Chord Charts in Music Theory   serve as guides for musicians to understand the structure and progression of songs.

  

WHAT ARE CHORDS?


Chords are made up of 2 or more notes either played together or broken out one by one.


A knowledge of TONAL STRUCTURE , i.e KEYS AND SCALES is essential. This knowledge can then be applied to forming CHORDS and CHORD CHARTS.

The majority of music is made up by playing a series of chords. A string if chords is referred to as CHORD PROGRESSIONS.

CADENCES occur at the end of each musical phrase. They are made up of 2 or 3 chords in succession.

HOW TO WRITE OUT A CHORD CHART


Draw out a grid of 8 across and 3 up.

Step 1
Establish the key and write out a scale of eight notes on the bottom line.

Step 2
Write out the first chord. On the second line of the grid , above the key note add the 3rd degree of the scale. On the top line if the grid, above the 3rd degree add in 5th degree. You now have three notes. e.g. in the KEY of C Major - C E G vertically.

Step 3
Fill out the remaining notes in the grid using the musical alphabet, ABCDEFG

CHORD NUMBERING


Underneath the grid write out chord numbers 1-8. The most common numbering system is to use ROMAN NUMERALS ( I II III IV V VI VII VIII).


CHORD INVERSIONS


In a three note chord there are three inversions. To the left of the grid write 'a' on the bottom line. This represents a ROOT chord.

Next write 'b' on the grid to the left of the middle line . This represents '1ST INVERSION chords.

Finally write 'c' on the grid to the left of the top line. This represents 2ND INVERSION chords

ANSWERING CHORD QUESTIONS


You will be asked to identify some chords in a short musical phrase

Here's the METHOD

Step 1
Identify the KEY but looking at the KEY SIGNATURE. The Key signature could be MAJOR or a RELATIONAL MINOR. Check the last notes of a piece.

Step 2
Once the KEY is established write out the chords chart, number the chords at the bottom of the grid, add 'a b c' inversions to the left of the grid.

Step 3
Identify notes for each chord required. Compare the notes with the chord chart and write out the correct answer.

Sometimes you will be asked to provide the correct INVERSION. You will have already written INVERSIONS a, b, c, to the left of the CHORD CHART grid.

Compare the chord required to the chord chart. Identify which note is at the bottom of the required chord. This will identify the correct INVERSION.

One example is chord IVb meaning that this is the 4th chord in the CHORD CHART in 1ST INVERSION.