Just in case there are some of yall out there who still dont' fully understand this exercise, here is some explanations that should clear it up a bit more:
Major chord = 1-3-5
Minor chord = 1-b3-5
Diminished 7th chord = 1-b3-b5-bb7
Augmented chord = 1-3-#5
Do you see this? These are the scale degrees used to form the different chords. Now I'm going to show you the exercise using these scale degrees:
Root Position
Key C
Major = 1-3-5 (C-E-G)
Minor = 1-b3-5 (C-Eb-G)
Dim. 7th = 1-b3-b5-bb7 (C-Eb-Gb-Bbb)
Augmented = 1-3-#5 (C-E-G#)
Key C#
Major = 1-3-5 (C#-E#-G#)
Minor = 1-b3-5 (C#-E-G#)
Dim. 7th = 1-b3-b5-bb7 (C#-E-G-Bb)
Augmented = 1-3-#5 (C#-E#-G##)
Let me do some explaining:
- Start with the major chord in root position, 1-3-5.
- When you go to the minor chord, 1 & 5 stays the same, but the 3rd moves down 1/2 step, 1-b3-5.
- When you go to the dim. 7th chord, the 1 & b3 stays the same, but the 5th is lowerd 1/2 step and a double flat 7th note is added, 1-b3-b5-bb7.
- When you get to the augmented chord, the 1 stays the same, the 3 moves up 1/2 step, but the 5th moves up 1 whole step, 1-3-#5. Another way to look at this one is to go back to your major chord, then the 5th moves up 1/2 step, 1-3-5 to 1-3-#5.
You understand that? I hope you do cuz now I'm going to move to the 1st inversion and it should make more sense:
1st Inversion
Key C
Major = 3-5-1 (E-G-C)
Minor = b3-5-1 (Eb-G-C)
Dim. 7th = b3-b5-bb7-1 (Eb-Gb-Bbb-C)
Augmented = 3-#5-1 (E-G#-C)
Key C#
Major = 3-5-1 (E#-G#-C#)
Minor = b3-5-1 (E-G#-C#)
Dim. 7th = b3-b5-bb7-1 (E-G-Bb-C#)
Augmented = 3-#5-1 (E#-G##-C#)
Notice that when you move to the 1st inversion, your scale degrees change places. It goes from 1-3-5 to 3-5-1, this is where the exercise gets a little tricky. The scale degrees still move the same, but they are now in a different place. Let me explain:
- Start with the major chord in 1st inversion, 3-5-1.
- When you go to the minor chord, 1 & 5 stays the same, but the 3rd moves down 1/2 step, b3-5-1.
- When you go to the dim. 7th chord, the 1 & b3 stays the same, but the 5th is lowerd 1/2 step and a double flat 7th note is added, b3-b5-bb7-1.
- When you get to the augmented chord, the 1 stays the same, the 3 moves up 1/2 step, but the 5th moves up 1 whole step, 3-#5-1. Another way to look at this one is to go back to your major chord, then the 5th moves up 1/2 step, 3-5-1 to 3-#5-1.
Is it getting more clearer for you now? There's one more inversion to go, the 2nd inversion:
2nd Inversion
Key C
Major = 5-1-3 (G-C-E)
Minor = 5-1-b3 (G-C-Eb)
Dim. 7th = b5-bb7-1-b3 (Gb-Bbb-C-Eb)
Augmented = #5-1-3 (G#-C-E)
Key C#
Major = 5-1-3 (G#-C#-E#)
Minor = 5-1-b3 (G#-C#-E)
Dim. 7th = b5-bb7-1-b3 (G-Bb-C#-E)
Augmented = #5-1-3 (G##-C#-E#)
Notice that when you move to the 2nd inversion, your scale degrees change places again. It goes from 3-5-1 to 5-1-3, this is where the exercise gets even more tricky. The scale degrees still move the same, but they are now in another different place. Let me explain:
- Start with the major chord in 2nd inversion, 5-1-3.
- When you go to the minor chord, 1 & 5 stays the same, but the 3rd moves down 1/2 step, 5-1-b3.
- When you go to the dim. 7th chord, the 1 & b3 stays the same, but the 5th is lowerd 1/2 step and a double flat 7th note is added, b5-bb7-1-b3.
- When you get to the augmented chord, the 1 stays the same, the 3 moves up 1/2 step, but the 5th moves up 1 whole step, #5-1-3. Another way to look at this one is to go back to your major chord, then the 5th moves up 1/2 step, 5-1-3 to #5-1-3.
By now it should be very clear. If not, then you can go back and study all you need to. The whole point of this exercise is to first get you familiar with the scale degrees that make up your basic chords. Then, it gets you familiar with how those scale degrees move to form other chords. So, you should be focusing more on the scale degrees, and not so much the actual notes being played.
Knowing this will help you to start looking at the keyboard less from the perspective of notes and more from the perspective of music theory. In other words, you will start to play less by letters and more by numbers. This leads you right in to learning and understanding progressions.
