RMIM Archive Article "132".
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian
#
# RMIM Archives..
# Subject: To learn to play Chords on the keyboards - 3
#
# Posted by: anandv@flip.eecs.umich.edu (Anand Varadharajan)
# Author: anandv@flip.eecs.umich.edu (Anand Varadharajan)
#
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KEYBOARD CHORDS - PART 3
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In this, I will probably cover diminished and augmented chords..
OK... here we go:
As usual.... The various keys in each octave is given below.
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | | | | | | | |
|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
The notations I usually follow are as follows:
eg.,
The white keys are usually called just by the alphabets. The black
keys may either be for eg., C sharp (C*) or D Flat (C*). I am
consistently follwing the "sharp" notation, ie., the black key above
C, for eg., will be C sharp (C*), and similarly the black key in
between G and A white keys is G Sharp (G*). Please note that there are
no "sharps" for B and E keys.
Augmented Chords:
These are again variations of the major chords. They use these chords
for some effects.... Experts please throw some light!
Here again.... look at the intervals... Follow the same intervals for
all other Aug chords. Let us look at Cmajor and C aug... Gives you a
better picture.
C Major:
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | | | | | | | |
|_##_|____|_##_|____| ##_|____|____|____|
A keypress is denoted by "##"
C Augmented ( C aug or C+)
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |##| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | | | | | | | |
|_##_|____|_## |____| _|____|____|____|
huh!! Thats it??? Yeah.... Thats it!! Instead of the G, you "augment"
it by one semitone to G*!!!!
Lets see for D aug...
D MAJOR
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |##| | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | ## | | | | ## | | |
|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
D augmented:
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |##| | | |
| | | | | | |##| | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | ## | | | | | | |
|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
So.... Got it??? D, F* and A* ie., instead of A, go to the next semitone A*
Jujubi eh!!
OK... as usual one sharp aug also...
F sharp major:
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |##|
| | | | | | |##| | | |##| | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | | | | | | | |
|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
F sharp aug (F* aug)
(technically this may also be referred to as G flat aug too)
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |##| | | |##| | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | $$ | | | | | | |
|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
ps: $$ represents the next octave of the same key!!
Hope... augmented has been made clear!!
Looks like there is no "Minor Augmented"!! So, unless some experts
confirm it, dont try the same seq with minor chords!!
Lets now move over to the DIMINISHED chords.
This is another piece of cake!! Just another modification of the major
chords!!
Let us see C diminished (C dim or Co):
C Major:
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | | | | | | | |
|_##_|____|_##_|____| ##_|____|____|____|
C Diminished:
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |##| | |##| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | | | | | | | |
|_##_|____|_ _|____| _|_##_|____|____|
What we do is we "diminish" the 2nd and 3rd intervals by one semitone!!
So, instead of E you play D* and instead of G, you play F*!! That A is
optional!! This diminished chords were once very famous in the
Stage Drama circles... Try pressing these notes one by one.. you get
that "Suspense" effect!!!
Lets see how D dim goes!!
D MAJOR
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |##| | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | ## | | | | ## | | |
|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
D dim:
D MAJOR
-------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |##| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |C*|
| |C*| |D*| | |F*| |G*| |A*| | |
| | | | | | | | |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| | ## | | ## | | | ## | |
|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|
Pretty cool eh! Yeah.. thats it!
OK.. The next part will have 4th and some other notes on miscellaneous
chords!!
Enjsooooyyyyyyyyyy........
With Smiles
Anand
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From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian