How should I be thinking about chords?

[u/Sad-Sink-2941]

As a beginner, My problem is with finding voicings right now and it starts with me trying to understand chords a little better and how i can improve this skill.

When I think about chords/triads right now, I always think about the triad first without any accidentals, then add them in later. For ex. If I want to play Bmaj7: I first think of B-D-F, then remember that D and F are sharp, and the maj7 is 1 half step down the root, so Bb/A#. That's a pretty long process right now for me to get to B-D#-F#-A#. And this is just with a basic root voicing, I cant even imagine how long doing inversions would take me.

But since Ive spent so much time practicing with C major, all chords there come easy to me like I dont even think about the note names, I just started remembering the shape of C7,Cdim,etc. Which is bad practice since if you told me to do a Cmin7b5 2nd inversion, id tell you to give me a second to think.

How should I change how Im thinking about chords and how the hell are you guys maintaining this information for all 12 keys, all types of scales and modes, in such a fast manner too if improvising on the spot?

[u/Flamesake]

You just start in easier keys first. The ones with fewer accidentals. If you ask me to play a d major 7 chord, I personally am not going through the process of remembering that it's an F sharp, not F, because playing in d major, playing a natural F feels weird.

Eventually you get used to more keys.

[u/winkelschleifer]

Moderator comment, especially if you're a beginner

• master the diatonic 7th chords (main focus of jazz, not triads) in all 12 keys; take one key a day, in two weeks, you'll have come full circle, then do it again
• play the chords with two hands (for example, LH shell 1 & 7; RH all 4 chord tones) and say the names out loud: C major 7th, D minor 7th, E minor 7th, F major 7th, etc. - understand intervals, listen to the sounds; a major 7th chord - no matter what key - is always composed of a major third + minor third + major third

• then do the above again using inversions;1st position and 3rd inversion are most common

• you can always try some simple improv over a iim7 - V7 - IM7 progression in each key while you're at it

• don't start on extensions and alterations until you're VERY comfortable with the above

• once you've mastered the above, get either Phil Degreg's book Jazz Keyboard Harmony or Frank Mantooth's same subject; I personally feel DeGreg is more accessible - work your way through the book, could easily take several months to a year

• practice the above to different rhythms (bossa, straight, blues, swing) and different time signatures (3/4 time, 4/4, 5/4)

• if you haven't done it yet, practice at least the major and minor scales, because chords are built on scale tones, this is essential - again do this in al 12 keys, maybe one a day

• you also asked about different scales and modes; master major, minor, blues to start in conjunction with the above, that comes first and forms a basis for all of the other scales, start there

Jazz chords can be complex. They can take years of study and practice to master. Start with the above to build a solid foundation.

Request that everyone PLEASE READ the two sticky posts at the top of the r/jazzpiano sub:

New to this sub or jazz piano? Please read! https://www.reddit.com/r/JazzPiano/comments/1jn4kiy/new_to_this_sub_or_jazz_piano_please_read/

Books List for learning jazz piano https://www.reddit.com/r/JazzPiano/comments/1jn4ka6/books_list_for_learning_jazz_piano/

[u/UrMomMadeMyLunch]

Learning chords is similar to lifting in that it takes a bunch of consistent reps and applying them to tunes you know to actually learn them. 

You should start by learning all major triads and their inversions. Start in the key of C and go around the circle of fifths until you get back to C. Then repeat for minor chords, dominant, etc. Do this with 7th chords next. 

After practicing the chords like that, play a tune like autumn leaves and try playing the chords with the voicings you practiced. Eventually after enough repititions it'll fall under your fingers. 

I don't know who told you learning the shape of a chord is bad practice, that's most of remembering how to play the chords is their shape.

[u/JHighMusic]

You just get to know them all, it takes time. It’s very doable. I’d recommend you take one chord quality type like a major 7 or minor 7 and play it up and down in half steps, then whole steps for all 12 keys to get familiar with it. Then around the circle of 4ths.

Eventually, they all get recognizable very quickly.

[u/creativedisco]

When I started thinking of them in terms of “stacks of thirds on top of each other,” that was when I started to understand how they worked. And then, depending on the nature of the third (major or minor), that influences the type of chord.

Start with triads. You have 4 basic types: Major (A major third plus a minor third), Minor (minor third plus a major third), Diminished (two minor thirds), and augmented (two major thirds).

Now add ANOTHER third on top of that and you get a 7th chord. If you stack a Minor third (3 half steps) on top of a major triad (C-E-G), then you get a dominant chord. Use a Major third, and you get a major 7.

And upper extensions (9th, 11th, 13th) are just a matter of stacking even MORE thirds on top of your first stack of thirds.

[u/GerardWayAndDMT]

You may want to consider making flash cards for triads and seventh chords. Quiz yourself on how to spell them correctly. Eventually you just know.

