chords theory, (piano/keyboards)

Major Chords Theory

Major chords are the most common type of chord.
Character of the chord
They create a bright, "happy" sound. They possess a feeling of resolution and finality. (These chords are often used after more unstable chords such as the dominant sevenths or suspended forths)

Notation:
Usually a major chord is notated by a capital letter, with no additional letters. E.g. C major chord on a chord sheet is simply "C". Occasionally people write "Cmaj", although this is not strictly necessary.

C major chord notated


Theory - how to work out any major chord.
The major chord is composed of the root note (tonic) of the scale, the third (mediant),and the fifth note (dominant). So if you play the scale of C, hold the first note of the scale down (C), the third note (E) and the fifth (G), and this will give you C major chord.
C# major chord


This technique is fine if you know all your scales! But most people don't, so here is another way of approaching this:-
Say you need to figure out C# major, a more unusual chord.
The first note, obviously, is the C# key (one up from C)
For the second note, count 4 notes up from C#
(counting all the black and white keys, but do not include the first key). This should land you at the note F. From here, count a further 3 keys (again, do not include the "F" key). You should now be on G#.
This gives you the three notes C# - F - G#.

So in summary, all major chords are formed from the pattern of 4 steps then 3 steps.
MAJOR - 4 - 3


TOP TIP: To remember this pattern, you might like to think of inviting an Army Major for three O'Clock. MAJOR 4 3 !
This works for any major chord. In music theory terms, what you are in fact doing is counting 4 semitones (a semitone is the smallest step you can go on a musical scale), then 3 semitones.
A common misunderstanding
Major chords are all white key chords.
Whilst this holds true for the major chords you are likely to learn as a beginner (C, F and G), it's not going to be long before you run into black keys! (e.g. D major has an F#)


Minor Chords Theory

Minor chords are very common types of chords so it worth knowing about how they are constructed and how to work them out.
Character of the chord
Minor chords create a moody, melancholic feel. Depending on how they are used and the context in which they are played, this emotion can range from mellow sadness to mourning. Minor chords can be made less intense in feeling by adding modifiers such as sevenths and ninths.

Notation:
Usually a minor chord is notated by a capital letter, followed by a small case "m". E.g. a C minor chord on a chord sheet would be "Cm". Occasional people write "Cmin", although this is not strictly necessary. C minor can also be written C-

C minor chord notated


Theory - how to work out any minor chord.
The minor chord is composed of the root note (tonic) of the scale, the 3rd (mediant), and the 5th note (dominant). So if you play the D minor scale, hold the first note of the scale down (D), the third note (F) and the fifth (A), and this will give you the D minor chord.
Eb minor chord


As with working out major chords, this technique is fine if you know all your minor scales! However, most people don't, so here's another way of figuring out minor chords:-
Let's say we want to work out Eb minor - a more unusual minor chord and unless you know your scales really well this is going to be difficult!
The first note, of course, will be Eb.
To find the second key, count up 3 steps from here (do not include the first key, and count every key, including the black ones). This should get you to Gb (F#).
After this, count 4 steps up from Gb (again, be sure not to include the first key). You should now be on Bb. So Eb minor is Eb - Gb - Bb
So all minor chords are formed from the pattern of 3 steps then 4.
MINOR - 3 - 4


TOP TIP:
If you want to try to remember this sequence, it may by using the following:- "The average age of a miner is 34" = MINOR 3 - 4 ! This fact about miners is almost certainly not true, but if it helps in remembering your chords, then do feel free to use it! There's probably a better one out there - do let me know if you think of any!


Sus 2 Chords Theory

The Sus2 is a beautiful chord, and when used in the correct context can significantly improve the feel and progession of a chord sequence.
Character of the chord
The Sus2 chord has an ambigious feel, it is not clearly "happy" or "sad". It does not possess a resolved feel e.g. you would be unlikely to finish a song on a Sus2

Notation
If you were playing a C major chord, a Sus2 would be written either as "Csus2".(A "C2" is slightly different, as this implies that the third is also present in the chord).


