Chords using Tables

HOW TO CREATE CHORDS USING TABLES

Author: Martin Lindeberg

(Note: this is just slightly outdated – a more convenient method exist – current versions of LSDj have a C (chord) command)

1. Start LSDj
2. Create a chain for pulse or wave channel
3. Create a phrase for that chain
4. Tap in a note (e.g. c5)
5. Put an “a” command next to the note followed by a number
6. Go to the table screen
7. On the second column from left, write 00, 04, 07 downwards
8. On the fourth row in the column just to the right of the transpose col., put in a “H” command
9. Press start and enjoy the C major chord (if you taped in a C in the phrase)

Basics

Chords are built on at least three tones. They are the tones 1, 3 and 5 in a scale. E.g. in a D major scale it would be the tones D, F# and A. Major chords are made by using a major 3, e.g. C to E (four halftones up), while minor chords use a minor 3 e.g. C to Eb (three halftones up). All basic chords can appear in three inversions. E.g. an Em can appear as follows; E-5, G-5, B-5 (first inversion). G-5, B-5, E-6 (second inversion). B-5, E-6, G-6 (third inversion). In table screen, write FB, 00, 03 for a minor chord in the third inversion. These three inversions are, in notes, writen Em, Em / G? and Em / B?. The tones after the slash indicates the bass tone (the lowest tone in the chord).

Putting colours to the chords

Both major and minor chords can be coloured. This means you can add more tones to the chord than the basic three. The most common colouration is to add the seventh tone in a scale to the chord (e.g. C7, Em 7?, Fmaj 7?). The seventh tone can also be major or minor (10 or 11 halftones up from the bass tone). If the seventh tone is minor the chord is called dominant. This means the chord wants to land on another chord. E.g. C7 (tones – C, E, G and Bb) would like to land on a F (tones – F, A, C). If the seveth tone is major the chord's not dominant and likes to rest giving a jazzy feel. E.g. Dmaj 7? contains the tones D, F#, A, C#.

The chords with a seven can also have different inversions. Four, because they contain four tones, thus can a chord have as many inversions as it contains tones. E.g. an Amaj 7 chord can be played A-4, C#-5, E-5, G#-5 or C#-5, E-5, G#-5, A-5 or E-5, G#-5, A-5, C#-6 and so on. This is musicaly writen; Amaj 7, Amaj 7 / C?#, Amaj 7 / E?, A / G?# (here maj7 is not put out becouse the maj7-tone (G#) is allready put out as a bass tone).

Chords list

All chords are in their first inversion. I've used C as bass tone. In phrase it doesn't matter what tone you use since in the table tones are transposed from the bass tone.

MAJOR CHORDS

Chord In table

• C 00, 04, 07
• C6 00, 04, 07, 09
• Cmaj 7? 00, 04, 07, 0B
• Cmaj 9? 00, 04, 07, 0B, 0E
• Cmaj 11? 00, 04, 07, 0B, 0E, 11
• Cmaj 13? 00, 04, 07, 0B, 0E, 11, 15
• C add9 00, 04, 07, 0E

MINOR CHORDS

• Cm 00, 03, 07
• Cm 6? 00, 03, 07, 09
• Cm 7? 00, 03, 07, 0A
• Cm 9? 00, 03, 07, 0A, 0E
• Cm 11? 00, 03, 07, 0A, 0E, 11
• Cm 13? 00, 03, 07, 0A, 0E, 15
• Cm add9 00, 02, 03, 07

DOMINANT CHORDS

• C7 00, 04, 07, 0A
• C9 00, 04, 07, 0A, 0E
• C11 00, 04, 07, 0A, 0E, 11
• C13 00, 04, 07, 0A, 0E, 15

ALTERED CHORDS

• C-5 00, 04, 06
• C+5 00, 04, 08
• C7–9 00, 04, 07, 0A, 0D
• C7+9 00, 04, 07, 0A, 0F
• C7+5–9 00, 04, 08, 0A, 0D

DIM. CHORDS

• Cdim 00, 03, 06, 09

CHORDS WITH NO 3

• Csus 4 00, 05, 07
• Csus 9? 00, 02, 07
• C5 00, 07, 0C

Also try and use A+Down / Up? standing on a value to transpose it an whole octave up or down, giving the chord a more “open” feel. For instance a 7–9 chord could look like this: 00, 10, 07, FE, 0D. Second digit, 10, is the major 3rd note transposed up an octave. Fourth digit, FE, is the -9 note transposed down an octave.