spelling chords

Developing the ability to quickly and accurately spell out the pitches / letter names within chords is among the most important steps for the emerging theorist. During my early musical studies, when I achieved the ability to spell any chord quickly and accurately, my whole music scene went kaboom in so many positive ways. Prior to having this ability was similar to knowing there were symbolic letters but not knowing there were definite patterns called words. Immediately upon understanding how tertian chords are spelt, I was then able to "decode" almost any of the patterns visually represented in written music. Once I knew they existed, I sought to identify and pair the written patterns with the aural sounds. Pure magic for a beginning reader of music notation. The same process continues today, simply one of aural and written pattern recognition and identifying and labeling of the musical elements used to create them.

In our search for the theory that spells the chords, we can reconfigure any one group of pitches into one of three main musical structural patterns. Theorists simply call these structures scales, arpeggios and chords. Understanding the transformation between these structures, helps the learner see how the same group of pitches can be reconfigured to create any of these three essential components of American music, each of which contribute their own unique artistic qualities to musical compositions.

The following musical example simply presents a C major scale in measure 1, respells the major scale in thirds to create the C major arpeggio, then stacks the arpeggio to create a C major chord. So in thinking tertian harmony, intervals of major and minor thirds, the process of spelling chords is as simple as that. Scale into arpeggio into chord. Example 1.

Can you see and hear how the scale in bar 1 becomes the arpeggio in bar 2? Then how the arpeggio in bar 2 is simply stacked one pitch upon another to create the chord in bar 3? Cool with this? Does the sound of the arpeggio and chord sound a bit off to you? No worries, chords of this dimension are a rather rare in the music.

So why is understanding of scales, arpeggios, chords and the ability to spell out the pitches of any chord potentially so important to the creative musician? Well, when improvising our own melodies i.e., "soloing" over chord changes, especially when encountering chords that are non diatonic within the song we are playing, knowing the pitches that make up a particular chord provide "a solid group of pitches to create melodic ideas from." That executing accurately pitched arpeggios of the harmony of the tune will almost always provide the improviser with an idea or two. That in the theoretical analysis of written music, the ability to quickly examine a particular stack of pitches and arrange them into a chord can oftentimes unlock the mystery and magic of the music as well as providing working chord shapes in the realization of a song. That an ability to spell chords helps the emerging artist expand their own palette of colors by their own labors and design. Combining these initial ideas together, developing the ability to quickly and accurately spell chords definitely has its advantages. Interesting perhaps is that the process of spelling chords is potentially very easy to learn, is a one time learning endeavor that allows us to reap the musical benefits forever. In the following discussions and links, as we initially create charts to spell out the letter names involved of chords, all of this info and ability eventually ends up on our internalized hardrives. With this in mind, the following method for spelling chords evolves from understanding the transformation of elements between the scale, arpeggio and chord.

For instance, let's say the song we want to spell the chords of is in the key of C major and that the main chords are the One, Four and Five chords, like a folk song. Thus, our parent scale is the C major scale. What we want to create is a chart that allows us to visually find the letter names of the roots of the chord we wish to spell and see their placement in the arpeggio. Let's start simply by spelling out the notes of the C major scale. Example 2.

Now let's add a numeric value to each pitch and extend the pitches of the scale into a second octave. These numbers, one ( 1 ) through eight ( 8 ) are known as scale degrees, thus. Example 2a.

From the above chart, we could now verbally articulate that the first scale degree, in the key of C major, is not only the pitch C, but also the number one ( 1 ) or first scale degree. Projecting this concept to the other pitches, D is two ( 2 ) or the second scale degree, E is termed the third ( 3 ) etc. Cool so far? Regardless of looping these pitches into the next octave, numerical scale degrees basically run from 1 through 8. Why do we do this? This adding of numbers genericizes the same theory for each of the 12 major keys.

Now let's re-spell our C major scale in major and minor thirds, the basis of our tertian harmony. This is achieved by simply skipping every other note of the scale and creates what is known as an arpeggio. But you knew that right? Example 2b.

Cool with this? Compare the sequence of letters from the scale to the arpeggio. We have simply skipped every other note of the two octave C major scale. Can we apply numerical values to each pitch of our arpeggio? Of course we can, we're theorists yes? Example 2c.

Thinking not scale but arpeggio now, C is termed the 1st chord degree, E is the 3rd chord degree, G is the 5th chord degree etc. found within the C major arpeggio. What triad have we just spelt? Right, the C major triad. Here is the sound comparing the three elements. Example 2d.

By combining our C major scale with our C major arpeggio and including scale and chord numerical values, we can create a chart that will help to graphically illustrate the process involved in spelling the chords of the key of C major. Example 2e.

