Help with reading chords
i have to play autumn leaves for my director and solo on the chords. He wants me to write out the chords to make a practice sheet but i dont know how to read them I want to know what the symbols in the chord represent:line1: :space1: :line2: :space3: :space0: :line1: :space1: :line3:
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It's mostly diatonic stuff (all belonging to the same scale). The only chord you need to really worry about is V7/vi. If you can play the third of this chord in bar six, then you will sound like you know what you're doing.
Oh, almost forgot, there is a German Augmented sixth chord that starts the final cadence (four bars before the end). Just play something bluesy here and you're okay.
Oh, almost forgot, there is a German Augmented sixth chord that starts the final cadence (four bars before the end). Just play something bluesy here and you're okay.
Hi , what's a German aug 6th chord?? Never heard that before. Thankshgiles said:It's mostly diatonic stuff (all belonging to the same scale). The only chord you need to really worry about is V7/vi. If you can play the third of this chord in bar six, then you will sound like you know what you're doing.
Oh, almost forgot, there is a German Augmented sixth chord that starts the final cadence (four bars before the end). Just play something bluesy here and you're okay.
If we're in E minor for the last cadence; the last four bars go like this:
C7 | (F#-7b5) B7b9 | Em | turnaround to Am |
C7 is the German augmented sixth chord; spelled correctly is C-E-G-A#; C-A# is the augmented sixth interval.
http://www.teoria.com/reference/chords/17.htm
^^ this might explain it better than I can. They're text explanation is a bit odd, but if you look at (listen to) the voice leading examples, it's pretty clear.
I construct a German +6 this way: tonic (E), major third below the tonic (C), minor third above the tonic (G), augmented sixth degree above the bass (A#).
C7 | (F#-7b5) B7b9 | Em | turnaround to Am |
C7 is the German augmented sixth chord; spelled correctly is C-E-G-A#; C-A# is the augmented sixth interval.
http://www.teoria.com/reference/chords/17.htm
^^ this might explain it better than I can. They're text explanation is a bit odd, but if you look at (listen to) the voice leading examples, it's pretty clear.
I construct a German +6 this way: tonic (E), major third below the tonic (C), minor third above the tonic (G), augmented sixth degree above the bass (A#).
+++ WARNING THREAD DERAILMENT +++
Ah, the Augmented Sixth Chord! In traditional music theory there are three different flavors: German, Italian, and French. I can't remember the subtleties in the differences. There are fancy voice leading "rules" about how they work, but here's a jazz musician's guide to Augmented Sixth Chords:
It's basically just a tri-tone sub for V of V.
OR: Key of E min
V is B7
V of V is F#7
Tritone sub of F#7 is C7
Progression using Augmented Sixth Chord: C7 - B7 - Em
+++ CONTINUE AUTUMN LEAVES DISCUSSION +++
Ah, the Augmented Sixth Chord! In traditional music theory there are three different flavors: German, Italian, and French. I can't remember the subtleties in the differences. There are fancy voice leading "rules" about how they work, but here's a jazz musician's guide to Augmented Sixth Chords:
It's basically just a tri-tone sub for V of V.
OR: Key of E min
V is B7
V of V is F#7
Tritone sub of F#7 is C7
Progression using Augmented Sixth Chord: C7 - B7 - Em
+++ CONTINUE AUTUMN LEAVES DISCUSSION +++
a +13 in jazz parlance?hgiles said:If we're in E minor for the last cadence; the last four bars go like this:
C7 | (F#-7b5) B7b9 | Em | turnaround to Am |
C7 is the German augmented sixth chord; spelled correctly is C-E-G-A#; C-A# is the augmented sixth interval.
http://www.teoria.com/reference/chords/17.htm
^^ this might explain it better than I can. They're text explanation is a bit odd, but if you look at (listen to) the voice leading examples, it's pretty clear.
I construct a German +6 this way: tonic (E), major third below the tonic (C), minor third above the tonic (G), augmented sixth degree above the bass (A#).
bigtiny
Well dang me. Learn something new every day.hgiles said:German augment 6th spelled correctly is C-E-G-A#
And here I always thought C-E-G-Bb(aka A#), was a C7.
Now I'm really confused.
Me too. But then I guess you can call it whatever you want. Let's see, an augmented 6th or a minor 7th? Which is it? To be fair, perhaps there is some reason to "augment the 6th," rather than "flat the 7th." I haven't thought it through at all, obviously.kavala said:Well dang me. Learn something new every day.
And here I always thought C-E-G-Bb(aka A#), was a C7.
Now I'm really confused.
Anyone that quotes Common Practice Period theory should be automatically banned from the forum. "Moderator, oh Moderator..."hgiles said:German Augmented sixth chord
Of course, a GERMAN AUGMENTED SIXTH CHORD, it was so easy to guess and I didn't see it!
(it's sarcasm >_>)
(it's sarcasm >_>)
I was being a smart [email protected]@@.JL said:Me too. But then I guess you can call it whatever you want. Let's see, an augmented 6th or a minor 7th? Which is it? To be fair, perhaps there is some reason to "augment the 6th," rather than "flat the 7th." I haven't thought it through at all, obviously.
Obviously it is some esoteric theoretical concept related to context.
However, I think to start splitting hairs like this for someone, who by the
very nature of his question, is new to this, is really going to scare the
pants off the poor guy.
Better to keep it real simple in this case and leave the deep theory
for another time in the future when he's got the basics under control.
Here is how I would answer...
If you see a single letter, it means a simple major triad.
Example 'C' has the notes C, E and G.
If it has the - symbol or min then it is a minor chord.
Example C- or Cmin has the notes C, Eb and G
If a chord has a 7 after the letter then it is a 7th. These come in several flavors.
eg C7 is dominant 7th with notes C, E, G Bb. You can worry about what dominant means later.
