Music Theory

[RockPianoman]

The piano keyboard key names:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vk38pkyi2v2yqm4/The%20Keyboard.jpg?dl=0

 

If music is simple, there's not much need for the chords, but even then, if the chords are right, it does speed the whole process up....I enjoy playing from chords regardless of what the band is as I can spend more time making synth sounds and learning leads for the song during the time I would be figuring out the chords by ear.....

 

​Music varies a lot as far as whether it's a no brainer to play without learning the chords or if I have to figure out what the chords are…..when I'm trying to figure out the chords on something, first of all, for any note you can lock on to and hum to identify the chord, there are three major chords and 3 minor chords that use that note.....this is always the first step for me....after that, adding bass notes an octave apart that aren't in the chord with my left hand really speeds up the process of finding chords that are sometimes hard to nail down....sometimes the bass notes are in the chord but need the left hand notes to bring out a note in the chord so it's more prominent and stands out more.....

 

Chords with bass notes like I mentioned are slash chords, for example, an F major chord with E♭ bass would be written F/E♭ (the E♭ in the bass with this chord kinda turns the F major chord into an F7).....

 

​Usually to know whether a note should be called a flat or a sharp, look at the major scale for the key you are in, and usually they try to maintain the alphabet....for example, with an F major scale it would be: F - G - A - B♭ - C - D - E - F......if the B♭ was called an A♯, there would be two A's in the major scale alphabet and no B's......there are exceptions, but usually this is a good rule to follow (some scales have double flat or double sharp notes in them)....

 

Also, to build chords without any need for a sheet a paper for reference, chords are built from a formula based on the major scale….you need to use 2 octaves of the major scale in the key that is the chord you want sometimes for larger chords or chords with notes that are more spread out.....if you memorize all the chord formulas and the major scales (2 octaves of major scales for all 12 keys), you have an unlimited chord encyclopedia in your head.....

 

Major Scales For Use With Chord Formulas -

 

When I get a new keyboard that has different action than I'm used to, I like to do way more major scales than normal (2 octaves and both hands at once) and I get used to the feel of it very quickly….make sure to play all keys and harder keys should be played more.....this really fine tunes not only your accuracy but also how hard you should strike the keys...

 

USE THE MAJOR SCALES LIKE A GRAPH WITH THE CHORD FORMULAS -

If you want to be able to pick the major scales out more easily, they are: DOE RAY ME FA SEW LA TEA DOE

. just like on the movie "The Sound Of Music" -

 

Also, if I list a note in one of the scales below with a sharp (♯) symbol by it, then it's a black key. The correct fingering for the scales is listed underneath them. Use these numbers to figure out the fingering.

 

Both hands: Thumb = 1 - Pointer finger = 2 - Middle finger = 3 - Ring finger = 4 - Pinky = 5

 

Cross under with your thumb to make the fingering smooth.

 

If you memorize these major scales, and memorize at least the first 5 chord formulas, you won't need these instructions to play. You will be able to figure out the chords (The first 5 chord formulas are the most important)...use the others if a song calls for them which isn't very often. If a song calls for a major 9th, a major 7th will work just fine and a major 7th is one of the first five types. If a song calls for an augmented or diminished chord, nothing else will work. Also, a lot of the sheet music you can find on the web has wrong chords. If it sounds wrong, it probably is.

 

Sometimes when playing chords or scales, it's a lot easier to play white keys by reaching between black keys, or even if there's not a black key on both sides, playing the white keys high up on the key like that.....

 

Also, notice that the first five type of chords are: Major, minor, 7th, minor 7th, and major 7th. To play a 7th or a major 7th, you just add 1 note to a major chord. To play a minor 7th, you just add one note to a minor chord.

Major and minor chords only have 3 notes.

 

A sharp (♯) is the first key to the right, black or white. To sharp a key, move to the first key to the right, black or white.

 

A flat (♭) is the first key to the left, black or white. To flat a key, move to the first key to the left, black or white.

 

To simplify listing these scales, I just show sharps, so use this to find the flat that matches the starting note:

. C♯ = D♭ --- D♯ = E♭

.|____________________| The group of 2 black keys

F♯ = G♭ --- G♯ = A♭ --- A♯ = B♭

|_______________________________| The group of 3 black keys

 

The white keys are: A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G

 

If a keyboard has 88 keys (a full length keyboard like on a real piano), it starts with an "A" key as the far left key. Many electronic keyboards have 61 keys and have "C" as the far left key. Here's how to figure it out. The "L" shaped white key to the left of the group of two black keys is "C". The "L" shaped white key to the left of the group of three black keys is "F".