Csus2 chord notated


Theory - how to work out any Sus2 chord.
A Sus2 is based on a major chord, so begin by working this out first.
Next, move the middle note (if you are playing a C major this will be the "E" note) down 2 steps to D. You should now be playing C - D - G. That's it! Csus2
Make sure that when you count down you include every key, except the first one.
Csus2 chord


A Sus2 chord is short for "Suspended second". Usually (but not always) suspensions in music resolve - in this case to the third. For example, Csus2 may then be followed by C major. Here the middle note is resolving upwards, from D to E. The "suspense" of the Sus2 is finding a resolution, or sense of completeness, on the E note.

So in summary, to work out the sus2 chord - 1. work out the major chord. 2. count down two semitones from the middle note.

A common misunderstanding:
Often musicians (mistakenly) believe that a Csus2 and a Cadd9 are the same chord. This is not strictly correct. Although Cadd9 also contains a "D" note, Cadd9's are usually played with the third as well. So a Cadd9 will be C - E - G and D, where as Csus2 is just C - D - G (no E).


Sus4 Chords Theory

Sus4's are great for creating "tension" in music.
Character of the chord
A sus4 chord feels unresolved. They create "direction" in the harmony, and are a popular choice amongst modern day songwriters (generally being prefered to the dominant 7th {eg. C7} as 7th's can make a song feel quite "dated").
Notation
These chords are usually notated "sus4", so C major sus 4 would be written "Csus4". Occasionally the "sus" is omitted to leave just "C4".

Csus4 notated


Theory - how to work out a sus 4 chord.
Firstly, you'll need to work out the major chord. If you're not sure how to do this, please refer to notes on the major chord page on this. Next, add one semitone to the middle note of the chord.
Esus4 major chord


Foe example, let's say you were trying to work out Esus4. Begin by finding the notes of E major. These are E - G# - B. The next step is to go to the middle note (G#) and add one step (up). This gets you to A. So Esus4 is E - A - B.

"Sus 4" are short for "suspended forths". A "Sus4" chord will often "resolve" onto it's major chord, with the forth note droping down to the third. For instance, Csus4 to C major (here the "F" note resolves to the "E"). Notice how we feel that the "C major" chord seems to complete and finish the sound. "Sus4" can be used very effectively just before the finish of a song, or a section to a song.


TOP TIP:
"Sus4" chords can be combined with "7th" chords to create further tension in music. Try playing Csus4/7 to C and you'll see what I mean. Csus4/7= C - F - G - Bb, then C= C - E - G.


5 Chords Theory

5 Chords, or "open chords" are fantastic for creating powerful, dramatic moments in music.
Character of the chord
5 chords are often dubbed "power chords", as they sound very bold and strong. They are used in "heavy rock" and "heavy metal" music on distorted electric guitars to create dramatic sounding riffs. ( There's an interesting analysis of why these chords sound powerful here).

Notation:
5 chords are notated with the number after the chord. E.g. D5

D5 notated


Theory - here's how to work out an open chord.
These are major (or minor chords) without the "third". (5 chords are neither major nor minor as there is no third present).
D5 chord


Let's say you want to work out D5. Begin by finding the notes to D major (these are D - F# - A). Once this is done, remove the middle note (F#). That's it! Open chords only have to notes - the tonic (in this case D) and the dominant (A).

So in summary, work out the major chord, then delete the middle note.


TOP TIP:
To get the most out of this chord, I would suggest playing the two notes a number of times across the hands (or the fret board, if you're playing this on the guitar). For example, if say you were playing E5 on the keyboard you might play octave E's in the left hand ( E and E), and E - B - E in the right hand. This is much stronger sounding than just E and B in the right hand!


6 Chords Theory

6 chords are often associated with jazz and swing music. They are also can be used as passing chords in rock and roll music.
Character of the chord
6 chords can be characterised as having a light and jazzy feel.

