Awesome Chords With Keyboard Illustrations
By Carlton Clark
Copyright ©2014 by Carlton Clark. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.
TERMS OF USE This is a copyrighted work and the author reserves all rights in and to the work. Use of this work is subject to these terms. Except as permitted under the copyright act of 1976 and the right to store and retrieve one copy of the work, you may not decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer, reproduce, modify, create derivative works based upon, transmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish or sublicense the work or any part of it without author prior consent. You may use the work for your own noncommercial and personal use; any other use of the work is strictly prohibited.
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How to Use This Book Awesome Chords was created as a reference book of colorful chords used by keyboard players all over the world, in various styles of music. These are the chords that add flavor and color to the basic chords normally found in the original versions of songs. Musicians, especially keyboard players, will add various substitute chords and progressions to a song to re-harmonize the melody and give the song a unique twist while, at the same time, preserving the melody. The other element keyboard players use to achieve these same goals are different chord voicings. A chord voicing is simply the arrangement of notes in a chord. You will see in “Awesome Chords” that some chord voicings leave out notes that can make the chord ambiguous depending on the context it is used in. There are even some rootless chords in the book that are pretty common among keyboard players and hard to explain if you are not up on your music theory. Don’t worry because what makes “Awesome Chords” so awesome is, this information is presented in a format that even the beginner can digest and use to take their chord vocabulary to another level. Each chord and chord voicing is given to the user on all twelve keys, in music notation and keyboard diagrams. When you find a chord you like, learn it and play it in different octaves. I also suggest moving the chords up and down in half steps. Take care with the rootless chords; for example, if the chord is labeled as some type of C chord, but there is no C in the chord, remember it will function as a C chord all the same. I also give you a couple of examples as to how I use some of these chords. Be very experimental and open minded in your approach and enjoy the different chord flavors presented in “Awesome Chords”. These are chords and voicings students don’t normally learn how to use until they reach an advanced level of music theory, but now you have them. Enjoy!
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Roll your mouse over each chord to see an illustration of how to play the chord.
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AWESOME CHORDS Carlton Clark
13th chord moving down half steps with circle of 4ths/5ths in the left hand
Piano
4 b ˙˙˙ b # ˙˙˙ &4
˙ #˙ b ˙˙ b ˙˙
˙˙ b˙
? 44 ˙
b˙
b˙
˙
b˙
b ˙˙˙
# # ˙˙˙
n ˙˙ #˙
# # ˙˙˙
b˙
#˙
˙
˙
& # ˙˙ b ˙˙ ˙ ˙
w b ww
∑
∑
∑
? ˙
w
∑
∑
∑
˙
˙˙ b # ˙˙ & b˙ ˙
˙˙ b # ˙˙ b˙ ˙
˙˙ b ˙˙ b˙ ˙
? #˙
˙
˙
Same sequence with bass note moved down a tritone
˙
˙
# # ˙˙˙ #n ˙˙˙ ˙
˙
˙
˙
# # ˙˙˙ n ˙˙ #˙
# ˙˙˙ b ˙˙ ˙
b˙ b˙
b˙ b˙
& ww bw
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
?
∑
∑
∑
∑
∑
bw
n ˙˙ #˙
&
∑
∑
∑
?
∑
∑
∑
Score
AWESOME CHORDS C7#9(! 13)
Piano
4 & 4 b ww # b ww ?4 4
8
8
&
w b b ww
? bw w
w
Carlton Clark
ww ww
#w
ww w
w #w
b ww # b b ww
ww ww
w
#w
b ww #w bw w
b ww # ww w
b ww w w #w
b ww b ww
# ww w w #w
w
b ww w ww
C7#9b13
B7#9b13
Bb7#9b13
A7#9b13
Ab7#9b13
G7#9b13
F#7#9b13
F7#9b13
E7#9b13
Eb7#9b13
D7#9b13
Db7#9b13
Pno.