 

Starting on a "C" key and moving right, and not skipping any keys, the keys are as follows:

C - C♯ - D - D♯ - E - F - F♯ - G - G♯ - A - A♯ - B - C - C♯ - D - D♯ .....and so on....

|___________________||____________________________ __||_______________|

The group of 2 black keys The group of 3 black keys The group of 2 black keys

 

A good order to practice scales or chords in is with the cycle of 5ths.....the reason this is a good order is you don't compare the one you're playing to the previous or the following one.....here are all 12 keys listed in the order of the cycle of 5ths:

 

C - G - D - A - E - B - F♯ - C♯ - G♯ - D♯ - A♯ - F

 

Since none are right next to the previous or the following key, you don't compare them to each other.

 

I'm not a big fan of counting how many times I do each scale when I practice….set a cooking timer for the same amount of time for each key and when it goes off, change key.....give harder keys the attention they need so you can play all keys equally well....how long to set the cooking timer for depends on how much time you want to spend on all of them, for example, 5 minutes per key and you're done in one hour. Start playing your hands separately and then eventually play both hands at once…..be patient because when you have to play both hands separately, it takes twice as long to finish....when you begin playing both hands at once, maybe avoid using the timer and just allow as much time as you need until you can do them all well......it's frustrating at first but it gets easier and easier.....if you can't play both hands at once, you obviously haven't practiced them separately long enough.....

 

Practice scales with a metronome…..this does wonders for your timing.....I like the little electronic metronomes that take a 9 volt battery and have an earphone jack.....

 

Go to Radio Shack and buy an adapter that turns one headphone jack to two and then buy a cable with a stereo headphone plug on each end and this allows you to hear both your keyboard and the metronome through headphones at the same time and saves your family's sanity…..headphones also allow you to totally iron out songs before allowing anyone to hear them.....WATCH THE VOLUME WHEN USING HEADPHONES.....THEY CAN DAMAGE YOUR HEARING.....use good judgment.....music isn't much fun when you're deaf.....it might be a good idea to also buy a headphone volume control so you can adjust the metronome's volume.....since the metronome might not be stereo you may only be able to hear it out of one side of your stereo headphones, but that should be good enough.....you mainly just need to hear it enough to play on time....you can buy adapters that would send the metronome to both the left and right (mono to stereo adapter plugs).....

 

Before you buy a metronome that takes watch batteries, just realize what a pain in the butt it is going to be to get batteries for it….I prefer metronomes that take a 9 volt battery because even though they aren't as compact, you can find a battery for it even if you're at a country store in the middle of nowhere.....you can also use rechargeable 9 volt batteries but make sure you always have a spare one charged....it's a good idea to get a charger that can charge from AC or the cigarette lighter.....it will definitely charge before you use the spare.....don't buy nickel cadmiums as they can develop a memory to where they won't hold a full charge anymore and they lose power sitting on a shelf.....buy nickel-metal hydride batteries....they are amazing....they stay charged forever sitting around, they have no memory problem and last soooo long.....although many metronomes allow you the option of practicing with a flashing light, I don't recommend this.....you drift off time without noticing and your timing is never as tight.....

 

 

 

The Major Scales -

DOE RAY ME FA SEW LA TEA DOE RAY ME FA SEW LA TEA DOE

KEY 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th (15th or 1st)

C C D E F G A B C__D__E F G__A B C

 

C♯ - C♯ D♯ F F♯ G♯ A♯ C C♯___ D♯____F____ F♯___ G♯_ A♯ __ C__ _ C♯

 

D - D E F♯ G A B C♯ D__ __ E_____F♯____G_____A____ B_____ C♯___ D

 

D♯ - D♯ F G G♯ A♯ C D D♯___ F_____G____ G♯___A♯____C____ D___ D♯

 

E - E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E___ _F♯____G♯____A____ B____ C♯____ D♯___ E

 

F - F G A A♯ C D E F___ G____ A_____A♯____C_____D____ E___ _ F

 

F♯ - F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ F F♯__ G♯___A♯___B____C♯___D♯____F____F♯

 

G - G A B C D E F♯ G__ _A____B_____C____D____E____F♯____G

 

G♯ - G♯ A♯ C C♯ D♯ F G G♯_ __A♯____C____C♯____D♯___F___G____G♯

 

