This is a cool interactive workshop where you create and hear various chords as you go along. Click on your mouse to play, or if you have a quick finger on your computer keyboard you can use that too.
The aim of this one is build a specific chord blueprint based off the selection of pitch classes presented. It develop your ear for recognizing interval structure while you visually see what you are learning in theory.
How to Use the Chord Builder
To start with, there’s a ring of circular buttons, one for each of the twelve notes in an octave, bolts you choose to construct a chord. Beneath are those bolts in a rack displaying what you’ve chosen so far. If you choose appropriate notes it will show you theoretically correct spelling of those pitches in the rack. Alternatively, you can pluck out the bolts using your keyboard: the first nine keys represent the pitch classes starting from C, then 0 represents either A sharp or B flat; the minus and equals keys give you the rest and allow you to cobble together chords without having to reach for the mouse.
To begin a new challenge, hit the Dispatch a chord blueprint button. It’ll create a random target chord for you based on what’s selected and put it at the top of the panel. To modify how challenging the target is, just alter the Blueprint family dropdown. That will give you either triads, seventh chords, suspended chords or everything (all families). The Root stock setting limit the roots to only natural notes or allows chromatic changes. So that controls what kinds of roots show up in your challenges.
The Blueprint briefing menu also has some other handy options. For example, you can opt for just the interval formula. You can choose just the written out chord symbol. You can even have it as a work order for your ears alone. In this last one, the entire text dissapears and it simply plays the chord once, leaving you to remember the pitch classes. It is a nice little exercise in learning how to listen.
You can also control how loud the sounds are on the electric piano with its own volume slider. This is useful when you want something playing quietly in the background or just need to practice somewhere quiet late into the night.
Listen: After selecting some notes, you will be able to hear what you’ve created. You can press the assemble voicing button, which is called Sound. It will play the notes you have chosen so far, giving you the chance to make sure the sound’s right before confirming. When you are done with a chord, you can use the button to rotate the inversion turntable. This turns the bass note into the next inversion moving it up an octave, allowing you to then hear how the same chord sounds in other voicings. This helps you understand root position and harmony.
There is also a way to catch yourself if you mess up or get stuck. You can click the Strip the workbench button to clear out all of the notes you’ve selected, leaving just target chord, and then start building it back up from nothing. Another option is the Fit one missing chord tone button, which comes in handy when you’re practicing a tricky chord. It’ll add one correct note for you, letting you know what the chord degree is, but will leave the remaining notes for you to complete. Just be aware that if you do use this assistance, it won’t count towards your clean run streak.
There’s also a semitone socket gauge built into the interface. It displays a grid that shows the interval relationship between the pitch and the root. It also shows which pitches have been chosen and which are left. Click the gauge button and you will play the target chord and then your selection to hear how it compares. Alternatively, you can press the ‘A’ key on your keyboard to trigger the same comparison.
There are counters that record how many times you’ve assembled correctly (built) and how many times you used assistance or didn’t choose the right note (clean). Your streak is recorded and reset accordingly.
I recommend using the different modes to brief until you feel comfortabley with the structure. Use the written symbol first to familiarize yourself with the chords. Then use the formula-only option to make sure you know what the intervals are in each chord. Next, use the ear only option to push your ears to the limit. If you want to go full screen and have no distractions that’s an option too.
You’ll find a shortcut and control reference in the help section on the bottom. Spend as much or little time as you like on each chord but remember, it isn’t about how many you do quickly, it’s about how well you listen to the intervals.
The widget fills the gap between the theoretical and practical world. You can rotate the voicing, hear the sound, and see the notes all in one place. You also get instant feedback on what you have selected. It is a focused place to study, whether for examination purposes or simply to explore harmony.
Build the next chord from a fresh blueprint. The controls are simple but offer deep learning possibilities. Discover along the way.