WARNING
I assume that you know how to read music.
If I'm wrong write me in the comments and I'll write a post about it.
In any case, I will attach to each sheet its played version.
Click on the sheets to hear the audio.
What is a chord?
A chord is a set of three or more notes played simultaneously. The simplest example is a triad.
What is a triad?
A triad is a chord built up with three notes, distant a third the first from the second and the second from the third.
"Triad" is also the name of the chord constructed from a triad and reversing the order of the notes.
Why is it important?
Studying the chords and relationships between them is at the center of the harmony. If you don't know what is the harmony check my post here.
Why do this music gives me goosebumps? Why this piece makes me happy and I want to dance when I hear it?
Because a piece has a certain series of chords instead of another.
Let us try to understand what sound has a chord and how it is useful.
What sound has a triad?
What is the difference between the triads written above? The distance of the second note. Notice how it changes the color of the chord. What kind of triad have we played?
Major
The first chord sounds happy. A chord constructed in this way is said major. The major chord, played alone(*), can be used to express happiness, joy, contentment, pleasure.
Minor
The second chord is very sad and is said to be minor. The minor chord, played alone(*), can be used to express anger, sadness, melancholy, pain.
Sus2 Sus4
The third and fourth are respectively sus2 and sus4. They are often abbreviated sus, with no number.
They are called in the same way as they both give a feeling of suspension.
How?
Notice how the first chord (sus) passes gently to the second (greater).
Okay but what do I do now?
By putting together a series of chords, a musician builds the founding structure of the piece on which everything lies.
Depending on the way you chose the chords, you can give different color to the same song.
The following clip is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star played on different chords. Listen how different series of chords give different felling to the song.
Which did you like more? Which do you think is more interesting? Is there one that seemed more happy than the others?
Thanks for listening and see you at the next post!
(*) "Played alone" means out of context, without have it in a series of chords. In fact a major chord can be used in a minor context and it has a darker feeling than played alone.