Notation
These chords are notated with the name of the chord, followed by the number 6. E.g. D6

D6 chord notated


Theory - how to go about working out a 6 chord.
The best place to start here is to begin by working out the major chord. Once this is done, go up two steps (by the smallest step you can go i.e. a semitone) from the top note. This becomes the new top note of the chord.
F6 chord


Here's an example of this in action. Let's try to work out F6. Firstly, work out the major chord, which is F - A - C. Then, go up two steps from the top note (do not include the top note, and include all keys e.g. whites and blacks as you go). This gets you to the note "D". So F6 is F - A - C - D.

So 6 chords are major chords altered by the top note (the "fifth") moving two steps up.
In early music, a sixth chord would be just three notes (e.g. C6 would be C - E - A) and the "dominant" note (G in this case) was omitted. However, in conventional popular music C6 is taken to mean the four note chord C - E - G - A (even though technically speaking this should be written Cadd6).
Sixth chords also have a minor varient, the "m6", for example Dm6 (D - F - A - B). This might also be written Dmin/maj6 or Dmin(maj6), and is a popular chord in jazz music.


TOP TIP:
It's fun to experiment with this chord. Try playing two normal F chords, followed by one F6, followed by another F chord, in a steady beat. E.g. F F F6 F, and repeat this pattern. This gives you a boogie-woogie style piano riff. If you know how to do a walking bass, you could try adding this in the left hand. A suitable bass here would be F, A, C, D, F (moving up the keyboard) then D, C, A, F (going down). Then see if you can play a chord on each bass note. Now that's a bit more tricky!


7 Chords

There are three common types of 7 chords, and each have different characteristics. On this page we're going to be investigating the most common one of all - the dominant seventh chord.
Character of the chord
This has a very unstable and uncomfortable sound. It is commonly used just before the end of a piece of music (or section of music) to signify "the end is about to happen!"

Notation:
Dominant Seventh chords are notated simply by the name of the chord, followed by the number seven. E.g. G7

G7 chord notated


Theory - here's how to work them out.
Dominant seventh chords are constructed from a major chord, followed by the flattened seventh note of the scale of the chord. O.K. so all that sounds a bit complicated - here's an easier way to work them out, if you're not too familiar with scales:-
A7 chord


Begin by working out the major chord. In this instance, we're going to work out A7, so A major is A - C# -E. The seventh note is found by going two semitones down from the root note (that's the name of the chord - in this example, it's an A). Two semitones down from A is G. Next, put this note up one octave, so that it's now at the top of the chord. So A7 is a four note chord A - C# - E - G .

In summary, dominant sevenths are major chords, with the extra note being found by going down two semitones from the root note.


TOP TIP:
Why are dominant sevenths called "dominant"?
This terminology comes from the degrees of the scale. The first note of the scale is refered to as the "tonic", and a chord formed from this note will called the "tonic chord". The fifth step up on the major scale is the dominant note, and so we call this the "Dominant chord", and if it has a seventh present in the chord, the "Dominant Seventh". This relationship of tonic and dominant is fundamental to virtually all music, whether it be folk, classical, hip hop or exotic indian ragas!
If you want to play around with chord, try playing G7 (G - B - D - F) followed by C, and repeating this. This gives you an "over the top" ending to a piece of music. (This device of repeating the dominant and tonic was commonly used at the end of classical symphonic works to signify that this really was the end of the work).


m7 Chords Theory

The minor seventh chord is one of several types of seventh chords (the other most common ones being the dominant seventh chord, and the major seventh chord).
Character of the chord
A rich sounding chord, with a subtle effect. Not as "sad" as a normal minor chord, and can have a different emotional impact depending on the context in which it is played.

Notation:
Minor Seventh chords are notated by adding the number seven to the minor notation. So C minor seven would be written "Cm7" or "Cmin7".

