| Most professional musicians play from a book called a | | | | augmented. In a Cmaj7, the maj tells us that the C |
| "Fake Book". I bought my first fake book containing | | | | chord is major. The abbreviations for this area in chord |
| only about 200 songs when I was a teenager -- they | | | | symbols are maj, min, dim, and aug respectively. So |
| were illegal then, but most musicians owned them -- | | | | Cm means the chord is a C minor chord. Caug means |
| for $50. That would be equal to $500. or more now. | | | | that the chord is a C augmented chord. |
| But fortunately, they have since become legal, so you | | | | The extension in chord symbols, written after the |
| can buy a real good one with 1000 songs now for $50. | | | | quality, shows the musician if the chord differs from a |
| or less. A fake book contains just the melody (tune) | | | | triad, such as an 11th or 6th or 9th or 7th or 13th. So a |
| and the chord symbols of a song, so you have to | | | | C9 would mean that the C chord includes the 9th note |
| know chords to use one. But when you do, your | | | | above C, which is D. A C6 chord would mean that the |
| playing comes alive -- you're only reading a few notes, | | | | C chord includes the 6th scale note above C, which is |
| but playing lots of notes. | | | | A. This part of chord symbols is not always shown; if |
| Most people learn to play the piano by playing just the | | | | there is no indication of an extension, the musician is to |
| written music. Playing by written music is exactly what | | | | assume that the chord is a triad. |
| the phrase says it is -- playing the exact notation on a | | | | The last part in chord symbols, the alteration, is usually |
| piece of sheet music. But playing by chord symbol is | | | | but not always expressed. Think of this part as the |
| very different. Instead of following the harmony note | | | | "notes" section in chord symbols; it gives the musician |
| by note, you follow the chord symbols (i.e. C7 or F) | | | | any specific (and sometimes irregular) instructions for |
| written above the harmonies, filling in the gaps with...well, | | | | playing the chord and is always written in parentheses |
| whatever you want as long as it sticks to those | | | | after the extension (or the quality, if no extension |
| chords. Of course, you'll still read the melody (it is, after | | | | exists). For instance, (no fifth) would tell the musician |
| all, often what makes the song recognizable) but even | | | | that the chord is to be played with the fifth tone left |
| that is completely open to interpretation. Playing by | | | | out. Sus - short for "suspension", would mean to play |
| chord symbol allows you a freedom that playing by | | | | the 4th scale note instead of the 3rd. A minus sign |
| written music simply doesn't. The freedom to create. | | | | would mean to lower (flat) a chord tone, such as C-9 |
| The freedom to invent. The freedom to arrange chord | | | | which would mean to flat the 9th of the chord. |
| patterns in the way you want. | | | | Conversely, a plus sign would mean to raise (sharp) a |
| Does that mean playing by written music is less | | | | particular chord tone. |
| important than playing by chord symbol? No. The ability | | | | Reading music using chord symbols allows a person to |
| to play by written music is an extremely valuable skill, | | | | use written music as a map, rather than a |
| one that even some of the most famous musicians | | | | note-for-note approach -- being tied to the written |
| don't possess. And while you don't necessarily need to | | | | sheet music. By just reading the melody note and the |
| know the skill backwards and forwards to create | | | | chord symbols, musicians can improvise to their hearts |
| great arrangements, it's a great help. | | | | content and create their own sounds on the keyboard. |
| Chord symbols -- sometimes referred to as "chord | | | | So you can use sheet music as a map instead of a |
| tabs" (for example, Cmaj7 or G6 or Fm7) are a type | | | | ball & chain that ties you down. |
| of notation used frequently in jazz and other areas of | | | | Did you know that many pianists wouldn't have a clue |
| modern music to notate chord progressions and | | | | what to do if a gust of wind blew their sheet music off |
| changes. This type of notation differs from that of | | | | the music rack? I've actually seen it happen, and it is |
| classical music in that chord symbols don't show the | | | | very embarrassing to the pianist. And it's so |
| function of a chord the way the Roman numeral | | | | un-necessary! And there's a true story about a |
| notation does. Chord symbols, for modern music with | | | | famous concert pianist who could play most any piece |
| lots of changes, are much easier to read. They | | | | of written music, but when asked to play "Happy |
| function as a sort of shorthand for change-heavy | | | | Birthday" at a party, she couldn't do it because she |
| music and are written with four chord parts in mind: the | | | | didn't have any written music! Almost unbelievable, but |
| root, the quality, the extension, and the alterations. | | | | true. |
| The first part in chord symbols, the root, tells the | | | | Once you learn this skill you'll be reading only a few |
| musician which note is the root of the chord. In an E6 | | | | notes per measure, but playing handfuls of notes -- |
| chord, for instance, the E serves as the root. In a C7 | | | | arpeggios, chords, runs, riffs, fills, etc. You can then "do |
| chord, C is the root. Easy enough. | | | | your own thing" on the piano, instead of playing a song |
| Quality, the second part in chord symbols, denotes | | | | the same way everyone else is playing it. |
| whether the chord is major, minor, diminished, or | | | | |