Flat Chords Theory
A great deal of misunderstanding revolves around this term!
Sound of a flat chord
Can be major or minor, so there is no consistent character
The Flat Chord Notated
Any chord where the letter name (the root) has a flat (b) symbol following it. E.g. Bb
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Bb notated
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Theory - what do we mean by a "flat" chord?
Eb chord
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A flat chord is any chord where the root (that's the bottom note of the chord) is a flat note, such as Eb major. The chord could be major, minor or an altered chord such as seventh or ninth. |
Here's some common mistakes when we use this term:-
1.
A flat chord is a chord with all black keys.
NOT TRUE - Eb (above) has the white key G. Lot's of "flat" chords have white keys in them!
2. Flat chords are minor chords, sharp chords are majors.
NOT TRUE - Eb (above) is a major chord! I guess it's easy to associate "going down" to a flat key with minor. Also, many common major chords are "flattened" to turn them into minor (e.g. C major {C - E - G} becomes C minor {C - Eb - G}, or G major {G - B - D} becomes G minor {G - Bb - D}).
However, the "flat" refers to the root name of the chord, and not what is happening in the middle of the chord.
3. Flat chords are all white key chords, such as C major, F major, A minor etc.
The term to play a "flat chord" is sometimes used by keyboard or piano teachers as a way to help memorize the shape of the hand. For example, with C major,
the hand strikes a flat surface to contact C, E and G. (Unlike D major {D - F# - A}, which is uneven due to the black key F#). In this sense, the chords C, D, F, G, and Dm, Em, Am and B° are all "flat" chords.
However, using the term this way creates confusion amongst students due to the way we usually talk about the word "flat" in music in relation to pitches such as Ab and Bb. Perhaps the term "level chords" would be less misleading.
TOP TIP:
It's worth noting some common shapes when it comes to playing flat chords. Eb (Eb- G - Bb), Ab (Ab - C - Eb), and Db (Db - F - Ab) are all played by the same hand shape, with the white key in the middle. Practise playing these chords on the piano, one after another. This will help in learning these common major triads.
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