Interval Functions • In any chord, each interval has a ‘job’ or ‘function’ • The root is the most fundamental part of the chord and it gives it it’s name and ‘tone’ or pitch • The third is what makes the chord sound happy or sad. • The fifth ‘bulks’ up the chord • The seventh adds the ‘spice’ on top of the chord Intervals (Advanced) • Perfect intervals are the 4, 5 and 8 (octave). These are intervals whose frequencies divide into neat fractions. • Perfect Intervals are considered ‘consonant’ as opposed to ‘dissonant’ ROUGHWORK Note Frequency Note Frequency A1 28 A4 220 C B1 31 B4 247 G C1 33 C4 262 D1 37 D4 294 E1 41 E4 330 F1 44 F4 349 33 G1 49 G4 392 A2 55 A5 440 49 B2 62 B5 494 C2 65 C5 523 D2 73 D5 587 E2 82 E5 659 F2 87 F5 698 2 G2 98 G5 784 A3 110 A6 880 3 B3 123 B6 988 C3 131 C6 1047 D3 147 D6 1175 E3 165 E6 1319 F3 175 F6 1397 G3 196 G6 1568 • Non-perfect intervals are 2, 3, 6 and 7. They can be either a major or minor interval. Interval Name Interval Alternate Name Unison 0 Aug Diminished Second Minor Second Dim m2 Majo Augmented Unison r Major Second Minor M2 Aug Diminished Third Minor Third Dim m3 Majo Augmented Second r Major Third Minor M3 Aug Diminished Fourth Perfect Fourth Dim 4 Aug Augmented Third Diminished Fifth/Augmented Fourth Dim Tritone Aug Diminished Fifth/Augmented Fourth Perfect Fifth Dim 5 Aug Diminished Sixth Minor Sixth Minor m6 Majo Augmented Fifth r Major Sixth Dim M6 Majo Diminished Seventh r Minor Seventh Minor m7 Aug Augmented Sixth Major Seventh Minor M7 Aug Diminished Octave Perfect Octave Dim Octave Augmented Seventh Down One Semi-Tone Up One Semi-tone • The term ‘Harmonic interval’ refers to two notes being played at the same time • By contrast, the term ‘Melodic Interval’ refers to notes being played one after the other • Simple Intervals are intervals which are no larger than one octave Basic Chord Formulas Name 1st Note 2nd Note 3rd Note 4th Note Maj 1 3 5 Min 1 b3 5 Sus2 1 2 5 Sus4 1 4 5 Add9 1 3 5 9 5th 1 5 Part 1 - The Basics Chord Dictionary NOTE: All root notes are lowest note in the chord unless stated otherwise Open Major Chords A Major C Major D Major E Major G Major B and F covered later… Open Minor Chords A Minor D Minor E Minor Open Sus2 Chords A Sus2 C Sus2 D Sus2 E Sus2 G Sus2 Open Sus4 Chords A Sus4 C Sus4 D Sus4 E Sus4 G Sus4 Open add9 Chords A add9 C add9 D add9 **Root note on: String 2, Fret 3 E add9 G add9 Barre Chords 1st form Major Barre Chord 1st Form Minor Barre Chord 2nd form Major Barre Chord 2nd Form Minor Barre Chord 1st Form sus2 Barre Chord • This chord can’t really be played as a standard Barre Chord, so we will cover it later in ‘Strat Style Chords’ 1st Form sus4 Barre Chord 2nd form sus2 Barre Chord* 2nd Form sus4 Barre Chord 1st form Major add9 Barre Chord 1st Form Minor add9 Barre Chord F and B F Major B Major **Root note on: String 3, Fret 4 ‘Strat Style’ Chords Major Triad Minor Triad Sus2 Triad Sus4 Triad Diminished Chords A# Diminished Note: Move a diminished Chord around by 3 frets and you’ll have the same diminished chord F# Diminished Tip: Move a diminished Chord around by 3 frets and you’ll have the same diminished chord. So you now know 5 positions for this chord. Augmented Chords G# Augmented Note: Move an Augmented Chord around by 4 frets and you’ll have the same diminished chord C# Augmented Note: Move an Augmented Chord around by 4 frets and you’ll have the same diminished chord The Number System • The number system is a way of ‘neutralising’ a key so that all keys have commonalities. • The system uses Roman Numerals to represent each scale degree rather than note names • It’s a good idea to know exactly where on the neck each number lays in each key. • This can all be done from the 6th string, but it’s good to know the number system from the 5th string too. The Number System I. ii. iii. IV. V. vi. vii° Note: Large letters are Major, whereas small letters are Minor The CAGED System • A system of playing the same chord