Chord Master: For Guitar and Keyboard [Paperback]

Eamonn O'Connor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1997

A unique cross-reference chord system aimed at all levels of guitarists and keyboard players, the Chord Master is a useful set of tools for creative musicians, such as songwriters, composers and arrangers. A wide range of chord types (35 total) is offered, with guitar and keyboard positions shown side by side. Over 1800 chord positions are shown for guitarists. For keyboard players, there are 520 root positions (per octave) from which to form thousands of inversions. Full of well-designed charts and tables.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Music Sales Corp (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1900428105
• ISBN-13: 978-1900428101
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,101,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for piano, keyboard and guitar, July 29, 2011

By 

salute_to_veterans (Brownsville TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chord Master for Guitar and Keyboard (Guitar Books) (Paperback)

I use this every time I work on new music. Sometimes I learn something by observation or discovery when playing that I don't actually "know" such as that Am7 and C6 can be played as "inversions" of one another, at least this works for my playing. The first thing I do after these "aha" moments is check it out in this book to see if I am either crazy or perhaps feeling perceptive. The book doesn't tell me explicitly if I'm right as in this example, but shows the fingering for at least 3 fret positions (ex. C6 on 1st, 5th, and 8th frets) as well as root position for piano. From there, you can start figuring out how to make more variations on your own because you know all the correct notes.

I learn a lot from this book beyond actually continuing to learn to play music on piano and guitar. Although it is up to the user to put 2 and 2 together, a little bit more music theory is always helpful and goes a long way with me. A few pages are starting to fall out (I have first edition paperback) from frequent use but that is fine, I'm going to format it in a binder anyway so the pages will lie flat on a music stand. The systematic and ingenious way to present chords for guitar is very helpful, I've never seen anything like it. You can make up a "mystery" chord on the fretboard and find it in this book by fret/string position. The part I use most is the first section which is like a chromatic "encyclopedia" of guitar and piano chords. I have never failed to find a chord I'm looking for, although the naming of chords is not consistent which is why the cross reference chart of alternate names in the beginning is so helpful. I'll probably be a "student" of this book for at least the next several years, maybe forever if I live that long!

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't have done it without him!, May 10, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (Jamaica) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chord Master: For Guitar and Keyboard (Paperback)

Chordmaster has to be essential for anyone like me, who having always tried to play the guitar couldn't afford lessons. Being a bit stupid, I couldn't have had the success in many countries that I've now had writing pop-tunes. If I could meet Mr. O'Connor, I would shake him warmly. (By the hand.)