Know Your Chord Vocabulary

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I wrote an article awhile back called, "How To Play The Piano Without Music."

Looking for tips on how to memorize music? Playing without sheet music is possible. Here are my own challenges and triumphs.

A group of us musicians were asked to play for an outdoor event at an amphitheater right by the ocean. The morning began with a huge downpour and we were frantically drying wet music scores with a hair dryer. Needless to say, it was quite challenging. What did I personally learn from the experience? Memorize your music! Yes, you can insert sheet music in plastic sleeves and that would be one way to succeed. However, it's fun just to go to Guitar Center and play a few memorized tunes in front of anyone who will listen. Try playing Happy Birthday for someone at the piano by memory.

1. So, why memorize music?

Playing without sheet music is very liberating.

Of course there's no need to memorize music if you don't want to. As a musician, I choose to memorize to avoid uncomfortable situations like music blowing off my stand when playing outdoors. Especially performing a night gig and the light bulb goes out on your music stand, surrounded by total darkness in the orchestra pit.

If you have been doing your homework during your practice sessions and you are familiar with the set of music, then you're not locked in to reading just the music notes with having to turn pages as well.

You will soon discover new ways of music flowing since you're eager to play without music.

2. Steps to help you memorize music.

If you're playing boogie blues or rock and roll, learn the various left hand patterns in the 12 bar blues form. Notice a couple of phrases and see if the second phrase answers the first.

When I'm reviewing a song, let's say it's a ballad, I first determine the keynote and play around and find the melody in that particular key.

If you're given a lead sheet, remembering chord progressions is the key to memorizing the song that is built on recalling the theory that you understand. Analyze the structure of the piece.

Now memorizing note for note is another ball game. Honestly, it can be more difficult for others than a youngster playing a memorized piece at a recital. In my opinion, the key to memorizing sheet music is through repetition. Also, try to remember if your hands are going in opposite directions or playing separately. Note tricky fingering as well.

I suggest taking small sections of music and repeatedly going over a few lines. We call this chunking and chaining. Please be patient. You may find recording or using flash cards to quiz yourself helps boost confidence in playing licks to a certain measure.

Laying down a rhythm pattern, programming drums, jamming in garage band or just using a metronome for a classical piece can keep you on track with skills to remember a song. Listening to a phrase of music indeed works the brain for short-term memory. Keep at it daily. In the beginning, I would open my music, then close it and try to play what I pictured.

3. Why these steps will help.

Practice, repetition and patience, a win-win formula, but truly there is no magic pill to take in memorizing music. Playing with other musicians for years and having that experience helps in knowing how to play certain songs well without sheet music. I'm thinking the biggest factor of all is choosing to memorize a song that you know and love will make it much easier for you to learn. You're on your way!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5861178

 Duane Shinn talks about using Fake Books like so many musicians do. They know their chord vocabulary. They add chords to the melody line. Here's a good one that I recommend that has tons of pop songs,  The Ultimate Fake Book for C Instruments

You've just got to know chords. So, I'm talking about:

 Root of the Chord

In chord symbols, the root tells us what note is the root of the chord. In an E7 chord, the E is the root.

Quality of the Chord

Quality tells me if the chord is major (maj), minor (min), diminished (dim), or augmented (aug). In a Emaj7, the maj ells me that the E chord is major (happy sound.) To continue, Em means the chord is a E minor chord (sad or mysterious sound). Eaug (E+) means that the chord is an E augmented chord. (sounds like a train.)

Chord Extensions

The extension is written after the quality of the chord, showing if the chord differs from a triad, like an 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th or 13th. So a C9 is the C chord including the 9th note above C, which is D. A C6 chord is the C chord including the 6th scale note above C, which is A. This part of chord symbols is not always shown; if there is no indication of an extension, the musician is to assume that the chord is a triad.

