Left Hand Chords for Arranger Keyboards and Electric Organs
♫ Monday, June 28th, 2010All keyboard players and organ players can use the following examples of learning chords if you are prepared to play your own bass notes to match the chord.
Keyboards and organs have an “Auto-Chord” feature which many new players use.
However, to learn the chords described in this article, this must be turned off. When using the “Auto Chord” feature the keyboards computer selects the bass note for the chord you are playing. For example if you play an F6 chord on a keyboard using “Auto-Chord” the keyboards computer will insert an F bass note or riff based on F6 chord. However, F6 chord is also a Dm7 chord as long as there is a D bass note played.
Organ players have the choice to play there own bass notes which means when you have learnt to play F6 you have also learnt to play Dm7. One chord position with the left hand but two chords learnt just make sure to use the correct bass note, F pedal for F6 and D pedal for Dm7.
At the time of writing this, the latest crop of arranger keyboards such as the Yamaha Tyros, the Ketron SD5 and the Korg PA800 have the facility to redirect the bass line so that if you attach MIDI bass pedals, you can still make use of the “Auto Chord” feature and choose your own bass notes.
There are many examples of these chords. I won’t list them all but the examples I do list you can work out a lot more for yourself.
As already mentioned above F6 is also Dm7. There are two ways to look at this. To find the minor chord from the sixth chord we need to know the sixth in the F6 chord. The sixth in F6 is D so we can make Dm7.
Let’s check the notes in both chords. First F6:
F, A, C, D. F = Root A= Third C = Fifth and D = Sixth plus an F bass note reinforce or emphasise the Root.
Next Dm7:
F, A, C, D. F =Minor Third A =Fifth C =Seventh and D = Root plus a D Bass (more important this time) to emphasise the Root.
If you don’t like the theory then try counting notes from the name of the chord. For example, if we count three semitones to the left from F, you get D or if you count three semitones to the right from D, you get F. So F6 = three semitones left to get Dm7. Dm7 = three semitones right to get F6.
So using one of the above methods C6 is also Am7 don’t forget the correct bass notes or pedal notes make the chord what it is.
Using the above method by learning all twelve sixth chords you will also be learning all twelve minor seventh chords or vice versa.
Mike Shaw is an organist and keyboard player and owns music websites, http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk http://www.keyboardsheetmusic.co.uk and http://musical-instruments-uk.mikesmusicroom.co.uk/
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