Piano Diana Blog: Semitone

The Essential Chords

Minor Chords

To make any minor chord just lower the middle note of the corresponding major chord one half-step. (This assumes that the major chord is constructed so that the root is the lowest note of the chord.)

* The Twelve Major Chords

C = CEG
Db = DbFAb
D = DF#A
Eb = EbGBb
E = EG#B
F = FAC
Gb = GbBbDb
G = GBD
Ab = Ab C Eb
A = AC#E
Bb = BbDF
B = BD#F#

* The Twelve Minor Chords

Cm = CEbG
Dbm = DbEAb
Dm = DFA
Ebm = EbGbBb
Em = EGB
Fm = FAbC
Gbm = GbADb
Gm = GBbD
Abm = AbBEb
Am = ACE
Bbm = BbDbF
Bm = BDF#

* Seventh Chords

To make any seventh chord take the corresponding major chord and add a fourth note to it. The note that you add is one whole-step (two half-steps) below the root. The seventh chord will sound better if you place this extra note at the top of the chord, leaving the root at the bottom.

This is a C seventh (C7) chord ... C E G Bb

* The Twelve Seventh Chords

C7 = CEGBb

Db7 = DbFAbB

D7 = DF#AC

Eb7 = EbGGBbDb

E7 = EG#BD

F7 = FACEb

Gb7 = GbBbDbE

G7 = GBDF

Ab7 = AbCEbGb

A7 = AC#EG

Bb7 = BbDFAb

B7 = B#D#F#A

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I hope you enjoy your stay at Piano Diana.

Image by New York Public Library via Flickr

Learn to Play the Piano Easy - Flatted 6th Example

http://learngosppelbyear.com
- Learn how to play the piano fast and easy. Learn to play the piano with professional techniques. Learn how to play the piano by ear. This is absolutely the fastest and easiest way to learn to play the piano today.

Jamal speaks quickly through this scale but your ear picks up this cool mysterious sound that I love, especially being Greek! lol Anyways, he's pulling the D to Eb. Jamal
plays with broken, arpeggiated chords in the l.h. and reaches for those octaves. here are some of the chords that I hear him play:

C/G Ab Ab

C G/Ab C D Ab

C G C/G E

C G/Ab C D Bb

/G E

/Ab C D G

/F Ab C G (F minor)

C/G Ab C Eb

C/G Ab C Eb Bb

G C/G D E

G/Ab D F

The melodic minor second (m2), which is formed by playing two notes one step apart on the piano, is the smallest interval that can be played with two different notes. It represents the smallest possible amount singers are usually asked to slide their voices while singing. This interval has the connotation of something slipping or sliding when it's played slowly. It can sound mysterious, sad or strange.

The melodic minor sixth (m6) is formed by playing notes that are eight steps apart on the piano. This interval is quite dissonant and is very active sounding. This is a very wide interval and is used infrequently in melodies.

http://www.songtrellis.com/concepts/interval

* A whole step up from C is D -- the 2nd tone of the C major scale.
* A whole step up from D is E -- the 3rd tone of the C major scale.
* A half step up from E is F -- the 4th tone of the C major scale.
* A whole step up from F is G -- the 5th tone of the C major scale.
* A whole step up from G is A -- the 6th tone of the C major scale.
* A whole step up from A is B -- the 7th tone of the C major scale.
* A half step up from B is C -- the 8th tone of the C major scale.

So the C major scale consists of the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and C -- no sharps or flats!

There are seven different tones in the major scale. The 1st and 8th tones are called the root, tonic, or key note. They are the same note but are an octave apart.

http://www.ezfolk.com/guitar/Tutroials/Music_Theory/Major_Scale/major_scale.html

Have fun practicing with the flatted sixth and let me know how it goes for you.

Warmest Regards,
~ D.