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An Introduction to Chord Theory
A practical guide to the fundamentals of chord construction, analysis and function. Arranged in a logical, sequential order, beginning with intervals, then moving to triads, extended chords, altered chords, chord function, and chord substitution. A simple, straightforward approach to a complex topic.
- GenresMusic
48 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 1991
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23 people want to read
About the author
Don Latarski
34 books1 followerFinger-style guitarist and audio engineer living in Oregon since 1973. He is also an guitar educator and author, and owns a studio and label called Crescent Records. Owns and operates Crescent Studios, Eugene, OR.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 27, 2014
A great book on the theory of chords, particularly for guitar.
I have done a lot of research, reading, watching videos, and a few guitar lessons. Needless to say, you can play fairly well and entertain both yourself and others with knowing a few open chords that give you the chance to play a massive portfolio of songs. But this is not how I see playing music.
I am of the school of thought that considers knowing what you are doing a good thing. Some might consider this kills creativity but I would disagree, this gives you the tools to unleash it and focus on what you want to deliver rather than the mistakes you are making.
This book is intended to help you understand the harmonic theory and why chords are what they are and how to use them well. I would say that an absolute beginner would struggle understanding the concepts in the book as none is as simple as they read. I had it for more than a year now (been learning guitar for more than two years) and the first read yielded less than perfect understanding. I have done a lot of work and quite a few lessons and this book helped now that I have read it again tighten the concepts I learned in many places very well. I am now enjoying a much better understanding of the architecture of harmony and why and how it would be used in a song.
How to harmonize a scale, what chords in a scale to use for what part of the song, and which ones to end on and which to just pass by; all those are things you would know much better about when you have read and reread this book.
This should be obvious, but mastering chords and harmony, let alone rhythm, will never come from readying a book. Neither does this book draw chord shapes (there are the gigbag books for that). You need to sit with your guitar and PRACTICE to get results... building skills is like building muscles, you need to go to the gym to build muscles and you need to practice your guitar to build skills.
Enjoy the read.
I have done a lot of research, reading, watching videos, and a few guitar lessons. Needless to say, you can play fairly well and entertain both yourself and others with knowing a few open chords that give you the chance to play a massive portfolio of songs. But this is not how I see playing music.
I am of the school of thought that considers knowing what you are doing a good thing. Some might consider this kills creativity but I would disagree, this gives you the tools to unleash it and focus on what you want to deliver rather than the mistakes you are making.
This book is intended to help you understand the harmonic theory and why chords are what they are and how to use them well. I would say that an absolute beginner would struggle understanding the concepts in the book as none is as simple as they read. I had it for more than a year now (been learning guitar for more than two years) and the first read yielded less than perfect understanding. I have done a lot of work and quite a few lessons and this book helped now that I have read it again tighten the concepts I learned in many places very well. I am now enjoying a much better understanding of the architecture of harmony and why and how it would be used in a song.
How to harmonize a scale, what chords in a scale to use for what part of the song, and which ones to end on and which to just pass by; all those are things you would know much better about when you have read and reread this book.
This should be obvious, but mastering chords and harmony, let alone rhythm, will never come from readying a book. Neither does this book draw chord shapes (there are the gigbag books for that). You need to sit with your guitar and PRACTICE to get results... building skills is like building muscles, you need to go to the gym to build muscles and you need to practice your guitar to build skills.
Enjoy the read.
December 14, 2012
An awesome book regarding chord theory, including labeling, construction, identification,
mnemotecnics, inversions, and some more.
Very concise, to the point (not the traditional music book referring to tons of another books,
author, pieces). Very simple, but it will solve all the naming misteries behind chords.
A very good reference book also, as it includes charts which summarizes the info, so you can go back and look at it, having already the concept behind it learned.
It also covers basics on chord functions, substitutions, embellishments.
I've bought it for Kindle and read it on my laptop in less than three hours, from beginning to end
and this one seems to be a great candidate for a reference book while the knowledge gets to my mind.
A definitive must-have for anyone that already knows what a C7 is, what a Dm is, but doesn't know what
a Dsus4 is, or how to build more complex chords by oneself instead of looking for it on web sites.
mnemotecnics, inversions, and some more.
Very concise, to the point (not the traditional music book referring to tons of another books,
author, pieces). Very simple, but it will solve all the naming misteries behind chords.
A very good reference book also, as it includes charts which summarizes the info, so you can go back and look at it, having already the concept behind it learned.
It also covers basics on chord functions, substitutions, embellishments.
I've bought it for Kindle and read it on my laptop in less than three hours, from beginning to end
and this one seems to be a great candidate for a reference book while the knowledge gets to my mind.
A definitive must-have for anyone that already knows what a C7 is, what a Dm is, but doesn't know what
a Dsus4 is, or how to build more complex chords by oneself instead of looking for it on web sites.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews