Year 7 Term 1 · Chords

Chords in your hands

Date
Learning objective
To work out the chords of a major scale from its numbers, and to perform the I V vim IV progression in more than one Tonal Centre.
National Curriculum, KS3 Music
  • identify and use the inter-related dimensions of music … including use of tonality, different types of scales and other musical devices
  • play and perform confidently in a range of solo and ensemble contexts … with accuracy and expression
How a chord is built

Write the seven letters of the scale under 1 to 7. Then leapfrog: a chord is a number, the number two above it, and the number two above that. Past 7, carry on from 1. So I is 1 3 5 and vim is 6 1 3. Write the letters inside each chord, then play it.

Playing it · numbiano.com - Classroom tools - Chord Progressions
  1. Choose the Tonal Centre and major. Tap I, V, vim, IV.
  2. Press Play. The sounding chord is the big one. Play each chord with the band, one bar each, round and round.
  3. Check your letters: Chord dictionary - On. Tap a chord to hear it.

1 Tonal Centre C

Worked outPlayed with the bandSteady, four times round
1
C
2
3
4
5
6
7
I
1 3 5
the letters
V
5 7 2
the letters
vim
6 1 3
the letters
IV
4 6 1
the letters

2 Tonal Centre G

Worked outPlayed with the bandSteady, four times round
1
G
2
3
4
5
6
7
I
1 3 5
the letters
V
5 7 2
the letters
vim
6 1 3
the letters
IV
4 6 1
the letters

Nothing about the numbers has changed. Only the letters under them.

3 Extension · Tonal Centre your choice

Worked outPlayed with the bandSteady, four times round
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
I
1 3 5
the letters
V
5 7 2
the letters
vim
6 1 3
the letters
IV
4 6 1
the letters

Keyboards: try F or D. Guitars: D — D, A, Bm and G. Which chord was new to your hands?

Chords in your hands · Year 7 Term 1numbiano.com/tools/progression/