Members pure-krypton Posted November 13, 2005 Members Posted November 13, 2005 i'm slowly getting through my scales and modes, but i have no idea what a chord is. before you ask i did search around a bit for help and i couldn't find anything helpful. here's a few questions: what is a chord? what does the I II V.. crap mean? what does it mean when something's played over a certain chord? what relation do chords have to scales, modes and arpeggios? is a chord an arpeggio? how do i construct a chord? stupud question: is a chord just a power chord? i should probably pay for lessons shouldn't i?
Members croninburg Posted November 13, 2005 Members Posted November 13, 2005 My theory leaves a lot to be desired but I'll answer what I can whilst you wait for a real musician to read this thread:what is a chord?As I understand it, a chord is a group of three or more DIFFERENT notes played simeltaneously, eg C, E and G is a C major.what does it mean when something's played over a certain chord?It simply means that something is played whilst another instrument plays the chord in question.stupud question: is a chord just a power chord?No, a power chord is technically not a chord, as it only consists of two different notes. I believe that they are known as "tonalities" rather than chords but don't quote me..is a chord an arpeggio?When you play an arpeggio, you are picking the notes of a chord individually rathener than strumming them all at the same time. Arpeggios are really useful for writing your own tunes.what relation do chords have to scales?When you are playing in a certain scale/key, any chord that you play normally consists of notes that are in that particular scale (i think that there are exceptions to this though?).how do i construct a chord?Certain chords are made by selecting certain notes from a scale. For example, you can construct a major chord from the first, third and fifth notes in a major sacle, eg. C major from the C major scale:1C 2D 3E 4F 5G 6A 7BC E G = C majorThis is just an example, there ar loads of variations on this but I'm just trying to give you the idea.i should probably pay for lessons shouldn't i?Lessons are helpful but there is a welth of knowledge on the net for free Please, anyone feel free to correct mistakes tha I've made, I'm trying to remember how much I actually know as much as I'm trying to help out.
Members joenovice Posted November 13, 2005 Members Posted November 13, 2005 OK..... Here are the answers in order. 1) A chord is a collection of 3 or more notes. 2) I, ii, V, IV, etc..... are roman numerals used to represent a triad (specific type of chord) built from the corresponding scale degrees. For ex. 1st note in a Cmaj scale is C. Make a C triad from the scale and call it the I chord. 3) That is slang for improvising an idea based on the chord that someone else is playing. 4) Chords come from scales.... modes are scales.... arpeggios are chords played one note at a time. 5) Yes 6) Chords are constructed in different ways. The most basic chords are triads.... they are built from scales by stacking every other note (3rds). 7) Power chords are technically not chords but intervals. That is way printed music writes G5 to dictate power chord. This indicates G with the interval of a perfect 5th. 8) YES.... YOU NEED LESSONS FROM A QUALIFIED TEACHER! Qualified, in my opinion, means a guitarist who is actively Playing, Praticing, and Participating in the local music scene. If you live in the Charlotte NC area I'd be glad to help. I also know people throughout the Carolinas, Tenn, Kentucky, Penn...... crap just let me know where you live and I'll tell you who to go see. Good luck!
Members raggety Posted November 13, 2005 Members Posted November 13, 2005 this is a good site for learning the stuff you need to knowhttp://chordmaps.com/
Members pure-krypton Posted November 14, 2005 Author Members Posted November 14, 2005 oh, so they're just the average chords that a rhythm player will use
Members red|dragon Posted November 14, 2005 Members Posted November 14, 2005 A chord only needs 2 notes.
Members croninburg Posted November 14, 2005 Members Posted November 14, 2005 Originally posted by red|dragon A chord only needs 2 notes. I'm 99% certain that this isn't the case.
