Just wondering if anyone can give me a few tips on learning chords on my KN7000. I am aware how chords are constructed and can play any chord on the keyboard. What I'm looking for is a practical application i.e. what position and what inversion to play certain chords to stop my hand from jumping up and down the section to the left of the split point, is there a 'rule of thumb' that can be followed.

Also I have been using the 'Complete Keyboard Player Picture Chord' book as a guide to chord fingering and there seems to be a difference from its fingering guide to what the KN7000 plays. As an example, the book says to play an F6 use notes (left to right) A C D F but the KN7000 plays this as a Dm7. Using the KN7000 'Chord Finder' it shows F A C D. In other words some chord inversions play different chords on the KN7000 ?

Glen

Why make such hard work of it when you can use basic chord mode and get on with producing a much better melody with your right hand...just a thought.
Rog

Hi Glen,

Actually F6 and Dm7 are same chords as they sound the same just like say, C6 and Am7 because they use the same notes. Any major sixth chord has it's correspondant minor seventh. This is one particular thing about chords.

Here's another one...

Cdim = Ebdim = F#dim = Adim using C Eb F# and A notes and their inversions.

Inversions are quite useful when playing left handed chords so can you make the less possible movements with your fingers. Many times you only have to change one or two fingers to go from one chord to another. You'll have to experience by yourself and the KN7000 can help you a lot by showing on the screen the name of the chord your're playing.

Hope this help

Serge

Having played so many years at the organ, I tend to finger chords in the way Serge has said. It's easy to change chords with minimal hand movement. But, if you are using APC, the bass note that results may or may not be what you expected. It still sounds OK to me though. Listen to a diminished chord with different fingerings with APC. You will readily notice that the bass line depends on the inversion that you use.

Roger, I have never used the basic mode. Can you play a major seventh in that mode? Or a 7-5 chord?

Hi Bob
One of the unique things about the KN7000 is that you can set it to basic and yet still play three finger chords, but yes major 7ths are easy on basic.
Rog

You're right Roger. Most of my chord fingering includes 4 notes but I just played a song in basic mode and didn't notice any difference in chord recognition. Can’t figure out though, why I would want to do it . . .

Gentlemen

Many thanks for your comments.

I usually play any three note chords as Serge suggested with inversions to minimise hand movement, but I struggle when it comes to four note chords. I realise I could use the basic mode but feel I would learn more about chords if I wanted to play without the APC on.

I didn't realise the F6 and Dm7 are basically the same chord, you learn something every day

Perhaps I should go through various fake books just playing the chords and humming (terrible singer) the melody until I become more familiar with inversions.

Thanks again

Glen

To fully appreciate the difference in bass lines, and therefore the 'sounds' of a style, just pick a style - one I tried was 'Bossanova' - and mute all but the bass accompaniment ... play CM, then slide up to Dmin7 (DFAC) then Emin7 (EGBD), then F6 (FACD) ... there will be a noticeable difference between the Dm7 bass line and the F6 bass line ... you can also just play the Dm7 and then the F6 to make it simple ...
When playing with the "On bass" option, you can get nice voicings for certain songs, for example "This Masquerade" by George Benson ... when using the 'On Bass', the bass note will be the leftmost note you are playing in the chord - starting with the Cm (C Eb G) and then playing a CmM7 (B C Eb G), then Cm7 (Bb C Eb G), then playing Cm/A (A C Eb G), (this chord shows on the screen as an Amb5) - then playing the AbM chord (Ab C Eb) produces a nice descending bass line for the tune ...
This may take some getting used to, but it does add a nice 'flavor' to the tune ...
Hope this didn't confuse the issue ...

Good points, Tony. That's what separates the Pro from the hobbyist. I'm still a hobbyist . . . You need to trade that KN6000 for a KN7000.

Bob - you wouldn't want to do it - play in basic set-up, that is - but it's a useful way for beginners to get into producing a reasonable version of a song quickly as most beginners struggle to find their 3 finger chords let alone those that need four fingers.
Many's the time I have listened to junior players hanging on the melody note way past the four beats of the bar whilst their memory hunts for the chord for the left hand...and it must be frustrating for them too...and that is probably why lots of expensive keyboards end up in the loft or under the bed!!!