Tricks to Identifying Chords

Question 1

Which chord group will always begin with “Ma”

Answer 1

Hard Major Chords

Ex: Ma7 = 1 3 5 7

Question 2

What chord group uses “m(Ma)”

Answer 2

Very Hard Minor Chords

Ex: m(Ma7) = 1 b3 5 7

Question 3

Very Hard Minors m(Ma) will always:

Answer 3

1) have a 7 because it is a hard chord
2) have a b3, unless it is a sus4

It is a (Ma) that has been minored by flatting the 3rd

Question 4

How do you determine if minors “m” are hard or soft

Answer 4

They are soft (1 b3 5) if they:

a) have a 6 in the chord
b) have an add9 in the chord
c) are a 5th chord, msus2, m, mus4

otherwise they will be a Hard Minor

Question 5

What is the degree content of a Major Chord

Answer 5

1 3 5

Question 6

What is the degree content of a Minor Chord

Answer 6

1 b3 5

Question 7

What is the degree content of a Dominant Chord

Answer 7

1 3 5 b7

Question 8

What is the degree content of an Augmented Chord

Answer 8

1 3 #5

Question 9

What is the degree content of a Diminished Chord

Answer 9

1 b3 b5

Question 10

What is the degree content of a Hard Major Chord

Answer 10

1 3 5 7

The 7 makes it Hard

Question 11

What is the degree content of a Soft Major Chord

Answer 11

1 3 5

It is a standard Major Chord
The absence of a 7 or b7 makes it soft

Question 12

What is the degree content of a Dominant Chord

Answer 12

I 3 5 b7

A dominant is a Major Chord (1 3 5) with a b7
The b7 makes it Dominant

Question 13

What is the degree content of a Hard Minor Chord

Answer 13

1 b3 5 b7

The b7 makes it hard
The b3 makes it a minor (1 b3 5)

Question 14

What is the degree content of a Soft Minor Chord

Answer 14

1 b3 5

It is a standard Minor Chord
The absence of a 7 or b7 makes it soft

Question 15

What is the degree content of a Very Hard Minor Chord

Answer 15

1 b3 5 7

The 7 makes it Very hard
The b3 makes it a Minor Chord (1 b3 5)