How to Learn Any Chord | The Simple Process

The Origin of Chords

As you may know, chords aren’t random notes.  The notes of any given chord belong to a group of notes known as a scale.  They can also be referred to as a key of music.

The most basic chords are Major and minor chords that are also known as triads.  Both of which can easily be derived from Major and minor keys of music

Each Major key has its own corresponding Major chord.  It’s easy to understand because the Major key and Major chord have the same name.

The Key of C Major

The first, third and fifth tones of the key are used to construct the Major chord. 

C Major Chord

The same goes for the minor chord.  You can easily find the corresponding minor chord from the minor key.

The Key of C minor

The same formula of the first, third and fifth tones of the key are used to construct the minor chord. 

C minor Chord

There are other triads as well as extended chords but we won't cover those here because this article is about how to learn any chord with a simple process. 

The Major and minor triad examples I’ve shown you here are in the most basic position known as root position.  It would be fine to only learn them in this context if all chords were played this way but they’re not.

Chords are played in different inversions and voicings which change their appearance and sound.  Without having this flexibility, chords would have a very limited musical context.

This may make how to learn any chord more challenging, but it’s not difficult when you have the tools to understand and recognize chords in any concept.

Inversions & intervals

As I stated earlier, the Major/minor triads are constructed of the first, third and fifth tones of their respective keys.  When you invert these triads, these tones don’t change but the intervals between them will.  Let's just look at the C Major triad as an example.

A Major triad in root position is constructed of a Major third and a minor third in that order.

C Major triad root position intervals

Notice how the intervals change as you invert the triad.

C Major triad 1st Inversion

Perfect 4th and a Major 3rd 

C Major triad 2nd Inversion

Minor 3rd  and a Perfect 4th

You must recognize the intervals as well as the tones that make up the chord.  This is simpler with triads than with more advanced chords.  However, it does become easier with repetition.  The point is to learn to recognize any chord in any inversion.

The Number System

Along with understanding the tones that make up a chord, the numbers that make up a chord are just as important.  The number system is a system of transcribing music

by assigning a number to each tone in a scale or key of music.  

Key of C Major (numbered)

The number system shows the structure of any chord or key of music.  In this way, any one chord can be transcribed to any other key just by knowing the numbers that chord consists of.

C7 chord

F7 chord

G7 chord

*  The previous chords are dominant 7th chords in which the 7th is lowered a half step.

Notice how the notes are different but the numbers are the same.  Learn the number system.  Without it, learning  chords and keys of music take far longer and don’t allow you to easily transcribe chords effortlessly.

Learning Chords With Rhythmic Patterns

It’s very simple to learn how any chord is constructed.  But the secret of how to learn any chord and be able to recall it with little effort is to play it in a musical context.  A Simple way to accomplish this is to play chords with rhythms while also inverting the chord.

Let’s take a C7 chord as an example.  First of all, get this C7 chord under your hand in all inversions.C7 Root PositionC7 1st Inversion C7 2nd InversionC7 3rd Inversion

Now we can create a simple rhythm with this one chord.  

C7 3/1 Break-up Rhythm

To create a more musical rhythm, add the left hand just by simply playing the root.