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LESSON 4 www.guitar-tracks.com

Written by StŽphane Gagnon

USING PAGE 51

Chord triads, major progressions

Open the book on page 51, you will find two charts with a bunch of chord sequences.

Key Roots are in the left column. Each line represent a given scale and reads from left to right.

These chord sequences are constructed with triads using exclusively notes from their specific scales.

As we have seen (p.7-16), the two basic triads are X = 1 3 5 and Xm = 1 b3 5. Remember: 2 tones in a major third and 1&1/2 in a minor third.

Now let's look at these charts on a dual level as they represent both notes and chords.

Take the example of the C scale (first line, top chart). What you see is this: C Dm Em F G Am Bdim (C)

If we consider only the notes (the capital letters) we have C D E F G A B C (the C major scale)

In order to create a chord triad, we will start from any given note of the scale, skip one out of two notes within that same scale, and look at the interval value between Root and third, (fifhth and above also but not now)

so: C = C E G (2 tones between C and E = major third = major chord)

Dm = D F A (1 & 1/2 tones between D and F = minor third = minor chord)

Em = E G B (1& 1/2 tones between E and G = minor chord)

F = F A C (2 tones between F and A = major chord)

G = G B D (2 tones between G and B = major chord)

Am = A C E (1 & 1/2 tones between A and C = minor chord)

Bdim = B D F (1 & 1/2 tones between B and D + 1 &1/2 between D and F = diminished chord)

You will note that all these chords only use the notes from the C major scale. They are formed by the C major scale.

Any combination of these chords can be used in the Key of C

(some combination sound better than others obviously and the same applies in all keys).