A - A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A___ _ B_____C♯___D___E___F♯___G♯___A

 

A♯ - A♯ C D D♯ F G A A♯__ _ C___D___D♯___F___G___A____A♯

 

B - B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B___ _C♯____D♯___E___F♯___G♯___A♯___B

 

C - C D E F G A B C___ _ D_____E____ F_____ G__ __ A__ _ B_____C

. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5

. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 1

Fingering For These Scales: (the first one on both is for the right hand)

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 < To play only 1 octave (1st - 8th) use this fingering

5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 < To play only 1 octave (1st - 8th) use this fingering

[Johnny-Boy]

"Cross under with your thumb to make the fingering smooth” ~~ For Right Hand: stretch the thumb under while pivoting on the last finger used (often the middle finger). Don't jump the thumb to the next key - reach. This is for ascending scales. During descending scales the thumb is used as the pivot and the finger(s) go over the thumb. BTW, ascending is the movement going right on the keyboard. Descending is going left on the keyboard.

 

~~For Left Hand: Descending: stretch the thumb under while pivoting on last finger used. When ascending use the thumb as the pivot while the finger(s) reach over it.

 

Then again, I may be making this more confusing. Forget everything I said.

 

Best, John

[the_big_e]

9th is root + 1, 13th is same note as 6th.

[Outkaster]

No one is going to read all that information as good as it is. Most players don't get that deep into playing.

[1001gear]

"Cross under with your thumb to make the fingering smooth” ~~ For Right Hand: stretch the thumb under while pivoting on the last finger used (often the middle finger). Don't jump the thumb to the next key - reach. This is for ascending scales. During descending scales the thumb is used as the pivot and the finger(s) go over the thumb. BTW, ascending is the movement going right on the keyboard. Descending is going left on the keyboard.

 

~~For Left Hand: Descending: stretch the thumb under while pivoting on last finger used. When ascending use the thumb as the pivot while the finger(s) reach over it.

 

Then again, I may be making this more confusing. Forget everything I said.

 

Best, John

 

There's a school that says as the tempo goes up you shouldn't cross under. Crossing under skews your hand position enough to cause discernible latency. You should instead keep your fingers in position for the next tetrachord and keep your thumb as close to the switching finger - 3 or 4 usually and simply move the hand over at the appropriate time. This can work seamlessly because rapid runs are closer to pizzicato than legato and the breaks will be covered by the natural decay of the piano and room or the pedal for that matter.

[Johnny-Boy]

 

There's a school that says as the tempo goes up you shouldn't cross under. Crossing under skews your hand position enough to cause discernible latency. You should instead keep your fingers in position for the next tetrachord and keep your thumb as close to the switching finger - 3 or 4 usually and simply move the hand over at the appropriate time. This can work seamlessly because rapid runs are closer to pizzicato than legato and the breaks will be covered by the natural decay of the piano and room or the pedal for that matter.

 

Yeah, probably wouldn't be noticeable on a fast passage. I still prefer a seamless connection. Though being an old geezer, I'm from the old school.

 

Best, John

[RockPianoman]

the_big_e

Rookie

 

9th is root + 1, 13th is same note as 6th

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RockPianoman:

 

It's true what you're saying, but where the notes are played makes all the difference.....

for example, a C6 is C - E - G - A

 

If you put the A note as the low note you have an Am7 and they sound very different

 

 

When I see a C9 on sheet music, (just as an example) I play, from left to right, C - E - G - Bb - D

 

Just like with a Cmaj7, I like to play C - E - G - B.....sometimes you can invert complex chords but many are not like major and minor chords where you have complete freedom to invert them.....I don't like the inverted sound of many complex chords (or at least some inversions)....

 

If I play the 9th between the root and 3rd it sounds like a C2 and not a 9th to my ears (a good example of a "2" chord is Nadia's Theme and also Lost Without Your Love by Bread)....."2" chords can be major or minor...."2" chords are definitely a suspended type of chord just like a "sus4" type of chord and both types are begging for resolution and achieve it by moving to a chord that delivers the resolution......both of these songs have many examples of "2" chords in them....even though these songs are different, they have similar feelings from them because of the "2" chords....

 

Nadia's Theme

 

Lost Without Your Love - BREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdl73butOgY

[the_big_e]

My comment was just an easy way to visualize what the note should be, especially for chords you don't play often. As you say, positioning on the keyboard makes all the difference to the actual sound.