Cm7 chord notated


Theory - how minor seventh chords are constructed.
These chords are formed from a minor chord, with an added flattened seventh. Here's how you work them out:-
Dm7 chord


Were going to use Dm7 as an example here. First of all, work out the minor chord. This turns out to be D - F - A. Now, go two semitones down from the root note (this is D, in this case). Two down from D is C. To finish with, move the C up one octave. So now you have Dm7 = D - F - A - C.
(Minor sevenths do not have to played so that the seventh is played at the top of the chord. It can be played at the bottom, but usually we would need the left hand, or a bass instrument, to play the root note {D in this case} to make the bass clear if we did this).

So in summary, a minor seventh chord is the minor chord, with extra note two steps down from the root.


TOP TIP:
A great deal of jazz music is built around the use of seventh chords. Two minor seventh chords that work well as a chord sequence are Cm7 followed by Fm7. You could create a moody jazz piece by playing four Cm7 followed by four Fm7 in the left hand, and keep repeating this pattern. Once you are feeling confident with the chords, try improvising something in the right hand. If you're not sure what to play, try using these notes - C - Eb - F - G - Bb . This is known as the "penatonic minor scale on C". These notes will also work whilst you play the Fm7 chord. To make it easier to begin with, just choose three notes from the scale e.g. C, Eb, and F, and repeat these notes whilst you hold down the Cm7 chord in the left hand. Then try switching to Fm7, and do a similar idea with these notes in the right hand.


Maj 7 Chords Theory

This is one of the most common types of seventh chords in music, the other two being the dominant seventh, and the minor seventh chord. (There are eight different types of seventh chords, although only seven are in common practice).
Character of the chord
The major seventh chord has a "laid back", dreamy sound. It feels quite peaceful and restful.

Notation:
Major sevenths are written "Fmaj7" (if it's an F chord). In jazz notation, major sevenths are written with triangle after the letter name.

F maj7 notated


Theory - how to go about working out a major seventh chord.
These chords are formed from a major chord, with an added seventh. Here's how to work one out:-
Amaj7 chord


To begin with, work out the major chord. In this example, we have A major, which is A - C# - E. Next, go down just one semitone from the root note (the root note is the same as the name of the chord). So go down one step from A. This gets you to G#. To finish with, move this G# up one octave. So now you have the notes A - C# - E - G#. This is Amaj7!

So in summary, a major seventh chord is a major chord with an extra note, one down from the root.


TOP TIP:
One of the most famous pieces of music to use the major seventh chord is "Gymnopedie No.1" (by Eric Satie). If you want to re-create the feel of this work, play Gmaj7 (G - B - D - F#), followed by Dmaj7 (D - F# - A - C#). These are the chords that the music follows for the first 12 bars. To create a sound close to the original, play the chords in the left hand, so that you play the root note, followed by the rest of the chord e.g., G, then B - D - F# (played together). Do the same with the Dmaj7. Once you have mastered this, in the right hand play the notes F#, up to A, then going down to G, F#, and C#. These are the first two bars of "Gynmopedie", and are played as the left hand plays the chords. You will need to listen to the track to hear how these notes fall with the chords. Notice that the work begins with a single left hand note (G), and then the melody starts (on F# in the right hand) with the rest of the maj7th chord (played in the left hand). See if you can work out the rest! (Or at least the first section!)


9 Chords Theory

9th chords (especially "add9's") are great for creating a subtle and mellow feel to a standard major or minor chord.
Character of the chord
If a ninth is found in the middle of a chord, it will create a subtle warmth to the sound. if played at the top of the chord, it creates a slight feeling of suspension, but not as tense as a sus4 or dominant 7th chord.

Notation:
There are a number of varients to this chord, and each one has it's own written shorthand. "C9" means a major chord with a 7th and 9th. "Cm9" means play a minor chord with a 7th and 9th. "Cadd9" is a C major chord with a 9th (no 7th). Other varients are the flattened 9th. For example, Cmb9. Here you would play a C minor chord, with a 7th and flattened 9th (the 9th note here would be a Db).