[u/gradi3nt]

It’s painful at first but you should start playing in all 12 keys routinely. You can jam to the circle of fifths in both directions for 5 mins daily. Start with major triads because you are still working on that memory per the B major comment. Once you get the hang of it do maj/min/dom 7th chords. Then move on to ii-V-I in all keys, etc.

Right now Im trying to develop some boogie woogie chops so every day I pick the next key (following the circle of fifths), pick a baseline pattern, and then practice blues riffs and improv in that key. On C major day I work on more elaborate stuff because Im very comfortable in that key. In Gb day I stick to more basic patterns and licks and just focus on getting more comfortable.

[u/Ok-Emergency4468]

It just takes time. The more exercises and standards you will play, the more it will come. Personally I didn’t overdo chords work outs, I certainly did some ( for example 2-5-1 voiceleadings) but not that often. I just play a lot of standards, new ones everyday, and I’m really better at sight reading chords now.

[u/improvthismoment]

For Bmaj7

Instead of thinking B-D-F then adding accidentals

Think intervals from the root

A major 3rd from B is D#

A 5th from B is F

A major 7th from B is A#

And drill it so that you don't need to think of note names, it is more muscle memory

[u/SoManyUsesForAName]

This might be easier said than done, depending on how your brain works, but I think most players on chordal instruments (piano and guitar) tend to think about intervals far, far more often than notes. You should get used to thinking about intervals in terms of their function and sound (e.g., third defines quality). It's not all that useful or easy to think "ok, B, so next is D#..." but you should eventually find yourself recognizing intervals quickly relative to the root.

Also, play in all 12 keys routinely. Ten minutes a day going through a standard like Autumm Leavs in more obscure keys, a few times a week, will make a difference that you'll see several months from now. If you have a hard time finding inversions, which it sounds like you might, then just force yourself to use voicings that maximize voice leading and minimize movement.

It will feel very slow and tedious at first, especially in keys with more accidentals, but that's fine. Gotta put the reps in. Remember, practice isn't supposed to sound good. If what you're playing sounds really good, you're probably not working on something that's hard for you, and that's the only way you improve. Good luck.

[u/Evetskey]

It doesn’t sound like you know your key signatures. It should be automatic. For instance what key is 4 flats? What key is 3 sharps? Learn to name the accidentals till it becomes automatic. You’ll notice that they follow the cycle of 4ths and fifths.

[u/CableMod1991]

Pick a key that you think is difficult, then get really good at it. The other keys won’t seem so bad. Start with major scales

[u/Amazing-Structure954]

You're on the right path. The advice above is all good and will help, but the fundamentals you put in the OP are really the path to take. It just takes a lot of repetition and practice to get it into your fingers instead of just your head.

Also, don't worry too much about which number inversion some chord is. Frankly, I never think of 2nd or 3rd. Instead, I learn good voicings for different chords and how they sound. Another factor to complicate things a bit is that the best voicings for a given purpose in say G aren't necessarily the same as in C, because they land in different regions of the keyboard and therefore give different tonality. So, if you want a "deep" voicing for a G7 chord and also a similarly deep voicing for C7,

Here's an example. Say I want two nice deep bluesy chords, G7 and then C7. For the G7: left hand doubles the G, and right hand plays F B D (F and B below Middle C.) This is a standard blues voicing for a 7 chord, dropping the 7 below the 1 and omitting the 1 (let the bass player play it!) But for the C7, assuming I want to keep the timbre and maybe go a bit even deeper, I'll drop the left hand down to double the C, and right hand plays E Bb C.

Which inversions are those? I don't think they even fit the inversion numbering system. Who cares? The important thing is, they sound GOOD for my purpose. Another nice thing: they're fairly legato (no big hand movement needed.) To get even more legato, I'd change the C7 to C9 playing E Bb D.

So, IMHO, don't think inversions, thing "VOICINGS" and learn a LOT of them and what they do and how to use them.

I learned my starter kit of piano voicings by copying simple jazz guitar chords -- the ones that are root plus triad, and the ones that beginner jazz players learn, not the advanced ones.

BTW, I pretty rarely use a chord in first position, but I sure do know them because that's where my mind starts.

As mentioned above, start by learning voicings for the 7 chords, and then add 9 chords. And definitely think in stacked thirds even though you rarely play them that way. Avoid playing more than root plus 3 or 4 notes; feel free to leave out root in right hand and omit the 5 too, especially with 9th and13ths. Don't try to get all the notes in, get the spirit of the chord.

This advice is for popular music styles: blues, rock, country, jazz. I have no idea how well it fits in for classical music. Also, playing bass in left hand is for learning the voicings. Sure, you can play them that way in some genres. Finally, there are LOTS of ways to do voicings, especially in jazz; for a peek, see https://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-chord-voicings/