Chord Spelling - Triads

The traditional approach for learning the chord tones of chords with a little twist to make it a bit easier.

Published: 26 Sep 2014 Updated: 21 Oct 2017Visits: 0Code: ML-basic-02-tri

Category: TriadsInstrument: Music Subjects: Chords • Theory • Triads • Spelling

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Chord Spelling - Triads


This lesson presents the traditional approach for learning the chord tones of chords with a little twist to make it a bit easier.

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A Chord is three or more notes sounded simultaneously. The minimum number of notes required for a chord are three. These three note chords are called triads. Two notes are usually referred to as an interval or dyad. Each note of a chord is called a chord tone.

A chord is a chord, regardless of what instrument it is being played on or whether all the notes are played together, as single notes or even on the different instruments.

Chord Building and Spelling?

The best way to get the chord tones of any chord are to take the scale degrees of a major scale. For a major triad the scale degrees are the 1st, 3rd and 5th scale degrees. For a minor triad flat the 3rd.

Here is a chart listing ALL 15 Major Scale one one site and the chord building numeric formula for common chords.

A Guide to Advanced Chords Series — Chord Building Chart

Visit to the A Guide Advanced Guitar to Chords Series — Chord Building Chart page do view on-line or download and print out your copy.

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End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

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Chord Spelling - An Alternate Approach

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An alternate approach to determining the chord tones of any chord. Bottom-line is, it's the notes that make the chord, not the shape. A C chord is C, E, G - NOT this or that shape.

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The most important notes or chord tones in a chord are the notes that contribute most to the actual sound or “color” of the chord. For a major or minor triad, the third of the chord performs this function. For other chords, any note that makes it different from other chord types with the same root are the color tones.

This lesson is a more for less type of lesson exploring what notes are actually important in chords. The best place to start with this concept is 4-part chords and the Big Six Core Chords.

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A Selection of Books & Reference Charts that are recommended for creating a solid foundation with your chosen instrument and music in general.

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Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard – C Tuning

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Daily Practice Material for the Contemporary Ukulele

An organized collection of daily practice and reference material for the contemporary ukulele player for developing the vocabulary and knowledge necessary for single note playing.

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Reference Charts

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G - G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G – G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

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Key Signatures — Circle of Fourths and Fifths – ANSI A & A4 sizes

A handy reference chart of all 15 major and relative minor key signatures. US Letter 8.5 x 11 sized (ANSI-A) , A4

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