Understanding construction of chords

Understanding The Contructions Of Chords

Since there are so many of you wondering about how you can play special chords. And now I will show you briefly how accords/chords are constructed. Here we take C and Am as standard chords, and from them we can find out other chords (and remember that there are many ways to describe how a chord is constructed).

Standard and universal:


           1      2      3      4      5       6      7      8 
Tone:      Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La     Si     Do
Tone step:     1     1      1/2     1       1      1     1/2

Major triads

Example:    
            
Accord C:  x             x             x              
           1      2      3      4      5       6      7      8
Tone:      Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La     Si     Do 
Tone step:     1     1      1/2     1       1      1     1/2     (Standard)

We see that C is built with tones: Do(1), Mi(3) and Sol(5). And C has no # or b (see Bo^ Kho'a). All Major Triads are built with 3 tones.

Let us see how D is constructed:


Accord D: x              x              x
          1      2       3      4       5      6       7       8        
Tone:     Re     Mi     #Fa     Sol     La     Si     #Do      Re  
Tone step:    1      1     1/2      1       1      1       1/2

To follow the same major triad scale (Tone step) from C (1 - 1 - 1/2 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1/2), we need to set a # on Fa and Do. And here again we can see that D is constructed by 3 tones: Re(1), #Fa(3) and La(5). If you take a look at Bo^. Kho'a, you can see that D has two # ! It's easy rite ? :-) Now it's your turn to try with E ! (How many # you find in chord E ?)

Minor Triads

Example:

Accord Am: x             x             x
           1      2      3      4      5      6      7       8       
Tone:      La     Si     Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La
Tone step:     1     1/2     1      1     1/2     1       1       (Standard)

We see here that Minor Triad scale, Am has the characteristic (Tone step):
1 - 1/2 - 1 - 1 - 1/2 - 1 - 1 ! And Am is again built with 3 tones: La, Do and Mi (1,3 and 5). And there is no # or b in Am ! Like Major Triads, all Minor Triads are also constructed with 3 tones.

Let see how Gm is constructed:


Accord Gm:  x              x             x
            1       2      3      4      5      6       7       8  
Tone:       Sol     La    bSi     Do     Re     bMi     Fa      Sol         
Tone step:       1     1/2     1      1     1/2     1       1

Again, we follow same Tone step as in Am, and we need to set b on Si and Mi to get the same Tone step as Am. (See Bo^. Kho'a)

Dominant Sevens

From Major Triads, we can see that Dominant Sevens are constructed:

Example:

Accord C7: x             x             x              x
           1      2      3      4      5       6      7       8
Tone:      Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La     bSi     Do
Tone step:     1     1      1/2     1       1     1/2      1

C7 is a four tones chord. We see that C7 is built up by tones 1, 3, 5 and 7 (Do, Mi, Sol and bSi). And C7 has b on Si. All Dominant Sevens are built with 4 tones. C7 is a C adding 7 !

Let see how D7 is:

Accord D7: x             x              x             x
           1      2      3      4       5      6      7      8
Tone:      Re     Mi    #Fa     Sol     La     Si     Do     Re
Tone step:     1     1      1/2      1      1     1/2     1

To follow same Tone step as in C7, we set a # on Fa ! And D7 is constructed by tones Re, #Fa, La and Do (1, 3, 5 and 7)

How about Minor Sevens, m7 ?

As we have seen, Minor Sevens can derive from Minor and "Sevens" strategy:


Accord Am7: x             x              x                x
            1      2      3      4       5        6       7        8
Tone:       La     Si     Do     Re      Mi       Fa      Sol      La
Tone step:      1     1/2     1      1       1/2      1        1

And here we can see that Am7 has the same Tone step as in Am, but Am7 has an extra tone Sol (7) ! Easy rite ? :) Minor Sevens chords are constructed with four tones

Let us take a look at Dm7

Accord Dm7: x             x              x                 x
            1      2      3      4       5        6        7        8
Tone:       Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La       bSi      Do       Re
Tone step:      1     1/2     1      1       1/2      1        1

We need to set b on Si to get the same Tone step as in Am7 ! Dm7 is just like Dm (see Bo^. Kho'a, and see that Dm has b on Si!) with a 7th tone.

How about Minor Sevens with (b5) ?


Example 1:

Accord Am7(b5): x             x              x                x
                1      2      3      4       5        6       7        8
Tone:           La     Si     Do     Re     bMi       Fa      Sol      La
Tone step:          1     1/2     1     1/2       1       1        1

Am7(b5) tells us that Am7(b5) has b on fifth tone (bMi). And the Tone step is:
1 - 1/2 - 1 - 1/2 - 1 - 1 - 1 ! Easy rite ? :-)

This is Bm7 (Bm7 has same Tone step as Am7):


Accord Bm7: x             x              x                 x
            1      2      3      4       5        6        7       8
Tone:       Si    #Do     Re     Mi     #Fa       Sol      La      Si   
Tone step:     1      1/2     1      1       1/2       1       1