C9 notated


Theory - how to work out any ninth chord.
A ninth chord is formed from any major or minor chord by adding the second degree of the scale to the chord. The seventh degree is usually included as well. If you're not confident with scales, here's another way of working them out:-
D9 chord


Here we're going to look at D9. Begin by working out the major chord, which is in this case is D - F# - A. Next you'll need to add a minor seventh to the chord (this will be a C, two down from the root note). Finally, the ninth. For this, find the root note of the chord (D) and add two semitones to it. (Remember that a semitone is the smallest step you can go in music). This gets you to E. So D9 would be played D - F# - A - C - E.
So far we looked at the standard ninth chord (also known as the dominant ninth). There's lots of cool varients to this chord. Here's some of the possibilities:-
Dmaj9
For this, work out the major chord, and the ninth as before. The only difference is the seventh note, which in this case is C#. This is because the "maj" part of the symbol refers to the seventh note, which should be played as a major seventh. A very sweet sounding chord.
Dm9
This is essentially a minor chord, with a minor seventh and a ninth. So the notes here would be D - F - A - C - E. Another great chord.
Dadd9
This is the same as D9, but without the minor seventh. So Dadd9 is D - F# - A - E.
The "add9" chords are one of my favourite types of chord. I often play them with this type of voicing ("voicing" is the order in which we play the notes) - D (in the left hand) and E - F# - A (in the right hand). I often replace a straight chord (such as "C" or "E" etc) with Cadd9 or Eadd9, to create a little more warmth in the sound.
D(b9)
Yet another type of ninth! This time the ninth is "flattened" so that it is one semitone down from where it originally was. Another way of looking at this is to count just one semitone up from the root note, and then put this note up one octave. Remember to add the minor seventh. So D(b9) would be D - F# - A - C - Eb
Other varients of the ninth chord can be created by using the flattened ninth with minor chords, or as an "addb9".


TOP TIP:
Here's a cool little chord sequence to experiment with:- Play two Cadd9's, playing them so that you play C in the left hand, and D - E - G in the right hand. Follow this with two ordinary C chords (C in the left hand and C - E - G in the right). Repeat this, so that the whole sequence is Cadd9, Cadd9, C, C, Cadd9, Cadd9, C, C. Then move to Am, F, and G, doing a similar thing with each chord.


11 Chords Theory

11 Chords, in a similar way to the ninth chords, have many permutations.
Character of the chord
This varies considerably, depending on what type of 11th chord is being played. The standard 11 (eg C11) has a degree of "suspense" feel due to the presence of the forth in the chord (more on this later).

Notation:
The "Dominant" 11 is written by the letter name of the chord, followed by the number 11. E.g. C11

C11 notated


Theory - how a 11th chord is constructed.
A standard (dominant) 11th chord is composed of a major (or minor) chord, with a minor seventh, and eleventh note added to this triad. Sometimes musicians also play the ninth as well.
So how do we work out the eleventh note?
F11 chord


Let's take F11 as an example. Begin by working out the major chord, and then figure out the minor seventh , and the ninth note . This will give you F - A - C - Eb - G.
Now go back to the major chord (F - A - C) and go up one step (one semitone) from the middle note. This is Bb. Now put this note up one octave. There it is! F11
F11= F - A - C - Eb - G - Bb

In practise, musicians rarely play all six notes of an 11 chord, unless these are specifically cited in the notation. Often the fifth note of the chord (the dominant, in the case of F11 would be C) is omitted. It is also common to omit playing the third, as there is a dissonance between the 11th note (Bb) and the third (A). However, if we do this, then we are really playing a Dsus4, all be it with a ninth present. This chord is often shown as 9sus4.


TOP TIP:
The "add11" varient of this chord makes for an intriguing sounding. Remember that making it "add11" means that ONLY the eleventh note is added to a major (or minor) chord. For instance, Dadd11 would be D - F# - A - G. (There's no sevenths or ninths). The reason this is unusual is because both the third and the forth note are present in the chord, generally considered dissonant. However, if we play it in the form of a broken chord (say playing D - F# - A repeatedly in the left hand, and D - G in the right hand an octave higher) then we can create an interesting "suspended" feel to a musical section.


