Piano Chords

The piano chord dictionary is arranged according to chord usage, not the alphabetical name of the chord. Thus, you will find the chords that are most used in popular sheet music at the front of the dictionary, with those that are least used at the back of the dictionary. In practice, certain chords are used more frequently in popular sheet music than other chords.

Also, you will find that certain chords have more than one name: F sharp (F#) for example, may also be called G flat (Gb.) The Piano Chord Dictionary lists the chord name most used, with a reference to the alternative name.

There are many different names of chords, with accompanying chord symbols: C Major is the chord name, but you might see many different chord symbols, which denote the very same single chord. Thus a "C Major" chord might be represented by several different symbols, depending on the age and nationality of the sheet music and the choice of the editor of that sheet music: C, C ma, C maj are all accepted representations of the "C Major" chord.

The large chord symbol you see at the beginning of each entry in the piano chord dictionary, C, for example, is the chord symbol you will most likely find in contemporary, American sheet music, published by a major publisher such as Hal Leonard, to name but one publisher.

In addition, you will find that there are many more complex chords with accompanying chord symbols than are covered in this book, which is intended as a text for beginners who wish to explore the art of playing chord symbols in popular music. Therefore, we include an APPENDIX which will give you an acceptable substitute for the more complex chords which are not covered in this book: for example, if you see an indication for C9, you may simply play C7 as an acceptable substitute. This is because, for various reasons, the study of chords comprised of FIVE notes is beyond the scope of this book.

The Piano Chord Dictionary attempts only to introduce beginning students to the study of chords comprised of FOUR notes. Since the study of more complex chords (chords with five notes or more) is based on a firm knowledge of simpler constructions (three and four note chords) the student would be well advised to gain a firm knowledge of three and four note chords before proceeding on to a study of more complex constructions.

In addition, you will note that the chords covered in this book are all in a position known as "root position." Root position is a position in which the basic name of the chord is ALWAYS the lowest note of the chord (the note furthest to the left on the piano.) In a root position C chord, for example, the note C is always the lowest note. It is possible, in more complex arrangements, to place any of the notes of the chord in the lowest position, resulting in more pleasing sounds and smoother movements from chord to chord. The more complex arrangements, known as "chord inversions" are a complicated study, and well beyond the scope of this book.

But students would be, once again, well advised to study the root position of chords first, gaining a practically encyclopedic knowledge of chords in that basic root position, before proceeding on to a study of the art and science of inverting chords, that is, the art and science of producing chords in which the name of the chord does NOT appear in the lowest position of that chord.Failure to gain a firm knowledge of root position chords will inevitably result in confusion.

Think of the Periodic Table of the Elements, wherein all chemical elements are delineated. A budding chemist would do well to learn the properties of Oxygen and Nitrogen as individual elements before attempting to combine them into more complex compounds. It is the same with chords.

However limiting the use of root position may seem at first, a firm knowledge of it will be the unshakeable basis of a further study of more complex and pleasing chord construction.

Thus our suggestion is this: learn to play popular sheet music with the chord in the left hand, in root position, and the melody (the notes of the sheet music) in the right hand. Once you can play all the root position chord symbols covered in this book, you will be ready to proceed to a more complete study of complex chords and their inversions.

Visit http://www.pianoiseasy2.com/dictionary.html to see the PIANO CHORD DICTIONARY.

by John Aschenbrenner Copyright 2000 Walden Pond Press
Visit http://www.pianoiseasy.com to see the fun Piano by Number method for kids.