Theory to Very Mellow Talk Music Chords HERE!!

[DaNatiMaestro]

Hello LGM Fam,

Let me start off by saying that I LOVE theory.. it makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.. 

Anyways here we go.. Another sleepless night!!!

People ask.. how do you get that PHAT, mellow, neo-soulish sound? or how do you make them crazy passing chords that you hear the "pros" do all the time? Well I will tell you.. extensions, alterations, tritones, passing chords. This is how you do it.. hopefully by the end of this post you'll see where I'm coming from and if not please don't hesitate to ask more questions!

Extensions are notes from the scale that you can add to your chords.. these are the 9, 11, 13, you can add these notes to major 7th, minor 7th and dominant 7th chords. I don't have the 7th on that list b/c the major and minor 7ths are the building blocks along with the 3 to basic harmony.  Put the major 3rd and major 7th together you have the foundation of a Major 7th (Maj7) chord. Put the minor 3rd and minor 7th together you have the foundation of a Minor 7th (min7) chord.  Put the major 3rd and minor 7th together you have a TRI-.. uh.. the foundation of a dominant 7th (7) chord. (I ain't ready to release the Tritone just yet, for now just think dominant 7th chord!!!)
Why didn't I mention the 1 or 5? Well.. the 1 is well.. the 1, it's the root the back bone but for the "harmony" itself you don't necessarily have to play it that's why we have rootless voicing and the 5 is well.. the 5 that notes is common to major, minor and dominant seventh chords meaning.. you can either play it or don't play it and you will still have the "harmony".. the 5 is a note that does not give character or quality; it can enhance but it doesn't define.. that's left up to the 1, 3, b3, b7 and 7!

Alterations are notes that are not originally from the scale that you can add to your chords.. these are the #4 equal to (#11), b5, b9, #9, b13 equal to (#5).  These notes add color.. in other words if the 3 and 7 are the basic flavor then these alteration notes are the salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash, garlic.. they definitely spice things up. Take Note: so when you heard that chords that just sounds CRAZY.. suspect that an alteration or two or three are in the mix somewhere.. Don't believe me!! Well try this.. play the Db major scale (that is major harmony) now.. play the DbAbDb (1-5-1) in your left hand then play a G (b5) in the right hand.. DO YOU HEAR THAT?.. or try to play a E (b9).. DO YOU HEAR THAT? it sounded off or as they say disonant.. it just don't seem to go together but trust me that is how you get that interesting flavor and sound!

Tritones.. REMEMBER THIS.. major 3rd / minor 7th.. that's how you form a tritone. I hear some folks say "Hey I'm doing a Tritone!!" when they are NOT.. if you do not see them hit the major 3rd with the minor 7th they have NOT done a Tritone!! okay now that I've gotten that off my chest; what exactly do we use for and why is it the taboo or buzzword of the day? I had an excellent eConvo on AIM with Ms. Jada (sorry for using your real first name, don't remember your LGM username off the top) she broke it down like this..

You can come at Tritone in two ways:
1) Tritone Substitution - take the bass note Ab find it's "Tritone Buddy" if Ab is the major 3rd of E Major scale then what is minor 7th of E Major scale? Uhm.. D#(flatted) or D.. well you can substitute the Ab note in the  bass for D.. or a Ab chord for a D chord.. You don't believe.. tsk.. tsk.. try this simple 2-5-1 in Db.. Eb -> Ab -> Db.. Play it regular Eb minor triad -> Ab major triad -> Db major triad.. now with the tritone substitution it's Eb -> D -> Db.. Eb minor triad -> D major triad -> Db major triad.. tritone substitution are cool cuz they can lead to some real.. SMOOTH progressions and chromatic bass lines...

2) Tritone.. which is? major 3rd / minor 7th.. or in other words the building block for a dominant seventh chord.

So to sum up Tritones.. they are nothing but a framework that you add to.. Let me make this REALLY clear.. the Tritone by itself is not necessarily PHAT.. it's the extension and alterations that you add to them that make it PHAT!!