in five different positions around the neck (all in one octave) • Once you learn the 5 chords, you apply them to the CAGED system, and you suddenly know 25 • Once all major chords are mastered, you can start applying the CAGED system to all types of chords ie. Major, Minor, Sus, 7th, Minor 7th etc. giving you hundreds of chords. The CAGED System • Learn the chord shapes 1. C 2. A 3. G 4. E 5. D • Then apply them in that same order to the neck Part 2 - The CAGED Shapes Chord Dictionary NOTE: All root notes are lowest note in the chord unless stated otherwise The CAGED Shapes C-Shape **Root note on: String 3 A-Shape G-Shape **Root note on: String 3 E-Shape D-Shape Inversions DEFINITION: An inversion is a chord where the lowest note is any note in that chord apart from the root note Inversions • When speaking in terms of inversions, the regular way of playing a chord, with the root at the bottom, is called it’s ‘root position’ • A chord is in it’s ‘First Inversion’ if the lowest note in that chord is the 3rd of that chord • A chord is in it’s ‘Second Inversion’ if the lowest note in that chord is the 5th of that chord Inversions • The ‘Third Inversion’ position happens when we are playing a 7th chord and the 7th is the lowest note • The remaining notes can be in any order Part 3 - Inversions Chord Dictionary NOTE: All root notes are lowest note in the chord unless stated otherwise Inversion Examples A/E A/C# Am/E Am/C C/G C/E Dm/F D/F# D/A Dm/A E/G# E/B Em/B Em/G F/A F/C G/B G/D The Chord Scale Vertical & Horizontal Application • You should become aware of how to play the full chord scale horizontally and vertically • This way you can jump from scales easily Chord Functions How different chords in the scale function • Each chord in a key creates a kind of ‘feel’ or ‘pull. • If the chord fulfils it’s function, the progression feels satisfying to listen to. When the chord function isn’t fulfilled, most of the time it sounds unsatisfying. • There’s no rules however, and you could write a hit song breaking all the chord function rules in the book • In any major scale, the fourth and seventh notes (ie. the notes that are only a half step up from another note) are the most ‘tense’ notes eg. In the key of G,, the notes C and F are the ‘unstable notes’ • The more of these two notes that a chord contains, the more unstable it will feel, and the more it will want to ‘resolve’ • This is known as Tension and Release The Tonic 1 Chord • This is the main Tonic chord. The one that most feels like ‘home base’ • Most songs will start and end here • Contains the stable-sounding 1, 3 and 5 note of the scale • Labeled ‘I’ in our chord scale • There are two more secondary tonic chords The Tonic 3 and 6 Chords • The two ‘secondary’ Tonic Chords contain the third note of the scale, and one other note from the 1 chord. The third is the least ‘resolved’ of these three • The third chord, labelled ‘iii’ contains the third and the fifth notes of the scale. • The sixth chord, labelled ‘vi’ contains the third and first notes of the scale. • Both are minor chords The Subdominant Chord • The Subdominant Chords are the 2nd and the 4th chords in the key. • The 2nd is labeled ‘ii’ and the 4th is labeled ‘IV’. • The two ‘subdominant’ Chords both contain one ‘tense’ note; the fourth scale degree eg. In G, the dominant’s contain the note C • Although there are technically two subdominant chords, the IV chord is traditionally the chord people are referring to when they say the Subdominant The Dominant Chord • The Dominant Chords are the 5th and the 7th chords in the key. • The 5th is labeled ‘V’ and the 7th is labeled ‘vii˚’. • Both Dominant Chords contain both ‘tense’ notes eg. In G, these chords contain the notes C and F • They create the most tension, or ’pull’ to resolve • Although there are technically two dominant chords, the V chord is used much more often than the vii˚ so is the chord people are referring to when they say Dominant..