Alteration 

Sometimes the alteration is usually but not always expressed. This is the "notes" section in chord symbols; it gives the musician any specific (and sometimes irregular) instructions for playing the chord and is always written in parentheses after the extension (or the quality, if no extension exists). For instance, (no fifth) would tell the musician that the chord is to be played with the fifth tone left out. Sus – (suspension), means to play the 4th scale note instead of the 3rd. A minus sign means to lower (flat) a chord tone, such as C-9 which means to flat the 9th of the chord. Now a plus sign means to raise (sharp) a particular chord tone. 

I hope you enjoyed these tips and I want to recommend a product that I have purchased myself from Jermaine Griggs. The audio CD course, Chords 101 and 102 will help you create bigger, sounding chords... the best inversions to choose and so much more. You'll be playing dozens of seventh chord voicings and learning about what chords strongly pull together. Learn the power of tonic chords and and other scale tone degrees.

*affiliate links in post* 

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 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Related articles

• Mailbag Monday: What Are Chord Inversions?
• Learn a Jazz Tune in Three Steps
• How To Play The Piano Without Music

Mailbag Monday: What Are Chord Inversions?

Question: Is there more than one way to play a chord?

Answer: Yes, and thanks George for your email. In fact I wrote an article on chord inversions and for those who are interested in chording inversions with your left hand, you may want to read the approach, here.

Chord Inversions

What are inversions in music?
There are inverted chords, inverted melodies and inverted intervals. A chords inversion describes the relationship of its bass to the other tones in the chord. For instance, a C major triad contains the tones C, E and G; its inversion is determined by which of these tones is used as the bottom note in the chord.
The term inversion is often used to categorically refer to the different possibilities, although it may also be restricted to only those chords where the bass note is not also the root of the chord.

The Root Position and Two Inversions of the C triad:

We have been studying three toned chords. You know a C chord, F chord and a G chord. Now the number of tones = the number of ways the chord can be played. Since a triad or a basic chord is three -toned, it can be played three different ways: the root, the first inversion and the second inversion.

When a chord is inverted, the order of the notes is rearranged so that either the 3rd and 5th or just the 5th is below the inverted root.

If the ROOT (the note that is represented by the chord) of a C Major Chord is the lowest tone of the chord, it is said to be in the root or fundamental position.

For an example, if you are playing a C major chord with C as the lowest note, it is being played in Root or Fundamental position.

If another tone of the chord is the lowest tone, the chord is inverted.

The First Inversion would have the third of the chord as the lowest note.

The Second Inversion would have the Fifth of the chord as the lowest note.

The Third Inversion would have the Seventh of the chord as the lowest note.

C Major Chord (Root) = C E G

Since C is the lowest note, it is said to be in its root position.

C Major (1st Inversion) = E G C

Since E (the third of C major) is the lowest note, it is said to be in the First Inversion.

Since G (the fifth of C major) is the lowest note, it is said to be in the

Second inversion.

When a chord is played in its root position, the keynote is always on the bottom. When a chord is played in its first inversion, the keynote is always on the top. When a chord is played in its second inversion, the keynote is always in the middle.

So, what are chord inversions?

We have been dealing with chords in root position. Root position simply means that the root is the lowest note in the chord-the remaining note are stacked on top. But, you can also change the order of the notes, thereby inverting a chord.

How can you invert a chord?

You can invert a chord simply by transposing (moving) the lowest note up an octave, while leaving the others untouched. You can also invert downwards by transposing the highest note down an octave.

Chords can theoretically have as many inversions as they have notes. I say "theoretically" because larger ones tend to be fussy about their inversions: some inversions definitely sound better than others. Triads and seventh chords can, for most practical purposes, be freely inverted, depending on context.

Why invert?

There are many reasons. Progressions sound better with root position chords mixed with inverted chords. So various notes of one chord lead smoothly to notes in the next chord, with others not moving at all. This is called voice-leading.

Another reason for inversion, especially important for string instruments, is to make the chord easier (or in many cases, possible) to reach. Many chords-especially ones with four or more notes-are virtually unplayable in root position on instruments such as guitar and mandolin.

Enjoy playing many inversions in three different positions that will give you more options to your piano playing!

