Chords (Again)

[Mike20]

Hey, so i have been learning a lot lately about chords, and it seems that a lot of things i read talk about 3 note chords,

However when i load up say my favourite tracks midi files in logic i notice that the chords are usually way bigger than 3 notes, something 6-8 notes per chord and its hard to keep up with all the progression as some notes go up 1 semi tone as others go down 2 or 3,

Is there a ruling to these huge chords? Are they basically the same the same ruling as the smaller 3 note ones?

Thank you!

Mike

[tapper mike]

A chord can be as many notes you can play at the same time


Primary chords must contain three notes.

Full chords are chords that pass the octave range. There is a term which means two different things. Open Chords. Open chords and a guitar utilize one or more notes from open strings. On a piano it means full chords with space inbetween. So if you were playing C E G on your left hand,,,, skip the next octave and the octave above that you play C E G with your right. The space between your hands is "Open"

You have to watch out for thirds in lower registers when playing Full chords
Rather then playing 1-3-5 with the left and 1-3-5 with the right most opt for 1-5 with the left and 1-3-5 with the right (or inversion thereof) Many will opt for less as it frees up either hand for other things such as walking bass patterns with the left and harmony with the right.

[jopy]

However when i load up say my favourite tracks midi files in logic i notice that the chords are usually way bigger than 3 notes, something 6-8 notes per chord and its hard to keep up with all the progression as some notes go up 1 semi tone as others go down 2 or 3,

What kind of music do you like? That will help to diagnose what those extra notes probably are. As Mike has suggested, you probably have doubling of some notes going on so you don't really have a five or six note chord, but rather, a three note chord with some notes doubled in different octaves. You'd only really have five or six note chords with all independent notes in post-romantic classical or jazz music.

[Mike20]

Yeah i understand what you guys mean, so where as in the past when i looked at a big rack of chords and thought oh wow that must take a lot of doing, it really could be as simple as well stacked notes of the same root chord,

Heres a couple of examples of MIDI files from a couple of my favourite tracks that i know have big chords and progressions in :





Looking at them with the basic knowledge i have gained recently, they don't look TOO bad, however i know if i was sat there with a clean page it would take me some doing to write those!

Any further input really appreciated!

Thanks

[jopy]

I'm not very proficient in reading piano rolls without a keyboard reference, but from what I can decipher from the bottom track, you've got basic three note chords with a lot of doubling of voices (e.g., B in the bass, B in the middle someplace, B near the top).

[tapper mike]

The bottom looks to me like 5 note chords with primary shapes on the bottom three supported by doubled root and third in the octave. for the first repeating chord. The second chord appears to have three notes in the lower and one on the upper. Not really the smartest way to play those chords.


If you (and I doubt you will) study jazz piano there are several "families of thought" surrounding "Block Chords" a means of harmonizing single notes melody lines into larger chords. The deeper you go the deeper it gets.

Check out this song. The guy is playing 8 finger chords.

[wrench45us]

arranging chords like this is quite an art in itself

opening up the bass as mentioned by say doubling the root down low and keeping just a 1 5 in 'baritone' range and
then various inversions of the same notes -- placing notes in a higher register in differnt positions can change the sound dramtically, even though it's the same notes. Diffeent harn=monic content gets emphasized -- usually by hweat ends up on top.

When I was busy making e-music I cheated an awful lot by doubling 3 and 4 note chords and opening some up and inverting different voices in a higher register. Made it sound like I knew what I was doing.
another old school trick is to just hold a note like a root or more commonly a fifth up high in some string voice across some chord changes. Reharmonizes and builds tension.