What is a Chord?

Put simply, a chord is two or more different notes played at the same time, usually on the same instrument by the same player. Frequently in bands, one note of the chord will be strummed by the bass guitar, while the "meaty" section of the chord is played on the rhythm guitar.

How to Create a Chord

Chords are made up of melodic intervals. An interval is just the "gap" between two notes. For example, the interval of E from C is major third, becuase E is the third note in the C major scale. The most common chord, the major/minor triad, is composed of a major interval followed by a minor interval (for major triad, C-E-G) and a minor interval followed by major interval (for a minor triad, C-Eb-G).

Common chords and How to Form them

• Major Triad: the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes in a major scale.
• Minor Triad: the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes in a minor scale.
• 7th Chords: Major 7th: 1st, 3rd, 5th, and flattened 7th notes (one semitome lower) in a major scale
• 7th Chords: Minor 7th: 1st, 3rd, 5th, and flattened 7th notes (one semitome lower) in a minor scale.
• Diminished: starting on the root note of scale, each chord note is 3 semitones higher.
• Augmented: major triad with the last note increase by 1 semitone (sharpened 5th)
• 4ths, 2nds, 6ths, 9ths etc: sometimes chords are created where there is a root chord (major/minor triad, 7th) along with another note of the scale added for embellishment (adding 2nds, 4ths, 6ths 9ths, 13ths).

Chord Sequences

Also known as a chord progression, form the most basic harmony of a song. Playing a series of chords in order, and repeating is known as a chord sequence. Usually, each chord leads on from the one before it. The link is based on the root chord, normally the starting chord.

Common Chord Sequences alternate between the 1st, 4th and 5th chords in a scale (eg. in the key of C, the 1st chord would be C, the fourth would be F and the fifth G). Sometimes, a minor chord would be added, usually on the 2nd or 6th notes of the key (in key of C, the 2nd would be Dminor, and the 6th would be Aminor).

Popular Chord Progressions

House of the Rising Sun: Am-C-D-F-Am-E-Am-E (Im-III-IV-VI-I-V-I-V)

The Passenger: Am-F-Am-E (Im-VI-Im-V)

Hotel California: Bm-F#-A-E-G-D-Em-F#m (Im-V-VII-VI-VI-III-VIm-Vm)

12 Bar Blues: C-C-C-C-F-F-C-C-G-F-C-C (I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I) (can be with added 7ths)

Hey Jude (outro): F-Eb-Bb-F (I-VIIb-V-I)

Wonderwall: Em7-G-Dsus4-A7sus4 (Im7-III-VIIsus4-IV7sus4) ('sus4' simply means you add the fourth note of that scale to the chord, so Dsus4 would be a D chord with added G).

Killing Me Softly: Am-F-C-G-Am-Dm-G-G-F-C-C-F-Bb x4-Am x4 (Im-VI-III-VII-Im-IVm-VII-VII-VI-III-III-VI-IIb x4-Im x4)

Yesterday: F-Em-A7-Dm-Bb-C-F-Dm-G7-Bb-F (I-VIIm-III7-VIm-IV-V-I-VIm-II7-IV-I)

Ruby Tuesday: Bm-A-G-A-D (Im-VII-VI-VII-III)

My Way: F-A-Cm-D7-Gm-Gm7-C7-F-F-F7-Bb-Bbm-F-C7-Gm-F (I-III-Vm-VI7-IIm-IIm7-V7-I-I-I7-IV-IVm-I-V7-IIm-I)

Let It Be: C-G-Am-F-C-G-F-C (I-V-VIm-IV-I-V-IV-I)

Baba O'Riley: F-F-F-C-Bb-Bb-Bb-Bb (I-I-I-V-IV-IV-IV-IV)

Along with many many others!

Their journey began with a band called the Yardbirds. This group had been around for about a decade by the time Page joined the group. Page had the daunting task of filling the shoes of guitarists Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. This got Page noticed and it got him closer to realizing his music dream. John Paul Jones was the first person he contacted. Jones had a very impressive resume. He had worked with The Rolling Stones, Donovan and former Yardbirds member, Jeff Beck. Jones accepted his invitation and they started looking for a drummer and lead singer.

They found their missing pieces in drummer John Bonham and singer Robert Plant. They both came from the Band of Joy from Birmingham, England. Plant brought a certain excitement whenever he took stage and Bonham was just a guy who was always in total control of the drum set. With these two additions to the band, Page's fantasy was finally coming true.

The band produced their first album titled Led Zeppelin. The album had a variety of genres on it. It included “Dazed and Confused” which had a lot of solos and strange sound effects. The album also included two strictly rock songs, “Good Times Bad Times” and “Communication Breakdown.” After this album, they became very popular in England and in the U.S.

Led Zeppelin traveled the world trying to understand other cultures' music and try to get a deeper understanding of music around the world. This helped them produce their second album, Led Zeppelin II. This album took a more modern approach to “blues-rock.” This album contained hit songs like “Whole Lotta Love”, “Heartbreaker”, and “Ramble On.”

Their third album, surprisingly titled Led Zeppelin III, was a lot softer than their first two albums. It had a lot more acoustic guitar. This album consisted of songs like “Immigrant Song” and “Since I've Been Lovin' You”. This is certainly not looked upon as their most popular album, but it set the stage for their next album, which many call their finest work.

Their fourth album was untitled but people refer to it as Led Zeppelin IV, or “The Runes Album”. This album produced famous songs like “Black Dog” and Stairway to Heaven”. It also accounted for “Rock and Roll”, “Battle of Evermore”, and “When the Levee Breaks”.

Led Zeppelin went on to produce four more albums that included hits like “The Ocean”, “The Song Remains the Same”, “Kashmir”, “All My Love”, and “Achilles Last Stand”. Everything was going great until their success came to a screeching halt. Drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham died of a heart attack on September 25, 1980. Led Zeppelin stop writing music and broke up.

Even though Led Zeppelin stopped making music, they showed the music world how to take two completely genres and combine them into one. They showed the entire world how music really should be played. They showed everyone what rhythm was really all about. Even though their music stopped, it still lives on in the hearts of every Led Zeppelin fan.