Awesome Chords

With Keyboard Illustrations

By Carlton Clark
Copyright ©2014 by Carlton Clark. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States
Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by
any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the
author.

TERMS OF USE

This is a copyrighted work and the author reserves all rights in and to the work. Use of this work is
subject to these terms. Except as permitted under the copyright act of 1976 and the right to store and
retrieve one copy of the work, you may not decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer, reproduce,
modify, create derivative works based upon, transmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish or sublicense
the work or any part of it without author prior consent. You may use the work for your own
noncommercial and personal use; any other use of the work is strictly prohibited.

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 How to Use This Book
Awesome Chords was created as a reference book of colorful chords used by keyboard players all over
the world, in various styles of music. These are the chords that add flavor and color to the basic chords
normally found in the original versions of songs. Musicians, especially keyboard players, will add various
substitute chords and progressions to a song to re-harmonize the melody and give the song a unique
twist while, at the same time, preserving the melody. The other element keyboard players use to
achieve these same goals are different chord voicings. A chord voicing is simply the arrangement of
notes in a chord. You will see in “Awesome Chords” that some chord voicings leave out notes that can
make the chord ambiguous depending on the context it is used in. There are even some rootless chords
in the book that are pretty common among keyboard players and hard to explain if you are not up on
your music theory. Don’t worry because what makes “Awesome Chords” so awesome is, this
information is presented in a format that even the beginner can digest and use to take their chord
vocabulary to another level.

Each chord and chord voicing is given to the user on all twelve keys, in music notation and keyboard
diagrams. When you find a chord you like, learn it and play it in different octaves. I also suggest moving
the chords up and down in half steps. Take care with the rootless chords; for example, if the chord is
labeled as some type of C chord, but there is no C in the chord, remember it will function as a C chord all
the same. I also give you a couple of examples as to how I use some of these chords. Be very
experimental and open minded in your approach and enjoy the different chord flavors presented in
“Awesome Chords”. These are chords and voicings students don’t normally learn how to use until they
reach an advanced level of music theory, but now you have them. Enjoy!

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Roll your mouse over each chord to see an illustration of how to play the chord.

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 AWESOME CHORDS
13th chord moving down half steps with circle of 4ths/5ths in the left hand Carlton Clark

4 b ˙˙˙ b # ˙˙˙ ˙ #˙
b ˙˙ b ˙˙
˙˙ b ˙˙˙ # # ˙˙˙ n ˙˙
&4 b˙ #˙ # # ˙˙˙ n ˙˙
#˙
Piano

? 44 ˙ ˙ b˙ b˙ b˙
b˙ #˙ ˙ ˙
˙

& # ˙˙ b ˙˙ w ∑ ∑ ∑
˙ ˙ b ww

? ˙ w ∑ ∑ ∑
˙
˙˙ b # ˙˙
Same sequence with bass note moved down a tritone
˙˙ b # ˙˙ ˙˙ b ˙˙
& b˙ ˙ b˙ ˙ b˙ ˙ # # ˙˙˙ #n ˙˙˙ # # ˙˙˙ n ˙˙ # ˙˙˙ b ˙˙
#˙ ˙

? #˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ b˙ b˙ b˙ b˙

& ww ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
bw

? ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
bw

& ∑ ∑ ∑

? ∑ ∑ ∑
 Score
AWESOME CHORDS

C7#9(! 13)
Carlton Clark

4
& 4 b ww ww # b ww ww b ww b ww # ww
# b ww ww b b ww ww
# ww b ww
Piano
w
?4 w #w w #w w w
4 w #w

& w ww b ww
b b ww w #w
b ww
w
b ww

? bw w
8

w bw w ww
w #w w #w
C7#9b13

B7#9b13

Bb7#9b13

A7#9b13

Ab7#9b13

G7#9b13
F#7#9b13

F7#9b13

E7#9b13

Eb7#9b13

D7#9b13

Db7#9b13
 Score
AWESOME CHORDS

C 69(#:)
Carlton Clark

4 # ww b ww ww bw
ww b www bw w
& 4 ww b b ww w # ww b b ww
w w w b w w w
bw # b ww
Piano
?4 w bw w
4 · ·