Good Teaching Video on YouTube

Inversion Printable

If you're looking for some visual aides to print out, visit Susan Paradis for Inverting Triads Poster, Inverting Triads in the Bass and an inversion worksheet, http://www.susanparadis.com

Inversion Ear Training

For easy ear training on Major and Minor Chord Inversions, visit http://www.easyeartraining.com

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All The Best,







"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Related articles

• Songs of Peace with Three Primary Chords
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Practical Approach to Ear Training

I want to give a shout out to Richard, Liz, Joshua and Tyrus for asking me about ear training and those who are learning to play by ear with the number system. I was reading a great article in one of my jazz magazines and thought I'd share some great tips with you.

Ear training can be a valuable tool to help students learn effectively. The better your ability to hear, the faster you learn -- and the slower you forget. The ability of the ear to hear is the intuitive, non-intellectual part of music, and it enhances the jazz player's ability to "hear" where the next notes are coming from. 


A few players naturally have excellent ear training -- some educators call it "perfect pitch." People who don't have this natural talent need ear training. Having a good ear means that you can hear the right note before you play it. It doesn't mean when you play a wrong note you then fumble around and find the right note through trial and error.


For people who have a good ear, music is easier for them and more natural to learn. That's not to say  they don't have to practice and work hard to achieve expertise in music. Many of us recognize that perhaps the fastest way to become a skilled musician is to play everything you know, hear and sing in 12 keys. The focus here is to hear and sing melodic shapes and intervals, in as many keys as possible.


Recognizing the shape of an arpeggiated chord eventually makes hearing harmony possible. By thinking of these shapes as chords, one starts to hear harmony as well as melody. The next step is to sing a melody and arpeggiate down, making the sound of the chord. To do this, you have to know what the melody is in relationship to the chord.


When you put away your music and try to play the song without music, do you really know it? If you can't sing the song, you don't really know it. If you don't know what the melody note is in relationship to the chord or the root motion of the harmony, then you don't know the song.


The melody and the harmony have everything to do with each other. If the piano player sees that the melody is a major 7th, he will structure the chord taking into consideration the melody. If the melody has a flat 9, he would not play a natural 9. This relationship of melody and harmony is key in learning a song.


Miles Donahue says, 

"If we were to think of jazz as a car, the engine of improvising would be the mind and ear. The wheels are the mechanical ability to play what you think and hear. The internal combustion - the art - comes from the soul and creative spirit. Most jazz players learn the genre of jazz through listening to the great players who developed this art form."

So, one must work real hard with ear training. Most of us are not pros like Stan Getz, when it comes to ear training. Stan Getz possessed the ear-training equivalent of a photographic memory. Anything he heard, he remembered and could play back. He was able to improvise at a very high level without knowledge of the  theory behind what he was hearing and playing. James Moody and Chet Baker also had such reputations.

I have 2 resources to share with you. 
Add to your music library:

PITCH Ear Training Software

Piano By Ear For Starters


Oh, and do you know someone who plays the violin? Here's a great offer for you.

The Complete Violin Package is coming soon! at Virtual Sheet Music ^®

All the best,





"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Related articles

• Book Review: The Violin's Magical Melody (Scribbles and Friends) (ladyd-books.blogspot.com)

Instant Transposer: Cadd9

I just purchased the new Instant Transposer from http://www.hearandplay.com
I wanted to share with you all that it does. Oh my, where do I begin?!
I have been practicing on my own for many years now to see if I can play songs in other keys.
I must confess, some keys are easier for me to play than others.
I wanted to show you what a Cadd9 chord looks like. 
I am playing the root, third, fifth of the chord and adding the 9.
I want to show you what it looks like in other keys.

Absolute C	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute C	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute Db	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute D	Db Eb F# Ab Bb C# Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute Eb	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute E	Db Eb F# G# Bb C# D# Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute F	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute Gb	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute G	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb F# Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute Ab	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute A	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C# Eb F# G# Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute Bb	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C D E F G A B
Absolute B	Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C# D# F# G# A# C D E F G A B C D E F G A B

I sincerely hope these chords will help you on you're way!

Those interested in the 14 disc series by West Coast musicians, visit Musician's Breakthrough

Best,






"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King