Have a look at this example....
This is the same as a G Major chord except for note 3 (otherwise known as the 3rd). In this
case the note is a Bb instead of a B. It does not belong to the G Major scale, it belongs to
the G Minor scale (key signature is Bb and Eb). So, this chord is a G Minor chord.
We can see that it is the 3rd in a chord which determines if it is Major or Minor.
There are lots of different chords and it would be possible to write a whole book on that
topic alone, but for the sake of the purpose of this book it is enough to be able to read and
play them.
The main types you will come across are...
Major/Minor
Diminished/Augmented
Major 7th /Minor 7th
Added chords
How are chords written?
i) notation (notes on top of each other)
ii)Lots of contemporary music has chords written in symbols/letters. (see appendix)
How are chords played?
Block chords - this is when you play all the notes of the chord at the same time.
Arpeggio - this is where you play each note of the chord in turn and in time with the music.
(e.g. fingerpicking on a guitar)
Spread chords - this is where you play the notes of the chord one after the other very
quickly (e.g. a strum on a guitar). The symbol for a spread chord is....