& www # b b www ww b ww b ww

w w
bw
Pno.
? ww b ww b ww # ww b ww
C6/9(#11)

B6/9(#11)

Bb6/9(#11)

A6/9(#11)

Ab6/9(#11)

G6/9(#11)
F#6/9(#11)

F6/9(#11)

E6/9(#11)

Eb6/9(#11)

D6/9(#11)

Db6/9(#11)
 Score
AWESOME CHORDS
Carlton Clark

C 13( „9)
w b b www ww
4 b b www b b # www w
w w bw
& 4 w b ww w # ww b www b ww
w
w w
bw
Piano
?4 w bw w #w
4 · ·

w bw w
8

& b # www b ww w b ww
w b www b # www ww
Pno.
? w w bw w bw
C13 (b9)

B13 (b9)

Bb13 (b9)

A13 (b9)

Ab13 (b9)

G13 (b9)
F#13 (b9)

F13 (b9)

E13 (b9)

Eb13 (b9)

D13 (b9)

Db13 (b9)
Score
AWESOME CHORDS
Carlton Clark

Cmin7(add9)
4 b b wwww #w
# www b ww ww bw
b wwww bw
& 4 b ww ww # # www # www
w w bw w b w w #w
?4 w
4 w bw w bw w #w

& b b wwww
8

# wwww b b www
b w
ww
ww
bw
# www
w
? w bw
8

w bw
w w bw w bw
Cmin7 (9)

Bmin7 (9)

Bbmin7 (9)

Amin7 (9)

Abmin7 (9)

Gmin7 (9)
F#min7 (9)

Fmin7 (9)

Emin7 (9)

Ebmin7 (9)

Dmin7 (9)

Dbmin7 (9)
 Score

AWESOME CHORDS
Carlton Clark

Cmaj7 /B
4 ww bw
b # ww w bw w
& 4 w ww b ww b ww # www b ww
b w
ww w
b ww
Piano
?4 #w # ww b ww # ww b ww
4 ·

& ww b b ww ww b # ww w
w w w

b w
Pno.
? ww w b w
# ww b ww # ww b ww
C Maj7/B

B Maj7/A#

Bb Maj7/A

A Maj7/G#

Ab Maj7/G

G Maj7/F#
F# Maj7/E#

F Maj7/E

E Maj7/D#

Eb Maj7/D

D Maj7/C#

Db Maj7/C
 Score
AWESOME CHORDS

Cmaj7( 69)
Carlton Clark

ww bw ww b ww
4 w b # ww ww b ww # ww
# # ww
ww ww b ww
& 4
w b b ww w #
b w w
ww # w
#w
w w
bw
Piano
?4 w bw w # # ww
4 · ·

ww bw
b www bw w
8

ww ww
& ww #
b w w b b ww
w
bw
Pno.
? ww b ww b ww # ww b ww
C Maj7 (6/9)

B Maj7 (6/9)

Bb Maj7 (6/9)

A Maj7 (6/9)

Ab Maj7 (6/9)

G Maj7 (6/9)
F# Maj7 (6/9)

F Maj7 (6/9)

E Maj7 (6/9)

Eb Maj7 (6/9)

D Maj7 (6/9)

Db Maj7 (6/9)
 Score
AWESOME CHORDS

C »7
Carlton Clark

4 b b ww w bw w
& 4 b w ww b ww b ww # www b ww
b w
ww
w w w

bw
Piano
?4 w bw w #w
4 · ·

& b b ww ww b # ww w w
w w w
bw
Pno.
? w w b ww bw
w
w
bw
C half Dim. 7

B half Dim. 7

Bb half Dim. 7

A half Dim. 7

Ab half Dim. 7

G half Dim. 7
F# half Dim. 7

F half Dim. 7

E half Dim. 7

Eb half Dim. 7

D half Dim. 7

Db half Dim. 7
 Score
AWESOME CHORDS

!
Carlton Clark

C7( 9)
4 b b www #w
w
w w bw w bw
& 4 w b ww b ww b ww # ww b ww ww
w b w w w
bw
Piano
?4 · · · · · ·
4

