Why practice chords?

[mr. classic]

I practice candences and seven basic jazz chords for each key, working with 1 key in 1 week.

I've started to wonder though... How can I use what I learn, and in which situations will I benefit from rigorous chord practice?

Thank You

[annabubbles]

Playing chords will help you in many areas. I'm not extremely experienced with music, but I will try my best to answer.

1. If a song has a heavy chord section, you would already have built the flexibility, strength and coordination needed to play it.

2. If you're in a band or ensemble, it would be easy for someone to direct what you play. ("Play a __ chord, __ chord and a __ chord for the next 8 bars.")

3. It may be easier to improvise music. (Play the notes on the chord separately, change a few notes, etc.)

4. You will build up hand and arm strength. (I don't know about you, but consistent chords are a major work out for me.)

So... yeah. Keep practicing.

[Bob]

You can change them, mix them up, so you're not practicing them the same way each time -- Play them as arp, chords over a scale, different chord progressions, in every key, major and minor, different inversions, etc. 

That will get them under your fingers better and help you be more fluent with them.


And then apply it to music -- identify the chords and voicing in the music or improvise something yourself. 

[mr. classic]

Thank you both!

Very clear and constructive answers

I currently play my cadences without much variations, except for playing them in different positions. Should I go ahead and arpeggiate the chords or wait until my teacher advices me to?

[Bob]

You can do anything you want.  I wouldn't let the teacher decide everything, and they don't need to know everything you do either.  If you think you need it, do it.  It is moving in the direction of "chord technique" and theory though and not necessarily learning your pieces, but in the long run it will help you learn pieces deeper and faster if you can read and "speak" the chords without thinking.

[mad_max2024]

Ya, be creative. Try everything and experiment.
You can also do a bit of research of your own and try to read whatever you can get about music theory and harmonization.

While practicing without teacher's guidance can be harmful, I think reading and learning theory isn't. And it will help you learn how you can use those chords and scales to make music.