Core Chords - The Big Six - Building a Solid Chord Foundation

A Chord can have alternate names based on how it is being used. A chord's function is an important determining factor in naming a chord. So unless you know the harmonic function of a given chord, you might not be able to accurately name it.

"Transposition" is the process of moving a note, chord, scale or any musical passage from one key to another key. All music can be transposed, from a single note to a complex musical score. This lesson deals with transposing chords on ukulele and transposing chords.

Commonly called "Jazz Chords", these more sophisticated, contemporary chord voicings find their way into a wide variety of music forms and styles. This lesson is the first on the series that builds your core foundation for these chords.

Not all seventh chords are actually "dominant" seventh chords. This lesson covers when is a Dominant Seventh Chord NOT truly a Dominant seventh?

A chord substitution is when one chord replaces another chord or is used in addition to a current chord.

There're a lot different ways to show chord shapes, diagrams and images on a fretted instrument. This is the basic chord diagram I use in all my lessons and book. In this lesson the basic chord diagram as used for ukulele is explained.

Naturally, for Ukuleles, all chords need to be voiced using only the four strings available. You would think that this is limiting, when in actuality it's quite liberating when you learn the makeup of chords. Chords can be categorized into four categories: “Open Position Chords”, “Movable Form Chords”, “4-part - a.k.a. Jazz Chords”, and “Free Form Chords.”

Taking a movable "F7" chord, you can derive each of the Big Six Core Chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7 from that voicing.

Taking a movable "F7" chord, you can derive each of the Big Six Core Chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7 from that voicing.

Taking a movable "F7" chord, you can derive each of the Big Six Core Chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7 from that voicing.

Taking a movable "F7" chord, you can derive each of the Big Six Core Chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7 from that voicing.

Beyond basic open position chords, basic movable form chords, and a core set of 4-part chords. There are just too many chords shapes too memorize. Learning the principles of how chords are constructed and the ukulele fingerboard are the way to go. You can then create more advanced chords like 9#11, 7#5-9, 13b5, 7+9 on the fly as needed from your core set of chords.