[RockPianoman]

I should post these to go with the scales posted above as they are only part of the picture....Naturally I'm aiming this information at someone who doesn't know it already....

 

 

 

CHORD FORMULAS ( For use with major scales) -

I'm listing all the chords in the key of C so you can see how they would really look on sheet music. These are just basic chords and not even scratching the surface of how many chords there are, but with these available, you're well on your way.....

 

THE WHITE KEYS (C is the "L" shaped key to the left of the two black keys. F is the "L" shaped key to the left of the three black keys:

 

 

C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C (and etc....they keep repeating in this pattern).

 

 

THE TWO BLACK KEYS (from left to right):

C♯ = D♭

D♯ = E♭

 

 

 

THE THREE BLACK KEYS (from left to right):

F♯ = G♭

G♯ = A♭

A♯ = B♭

 

 

A sharp (♯) is the first key to the right, black or white. To sharp a key, move to the first key to the right, black or white.

 

A flat (♭) is the first key to the left, black or white. To flat a key, move to the first key to the left, black or white.

 

 

These are not all the chords but they are the most common ones. This will give you a good start.

The first five are the most important.

 

CHORD NAME - CHORD FORMULA - CHORD SYMBOL (like on sheet music)

C Major - - - - - - - - 1st - 3rd - 5th - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C

 

C Minor - - - - - - - - 1st - ♭3rd - 5th - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cm

 

C 7th - - - - - - - - - 1st - 3rd - 5th - ♭7th - - - - - - - - - - - - - C7

 

C Minor 7th - - - - - - 1st - ♭3rd - 5th - ♭7th - - - - - - - - - - - - Cm7

 

C Major 7th - - - - - - 1st - 3rd - 5th - 7th - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cmaj7

 

C Augmented - - - - - 1st - 3rd - ♯5th - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C+

 

C Diminished - - - - - -1st - ♭3rd - ♭5th - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cdim

 

C 6th - - - - - - - - - 1st - 3rd - 5th - 6th - - - - - - - - - - - - - C6

 

C Minor 6th - - - - - - 1st - ♭3rd - 5th - 6th - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cm6

 

C 9th - - - - - - - - - 1st - 3rd - 5th -♭7th - 9th - - - - - - - - - - C9

 

C 11th - - - - - - - - - 1st - 3rd - 5th - ♭7th - 9th - 11th - - - - - - C11

 

C 13th - - - - - - - - - 1st - 3rd - 5th - ♭7th - 9th - 11th - 13th - - C13

 

C Suspended 4 - - - - 1st - 3rd - 4th - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Csus4

 

C 2 - - - - - - - - - - - 1st - 2nd - 3rd - 5th - - - - - - - - - - - - - C2 or Cadd2 or Csus2

 

This next type is common but unique. It tells you what bass notes to put under the chord:

 

C / G bass - - - - - - To play this play 2 G notes an octave apart with your left hand. Play a regular

C chord with your right hand - - - - - C/G

[wesg]

Csus4 is CFG, not CEF. Also, Cadd2 and Csus2 are not the same, Cadd2 is CDEG, Csus2 is CDG.

 

A trick I use for 13 chords is to play the major triad for the base of the chord, and the M7 chord for the chord starting on the dominant 7. So C13 is a C chord (or C7) with a BbM7 chord stacked on top. This idea is particularly useful to me when sight-reading big band pieces. Given a C13 chord and this knowledge, I'm able to mentally split my hands and do the instantaneous-listen-analyze thing then plunk down voicings like E Bb D A, C G D F Bb, C E G Bb D F A, C G C F Bb A D, etc. based on what's going on around me.

 

It's probably also useful to point out that dim7 chords are more common in piano music than plain dim chords. That's great, because there are only three dim7 chords: C Eb F# A, D F Ab B, and C# E G Bb. Pick the group that your root is in, and you know all the notes.

 

(Note for the pedants: Yes, I know, Cdim7 is really C Eb Gb Bbb, but who the hell thinks in double flats?)

 

Wes

[RockPianoman]

Saving that.....thank you wesg.....I'm always looking for better ways to get what I need quickly....

[Vito Corleone]

 

It's true what you're saying, but where the notes are played makes all the difference.....

for example, a C6 is C - E - G - A

 

If you put the A note as the low note you have an Am7 and they sound very different

 

 

When I see a C9 on sheet music, (just as an example) I play, from left to right, C - E - G - Bb - D

 

Just like with a Cmaj7, I like to play C - E - G - B.....sometimes you can invert complex chords but many are not like major and minor chords where you have complete freedom to invert them.....I don't like the inverted sound of many complex chords (or at least some inversions)....