C-7 is minor 7th, with notes C, Eb, G, Bb
CMaj7 is C Major 7th(funny that), with notes C, E, G and B
This will get you started..
Playing a solo is not about just playing chord notes.
The chords establish the harmonic structure of the tune.
In other words, the chords tell you what notes will sound in tune in each particular bar,
and conversely what notes will provide tension (read sound wrong to some ears).
You will have to learn which are the former and which are the latter.
Have fun and enjoy the ride.
This is 2nd year theory stuff folks. I stink at playing changes but I am very familiar with augmented 6 chords. Very neat stuff to smoothly go in a new harmonic direction.
You should look into them if you aren't familiar with them. Find out what they are, instead of just what they are like, after all a red FIAT is like a Ferrari isn't it? Both red Italian cars designed to get you from point A to B.
(It is all about voice leading. On their own a german 6 and a Dom7 are the same, it is function which differentiates them.)
You should look into them if you aren't familiar with them. Find out what they are, instead of just what they are like, after all a red FIAT is like a Ferrari isn't it? Both red Italian cars designed to get you from point A to B.
(It is all about voice leading. On their own a german 6 and a Dom7 are the same, it is function which differentiates them.)
In C7 the E wants to resolve up by half-step, the Bb wants to resolve down by half-step.Carl H. said:Find out what they are, instead of just what they are like...
It is all about voice leading. On their own a german 6 and a Dom7 are the same, it is function which differentiates them.
In G+6, the A# tends to want to move up a half step. Depending on what you're hearing and what you're playing woudl determine whether it's one or the other.
If I remember correctly the different ethnicities of the Augmented sixth chord are as follows:
Italian: C-E-A#
French: C-E-F#-A#
Swiss: C-E-Fx(double sharp)-A#
German:C-E-G-A#
and the C moves to Bhgiles said:In C+6, the A# tends to want to move up a half step. Depending on what you're hearing and what you're playing would determine whether it's one or the other.
German:C-E-G-A#
Just sit at a piano. Play a V7 and instead of resolving it the standard way, resolve the 7th up a 1/2 step and the root down a 1/2 step, leaving the 3rd and 5th as is. Opens up new possibilities if you had never run across it before.
That's resolving to Emin.Carl H. said:and the C moves to B
Just sit at a piano. Play a V7 and instead of resolving it the standard way, resolve the 7th up a 1/2 step and the root down a 1/2 step, leaving the 3rd and 5th as is. Opens up new possibilities if you had never run across it before.
I think of this as the C7 actually being a tritone substitution
for F#7b5, resolving to B or B7 to Emin.
This has the A# resolving up as per hgiles suggestion
Poor jcgreen729... see what you guys are doing to him? He doesn't know the first thing about reading chord symbols. You say "dominant" or list notes like C-E-G and he doesn't get it.
It's like improv class for me. I tell the instructor that I can't read chord progressions, so he starts telling me what to play altered scales over, where to resolve what to, and which "color tones" to use. Which is all fine and great, but the plain and simple fact is that I still can't read chord progressions.
jcgreen729, print out a copy of this scale sheet. The only thing I don't like about this chord sheet (say, as opposed to the one in the beginning of Aebersold books) is that it doesn't list the different symbols that you would see for the same chords. The delta (triangle) symbol signifies a major chord, meaning you'd play major scales under those chords. For 7th or dominant chords (ex. C7), you play a major scale with a flatted 7th.
Use this scale sheet to practice the chords (the dark notes - the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes of each scale) and the scales for each chord in Autumn Leaves. In fact, it's a good practice to make a habit of this for every tune you learn.
Good luck!
It's like improv class for me. I tell the instructor that I can't read chord progressions, so he starts telling me what to play altered scales over, where to resolve what to, and which "color tones" to use. Which is all fine and great, but the plain and simple fact is that I still can't read chord progressions.
jcgreen729, print out a copy of this scale sheet. The only thing I don't like about this chord sheet (say, as opposed to the one in the beginning of Aebersold books) is that it doesn't list the different symbols that you would see for the same chords. The delta (triangle) symbol signifies a major chord, meaning you'd play major scales under those chords. For 7th or dominant chords (ex. C7), you play a major scale with a flatted 7th.
Use this scale sheet to practice the chords (the dark notes - the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes of each scale) and the scales for each chord in Autumn Leaves. In fact, it's a good practice to make a habit of this for every tune you learn.
Good luck!
Yeah, he probably ran away screaming and pulling his hair out! I hope he tunes back in. Actually the very first response by saxmanglen answered jcgreen's specific question: How to read chord symbols. Pete's chart that the link leads to is very clear and precise. Hey jc, if you're still here, check out that link, then get back to us.Master.America said:Poor jcgreen729... see what you guys are doing to him? He doesn't know the first thing about reading chord symbols. You say "dominant" or list notes like C-E-G and he doesn't get it.
No offense, but a whole of us have forgotten a lot of our 2nd year theory stuff, because we've been busy working on other things, such as playing on changes.......which leads to a different view of voice leading, with different terminology......don't get me wrong, I enjoy theory, (I really enjoyed it back in school), but if I see a C7 chord in Em, I think bVI chord, and all the ways I can resolve it, and don't think of it as an Augmented 6th chord.......darylCarl H. said:This is 2nd year theory stuff folks. I stink at playing changes but I am very familiar with augmented 6 chords. Very neat stuff to smoothly go in a new harmonic direction.
You should look into them if you aren't familiar with them. Find out what they are, instead of just what they are like, after all a red FIAT is like a Ferrari isn't it? Both red Italian cars designed to get you from point A to B.
(It is all about voice leading. On their own a german 6 and a Dom7 are the same, it is function which differentiates them.)
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