Chord Change Formula 3L

Chord Change Formula 3L  Skipped White Keys (SWK) For Left Hand Chord Change

How to use Chord Change Formula 3L    Skipped White Keys (SWK) For Left Hand Chord Change

Chord Change Formula 3L Skipped White Keys (SWK) For Left Hand

In Chord Change Formula 1: Relative Chord Method, the +n and -n that you place between the chords, represent the fingers that you move (UP or DowN) to get to the next chord.
These numbers can also be used to represent the number of white keys that you skip to get to the next chord.
This works very well for left hand chord changing. Of course, the shape of the chord will be different.

After you form the I chord, there are 3 chords that have their root down from the I chord ( V VI VII ), and 3 chords that have their root up from the I chord ( II III IV )

If the chord is a 3rd DowN (+1), you skip 1 white key DowN to get to that chord. C – Am
If the chord is a 5th DowN (+2), you skip 2 white keys UP to get to that chord. C – F
If the chord is a 7th DowN (+3), you do not skip white keys. This is an adjacent chord. C – Dm
If the chord is a 3rd UP (-1), you skip 1 white key UP to get to that chord. C – Em
If the chord is a 5th UP (-2), you skip 2 white keys DowN to get to that chord. C – G
If the chord is a 7th UP (-3), you do not skip white keys. This is an adjacent chord. C – Bdim

                           (5th UP)                                           (5th DN)
                   5th      4th      3rd      7th                7th      3rd      4th      5th
                   IV         V        VI        VII      I           II         III        IV        V
Fingers      +2        -2        +1       -3                    +3        -1        +2      -2
SWK          s3        s2        s1       s0                    s0        s1        s2       s2

Note: 4th is equivalent to 5th in the opposite direction.

In D Major

                           (5th UP)                                             (5th DN)
                 5th       4th      3rd      7th                  7th     3rd     4th     5th
                  IV         V        VI        VII         I          II        III       IV       V
                   G          A       Bm     C#dim    D       Em     F#m    G       A
Fingers      +2        -2        +1       -3                    +3        -1        +2      -2
SWK          s3        s2        s1       s0                     s0        s1        s2       s2

Canon in D Right Hand Chord Changes

   Formula 3L F3

Canon in D Skipped White Keys Chord Changes for Left Hand

Formula 3L F4

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More Formula 3 Examples

Skipped White Keys Method Detail

Major Third

The major third spans 5 piano keys – the 2 keys that you are holding, plus 3 skipped keys between.

The 3 skipped keys can be
2 black keys and 1 white key as in C – E, F – A, G – B
or
2 white keys and 1 black key as in D – F#, E – G#, A – C#, B – D# in the sharp keys,
and
Db – F, Eb – G, Gb – Bb, Ab – C, Bb – D in the flat keys.

From this we can say that the major third has 2 skipped white keys except,

C – E, F – A, G – B, which have 1 skipped white key.

Minor Third

The minor third spans 4 piano keys – the 2 keys that you are holding, plus 2 skipped keys between.

The 2 skipped keys can be

1 black key and 1 white key as in

C – Eb, D – F, E – G, F – Ab, G – Bb, A – C, B – D, in the sharp keys
and
Db – Fb, Gb – Bbb (A), Ab – Cb, in the flat keys,
or
2 white keys Eb – Gb, Bb Db

From this we can say that the minor third has 1 skipped white key, except, Eb – Gb, Bb – Db.which have 2 skipped white keys.

The Perfect Fourth

The perfect fourth spans 6 piano keys – the 2 keys that you are holding, plus 4 skipped keys between.

The 4 skipped keys can be

2 white keys and 2 black keys as in

C – F, D – G, E – A, F – Bb, G – C, A – D, B – E, F# – B (Gb – Cb) for the sharp keys and F – Bb
or
3 white keys and 1 black keys as in Db – Gb, Eb – Ab, Ab – Db, Bb – Eb, Gb – Cb for the flat keys.

From this we can say that the perfect fourth has 2 skipped white key for the sharp keys and3 skipped white keys for the flat keys.

The Perfect Fifth

The perfect fifth spans 8 piano keys – the 2 keys that you are holding, plus 6 skipped keys between.

The 6 skipped keys can be

3 white keys and 3 black keys as in

C – G, D – A, E – B, F – C, G – D, A – E, for the sharp keys
or
4 white keys and 2 black keys as in B – F#, Db – A, Eb – Bb, Gb – Db, Ab – Eb, Bb – F, for B – F# and the flat keys.

From this we can say that the perfect fifth has 3 skipped white key for the sharp keys and

4 skipped white keys for the flat keys.

Skipped White Keys Method

It is much simpler to count white keys, so we will use the white keys to determine intervals.

This is the Skipped White Keys Method.

Use this method to determine intervals for chord changes.

1 skipped white keys will be a minor third or or a major third or an adjacent note
.
2 skipped white keys wil be a minor third or a major third or a perfect fourth.

3 skipped white keys will be a perfect fourth or a perfect fifth.

4 skipped white keys will be a perfect fifth.

Formula 3 F1

Formula 3 F2

Formula 3 F3

Formula 3 F4

Formula 3 F5

Formula 3 F6

Formula 3 F7

Formula 3 F8

Chord Changing Methods

Chord Change Formula 3L Skipped White Keys (SWK) For Left Hand