 

If I play the 9th between the root and 3rd it sounds like a C2 and not a 9th to my ears (a good example of a "2" chord is Nadia's Theme and also Lost Without Your Love by Bread)....."2" chords can be major or minor...."2" chords are definitely a suspended type of chord just like a "sus4" type of chord and both types are begging for resolution and achieve it by moving to a chord that delivers the resolution......both of these songs have many examples of "2" chords in them....even though these songs are different, they have similar feelings from them because of the "2" chords....

 

 

The inversion CAN, but not always does, determine the chord name. And conversely, the chord name does not always determine the inversion played. More important is the context of the song, which chords we're going to/from, and what the bass is playing. Especially in pop music.

 

If I see a C9, I'm almost probably NOT going to play C-E-G-Bb-D, even that is the most technically correct definition of a C9 chord. I'm more likely to play a octave C with the left hand and play Bb-D-E-G with the right. Or G-Bb-D-E. I may or may not add the C to the middle of that chording. Or I might not be playing anything with my left hand at all and letting the bass player carry the root. Technically, such an inversion might even have another name. But the point of using music theory in performance is (in my opinion, anyway) to make things easier to read and understand. Not to make them more difficult just for the sake of correctness. I want to get to where I need to go in the quickest, easiest method possible.

 

Many times the inversions chosen are a function of the surrounding chords and phrasing. The chorus to the song "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire goes Bm7, E7, C#m7, F#m7. I'm going to play that sequence F#-A-B-D, G#-B-D-E, G#-B-C#-E, F#-A-C#-E. Because it's easiest to play that way and sounds best with the D and E notes on top. I'm not going to give the chords different names simply because of the inversion.

 

And when is a "big" chords like a 11th or a 13th something else? Especially when you can't play all the tones? When are they better to be notated as "slash" chords? In my view, it's based on which unplayed tones are implied and what the bass is doing. The 2nd line in "Your Song" by Elton John has a progression where a Cm chord is followed by the same chord repeated by with the bass line walking down to Bb, A and then Ab. The only way to make sense of this is to call Cm-Cm/Bb-Cm/A-Abmaj7 (or even Cm/Ab). It would make no sense to call the 2nd chord a Bb6-sus2-sus4. (Or something else) For one, it would take me forever to figure out what that chord is and 2nd of all, the unplayed 5th (F) isn't in the chord nor implied.

 

Another common chord in rock notation is the C/D chord. Where you're playing an octave D in the left hand and a C-E-G in the right. Which COULD technically be a D11 chord. But only if the 3rd and 5th are either played or tonally implied. Sometimes they are; sometimes they are not. I wouldn't always say such a chord is D11, especailly if the F# and A only muck up the sound of the chord.

 

A 9th played between the root and the 3rd is only a 9th if the 7th is played or tonally implied. And maybe the 3rd as well. Steely Dan does the "add2" chord a lot. (They called it a Mu Major chord.) The verse to "Peg" is played in this manner. That's not a 9th because adding the 7th would sound wrong.

[progfan]

If anyone's looking to continue studying music theory, John Mehegan has written an excellent 4 volume series of books titled "Jazz Improvisation". Book 1, 'Tonal and Rhythmic Principles', covers most of what is being discussed in this thread in a plain, straightforward fashion. Highly recommended.

[RockPianoman]

I appreciate everybody's input on this post....if someone really wants to learn, it's nice to have the good ideas to help.....

[RockPianoman]

Guido61 -

 

 

 

The C9 chord in the textbook root position has the Bb and is C - E - G - Bb - D (left to right on keys)

 

 

I'm just trying to show the most basic forms of each chord because there are a million ways to play them by either re-arranging them or by leaving notes out or both

 

Just like in the beginning of "The Rain Song" by Led Zeppelin, they move to a Gmaj7 with no 3rd to capture the sound they were looking for, but this is not the "correct" way to play a Gmaj7 and Steely Dan does that a lot too......they just use the notes that they need to give them the sound they want.....many songs have customized chords just like adding bass notes with your left hand that aren't in the chord will make the chord sound entirely different....

 

I'm trying to aim what I put on here at people who don't know how chords are built and the chords you're describing are more advanced than what I'm trying to show (they have to learn to walk before they can run).....