Passing Chords these are the chords that go outside of the progression or key that the normal progression is in.  This is another thing that the "pros" have mastered.  Yeah a 1-5-1 progression is just a 1-5-1 progression until Kevin Bond throws in some passing chords in between that make you just shake your head and push the rewind button.. it's about rhythm, timing and feel.  You can't just be doing passing chords til you blue in the face cuz you'll start to sound busy.. but a tasteful pass here and there will definitely have folks taking notice to what you're doing on the keys..  I will have to WARN you though.. you have to be respectful to the key and progression that you're ADDING passing chords to.. passing chords are NOT the progression they enhance the progression. If the 1 beat of each measure goes from the 1 to the 5 to the 1 you best make sure that you're passing chords will allow you to be on the 1 and the 5 and 1 on the 1 beat of each measure.. or you'll sound sloppy.. now don't get me wrong sometime cats do this on purpose to get a certain effect and well others don't.. you can tell who do it right or wrong.. (Quick shout out to my man Dooley for doing this perfectly last night during that concert!! He killed it!!  )

Another thing in the progressions that I'm about to go through there are a method to the madness behind my passing chords... most of these passing chords are taking me out of the key of the progression and bring me back or move along a certain bassline.. mostly the whole tone scale (Another topic all together.. trust me..) each note in that scale is a whole note apart so like in C.. the C whole tone scale is C,D,E,F#,G#,A#,C
(I did that exact move in pattern 4.. look at the bass note of each chord and you'll see!!)

Ok.. nuff talking from me.. here are the breakdown to the chords.. I have listed the key, progression, numbered notes and chord names.. ENJOY!!
Roman Numerials (small letters stand for minor, cap letters stand for major)
 I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - vii  | 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
P stands for Passing Chord

Pattern 1 - Key of Bb
ii - IV Progression (2-4)
ii  | CGBb/DEbFBb | 1 5 b7 / 9 b3 11 b7 | Cmin11
P | DF#/CFAC      | 1 3 / b7 #9 5 b7 | D7#9
IV | EbBbC/DFGBbD | 1 5 6(13) / 7 9 3 5 7 | EbMaj6/9
P | DbFB/EbGBbEb | 1 3 b7 / 9 #11 13 9 | Db7#11

Pattern 2 - Key of Bb
IV - vi Progression (4-6) Rewrote order of chords to see progression easier
IV | EbBb/DFGBbC | 1 5 / 7 9 3 5 6(13) | EbMaj6/9
P | F#C/FBbCF | 3 b7 / #9 b13 7 #9 | D7#9b13 (rootless voicing) bass would be played by FP or bass player
vi | GD/FABbD | 1 5 / b7 9 b3 5 | Gmin9
P | AE/GCEG | 1 5 / b7 b3 5 b7 | Amin7
P | BF#/DF#A | 1 5 / b3 5 b7 | Bmin7
P | BbAb/DGBD | 1 b7 / 3 13 b9 3 | Bb7b9 (added 13)

Pattern 3 - Key of G
I - IV - vi - IV Progression (1-4-6-4)
I | GD/ABDF#,D | 1 5 / 9 3 5 7, 5 | GMaj9
IV | CG/DEGB,G | 1 5 / 9 3 5 7, 5 | CMaj9
vi | EA/BDF#A,F# | 1 4(11) / 5 b7 9 11, 9 | Esus E/D D major triad over E in bass (HOT b/c no 3rd)
IV | CG/BDEG,E | 1 5 / 7 9 3 5, 3 | CMaj9
Special Note here the D7#9b13 from Pattern 2 acts as a V to take you to the key of G! Listen to pattern 3 again and you'll hear the key change.. the chord I play before the GMaj9 is the D7#9b13 chord.

Pattern 4 - Key of G
IV - V - vi Progression (4 - 5 - 6) A Very Common Worship Vamp
IV | CGB/DGBD | 1 5 7 / 9 5 7 9 | CMaj9 (HOT b/c no 3rd)
V | DAD/EF#AD | 1 5 1 / 9 3 5 1 | DMaj9
vi | EAB/DF#AD | 1 4 5 / b7 9 11 b7 | Esus E/D (slash chord) same as above just voiced differently
P | F#C#/ABE,F# | 1 5 / b3 11 b7, 1 | F#min11
P | AbEbGb/BbBEb | 1 5 b7 | 9 b3 5 | Abmin9
P | FB/EAbB | b7 3 / 11 b9 3 | G7b9 (added 11) Rootless voicing (G would be played by FP or bass player)

That's it!

You should now have everything you need to play these chords / patterns in any key that you'd like!!
And hopefully this article has either demystified extension, alteration, TRITONES and passing chords or they have sparked your interested to do even more research and study into these subjects.  Again these are the "secrets" to get you that PHAT, flavorful sound that you hear all the time.

It took me a while to get this, I've been playing for 8 or 9 years and just recently like 2 or 3 years ago did stuff start to click and make sense for me. I'm saying that to tell everyone to be patient.. it will come.. slowly but surely things will start to click and gel and you'll be on your way to making your own unique sound in no time!!

