A Quick Course In Reading Chord Charts printable pdf download

A QUICK COURSE IN READING CHORD CHARTS

In cases where sheet music is not available, chord sheets are used to write out the songs. For those who

may not be familiar or used to reading chord sheets, here is a quick overview.

1. Chord sheets are a kind of short-hand way to write out songs. The rhythm is NOT written out, although

sometimes the bass notes are given. The rhythm would need to be figured out by listening to the CD. If

that isn't easy at first, it's okay, it will get easier with practice. Many of you, especially guitar players, are

already used to reading music in this format. Our experience is that often, many keyboard players and

bass players are not. Don't let it frighten you into wondering if you are musician enough to pull this

whole team music thing off! Many people are unaccustomed to reading music in this format, and we'll

work more on it together at training.

2. How to read the symbols:

The name of the chord is placed above the word where it is (approximately) played. If the chord

•

has no qualifiers, (e.g. "A", or "B

"), it is simply the major chord listed.

Qualifiers are:

•

min

The minor chord is played. This is also notated by simply adding an "m" to the letter

name of the chord, (e.g. "Cm")

sus

A sustained chord is played. The third in the chord is dropped and a fourth replaces

it. For example, C

contains the notes C, F, and G. The third of a "C" chord is an

sus

E, but it is dropped and replaced by the fourth, which in this case is an "F."

add

A note is added to the chord. If each note in a chord were given a number, the root

of the chord, (which is also the name of the chord), is "1", the middle note is "3", and

the top note is "5." So in a C major chord, C is 1; E is 3; G is 5. In a C minor chord

(Cm), C is 1; Eb is 3; and G is 5. Thus, a "C add 2" chord would consist of the notes

C, D, E, and G, since D is 2. A "C add 4" would consist of the notes C, E, F, and G,

since F is 4. "A" in a "C" chord is 6, B is 7. Each chord has this number system,

rather than each key, so as you move from a "C" chord to an "F" chord, "F" becomes

1, with A as 3 and C as 5.

Rather than "add 7", since seventh chords are so common, a 7 is simply added to

the letter of the chord to indicate a seventh chord, (e.g. C

, B

). Most often, the 7

that is added is flat for the key, so a B

is played in the key of C rather than a B; and

a C is added in the key of D instead of a C

. But this is not always the case. Just

play whichever note sounds better!

dim

A diminished chord is played. The minor chord is played with a flatted fifth. For

example, "C

" means Cm played with, in this case, a G

dim

aug

An augmented chord is played. The major chord is played with a sharped fifth. For

example, "Caug" means C major chord played with, in this case, a G

. (If you don't

get dims and augs, we'll cover this more at training. They are here for reference.)

Letters after slash (/) marks:

•

The letter that appears after a slash mark is the note that is played in the bass. The bass

guitar plays this note and the keyboardist plays this note in the left hand. For example, if the

chart had "C/G", that would mean to play a C major chord with a G as the bass note.

A Quick Course In Reading Chord Charts

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