Augmented Chords Theory

One of the most unstable triads in music.
Character of the chord
An unstable, dissonant sound. Used in atonal music due to it's lack of a tonal centre. ("tonal centre" refers to where the music is rooted, or grounded. If you were playing chords C, F, and G7, then C would be the tonal centre).

Notation
Augmented chords are shown by the letter name of the chord, followed by a + symbol. So E augmented is E+. They can also be written "Eaug" .

E+ notated

Theory - how to work out any augmented chord.
Augmented chords are formed from the root, the third, and the augmented fifth of any scale. Here's how to work one out if you're not familar with this musical terminology!:-
G+ chord


In this example we're going to look at G+. Firstly, work out G major chord. This will give you the notes G - B - D. Next, take the top note of the chord (D) and raise it by one semitone - that's just one step up the keyboard. This will get you to D#. So G+ is G - B - D#.
In a similar way to the diminished seventh chord, there a limited number of augmented chords. Beginning from C+ (which is C - E - G#), there is then C#+ (C# - F - Gx {A##}), D+ (D - F# - A#), and Eb# (Eb - G - B). Once we are at E (E - G# - B#{C}), we are playing the same notes again as the first chord, all be it in a different inversion. So there are really only four augmented chords possible.


TOP TIP:
Is there such a thing as a minor augmented chord?
Here's a chord seqeunce using the augmented fifth, this time in the minor. (In conventional musical theory, there's no such thing as a "minor augmented chord", as this is seen as a contradiction in terms. However, some musicians speculate that there is the need for this term). Indeed, in the James Bond Theme, the second chord is a Em+5.
Here's the chord sequence, if you want to have a go at it:-
Em, Em+5, Em6, Em+5
Em= E - G - B
Em+5= E - G - B#
Em6= E - G - C#
The term "Em+5" best describes what is happening here - the bass is staying on E, we are still in a minor mood, and the top note is moving up (on its way to C#, via the B#). Of course, this chord could be described as C/E, but notating it this way doesn't seem to capture the meaning or the context of the chord.


Diminished Chords Theory

There are three common types of diminished chords ("dim" chords). These are - the diminished triad, the diminished seventh, and the half-diminished seventh chords.
Character of the chord
Generally creates a very unstable feel to section of music, due the fifth note being flattened.

Notation:
Dim chords are commonly written with a small circle after the letter name. For example, E°. This can also be written Edim.

E° notated


Theory - how dim chords are formed.
A dinimished triad is formed from three notes - the root, the minor third (b3rd) and the flattened fifth (b5). Here's how to work one out, if your not familar with these terms:-
C° chord


Begin by thinking about what any minor chord would look like (In this instance, we're going to think about Cm=C - Eb - G). Next, go down one semitone from the top note of the chord. This gets you to Gb (F#). That's it! Cdim triad is C - Eb - Gb.
However, this is not the end of the story. A diminished seventh chord (as opposed to a diminished triad) also has a diminished seventh note in (a double flat note). This is worked out by taking the last note of the dim triad (in this case, a Gb) and going up three steps (three semitones - remember not to include the first key). This gets you to A (technically Bbb, B "double flat").
So C° is C - Eb - Gb - A
So if we want to play a C dim triad, this is usually notated Cmb5, or Cm-5. If we are called on to play a diminished seventh chord, this is notated C° or Cdim. However, in some modern jazz notation, C° means play the dim triad, and C°7 means play the diminished seventh chord!

Half-Diminished Seventh Chords:
Just to add to the confusion, there's another type of diminished seventh chord! This is the half-diminished seventh chord. These chords are notated with a diagonal line going through the circle, so C half-diminished seventh would look like this - Cø .They are a diminished seventh chord with a seventh that is flattened, not diminished. So Cø would be played C - Eb - Gb - Bb. These half-dim chords are very common in modern jazz, and are used as II chords, in the chord progression II, V, I. An example in C minor would be Dø - G7b9 - Cm. Jazz musicans will often refer to this chord as the "minor seventh flat five" , and notate it Dm7b5.