Score
AWESOME CHORDS C 69(#:)
Piano
8
& www ? ww
4 # ww & 4 ww w ?4 4
Carlton Clark
b ww b b ww w
·
ww w w
· # b b www b ww
bw ww # b w
bw
w
ww w
b ww
b www w bw
b ww w # ww
bw ww w
w b b ww # b ww
w
b ww
bw b ww
C6/9(#11)
B6/9(#11)
Bb6/9(#11)
A6/9(#11)
Ab6/9(#11)
G6/9(#11)
F#6/9(#11)
F6/9(#11)
E6/9(#11)
Eb6/9(#11)
D6/9(#11)
Db6/9(#11)
Pno.
Score
AWESOME CHORDS C 13( 9)
Piano
8
w 4 b b www & 4 w ?4 4
w & b # www ?
w
Carlton Clark
b b www w w
·
· bw b ww w w
ww b ww
b b # www w
bw
w w # ww
w b www
w
bw
bw b ww w
w
#w
w b www
w b # www
bw
b ww ww
w
bw
C13 (b9)
B13 (b9)
Bb13 (b9)
A13 (b9)
Ab13 (b9)
G13 (b9)
F#13 (b9)
F13 (b9)
E13 (b9)
Eb13 (b9)
D13 (b9)
Db13 (b9)
Score
AWESOME CHORDS Cmin7(add9)
4 b b wwww & 4 w ?4 4 & b b wwww w 8 ? w 8
w
Carlton Clark
#w # www w w
# wwww w w
b ww b ww bw
ww ww w
bw
w
b b www b w bw bw
bw # # www b w bw
ww ww w w
b wwww w
bw # www #w
w
#w
bw # www bw bw
Cmin7 (9)
Bmin7 (9)
Bbmin7 (9)
Amin7 (9)
Abmin7 (9)
Gmin7 (9)
F#min7 (9)
Fmin7 (9)
Emin7 (9)
Ebmin7 (9)
Dmin7 (9)
Dbmin7 (9)
Pno.
Score
AWESOME CHORDS Carlton Clark
Cmaj7 /B
Piano
8
& ww w ? ww
4 ww & 4 w ww ?4 4
bw b # ww w #w
·
b b ww w
# ww
w ww
bw b ww
b ww
# ww
ww
b w b ww
w b ww
b ww
b # ww
w # ww
# www
b ww b w
# ww
b ww
w w
b w b ww
C Maj7/B
B Maj7/A#
Bb Maj7/A
A Maj7/G#
Ab Maj7/G
G Maj7/F#
F# Maj7/E#
F Maj7/E
E Maj7/D#
Eb Maj7/D
D Maj7/C#
Db Maj7/C
Pno.
Score
AWESOME CHORDS Cmaj7( 69)
4 & 4 Piano
8
ww & ww ? ww
?4 4
ww w ww w
Carlton Clark
bw b # ww b b ww w
·
ww ww w
· bw ww # b w b ww
b ww ww # b w
bw
w
b www w b ww
b ww b ww w bw
bw ww w # ww
# ww ww w
# ww # # w #w # # ww
w
w b b ww bw b ww
C Maj7 (6/9)
B Maj7 (6/9)
Bb Maj7 (6/9)
A Maj7 (6/9)
Ab Maj7 (6/9)
G Maj7 (6/9)
F# Maj7 (6/9)
F Maj7 (6/9)
E Maj7 (6/9)
Eb Maj7 (6/9)
D Maj7 (6/9)
Db Maj7 (6/9)
Pno.
Score
AWESOME CHORDS C »7
Piano
8
4 b b ww & 4 b w w ?4 4
& b b ww w ?
Carlton Clark
w
w ww w
·
bw b ww ·
ww
bw w
w b ww
bw
w
b # ww b ww
# www bw
w w
bw w
b ww b w
ww w
w
#w
w w
w bw
C half Dim. 7
B half Dim. 7
Bb half Dim. 7
A half Dim. 7
Ab half Dim. 7
G half Dim. 7
F# half Dim. 7
F half Dim. 7
E half Dim. 7
Eb half Dim. 7
D half Dim. 7
Db half Dim. 7
Pno.
