CHORDS To form a chord, you typically need to select three notes from a scale and play them simultaneously. The most common type of chord is a triad, which consists of three notes: the root, the third, and the fifth from the scale of the key you are in. Typically, the position of the triad chord would be played with the thumb, the middle finger and the pinky of your right hand. The root note is the foundation of your chord and determines its name. For example, to form a C major chord, the root note is C. The third note in this scale would be an E. To find the fifth note, you count up the scale from the C to the G note. There are more complex chords that add additional notes to the triad, such as, seventh chords, or that alter the triad to make diminished chords and suspended chords, however, we will mainly focus on the basic triads.
SAFE NOTES Chording on an accompaniment instrument such as piano or guitar implies you are playing multiple notes simultaneously. Safe notes are notes less likely to clash harmonically with other notes in a chord or melody. The safe notes are the root (the one), the third and the fifth note of the scale. For example, when playing the C chord on the piano, you would play C – E – G in the right hand. As these three notes are played at the same time, the left hand (bass hand) can play any of these three notes as they are complimentary to the C chord. The bass hand, when chording, typically plays octaves (eight-note spread using your stretched pinky and thumb), with the pinky finger and thumb: C – C, E – E, or G – G. Again, these are safe notes and often can substitute for the C – C octave as they are harmonically complimentary. The octaves in the left hand are either played as a solid (E.g., pinky and thumb together at the same time with the chord) or as a broken octave (pinky, then thumb in the left hand with the chord together). The pinky generally plays on the downbeat (which is the main pulse of the tune or when you feel the urge to clap your hands or tap your foot).
CHORD INVERSIONS Chord inversions involve rearranging the order of the notes within a chord. This changes the position of the chord’s root note, creating a different sound while maintaining the same harmonic function. When playing a chord in the root position, for example for a C chord you will play C-E-G. If you take the C note (previously played with the thumb) and move it to the top of the sequence shifting your fingers so that your thumb plays the E and your pinky, the C, you would play the first inversion of the C chord in this sequence E-G-C (the E and G being now below the C). The chord has the same notes, just in a different sequence. For the second inversion, shift your fingers so that C would be played with your middle finger. The chord sequence now looks like G-C-E. Each inversion has a unique sound and can be used to create smooth chord progressions or interesting harmonic textures in music. These inversions add extra colour to your playing and you are free to choose which one suits the situation best. It is my suggestion that you practice chord inversions for several chords to hear the different qualities of each one.
LISTENING REPERTOIRE Familiarity with songs or tunes helps when chording. Developing a repertoire of melodies by listening to and singing melodies so that they stick in your head over time can greatly enhance your ability to play by ear and improvise chords effectively. Exposure and practice to different tunes can gradually build this listening repertoire. For example, many folks may be familiar with the following children’s songs: Row, Row, Row Your Boat, The Farmer in the Dell, and Frère Jacques. These melodies can be chorded to by playing the same chord throughout. Give it a try! Use the Major Piano Chords on page 12 in this book and sing out and chord (either with just the right hand or with both the right-hand chord as well as the left hand octave) to these songs in the key of C. Then try singing them in D, and so on. When this comes easily, try it with the fiddle tracks provided on the website www.capebretonpiano.com. You will play the same chord on the main beat eight times to complete one round of the tune (then it repeats). The three children’s melodies have been arranged to be played as a reel, a jig and a strathspey in several major keys in sequential order. You can apply the various rhythms for each of these tune types as you get more comfortable with each rhythm. As mentioned previously, many traditional Cape Breton tunes have predictable chord patterns. That is one of the main focuses of this program. A chord chart is a chart that that is used by accompaniment to outline the chords that will be performed for a tune or song. Throughout this guide, chord charts are provided as a template to provide a clear guide as to the sequence of chord progressions for a tune. It is very important to listen to Cape Breton fiddle tunes whenever possible and to expand and enrich your personal repertoire. If I said you were going to be chording to the Irish Washerwoman, my bet is that you immediately can recall the melody in your head. That’s because is it such a familiar tune in the Celtic genre. The familiarity makes trying to chord to such tunes that much easier.
IRREGULARITIES IN TUNES Typically, in Cape Breton a tune is in one key for all parts of the tune. A whole set of tunes also are generally played in the same key, however; a two-part tune may be in one key for the first part of the tune and then in a different key for the second part of the tune. For example, the tune Miss Susan Cooper by Ronnie Cooper starts in the key of D major then switches to B minor for the second part (relative key – see page 16). Some tunes have three, four or more parts/turns. Some tunes have unexpected chord changes, unusual rhythmic patterns, unconventional melodies, or unique harmonic progressions. These irregularities can add interest, complexity, and character to the music, challenging musicians to adapt and respond creatively. These tunes often take extra practice to master and require more attention to commit to memory. When a tune does not follow a common pattern, you may have to try a chord in a related key. For example, if you are in A minor, you may try its relative major chord, C major, or vice versa. Another suggestion is to try a major chord in place of the minor chord. For example, the A minor chord could be used instead of an A major chord. You can also try going to the right or left a degree on the Circle of Fifths. (See explanation of Circle of 5ths on following page). For example, in the key of A major, you would switch to a D major chord/key or to E major chord/key. Alternatively, a tune could be in G major and then the same tune can be played by shifting it completely up a whole step to the key of A major. Folks frequently do this key shift with the traditional reel Far From Home. It adds interest to the performance.
PLAYING BY EAR Playing by ear is a valuable skill that allows musicians to learn and perform music without relying on sheet music or written notation. This skill requires a keen ear as well as an understanding of musical concepts such as melody, harmony, rhythm, and form. The best way to learn this is to listen repeatedly to a melody until it is internalized. Literally singing the tune really helps. Practice and experience are key to developing proficiency in playing by ear. Having a built-up listening repertoire gives you an advantage.
DETERMINING THE KEY Determining the key of a tune involves finding the tonal centre. First, you need to listen for the overall “feel” of the tune. Major keys often sound brighter and happier, while minor keys tend to sound darker or more somber. The most common keys to troubleshoot first in the Cape Breton tradition would be the keys of A, D, and G in the major keys and A minor and E minor in the minor keys. Once you have exhausted exploring those keys, keep trying other keys. A good way to explore these different keys is to play the scales, arpeggios and chords in each key, listening to hear if they sound bright, happy or dark, somber and to become more familiar with the different qualities of each of these keys. When all else fails, looking for the sheet music will hopefully tell you the answer with its key signature, chord progressions, and final resolution notes.