So print this off and STUDY it.. if you have questions feel free to post and please let me know if this article was helpful or not.

[truth4life]

Wow,  I think I understand what a tritone is now...lol.  I know alot of people on here play by ear and the chords they post are great, but with me not being able to play by ear I am in relief to have some theory behind it all!!!! Thank you thank you!

[JaZzY_E3]

 Is this everything I need to know about chords???

[silky]

thanks for the info, i am about to practice them now.  but i do have a question about the tritone.  you say that a tritone is a maj. 3rd and a min 7th, i thought a tritone that can be played on any note of a key.  i'm confused. will you help me

[DaNatiMaestro]

Is this everything I need to know about chords???

Uhm.. is this a serious question or are you being sarcastic? I have a sense of humor but I can't tell what you're after cuz your question is so general..

Thx...

[DaNatiMaestro]

thanks for the info, i am about to practice them now.  but i do have a question about the tritone.  you say that a tritone is a maj. 3rd and a min 7th, i thought a tritone that can be played on any note of a key.  i'm confused. will you help me

I wanna help you out but you've confused me with your question.. lol... 
Could you rephrase it?

[JaZzY_E3]

 I asked it as a serious question...but which ever you prefer is fine with me

[silky]

thanks for the info, i am about to practice them now.  but i do have a question about the tritone.  you say that a tritone is a maj. 3rd and a min 7th, i thought a tritone that can be played on any note of a key.  i'm confused. will you help me

I wanna help you out but you've confused me with your question.. lol... 
Could you rephrase it?

sorry for the confusion.  i mean is this the only way a tritone can be built?

[sjonathan02]

Hello LGM Fam,

Let me start off by saying that I LOVE theory.. it makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.. 

Anyways here we go.. Another sleepless night!!!

People ask.. how do you get that PHAT, mellow, neo-soulish sound? or how do you make them crazy passing chords that you hear the "pros" do all the time? Well I will tell you.. extensions, alterations, tritones, passing chords. This is how you do it.. hopefully by the end of this post you'll see where I'm coming from and if not please don't hesitate to ask more questions!

Extensions are notes from the scale that you can add to your chords.. these are the 9, 11, 13, you can add these notes to major 7th, minor 7th and dominant 7th chords. I don't have the 7th on that list b/c the major and minor 7ths are the building blocks along with the 3 to basic harmony.  Put the major 3rd and major 7th together you have the foundation of a Major 7th (Maj7) chord. Put the minor 3rd and minor 7th together you have the foundation of a Minor 7th (min7) chord.  Put the major 3rd and minor 7th together you have a TRI-.. uh.. the foundation of a dominant 7th (7) chord. (I ain't ready to release the Tritone just yet, for now just think dominant 7th chord!!!)
Why didn't I mention the 1 or 5? Well.. the 1 is well.. the 1, it's the root the back bone but for the "harmony" itself you don't necessarily have to play it that's why we have rootless voicing and the 5 is well.. the 5 that notes is common to major, minor and dominant seventh chords meaning.. you can either play it or don't play it and you will still have the "harmony".. the 5 is a note that does not give character or quality; it can enhance but it doesn't define.. that's left up to the 1, 3, b3, b7 and 7!

Alterations are notes that are not originally from the scale that you can add to your chords.. these are the #4 equal to (#11), b5, b9, #9, b13 equal to (#5).  These notes add color.. in other words if the 3 and 7 are the basic flavor then these alteration notes are the salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash, garlic.. they definitely spice things up. Take Note: so when you heard that chords that just sounds CRAZY.. suspect that an alteration or two or three are in the mix somewhere.. Don't believe me!! Well try this.. play the Db major scale (that is major harmony) now.. play the DbAbDb (1-5-1) in your left hand then play a G (b5) in the right hand.. DO YOU HEAR THAT?.. or try to play a E (b9).. DO YOU HEAR THAT? it sounded off or as they say disonant.. it just don't seem to go together but trust me that is how you get that interesting flavor and sound!

Tritones.. REMEMBER THIS.. major 3rd / minor 7th.. that's how you form a tritone. I hear some folks say "Hey I'm doing a Tritone!!" when they are NOT.. if you do not see them hit the major 3rd with the minor 7th they have NOT done a Tritone!! okay now that I've gotten that off my chest; what exactly do we use for and why is it the taboo or buzzword of the day? I had an excellent eConvo on AIM with Ms. Jada (sorry for using your real first name, don't remember your LGM username off the top) she broke it down like this..