Members red|dragon Posted November 14, 2005 Members Posted November 14, 2005 Originally posted by croninburg I'm 99% certain that this isn't the case. I'm 100% certain that it is. A chord doesn't have to have 3 notes. A 3 note chord is called a triad. Whats a C5 chord then? Play a C5. It's a C and a G. 2 notes. A 2 note chord. Play a Amin7 chord. Wait, so your jamming with a piano player. He's got all those keys. What am I suppose to play? You play small chords. In this case you could play C and G which are the 3rd and 7th, because thats all you need. The bass player will play the root and 5th. "Less is more." - Miles Davis
Members joenovice Posted November 15, 2005 Members Posted November 15, 2005 I'm 100% certain that it is. A chord doesn't have to have 3 notes. A 3 note chord is called a triad. Whats a C5 chord then? Play a C5. It's a C and a G. 2 notes. A 2 note chord. I have to side with Croninburg A chord must have three or more notes. Otherwise, the two note structure is referred to as an interval. The 5 in C5 represents an interval of a perfect 5th from C. It is not the name of an actual chord. Play a Amin7 chord. Wait, so your jamming with a piano player. He's got all those keys. What am I suppose to play? You play small chords. In this case you could play C and G which are the 3rd and 7th, because thats all you need. The bass player will play the root and 5th. You are right in this example but this implies that you are intentionally using the C and G as chord tones from the A minor structure. Thus you are playing a form of A minor in combination with a group and not C5 as a solo guitarist.
Members red|dragon Posted November 15, 2005 Members Posted November 15, 2005 no, you only need 2 notes to play a chord! 3 notes is a chord but it is a triad 1 note is not a chord because its just 1 note when you mix more than 1 note together simultaniously you get a chord.
Members joenovice Posted November 15, 2005 Members Posted November 15, 2005 Yes, you need more than 2 notes.I'll go ahead and let you know that you are talking to a college professor that happens to teach music. I have multiple degrees in music performance and theory. To settle this once and for all I would as you to buy a copy of the Harvard Dictionary of Music.From said resource;chord - Three or more pitches sounded simultaneously or functioning as if sounded simultaneously; two such pitches are normally referred to as an interval. The most basic chords in the system of tonic-dominate or triadic tonality are the major and minor triads and their inversions. (continues for several paragraphs discussing differnet chord construction. The only other mention of two note groupings are in referrece to the term "dyad" which is used when discussing other structures such as hexachords, pentachords, and tetrachords.)Sorry buddy....
Members red|dragon Posted November 15, 2005 Members Posted November 15, 2005 Do you know who Jim Hall is? Stop reading books and listen to music. And just to let you know, I am a student of a man named Dr. William Eldridge who is a graduate of Harvard and he says you only need 2 notes for a chord. 3 notes is still a chord, but its a triad. You dont need to play these big 3,4,5,6 note chords. A lot of tones get drowned out, so you focus on the important notes. The book says this and that. Whatever.
Members red|dragon Posted November 15, 2005 Members Posted November 15, 2005 ok maybe i didnt say it correctly. A guitarist can play 2 notes to form a chord if a bass or piano player is playing the other notes to form a chord. Everyone works together to form the whole big chord.
Members joenovice Posted November 15, 2005 Members Posted November 15, 2005 ok maybe i didnt say it correctly. A guitarist can play 2 notes to form a chord if a bass or piano player is playing the other notes to form a chord. Everyone works together to form the whole big chord Now you're using the right language! You must keep in mind that you are telling someone who knows nothing about chord theory his first bits of information. Please re-read the original post. The persons needs the facts in a clear and correct format. Chords require three pitches. Intervals have two..... Do you know who Jim Hall is? Stop reading books and listen to music. And just to let you know, I am a student of a man named Dr. William Eldridge who is a graduate of Harvard and he says you only need 2 notes for a chord. 3 notes is still a chord, but its a triad. You dont need to play these big 3,4,5,6 note chords. A lot of tones get drowned out, so you focus on the important notes. The book says this and that. Whatever. Grow up chump! I was transcribing Jim Hall when your ......( I'll refrain from insults). I've met the man on two ocasions and have know several people who have taught with Jim at workshops and other events. I've been playing jazz guitar for a living for nearly a decade. Books are important.... especially the Harvard Dictionary. Buy one and study it to avoid confusing what you play with the facts. I feel that Dr. Eldridge should know what you are claiming in public. Please show him these posts.
Members red|dragon Posted November 15, 2005 Members Posted November 15, 2005 owned. I'm studying the chordal structure of Mile's Davis's Blue in Green. Help me.
Members riovine Posted November 15, 2005 Members Posted November 15, 2005 A guitarist can play 2 notes to form a chord if a bass or piano player is playing the other notes to form a chord. Everyone works together to form the whole big chord. Big deal, by this logic, everyone in an orchestra can be playing a single node that when all taken in the aggregrate constitute a chord, that doesn't mean that each person playing an individual note is themselves playing a chord. The point about needing the bass and/or piano player to fully make the chord refutes the original claim that you only need two notes to make a chord. BTW, I was taught that playing two notes simultaneously was referred to as a double-stop.
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