To get Bm7(b5) and follow the Tone step from Am7(b5) we need to set b on fifth tone, #Fa (5), and that is a F (Why ? Because b#Fa = Fa) tone:

Example 2:

Accord Bm7(b5): x             x              x                 x    
                1      2      3      4       5        6        7       8    
Tone:           Si    #Do     Re     Mi      Fa       Sol      La      Si     
Tone step:         1      1/2     1     1/2       1        1       1

Now ! If we take a look at the first Bm7(b5) in Guitar Chords ! What do you see ??? Can you see that Bm7(b5) has an absence of tone B ? Why ? Because we human beings have only 5 fingers on one hand, and usually we can only use 4 fingers when we play guitar chords. And sometimes we have no choice, and we must let one of the tones to be ignored :-) Sorry folks !! (Imagine how a guitar can look like if we have more than 5 fingers on one hand !)

   C7          C7
 -----o      ------
 ||||*|      |*|*|* fr.3
 ||*|||      ||||||
 |*|*||      ||*|*|
 ||||||      ||||||

Both accords are C7. But C7 on the left has to ignore tone Sol(5) to get tone bSi(7) (See Tone step for C7 above !). And C7 on the right hand side has all tones: Do(1), Mi(3), Sol(5) and bSi(7).

Major Sevens, Maj7

From C7, we have:


Accord C7: x             x             x              x
           1      2      3      4      5       6      7       8
Tone:      Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La     bSi     Do
Tone step:     1     1      1/2     1       1     1/2      1

And we have Cmaj7 (Major Sevens have exactly same Tone step as Major Triads):

Example: 

Accord Cmaj7: x             x             x              x
              1      2      3      4      5       6      7       8
Tone:         Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La     Si     Do
Tone step:        1     1      1/2     1       1      1     1/2

We see that Cmaj7 is built up just like C7 with tones 1, 3, 5 and 7 (Do, Mi, Sol and Si(!)). But between tone La(6) and tone Si(7), there is a whole tone step ! And therefore there is a half (1/2) tone step between Si and Do. Can you find out how Bmaj7 is built up ??? :))

Suspended Fours, Sus4

The name "Sus4" can make people feel confusing sometimes :-) Why ? Let see ! We have C:


Accord C:  x             x             x
           1      2      3      4      5       6      7      8
Tone:      Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La     Si     Do
Tone step:     1     1      1/2     1       1      1     1/2

And we have Csus4:

Example:

Accord Csus4:  x                    x      x
               1      2      3      4      5       6      7      8
Tone:          Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La     Si     Do
Tone step:         1     1      1/2     1       1      1     1/2

As we can see, the Tone step of C and Csus4 are just the same. But Csus4 suspends third tone, Mi(3), and replace it with tone Fa(4) ! Are you confusing now ? :-) Never mind, just keep in mind that is it !

Let us see Esus4

Example:

Accord Esus4:  x                     x      x
               1      2      3       4      5       6      7      8
Tone:          Mi    #Fa    #Sol     La     Si     #Do    #Re     Mi
Tone step:         1     1       1/2     1       1      1     1/2

Here we see that Esus4 has these tones: Mi(1), La(4) and Si(5). And the Tone step is just same as in Csus4. Can you find out by yourself the chords of Dominant Seven Suspended Fours ???

How about chords with + ?

We have accord A (same Tone step as in C):

Accord A:  x             x             x
           1      2      3      4      5       6      7        8
Tone:      La     Si     Do     Re     Mi      Fa     Sol      La 
Tone step:     1     1      1/2     1       1      1       1/2     (Standard)

And we have accord A+ (same Tone step as in C and A)

Example:

Accord A+: x             x             x   Fa 
           1      2      3      4      5        6      7       8
Tone:      La     Si    #Do     Re     Mi      #Fa     #Sol     La
Tone step:     1     1      1/2     1       1       1       1/2     (Standard)
  
   A+ 
 -o----
 ||||||
 |||**|
 ||*|||
 ||||||

+ means to add a half tone to tone Mi(5) ! So the adding tone is a Fa ! Find out G+ !

Dim chords

The Dim-accords are very special. And basically, there are only 3(!) Dim(diminished) chords, but they can be played in different ways ! And the constructions of them, you can read in music books !

We have Cdim [= Ebdim = F#dim = Adim]:

 o----o
 ||||||
 |||*||
 |*||||
 ||*|*|

Ddim [= Fdim = G#dim = Bdim/Hdim]:

 ----oo
 ||*||| 7. fr
 *||*|| 
 |*||||
 ||||||

Edim [= Gdim = Bbdim = C#dim]:

 oo----
 |||||| 
 ||*|*|
 |||*|*
 ||||||

Exersise

Look at the Tone step of Am below. Can you find out why Am(add2) = Am9 or Am(9) ?

Example:
          
Accord Am: x             x             x                          
           1      2      3      4      5      6      7       8     9      10
Tone:      La     Si     Do     Re     Mi     Fa     Sol     La    Si     Do
Tone step:     1     1/2     1      1     1/2     1       1     1     1/2      (Standard)

Good luck .-) hihihi