You can come at Tritone in two ways:
1) Tritone Substitution - take the bass note Ab find it's "Tritone Buddy" if Ab is the major 3rd of E Major scale then what is minor 7th of E Major scale? Uhm.. D#(flatted) or D.. well you can substitute the Ab note in the  bass for D.. or a Ab chord for a D chord.. You don't believe.. tsk.. tsk.. try this simple 2-5-1 in Db.. Eb -> Ab -> Db.. Play it regular Eb minor triad -> Ab major triad -> Db major triad.. now with the tritone substitution it's Eb -> D -> Db.. Eb minor triad -> D major triad -> Db major triad.. tritone substitution are cool cuz they can lead to some real.. SMOOTH progressions and chromatic bass lines...

2) Tritone.. which is? major 3rd / minor 7th.. or in other words the building block for a dominant seventh chord.

So to sum up Tritones.. they are nothing but a framework that you add to.. Let me make this REALLY clear.. the Tritone by itself is not necessarily PHAT.. it's the extension and alterations that you add to them that make it PHAT!!

Passing Chords these are the chords that go outside of the progression or key that the normal progression is in.  This is another thing that the "pros" have mastered.  Yeah a 1-5-1 progression is just a 1-5-1 progression until Kevin Bond throws in some passing chords in between that make you just shake your head and push the rewind button.. it's about rhythm, timing and feel.  You can't just be doing passing chords til you blue in the face cuz you'll start to sound busy.. but a tasteful pass here and there will definitely have folks taking notice to what you're doing on the keys..  I will have to WARN you though.. you have to be respectful to the key and progression that you're ADDING passing chords to.. passing chords are NOT the progression they enhance the progression. If the 1 beat of each measure goes from the 1 to the 5 to the 1 you best make sure that you're passing chords will allow you to be on the 1 and the 5 and 1 on the 1 beat of each measure.. or you'll sound sloppy.. now don't get me wrong sometime cats do this on purpose to get a certain effect and well others don't.. you can tell who do it right or wrong.. (Quick shout out to my man Dooley for doing this perfectly last night during that concert!! He killed it!!  )

Another thing in the progressions that I'm about to go through there are a method to the madness behind my passing chords... most of these passing chords are taking me out of the key of the progression and bring me back or move along a certain bassline.. mostly the whole tone scale (Another topic all together.. trust me..) each note in that scale is a whole note apart so like in C.. the C whole tone scale is C,D,E,F#,G#,A#,C
(I did that exact move in pattern 4.. look at the bass note of each chord and you'll see!!)

Ok.. nuff talking from me.. here are the breakdown to the chords.. I have listed the key, progression, numbered notes and chord names.. ENJOY!!
Roman Numerials (small letters stand for minor, cap letters stand for major)
 I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - vii  | 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
P stands for Passing Chord

Pattern 1 - Key of Bb
ii - IV Progression (2-4)
ii  | CGBb/DEbFBb | 1 5 b7 / 9 b3 11 b7 | Cmin11
P | DF#/CFAC      | 1 3 / b7 #9 5 b7 | D7#9
IV | EbBbC/DFGBbD | 1 5 6(13) / 7 9 3 5 7 | EbMaj6/9
P | DbFB/EbGBbEb | 1 3 b7 / 9 #11 13 9 | Db7#11

Pattern 2 - Key of Bb
IV - vi Progression (4-6) Rewrote order of chords to see progression easier
IV | EbBb/DFGBbC | 1 5 / 7 9 3 5 6(13) | EbMaj6/9
P | F#C/FBbCF | 3 b7 / #9 b13 7 #9 | D7#9b13 (rootless voicing) bass would be played by FP or bass player
vi | GD/FABbD | 1 5 / b7 9 b3 5 | Gmin9
P | AE/GCEG | 1 5 / b7 b3 5 b7 | Amin7
P | BF#/DF#A | 1 5 / b3 5 b7 | Bmin7
P | BbAb/DGBD | 1 b7 / 3 13 b9 3 | Bb7b9 (added 13)

Pattern 3 - Key of G
I - IV - vi - IV Progression (1-4-6-4)
I | GD/ABDF#,D | 1 5 / 9 3 5 7, 5 | GMaj9
IV | CG/DEGB,G | 1 5 / 9 3 5 7, 5 | CMaj9
vi | EA/BDF#A,F# | 1 4(11) / 5 b7 9 11, 9 | Esus E/D D major triad over E in bass (HOT b/c no 3rd)
IV | CG/BDEG,E | 1 5 / 7 9 3 5, 3 | CMaj9
Special Note here the D7#9b13 from Pattern 2 acts as a V to take you to the key of G! Listen to pattern 3 again and you'll hear the key change.. the chord I play before the GMaj9 is the D7#9b13 chord.

