UPDATED
Jan 23, 2020
Core Chords - The Big Six - Building a Solid Chord Foundation
An introduction to the series of lessons for building your core, essential 4-part chords.
PUBLISHED: Jan 2, 2005 UPDATED: Jan 23, 2020 • VIEWS: 256 • LESSON CODE: UL42-7 •
Instruments: ukulele Subjects: jazz • intermediate • advanced • chords • core
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Core Chords - The Big Six - Building a Solid Chord Foundation
Core Chords is a series of lessons for building your core, essential 4-part chords. These chords commonly called jazz chords, are really just 4-part chords used in a wide range of musical styles.
The Big Six chords include: Seventh 7, Major Seventh maj7, Minor Seventh m7, Half Diminished Seventh or Minor Seven Flat Five diminished 7 m7b5, Diminished Seventh o7, and Augmented Seventh +7. These six chords form a core set of chords.
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Core Chords is a series of UkuleleLessons for building your core 4-part, aka “jazz” chords. These chords commonly called “jazz” chords, are really just 4-part chords that are used in a wide range of musical styles.
These lessons present a highly organized and efficient approach to the mysterious subject of advanced chords. Chord dictionaries are not the answer. Even chord theory does not offer any insight into unraveling the complexity of Ukulele chord voicings.
Building Your Core Chord Foundation
Sometimes called a “Dominant 7th” chord, the 7th chord provides a great foundation for building your core chords.
From the following four 7th chords you can build a set of chords which include: Seventh (7), Major Seventh (maj7), Minor Seventh (m7), Half Diminished Seventh (ø7) or Minor Seven Flat Five (m7b5), Diminished Seventh (°7) and Augmented Seventh (+7). These six chords form a core set of chords.
Beyond
Basic Open Position Chords ,
Basic Movable Form Chords and
Core Set Of 4-part Contemporary 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. Then you can create more advanced chords like 9#11, 7#5-9, 13b5, 7+9 on the fly as needed.
Seventh chords are the chords that have the most possible variations. 9th, 11th, 13th, b5, #5, b9, #9. And, combinations of the same.
From four F7 chord voicings or shapes, your can build your massive 4-part, a.k.a., “jazz” chord vocabulary.
Click on any one of the individual F7 chords above to start the lesson for that particular voicing or shape.
Why this F7?
Why this F7? Why not a C7, E7, G7 - the other open position seventh chords that these core chords are based on?
This F7 is based on the E7 and the only one of the E7, C7, A7 and G7 open position chords that the Big Six Core Seventh chords, in their first position, first fret (1) transposable versions are a natural letter chord name. That way you don't have to worry about Enharmonic Equivalents such as C#7/Db7, A#7/Bb7, or G#7/Ab7. An yes I know that there is E# - however that is very rare.
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Learning Core Seventh Chords on `Ukulele
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. Then you can create more advanced chords like 9#11, 7#5-9, 13b5, 7+9 on the fly as needed.
Additional Content Available for Premium Site Access Plans Only
This content requires a Premium / Gold Access Plan and or enrolled in the Study with Curt - On-line or Private Lesson Program.
To view additional content for this page you'll need to either Sign In or Register for Premium Site Access or upgrade your current access level.
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Transposing Individual `Ukulele Chords • Updated: Jun 15, 2019
"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.

Building a Solid Jazz Chord Foundation for `Ukulele • Updated: Oct 12, 2015
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.

Chord Substitution on `Ukulele • Updated: Apr 1, 2014
A chord substitution is when one chord replaces another chord or is used in addition to a current chord.
This lesson covers some of the underlining principles that are used to substitute one chords or a series of chords for another.
This particular lesson is for ukulele. However the chord substitution principles relate to any instrument.

Types of `Ukulele Chords • Updated: Dec 31, 2019
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. Chord can be categorized into four categories: "Open Position Chords", "Movable Form Chords", "4-part - a.k.a. Jazz Chords", and "Free Form Chords."

Altered Seventh Chords on `Ukulele • Updated: Apr 4, 2014
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.

A Guide to Advanced Ukulele Chords - Volume I
Updated: Feb 13, 2020
Beyond learning basic Ukulele chords most players struggle with advanced chords. Commonly called 'jazz' chords, these more sophisticated voicings find a wide use in all forms of music. A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele - presents a highly organized and efficient approach to the mysterious subject of advanced chords. Chord dictionaries are not the answer.

Exploring Jazz Chords on Ukulele
Updated: Nov 24, 2009
Exploring jazz chords using a variety of common chord progressions based on songs from the standard jazz repertoire. Core Chords are the basic set of chords needed to play a wide range of music, in a variety of styles. This set of chords includes basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and the core 4-part "jazz" chords.

The Advanced Guide to Guitar Chords - Volume I
Updated: Jun 23, 2006
Commonly referred to as jazz chords, this book provides detailed information on voicing 4-part chords. Covers common string families. Beyond learning open and barre chords, most guitarists struggle with advanced chords. Commonly called "Jazz" chords, these more sophisticated voicings find a wide use in all forms of music.

A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z
Updated: Jun 15, 2006
The Blues are at the heart of all American music. It has influenced Country, Rock, Folk, Jazz, Bluegrass and just about every form of American music we listen to today. 26 blues progression in C and G tuning, progressing from basic to advanced jazz progression, with chord grids and substitutions explained.
The Big Six Core Chords - Level One Updated: Jan 1, 2003
The Big Six Core Chords - Level One include: Seventh 7, Major Seventh maj7, Minor Seventh m7, Half Diminished Seventh or Minor Seven Flat Five diminished 7 (m7b5), Diminished Seventh °7 and Augmented Seventh +7. These six chords form a core set of chords.
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