Score
AWESOME CHORDS ! C7( 9)
Piano
8
4 b b www & 4 w ?4 4
w & b # ww ?
w
Carlton Clark
#w w b ww
·
w b ww w ·
ww w
bw
w b ww b w ·
bw # ww w ·
bw b ww w
w b ww w ·
b www #w
bw ww bw
·
bw ww w
C7b9
B7b9
Bb7b9
A7b9
Ab7b9
G7b9
F#7b9
F7b9
E7b9
Eb7b9
D7b9
Db7b9
Score
AWESOME CHORDS C9(11)
4 w & 4 b ww w ?4 4 8
8
&
?
b ww bw w w
w
Carlton Clark
bw ww w w
# ww ww w
w b b ww
ww w
bw bw
w w b ww
b b ww b w
# b b www bw bw
ww ww w
ww w
b ww w
w w
#w #w b ww
b # ww b w
C9 (11)
B9 (11)
Bb9 (11)
A9 (11)
Ab9 (11)
G9 (11)
F#9 (11)
F9 (11)
E9 (11)
Eb9 (11)
D9 (11)
Db9 (11)
Score
awesome chords Cmaj7
4 wwww & 4 w ?4 w 4 8
8
& wwww ? w w
Carlton Clark
# # www # w w w
# ww # ww w w
w b www
ww # # ww
bw bw
w w
bw b www bw bw
b w b www bw bw
# www # w w w
w # www
#w # # # www
w w
#w #w
bw b www bw bw
C Maj7
B Maj7
Bb Maj7
A Maj7
Ab Maj7
G Maj7
F# Maj7
F Maj7
E Maj7
Eb Maj7
D Maj7
Db Maj7
Score
awesome chords C7(#11)
Carlton Clark
4 b # www & 4 w ?4 4 8
8
& b www ? w w
b ww w w
w
w
b b ww w w w
ww b w
b b ww w
bw bw
w w
ww bw bw bw
ww #w bw bw # b ww w w w
b ww w
b ww w
w w
#w #w ww w
bw bw
C7#11
B7#11
Bb7#11
A7#11
Ab7#11
G7#11
F#7#11
F7#11
E7#11
Eb7#11
D7#11
Db7#11
Pno.
Score
awesome chords Cmaj7(add#11)
Piano
8
& w w ? www
4 & 4 # www ww ?4 4
Carlton Clark
#w # www #w
·
#w
# # www # w
ww w
#w # # ww
b ww
# ww
w
b wwww
w ww
b ww
#w
# # www # w
#w # ww
w w
b b www
# ww
w
w b www
C Maj7 (#11)
B Maj7 (#11)
Bb Maj7 (#11)
A Maj7 (#11)
Ab Maj7 (#11)
G Maj7 (#11)
F# Maj7 (#11)
F Maj7 (#11)
E Maj7 (#11)
Eb Maj7 (#11)
D Maj7 (#11)
Db Maj7 (#11)
Score
AWESOME CHORDS Carlton Clark
cmin7(add9)
Piano
4 w & 4 b b www w ?4 4
8
8
& b ww w ? b ww
·
#w # www w
·
# ww w ww
·
·
b www b b ww
ww ww w
·
w b b ww b b ww
·
·
bw b b b www b w
ww w ww
·
·
ww b www
·
bw b b ww b b ww
#w # ww
# ww ·
·
Cmin7/9
Bmin7/9
Bbmin7/9
Amin7/9
Abmin7/9
Gmin7/9
F#min7/9
Fmin7/9
Emin7/9
Ebmin7/9
Dmin7/9
Dbmin7/9
Score
AWESOME CHORDS Carlton Clark
Cm7(b 5)
Piano
4 b b b www & 4 ?4 4
8
8
& b b b www ?
w
ww w
w
w
b ww w w
b b ww b w
b ww w
bw
w
b º ww b w bw
b b º www bw
b ww w w
b b www
ww w
w
#w
b º ww b w bw
Cmin7 b5
Bmin7 b5
Bbmin7 b5
Amin7 b5
Abmin7 b5
Gmin7 b5
F#min7 b5
Fmin7 b5
Emin7 b5
Ebmin7 b5
Dmin7 b5
Dbmin7 b5