w
8

ww bw
& b # ww w b ww b www bw
ww
Pno.
? w bw w #w w
C7b9

B7b9

Bb7b9

A7b9

Ab7b9

G7b9
F#7b9

F7b9

E7b9

Eb7b9

D7b9

Db7b9
Score
AWESOME CHORDS
Carlton Clark

C9(11)
4 w bw w
& 4 b ww ww b b ww
ww # b b www ww b ww
w w w w w
bw w bw w
?4 w #w
4 w bw w bw w #w

& b ww # ww b ww ww b ww
bw ww
? w b b ww ww b # ww
8

w w b w w b w
C9 (11)

B9 (11)

Bb9 (11)

A9 (11)

Ab9 (11)

G9 (11)
F#9 (11)

F9 (11)

E9 (11)

Eb9 (11)

D9 (11)

Db9 (11)
Score
awesome chords
Carlton Clark

Cmaj7
4 wwww # # www w
b www # ww b w w
& 4 # w # ww b www # www
#w
# # # www
w w
bw w bw w
?4 w #w
4 w bw w bw w #w

& wwww
8

# ww bw
b www # www bw
# ww # w b www

? w w bw
8

w bw
w w bw w bw
C Maj7

B Maj7

Bb Maj7

A Maj7

Ab Maj7

G Maj7
F# Maj7

F Maj7

E Maj7

Eb Maj7

D Maj7

Db Maj7
Score
awesome chords

C7(#11)
Carlton Clark

4 b # www b ww ww b b ww ww b ww b ww
& 4 w b w w #w w w
w w
bw w bw w
?4 w #w
4 w bw w bw w #w

& b www b b ww ww # b ww ww
w bw w w
? w w bw
8

w bw
w w bw w bw
C7#11

B7#11

Bb7#11

A7#11

Ab7#11

G7#11
F#7#11

F7#11

E7#11

Eb7#11

D7#11

Db7#11
 Score
awesome chords

Cmaj7(add#11)
Carlton Clark

4
& 4 # www #w ww #w w
ww # www w # # ww ww
#w
# ww
w
w

b ww b b www
Piano
?4 #w # ww b ww # ww
4 ·

& w #w w
w #w w
Pno.
? www # # www
# w b wwww # # www w
b www
# w
C Maj7 (#11)

B Maj7 (#11)

Bb Maj7 (#11)

A Maj7 (#11)

Ab Maj7 (#11)

G Maj7 (#11)
F# Maj7 (#11)

F Maj7 (#11)

E Maj7 (#11)

Eb Maj7 (#11)

D Maj7 (#11)

Db Maj7 (#11)
 Score
AWESOME CHORDS
Carlton Clark

cmin7(add9)
4 w #w
& 4 b b www # www b www ww
ww
bw
b b b www ww #w
w w b b ww b www # ww
Piano
w b w
?4 · · · · · · # ww ·
4

& b ww # ww w ww bw
w w b b ww w b b ww
? b ww ww b b ww ww b b ww
8

· · · · ·
Cmin7/9

Bmin7/9

Bbmin7/9

Amin7/9

Abmin7/9

Gmin7/9
F#min7/9

Fmin7/9

Emin7/9

Ebmin7/9

Dmin7/9

Dbmin7/9
 Score
AWESOME CHORDS
Carlton Clark

Cm7(b 5)
4 b b b www ww b b ww b ww b b º www b b www ww
Piano & 4 w b w w w
w w bw w bw
?4 w #w
4

& b b b www
8

b ww b º ww b ww b º ww
w b w w b w
? w w bw
8

w bw
Cmin7 b5

Bmin7 b5

Bbmin7 b5

Amin7 b5

Abmin7 b5

Gmin7 b5
F#min7 b5

Fmin7 b5

Emin7 b5

Ebmin7 b5

Dmin7 b5

Dbmin7 b5