The SMART Way To Think About Chord Names and Labels [+FREE PDF] [MUSIC THEORY LESSON]

This is a lesson I WISH someone had taught me when I was younger! It's a pattern I stumbled across while writing my new book. I'm certainly not the first to realize it but I hope that this lesson will be a unique and effective way to teach the concept. I also don't know why this "works", because I don't know the history of chord names, and I question if anyone truly knows the whole story. All I know is that it works!

SUSPENDED VARIATIONS:
You can lower the 2nd in a suspended chord, or raise the 4th, to create chords like Gsus#4 or Gsusb2. If you really wanted to, you could also use the (b5) or (#5) symbols in conjunction with "sus" to create chords like Gsus2(#5), Gsus2(b5), or Gsus4(b5). However, sus4(#5) just creates an inverted minor triad, so it's appearance would be largely theoretical.

ILLEGAL COMBINATIONS:
Some symbols just shouldn't be combined. "sus" with "min" for example - these two labels defy one another, since "sus" means "remove the third", but "min" means "lower the third". Some other bad combos:
"aug" with "dim"
"aug" with "min" - This just creates an inverted major triad, and would be easier parsed as such
"m" with "dim"
"maj" with "dim"

For all of these examples: Remember that "aug" is also written as "+" or (#5).

MY COURSES:

Lastly, my Patreon, if you'd like to support my free lessons (like this one!) In exchange, you'll get access to monthly live Q+A's and more lessons I've made.

00:00 Intro
01:02 WHERE ALL CHORDS ARE BORN
04:29 What "maj" does
05:10 What "min" does
05:41 Combining "min" and "maj"
06:20 "aug" or "+" or (#5)
07:08 Combining "maj" and (#5)
07:39 (b5), and combining it with "min" or "maj"
08:43 "dim"
09:33 Popular Alterations
10:42 "add" chords
11:54 Suspended Chords
12:54 "Jazz" 6th chords
14:26 "Classical" sixth chords
15:14 Slash Chords
15:40 7alt
16:26 Outro

[SignalsMusicStudio]

The first class of chords taught here, the default chords, are all DOMINANT chords. They are easily built by starting on the 5th note of a major scale (called the DOMINANT) and skipping notes. Keeping this in mind, you can envision every extension or number in a chord label (7, 9, 11, etc) as referring to the mixolydian scale, which is also called the DOMINANT scale. I still don't know why this is the way it is though lol.

[kusanagisteve]

Man...I really missed your content, so glad you're back

[kagenotatsumaki]

This is why you're the best.

Nobody else has EVER told me that 7 is flat by default, min is only referring to the 3rd and maj is only referring to the 7, because it's flat by default!

This is critical information and yet after 3 years of constantly surfing YouTube for guitar videos, I've never even heard anyone HINT at this!

So thank you SO much Jake! Super stoked that you're back!

[Churro_Flaminguez]

This channel has to be in the Top 3 for educational music content on Youtube. Thank you again Jake 🙏🏻

[JohnPDX]

30 years I've been struggling with this stuff... and after 20 minutes, I feel like I UNDERSTAND this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

[manplusguitar]

Once again Jake clears up 20 years of confusion in 5 minutes. Best teacher on youtube.

[Landekar]

Literally the best music teacher now posts regularly. The whole world is becoming better after all.

[markusszelbracikowski]

If there's such a thing as a virtuoso TEACHER, that's what you are my friend. A professional who ascended beyond all others and mastered the skills of not only knowing about a subject, but about TEACHING said subject effortlessly and effectively. Bravo.

[liquidsolids]

I already knew all this…but it took me YEARS to learn. You taught it in 18 minutes. Thank you, and well done!

[jvz]

Of all the music theory content I’ve consumed, this is perhaps the most important, most helpful lesson I’ve encountered. I STILL get tripped up on chord naming. I’ll go back, look things up, study it again and think I’ve finally got it sorted and memorized once and for all, only to find myself under pressure in the heat of a moment, getting confused and unable to remember for certain what the convention is 😫. You presented this info so well, and it’s so well organized, that I may be able to keep things straight once and for all. I’m saving this video for future reference and study and I’m considering ordering your full book. Keep up the great work. Sincere thanks! 🙏💛🎶👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[JorWat]

As an explanation as to why the flat seventh is the default, it's because 1, 3, 5 and flat 7 form a 4:5:6:7 ratio of the frequencies (or at least close enough), so sounds the most harmonic.

[chrisbassartist]

I have 30 years of experience as a musician and had many teachers and read many books and in 20 minutes you explained chord theory to me that finally can say I understand it and it makes sense…especially minor 6th chords that always confused me thank you!! And don’t you dare leave YouTube again we need you lol

[rcatawampus]

I rewatch this once a month just to remind myself how this all works. This is so well presented.

[bigbirdmusic]

This is THE definitive chord guide! So intuitive and easy to follow. Great to have you back on YouTube Jake!!

[mykhedelic]

It would've taken Rick Beato 9 years to explain this and it wouldn't have been anywhere near as clean, clear, impactful and punchy. Which is no knock on him, he's great for a million things, but you have a way of presenting piles of information in logical, sequential, digestible bites that stick the first time and stay. Baby Beato is back, baby! This was a great review for me and probably a revelation and lifting of the veil for so many others.

[gtrdoc]

Great video Jake! Amazing presentation and editing. I used to get confused when I would read that the 9th can be sharpened or flattened but the 11th can only be sharpened and the 13th can only be flattened. It all became clear when I realized a "flattened 11th" is a third and a "sharpened 13th" is a flat seven. Light bulb moment.

[xXscissors_Xx]

If i could leave a tip i would. This is THE best description of these harmony representations I have seen in 15 years of playing guitar and studying music. Hats off for explaining something so seemingly simple; simplistically.

[Veritas-TheGoader]

I’m teaching myself bass guitar, and I have to say you are the teacher for me.
You make sense.
I love Beato, he has such great knowledge, but much of it goes over my head. You are able to teach without arrogance or ego, yet you have amazing talent to both teach and play. The saying “those that can not do, teach”, doesn’t hold true for you. You are a great musician, and thank you for sharing your knowledge. You’ve helped me understand so much, I thank you.

[ShotOwl]

If you've ever had a teacher tell you, don't worry, we'll get into that 'later'--this video is 'later'. It's fantastic.

[fretscience]

Great lesson! One minor correction on the PDF: in the b5 block, the 5s of the four chords shown should be b5s. This is probably obvious to most readers, but I point it out because it's inconsistent with how you handled the other sections.