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Author Topic: Beginners' chord charts  (Read 2963 times)

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Roland OBrien

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Beginners' chord charts
« on: September 30, 2012, 01:02:18 PM »

I am trying to get familiar with chord groups, and where I can find them on my D/G melodeon, so I can play along with other musicians.

At the jam session I attend, the others are experienced musicians. All it takes is for a song to be proposed, then one of them say "let's play it in [key of whatever]", and off they go. Since I have only a sketchy idea of what chords tend to be found in songs that have a particular key, I'm often left with only a chord or two I can contribute.

I'm putting together (using melnet's keyboard layout charts  ;D) some chord charts so that the next time someone says "key of whatever", at a glance I'll see what chords are likely to follow and be reminded of how to finger them. It also means I can practise chord changes in patterns that are likely to be useful & melodious.

So far I've got these chords earmarked for these keys...based on what I understand the guitarists call "three chord tricks".
I may have got these wrong  :|bl Have I got the right chords for these keys, and are there others that might often fit (I've not got any 7ths, for example).

Key of A: A, D, E, F#m, B
Key of B: [not bothering 'cos it's seldom used at the jam]
Key of C [not possible? 'cos I don't have much that resembles an F-chord]
Key of D: D, G, A, Bm, E
Key of E: E, A, B, C#m, F#
Key of F [not possible? 'cos of the F-chord issue]
Key of G: G, C, D, Em, A

Many thanks!

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Chris Ryall

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Re: Beginners' chord charts
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2012, 02:41:00 PM »

A: A=[A C# E pull]  Bminor=[B/Bbass D F# push] C#m=[push C#EB]
    D=[push outer row] try Dsus with Ab, E=[E+B+(Dbass)] F#m=[F# A C# pull], 

B:  B= [B Eb and F# pull (not a great voicing)]
         F#7=[F#C#E Bb pull] try Esus=[E Bb/F# B pull]

C: C=[CGE pull] Dmin Em=[pull outer row+bass] fake F with [ACE] or FBCbass]
      G7=[GBDF push] Am=[ADF push]  Bm7b5=[BDFA push]

D: D [out row push]  Eminor=[inner row pull] F#m=[F#AC# pull]
    G= [inner row push] , A7=]A/A(bass)EGC#] Bm[see above]
    C#m7b5=[any 4 adjacent on outer row!]

E: E=[EB (unless AB=pull)], F#m[see above] Gmin A[see above]
        B=[fake:EbF#A],  C#m[C#BE pull], D#m7b5=[EbF#C#A push]

F:  fake F=[ACE] C7=[Bb E G C pull]  Bb - [fake 'sus' with Eb+Bb] - not v good!

G: G=[push inner row],  Aminor=[ACE pull]  Bmin=[see D entry] C [see C]
     D [push outer row or pull inner+D bass] Em=[pull outer row EGF#B whoops  :|bl]
     F#m7b5=[any 4 pull inner row!]

D and G are particularly complete. That Xm7b5 chord is real, jazzy on its own, so  works best if transient/resolved,  or in "a full chord run"


minors: Emin and Am are also common = Try chords from G for either, If the Em has a note6=C# use D chords

E Blues scale E G A Bb B D - all pull might work in American style song (sparingly) if in Em or G major
F# Blues F# A B   C C# E is the easiest scale to play on a D/G (all pull) and works against F#m or Amajor - again American style,   and not too much

Happy vamping - keep it light as you can   
« Last Edit: September 30, 2012, 04:45:22 PM by Chris Ryall »
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rees

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Re: Beginners' chord charts
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2012, 03:04:55 PM »

Chris. You're Em chord should be EGB.
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Rees Wesson (accordion builder and mechanic)
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Roland OBrien

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Re: Beginners' chord charts
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2012, 03:27:27 PM »

Brilliant! ;D
Thanks for the help! I'll enjoy getting these chords into finger memory.

Great to know I've got a fake F, which at least opens out the key of C to me (from your notes it looks as if Key of F remains dodgy).

And yes, I'll keep it light.

Thanks again.
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Steve C.

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Re: Beginners' chord charts
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2012, 04:18:21 PM »

don't forget the chord charts on the forum home page
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Roland OBrien

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Re: Beginners' chord charts
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2012, 10:17:26 PM »

Yes, those chord charts are very useful. I'm adapting that model to make up chord charts for my keyboard layout (4th button start and slightly different accidentals), consisting of each group of chords found in each of the major keys.

Without the resources on melnet and the advice received here, I would not have got very far. As it is, I've already got 4 major keys "completed" and used the charts at our weekly jam earlier this evening (they were really useful). I'm looking forward to getting the rest done, and practising those progressions!

Thanks.


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Chris Ryall

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Re: Beginners' chord charts
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2012, 07:53:40 AM »

Did a lot of jamming with guitars etc about 15 years ago, carrying a Castagnari Lilly which AFAIR was set up in the same way as this forum's  D/G with accidentals chart.  I had actually turned Eb/F and Ab/Bb plates over to get it like that and yours may have come differently. In practice you'll need them "to suit the sort of music you play".

As for chording in a jam, "the art of the possible" strongly applies and you need to learn to improvise with what you've got. eg - you might need a chord with a C in it but the other notes are on push  :-\ - fearlessly use the C bass  8) - it may be a strange 'voicing' but in a jam it probably won't notice.

Sus chords (tonic+4 eg C+F+G) don't carry major/minor colour so work quite well - but not on a tune's tonic unless you are Herbie Hancock!  Try a sus9 instead of a minor (E as F#GB pull) can be quite 'folky'. Another ruse when 'stuck' is to do a sparse chord. We've a few examples above, e the F-fudge. Basically you need to keep the 'colour' notes of a chord  to maintain its feel.  using the A group as an example ...

   'minor' A C E G   'major'  A C# E G#    'dominant 7''  A C#  E G

In each one the notes conventionally number  1,3,5,7.  The pink notes aren't critical to a chord's 'colour' and can be omitted. Very true of the 5th, but surprisingly tonic too unless you are running a bass line.  Notes 3+7 carry a lot more harmony, but in folk music you should routinely drop '7' as major/minors are played as triads. A major 7 will immediately take the ear into jazz (hence I've put it blue) So 'right tune' only! You'll get away with the odd minor 7 on a minor chord if you like these. Basically 1+3 or 3+5 will carry you along.

Dominants (A7 .. forcing resolution to D) are 'anything goes'  in a jam as the effect is  all in the 3+7 notes. That's because they are 3 tones apart - as alien harmonically as possible :o  So long as you keep the G and C# in your A7 chord .. it's then a matter of sensitivity to the mood of the tune what else you play. This guy is "altering" the dominant .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnLKv2WYFY8 - rather viciously (and cleverly)

If all fails, borrow a guitar,  slip on a capo, and 3-chord trick in G fingering  >:E
« Last Edit: October 01, 2012, 08:15:29 AM by Chris Ryall »
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Roland OBrien

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Re: Beginners' chord charts
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2012, 08:50:55 PM »

Again,  I have to say many thanks for the advice, and it's now down to plenty of  :||: to put it into practice.
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Steve C.

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Re: Beginners' chord charts
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2012, 03:33:01 PM »

Or....
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