 

What I like about the system I'm showing on here is if they learn their major scales and memorize the chord formulas, they can get the chords they need in any key without needing to have a piece of paper in front of them.....everything they need is in their mind without needing books or notes....

 

By the way, that was clever of Led Zeppelin to leave out the 3rd in that chord because the third largely contributes to the emotion felt in the chord....with a regular third it sounds happy and with a flatted third it sounds sad.....with no third it is almost lacking any emotion at all which is exactly what they wanted....Led Zeppelin is one of my favorite bands and they always will be.....I really like Robert Plant's solo albums too....(I have a zillion favorite bands though).....Steely Dan is another....(I really like Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly'' and "Kamakiriad" too).....my favorite 3 Steely Dan albums are Gaucho, Aja & Can't Buy A Thrill" but I like them all....many types of Jazz I don't like (especially the kind that runs at a hyper speed and never takes a breath), but Donald Fagen has a real gift for creating chord progressions that are wonderful and perfect....

[Kalistador]

Wow. Overcomplicate much? ACEG is Am7, the bass note will be the determiner. No matter who plays the damn low A. If the low note is a C, well, then it would be a C6.

 

Appreciate your efforts Pianoman, but that is WAY off on sus and add chords.

 

Plus, what kind of bands are you guys playing in that you can play 7 note chords? Often, the color tones are all that's necessary to fit in a band context. When I played B3 in a soul band with horns, I really learned how to imply the tonality without adding seven note chords to the ensemble.

[Vito Corleone]

 

Plus, what kind of bands are you guys playing in that you can play 7 note chords?

 

I do a lot of jazz standards with my band. There are some pretty crazy chords in some of that stuff!

 

But I agree with you that a strict adherence to theory can needlessly over-complicate things sometimes. It should be used and understood in a manner than makes your life easier, not harder.

 

Extended chords may be 'textbook' correct, but if that were the only way to play 9ths and 'bigger' chords, guitarists would be out of business! You have to understand how the chords work in different inversions and which leading tones you need to play. At the end of the day, chord names are really just notation anyway. Just something to use so you are able to play something that sounds good.

 

And yes, when playing B3 you really need to keep things simple. Let the overtones in your drawbar settings create in the necessary color and tonal implications. When playing organ, I play a lot of very simple one and two note parts. Sometimes less is more!

[RockPianoman]

This is a great link:

 

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/

[wesg]

I have big band charts that call for seven note chords on a regular basis. Even when not playing all seven notes (most of the time), it's important to know which notes are in the chord, so you can pick which ones to play. I don't have time to work it out when sight-reading, you need lots of little tricks IME to be able to hear the horns, pick a voicing, and read what's coming up all at the same time.

 

One piece which immediately comes to mind is an arragement of Cole Porter's "I Get A Kick Out Of You" I played with a local big band last summer. There are dat-dat-daaah shots between the drum fills where the arranger explicitly asks for all seven notes to be played, and dictates the inversion. Those ones were a bit of challenge for me as my note-stack reading skills suck and I got the charts for that band 48 hours before the gig..but I digress. The point remains that knowing how to play 13th chords without thinking too hard is a useful skill.

 

Wes

[Kalistador]

Thanks for the very cogent responses guys. I'm used to people arguing over which key SHA is in. Discussions like this could actually teach folks. Cheers!

[1001gear]

Yeh what's up wit dat? SHA is in D. Sheesh...

[Kalistador]

LOL But the solo is in G!

 

[RockPianoman]

Kalistador

 

I'm trying to simplify getting chords as much as possible for people new to playing......they can work out the fine points later....too many teachers complicate learning so much that it turns the students off and they quit before they have even begun.....

 

 

I use full chords when playing solo, but when I'm with my band, I simplify what I play so I don't crowd the music.....I lay back even more during other members solos so they get the focus

 

 

I've been playing professionally for pay since Jan. 1982.....a long time

[keybdwizrd]

The piano keyboard key names:

 

I appreciate your desire to share this information, but if you're going to go to the trouble, it honestly needs to be more readable. Having the whole post in bold doesn't help. I'll be honest, I didn't even try to read it.

 

IMHO, you should start a website to share whatever information you want to. And perhaps organize it and present it in such a way that makes it easier to read, understand, and prioritize. A web page can have more global visibility and be updated and expanded. This is just one post in a keyboard forum.