Quite the beast of a chart eh? Lets add one more element which will complete the chart. We can enhance our chart by adding Roman numerals to designate scale degrees. Why would we want to do this? Well, using the Roman numerals in this musical capacity is an age old practice among musical theorists like ourselves and are helpful in reminding us as to the major or minor triad structures built upon each of the seven scale degrees of the major scale within the equal tempered system. Upper case Roman numerals denote scale degrees upon which major scales ( modes ) and major chords are diatonically derived, lower case Roman numerals denote the scale degrees which support the minor chord and scale colors. Here is the complete chart. Example 2f.

So, what were we doing? Oh right, spelling out the three note triads of the One, Four and Five chords in the key of C major. Spell the triads, ( three note chords ), of a I, IV, and V chord progression in the key of C major. Cool with this vocabulary?

Roman numeral number one ( I ) denotes the chord built on the first degree. This becomes the root of our I ( 1 ), tonic or One chord. Find Roman numeral one in the chart above and it's corresponding letter of the melodic scale. Thus the root of our One chord is C. Locate C on the arpeggio, there's a number one above it. Reading left to right of our arpeggio we find the third of the One chord, the letter name is E. The same applies to identifying the fifth of our triad built on the first degree of the C major scale. Reading across to the right of our arpeggio, we find the letter G, under the number five ( 5 ). Thus, the pitches of our One chord in the key of C major is spelt C, E, and G. If possible, locate and play these notes on your instrument as well as at the piano if available. Here is the notation of the arpeggio and it's chord. Example 2g.

Now let's spell the triad built upon the fourth scale degree, known as the Four (IV) chord. Here is our complete chart again. Example 2h.

Simply find the fourth scale degree of our C major scale. The Roman numeral Four is upper case denoting major triad, the pitch is F. This is the root of our Four chord. Find F in the arpeggio. Reading to the right we see the letters A and C immediately following after F. Thus, F, A and C are the root ( 1 ) , third ( 3 ) and fifth ( 5 ) of the triad built on the fourth scale degree of the C major scale. What we are actually doing here is to mentally "slide" the numerical values of our arpeggio degrees positioning the number one ( 1 ), underneath the letter F, the root of the chord we want to spell. Thus, one ( 1 ), three ( 3 ), and five ( 5 ) correctly correspond to the letter names F, A, and C. Cool so far?

Let's move onto the Five ( V ) chord in the key of C major. Locate the fifth scale degree of our major scale built on C. You'll find the fifth scale degree to be the letter G. Move down to the arpeggio and locate the letter G. This will be the root of the Five chord. Mentally "sliding" our chord scale numbers and reading to the right, we see the letters B and D, immediately following the letter G. Thus, G is our root (1), B is the third (3), D is the fifth (5), of our three note triad built on the fifth scale degree of our C major scale. Here is the chart. Example 2i.

Here is one musical realization of the One, Four and Five chords in the key of C major. Can you accurately sing the pitches of each of the triads? Example 2j.

Let's spell all eight diatonic triads in the key of C major, here is our chord spelling chart. Example 3.

Notice how the pitches of the chords are exact segments of the arpeggio? Cool. Maybe highlight and print this above chart and tack it up in your woodshed for a handy reference? Here is the musical realization for the 8 diatonic triads of C major. Example 3a.

Dig the triplet feel? Like a waltz eh? Such a cool and elegant rhythm. Will creating this type of chart help to spelling all of the 12 major keys? What about the 12 minor keys? Yes to both questions. 

Thinking along these lines, what natural minor key comes right out of the above chart for C major? Right, it's relative minor key of A natural minor. Simply fill in the letter names of another key into the chart and spell the chords. For example, for the key of A minor, highlighting the One and Four chords. Example 4.

Here is a musical realization of the above chart. Example 4a.

Cool so far? We simply decide what chord we want to spell, create an appropriate arpeggio, then stack the pitches atop one another creating the chord. Of course, creating the appropriate arpeggio to spell a given chord is the trick. This is perhaps why it is helpful to initially define any given chord by it's type or family. Once a chord's "family" has been determined, creating the appropriate arpeggio is a snap. O.K. with this? Depending on where you are going with your music, the ability to spell the chords you use might help to open up some new colors, something all players at all levels tend to seek.

So what in the world is a seventh chord? What does adding the 7th do to a chord? What about the 9th, 11th and 13th chord degrees? Ah, perhaps curious about these essential color tones for the creative musician eh? Pick, click and explore.

Here is a review of some of the basic ideas discussed above in regards to the principles of how I understand the spelling diatonic triads.

Easy enough eh? Always good to review a bit. So, what's the next? Ready to expand past the triad level in spelling chords? Perhaps try adding the seventh? Or maybe further extend the harmony and click color tones / spelling chords.

One makes things easier for oneself by making things easier for others. Asian Proverb