Pattern 4 - Key of G
IV - V - vi Progression (4 - 5 - 6) A Very Common Worship Vamp
IV | CGB/DGBD | 1 5 7 / 9 5 7 9 | CMaj9 (HOT b/c no 3rd)
V | DAD/EF#AD | 1 5 1 / 9 3 5 1 | DMaj9
vi | EAB/DF#AD | 1 4 5 / b7 9 11 b7 | Esus E/D (slash chord) same as above just voiced differently
P | F#C#/ABE,F# | 1 5 / b3 11 b7, 1 | F#min11
P | AbEbGb/BbBEb | 1 5 b7 | 9 b3 5 | Abmin9
P | FB/EAbB | b7 3 / 11 b9 3 | G7b9 (added 11) Rootless voicing (G would be played by FP or bass player)

That's it!

You should now have everything you need to play these chords / patterns in any key that you'd like!!
And hopefully this article has either demystified extension, alteration, TRITONES and passing chords or they have sparked your interested to do even more research and study into these subjects.  Again these are the "secrets" to get you that PHAT, flavorful sound that you hear all the time.

It took me a while to get this, I've been playing for 8 or 9 years and just recently like 2 or 3 years ago did stuff start to click and make sense for me. I'm saying that to tell everyone to be patient.. it will come.. slowly but surely things will start to click and gel and you'll be on your way to making your own unique sound in no time!!

So print this off and STUDY it.. if you have questions feel free to post and please let me know if this article was helpful or not.

Dude, you know that when I get to school in the morning, I'mma printing this out, and then we'll talk, ok?


And, Praise God for your sleepless nights

[soldieranointed]

Good Lookin DatNatiMaestro.  I honestly don't know how long it is going to take me to fully grasp in all this theory, but I'll try to grasp it as best I can.  I know I can ask you any questions I have now...either on here or on facebook 

[CESharp]

LAWD HAVE MERCY ON MY BRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!
This is an AWESOME post DaNatiM......
confusing to me because I'm trying to read it all right now.  I have to really take time and read slowly so that I can comprehend.  tritones sound confusing right now to me but I'm sure once I grasp it........I will be smacking myself upside the head.

[DaNatiMaestro]

I asked it as a serious question...but which ever you prefer is fine with me

It's cool Jazzy.. the reason why I asked was b/c there are literally thousands of books out there on chording and music theory.. so for me to sum it up in "1 POST" is close the impossible.. lol..

This article is a good start though.. and really the purpose of it was to poke's people interest into learning their theory..

I hope you didn't take my comments wrong..

[DaNatiMaestro]

thanks for the info, i am about to practice them now.  but i do have a question about the tritone.  you say that a tritone is a maj. 3rd and a min 7th, i thought a tritone that can be played on any note of a key.  i'm confused. will you help me

I wanna help you out but you've confused me with your question.. lol... 
Could you rephrase it?

sorry for the confusion.  i mean is this the only way a tritone can be built?

Pretty much.. to get the tritone for a particular bass note or root.. you take the major 3rd and minor 7h of that bass note or root's major scale and you will have the tritone.

Now if you're trying to figure out a note's "TRITONE substitution" then just find the note that is an augmented fourth (#4) or diminished fifth (b5) away.. for example..

If I'm playing a C7 but I'd like to make a tritone substitution for the chord or the bass then I need to find the note that is either a #4 or b5 in this case a F# or Gb.. so you can now make the tritone substitution by playing either a F#7 or playing the C7 with F# in the bass.

These are really the only two approaches to the tritone that I can give you.

[DaNatiMaestro]

Multiple replys below to folks.. (I didn't wanna be a post-HOG.. LOL)

To sjonathan02:
Yes sir!! I'm looking forward to that conversation.. you seem like you got a real zeal to catch this music theory and stuff and I'm always down to talk music!!! So hit me up!

To soldieranointed:
You know it!! Facebook or LGM.. it don't matter I got yo back!! LOL!!

To CESharp:
You hit the nail right on the head.. you gotta take it slow. The whole concept of Tritones is something that is easier to grasp by showing you then it is to write about it.  Tritones didnt' catch on for me until I started studying Jazz Piano more closely.  Tritones are used so much in Jazz but I couldn't catch it in Gospel.. but now that I've seen and heard it in action. I use them all the time...