TOP TIP:
There are only three different types of diminished seventh chords possible. If we begin on C, there is C° (C - Eb - Gb - A), then Db° (Db - E - G - Bb), and then D° (D - F - Ab - B). However, when we start on the next key up (Eb), and form the Eb° (Eb - Gb - A - C), we are effectively playing the first chord again, in a different inversion. The same happens on the next key up (F, this is the same as the Db°)
If you like making theatrical effects on the piano, try playing the C° as a "tremolo" chord (rapidly playing the notes by rocking the hand from side to side), and then do the same with Db°, and then D°. Hey, now you might get some work accompanying an old black & white movie!


Flat Chords Theory

A great deal of misunderstanding revolves around this term!
Character of the chord
Can be major or minor, so there is no consistent character

Notation:
Any chord where the letter name (the root) has a flat (b) symbol following it. E.g. Bb

Bb notated


Theory - what do we mean by a "flat" chord?
Eb chord


A flat chord is any chord where the root (that's the bottom note of the chord) is a flat note, such as Eb major. The chord could be major, minor or an altered chord such as seventh or ninth.
Here's some common mistakes when we use this term:-
1. A flat chord is a chord with all black keys.
NOT TRUE - Eb (above) has the white key G. Lot's of "flat" chords have white keys in them!
2. Flat chords are minor chords, sharp chords are majors.
NOT TRUE - Eb (above) is a major chord! I guess it's easy to associate "going down" to a flat key with minor. Also, many common major chords are "flattened" to turn them into minor (e.g. C major {C - E - G} becomes C minor {C - Eb - G}, or G major {G - B - D} becomes G minor {G - Bb - D}). However, the "flat" refers to the root name of the chord, and not what is happening in the middle of the chord.
3. Flat chords are all white key chords, such as C major, F major, A minor etc.
The term to play a "flat chord" is sometimes used by keyboard or piano teachers as a way to help memorize the shape of the hand. For example, with C major, the hand strikes a flat surface to contact C, E and G. (Unlike D major {D - F# - A}, which is uneven due to the black key F#). In this sense, the chords C, D, F, G, and Dm, Em, Am and B° are all "flat" chords.
However, using the term this way creates confusion amongst students due to the way we usually talk about the word "flat" in music in relation to pitches such as Ab and Bb. Perhaps the term "level chords" would be less misleading.


TOP TIP:
It's worth noting some common shapes when it comes to playing flat chords. Eb (Eb- G - Bb), Ab (Ab - C - Eb), and Db (Db - F - Ab) are all played by the same hand shape, with the white key in the middle. Practise playing these chords on the piano, one after another. This will help in learning these common major triads.


Sharp Chords Theory

Like the term "flat chords" this is another popularly misunderstood phrase.
Character of the chord
Sharp chords have no consistant character, as they can be either major or minor.

Notation:
A sharp chord will always have a # symbol, after the letter name. For example C#. (This would be C sharp major, C#m would be C sharp minor).

C# notated


Theory - how sharp chords are worked out.
C# minor chord


A sharp chord can be any type of chord, starting on a sharp note. (For example C# major, C# minor, or C# diminished etc.) Here we have C# minor.
There's a lot of confusion surrounding this term. Let's deal with some popular urban myths about "sharp chords".
1. Sharp chords are chords where all the keys are sharp.
NOT TRUE - For example, in C# minor the middle note (E) is not sharp. However, most major sharp chords contain all sharp notes, such as F# (F# - A# - C#) and C# (C# - E# - G#).
2. Sharp chords are major chords, flat chords are minor chords.
NOT TRUE - C# minor is not a major chord! It's easy to make this mistake. To switch from a minor chord to a major chord, we have to raise the middle note by one step. When we do this, we may often land on a sharp key. For example, if we turn D minor (D - F - A) into D major (D - F# - A), the middle note has gone up from F to F#. However, the names of chords are referred to by their root notes (the bottom note of the chord) not the middle note.


