Am/D Repeat
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (OUT ON THE WEEKEND - Neil Young)
A Bm Bm7 E E7 A Repeat
Rhythm - Twist 2 (I HEAR YOU KNOCKIN’ / 12 bar Blues - Dave Edmunds)
E E E E A A
E E A A B B
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (CRAZY LOVE - Van Morrison)
G Bm C G Repeat
Rhythm- Oom Pah (TOP OF THE WORLD - The Carpenters)
G D G G Bm Am G G
*The above progressions are for improvisational purposes only.
You can purchase sheetmusic (and view the first page for free)
at www.sheetmusicdirect.com or www.musicnotes.com or www.musicroom.com
3-20
THE ALL BLACK CHORD
F#
and it’s minor
F#m
3-21
F#, F#m
F# is easy to memorise because it’s the ONLY 3 note ‘root position’ MAJOR
chord that has all three notes BLACK
F#
To turn it into the minor chord - F#m - simply move the 3rd (middle note)
ONE key to the LEFT
F#m
3-22
PRACTICE PROGRESSIONS FOR F#, F#m
Rhythm - Half Beat Bounce (NOBODY DOES IT BETTER - Paul McCartney)
G(middle) Gm D D7 G Gm D D7
G Gm F# Bm Em Em/A D
Rhythm- 3 Beat Bounce (SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN TO ME - Billy Joel)
A (Bkwds) D A D D G
Bm G A D A F#
Bm Bm/A G A D
Rhythm - Twist 2 (LET’S TWIST AGAIN)
F# (middle) F# Ebm Ebm B B
Db Db
Rhythm - Half beat bounce (BLUE MOON)
A (bkds) F#m (mid) Bm E (mid) Repeat
Rhythm - Bossa Nova (UPTOWN GIRL - Billy Joel)
E (mid) F#m (mid) E (mid) A (bkds) Repeat
*The above progressions are for improvisational purposes only.
You can purchase sheetmusic (and view the first page for free)
at www.sheetmusicdirect.com or www.musicnotes.com or www.musicroom.com
3-23
Last THREE basic chords
Dbm, Ebm, Abm
You can easily form these three new chords using three chords you
ALREADY know
FIRST play the 3 major chords you know - Db, Eb, and Ab
Db Eb Ab
Then, transform each of these chords into Dbm, Abm, and Ebm
by simply moving your MIDDLE finger DOWN one key as follows
* * *
Dbm Ebm Abm
3-24
YOU NOW KNOW
ALL 24
BASIC
MAJOR and MINOR
CHORDS
Let’s look at them again
3-25
ALL 24 ‘basic’ MAJOR AND MINOR CHORDS
C F#
Cm F#m
Db G
Dbm Gm
D Ab
Dm Abm
Eb A
Ebm Am
E Bb
Em Bbm
F B
Fm Bm
3-26
PRACTICING
YOUR CHORDS
3-27
HOW TO PRACTICE ALL YOUR CHORDS
The Cycle Of Fifths
It is really important that you know all your chords and their inversions.
Using the chords in songs is helpful but if you really want to speed up the
process you need to do set practice routines.
An excellent way to practice through ALL the chords and inversions is to use a
device called the CYCLE OF FIFTHS
One of the most common occurrences in music of all kinds is the movement of
two chords whose Root notes are a FIFTH apart (downwards).
For instance, one of the most common progressions has FOUR chords a fifth
apart (in a downwards direction)
C to Am down a fifth to Dm down a fifth to G down a fifth to C
The complete circle looks like this. Try to MEMORISE it
C
G F
D Bb
A Eb
E Ab
B Db
F#
If you think of the word ‘BEAD’ that occurs TWICE in the cycle it will help you
remember it
B E A D G C F Bb Eb Ab Db F#
3-28
CYCLE OF FIFTHS CHORD PRACTICE 1
ROOT position followed by MIDDLE inversion
For instance...
E
ROOT
then A (middle)
MIDDLE
ETC
CYCLE OF FIFTHS
E A (middle) D G (middle)
C F (middle) Bb Eb (middle)
Ab Db (middle) F# B (middle)
Now play the above again but change each chord to a MINOR
3-29
CYCLE OF FIFTHS CHORD PRACTICE 2
BACKWARDS Inversion followed by ROOT position
For instance...
E (Backwards)
Backwards
then A (Root)
Root
ETC
CYCLE OF FIFTHS
E (backwards) A D (backwards) G
C (backwards) F Bb (backwards) Eb
Ab (backwards) Db F# (backwards) B
Now play the above again but change each chord to a MINOR
3-30
CYCLE OF FIFTHS CHORD PRACTICE 3
MIDDLE Inversion followed by BACKWARDS Inversion
For instance...
E (Middle)
Middle
then
A (Backwards)
Backward
ETC
CYCLE OF FIFTHS
E (Middle) A (backwards) D (Middle) G (backwards)
C (Middle) F (backwards) Bb (Middle) Eb (backwards)
Ab (Middle) Db (backwards) F# (Middle) B (backwards)
Now play the above again but change each chord to a MINOR
3-31
You can now try
Book 4