Oh yeah and another thing about Tritones.. some people probably do them and don't even know.. I'm like T-Block when it comes to these types of things though.. I'm trying to teach EVERYONE.. I have no RIGHT to keep or hide anything that I know b/c if it wasn't for somebody teaching and showing me I'd have NEVER known this stuff!!!

I'm hear to share!

[soldieranointed]

Oh yeah and another thing about Tritones.. some people probably do them and don't even know.. I'm like T-Block when it comes to these types of things though.. I'm trying to teach EVERYONE.. I have no RIGHT to keep or hide anything that I know b/c if it wasn't for somebody teaching and showing me I'd have NEVER known this stuff!!!

Now aint that nice.  See, your not nati after all! hee hee 

[sjonathan02]

Dude, these chords are messin' with my ear. Translation, I'm having a hard time getting used to the sound of these chord progressions.


It gonna take some time, but I'm gonna put it in. And, you're right, I do have a zeal for learning this stuff. I feel like I'm just beginning to crack the surface of the wall that I've been hitting for awhile now.


Thanks, Nati!!

[soldieranointed]

Dude, these chords are messin' with my ear. Translation, I'm having a hard time getting used to the sound of these chord progressions.


It gonna take some time, but I'm gonna put it in. And, you're right, I do have a zeal for learning this stuff. I feel like I'm just beginning to crack the surface of the wall that I've been hitting for awhile now.


Thanks, Nati!!

Aww!

[rjthakid]

Is this everything I need to know about chords???

I'd Suggest you do what I did, which is buy a book with picture chords.  It has every Major, Minor, Dominant, Major 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, suspended, diminished, augmented, etc., etc., etc.  With alterations!

What I love about it is, every chord shown is a two hand chord.  So even on simple major and minor chords they show you power chords in the left hand. 

Then study study study!

thanks for the info, i am about to practice them now.  but i do have a question about the tritone.  you say that a tritone is a maj. 3rd and a min 7th, i thought a tritone that can be played on any note of a key.  i'm confused. will you help me

Nati gave one way to use tritones (a way I never thought of, and WILL try as soon as I get home!), but tritones are very also very convenient for playing a dominant 7th chord.

If I want to play Cdom7, which is C - E - G - Bb, I could play:

E-Bb/C-E-G

A tritone in the left hand that has the third and dominant seventh of 'C', and a Simple C Major in the Right.  I could also play a C Power chord (C-G) seeing as I already have the E in my left hand.





And to Nati......Thanks man.  I can't WAIT to get home and practice till 2am   

[sjonathan02]

I'd Suggest you do what I did, which is buy a book with picture chords.  It has every Major, Minor, Dominant, Major 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, suspended, diminished, augmented, etc., etc., etc.  With alterations!

What I love about it is, every chord shown is a two hand chord.  So even on simple major and minor chords they show you power chords in the left hand. 

Then study study study!

What book, dude?

[DaNatiMaestro]

Dude, these chords are messin' with my ear. Translation, I'm having a hard time getting used to the sound of these chord progressions.


It gonna take some time, but I'm gonna put it in. And, you're right, I do have a zeal for learning this stuff. I feel like I'm just beginning to crack the surface of the wall that I've been hitting for awhile now.


Thanks, Nati!!

sjonathan02, You bring up a good point.. it's all about what you're listening to too... some people don't feel me when I say it's just as important to listen to good music then to practice.. why?

It's a little thing called ear training.. when I first started to play all I heard was my dad's organ playing so guess what progressions/runs I was doing? Progressions/runs that my dad did; see, Theory is one thing but application is another.. when you hear it in action your brains starts to register that "sound".. example, I listen to alot of jazz, George Duke, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock so guess what.. my "sound" is a reflection of that.. but there is a bad side to this too.. my "church" doesn't sound very "church"ie if that makes sense.. like not very old school-ish with that soulful gospel feel. that sorta kills me during hymns and stuff but I'm constantly learning so now I'm trying to listen to the "old school" gospel so that I don't sound like a Jazz musician playing gospel.. but a well rounded musician who can play various styles!

So I said all of that to say this, make sure you're listening to a wide variety of music.. as you listen to more of the comtemporary gospel keyboardist like Kevin Bond, Aaron Lindsey, GospelKeyboard.com's Jamal Hartwell.. you'll register these progressions and begin to identify with them.. Hopefully that makes sense!