TOP TIP:
Sharp chords are not as common as chords based on white keys such as D major and A major. To learn some sharp chords, look for patterns which are consistent between them, and practise them together. For example, on the piano F#m (F# - A - C#) G#m (G# - B - D#) and C#m (C# - E - G#) all have the same pattern in the hand of black - white - black. As a simple exercise, practise playing four C#m's in the right hand, followed by four F#m's and then four G#m's. Try doing this exercise a few times a day to make the chords more familiar. Once this is done, look for other chords which have similar patterns (such as all white key chords, or white - black - white chords) and practise these together as well.


Chord Inversions Theory

Any chord can be played in a number of different positions.
Character of the chord
When we "invert" a chord, the resultant sound is usually lighter and less definite than a chord in it's root position.

Notation:
In popular music, inverted chords are written with the bass letter name after the chord. For example, C/E is C chord, with E in the bass. In classical or serious music, figured basses are used to notate inversions.

C/E notated


Theory - how to work out chord inversions.
Any chord can be play in one of three positions:-
C major chord in root position

Root Position:
When it's in it's "root" position, the bottom note of the chord is the same as the name of the chord. For example, with C major in root position, the chord would be played with C at the bottom, like this = C - E - G.

C major chord in first inversion

First Inversion:
However, we can also play the same notes in a different place by moving the C to the top of the chord, so that now C is played E - G - C. When "E" is in the bass in a C major chord, we call this "C major 1st inversion", and write it "C/E".

C major chord in second inversion

Second Inversion:
If we take C/E, and move the E to the top of the chord, we have created the second inversion of C major. Here the notes would be G - C - E, and we write this C/G.

We can apply this technique to any chord (major, minor, diminished or augmented) and create inversions. Just move the bottom note to the top of the chord to work through the positions.
Here's another example:-
G (in root position) = G - B - D
G/B (Ist inversion) = B - D - G
G/D (2nd inversion) = D - G - B

A common misunderstanding:
People frequently think that if they see the symbol G/B it means play either G or B! Remember that the first letter refers to the chord that it is to be played, the second letter refers to the bass note (what the bass player might play, or what might be played in the left hand by the piano player).

The third inversion;
After the second inversion, if we move the bass note to the top of the chord again (e.g. with C/G, the notes being G - C - E) we get back to where we started (e.g. with C, the notes now being C - E - G). This is true for all triad chords.
However, some chords contain four or more notes, such as seventh chords. Here, it is possible to have a third inversion, before we are back to root position again. For instance, C7:-
C7 (root position) = C - E - G - Bb
C7/E = E - G - Bb - C
C7/G = G - Bb - C - E
C7/Bb = Bb - C - E - G
This theory can be applied to any four note chord.


TOP TIP:
Here's a great way of practising inversions on the piano - a four chord progression based on Am.
First, play the chords Am, G, F and E. Once you're fairly confident with this, play Am in it's root position (A - C - E), then it's first inversion (C - A - E), then it's second inversion (E - A - C), anf finally back to the first inversion. Then move to the next chord (G), and do a similar thing, then repeat this with F and E chords. Hold the sustaining pedal through each chord, only change it when you move to the next one (e.g. from Am to G etc.)
You can vary this by playing the same thing as broken chords. E.g. play each note of Am one by one - A, then C then E. Do this with the first inversion, and then the second. Then, play the second inversion once more, this time playing the notes from the top down (C, A, then E). Now play the first inversion from the top down, and finally play the root position in the same way. Once this is done, see if you can move to the next chord in the sequence (G) and do the same thing, and follow this with F and finally E chords.
Another chord sequence that works well with this is one based on Em. Here the chords are Em, D, C and B.