Chord Generator is a practice tool for all musical instruments. It forces you to change key every bar.
This has several benefits.
Makes time fly when doing repetitive exercises.
Keeps your brain in a learning mode.
Chord Generator is also a truly excellent tool to assess your own skill level, or that of a student.
How the app works:
ROOTS
Generates eight random note names in the chart.
Use this to practice technique, scales, arpeggios, licks, triads or any other exercise. i.e. start your exercise on the note indicated in the first bar. Then play the same exercise starting from the note of the second bar, then starting on the note of the third bar, and so on. Be sure to always keep time.
POP
Generates random major and minor chords.
Use this to practice chords in various positions and inversions, playing arpeggios or improvise over chord changes. The random aspect will keep you alert and introduce unsuspected fingermovements.
SLICK
Generates major 7th, minor 7th and dominant 7th chords.
Besides just playing the chords or arpeggios; here is an exercise that is guaranteed to keep you awake:Play a melody, but adjust the notes to fit perfectly over each chord.
For example:
Over a major 7th chord, play the Ionian melody comprising the scale steps: "1, 2, 3, 7". Over a minor 7th chord this melody would become "1, 2, b3, b7" (Aeolian/Dorian mode) or "1, b2, b3, b7" (Phrygian/Locrian mode). You could get really creative with this sort of stuff!
JAZZ
Generates chords with more extensions and alterations.
Those with a brain the size of a planet will now what to do with this one!
Heres a few more examples:
Try transposing - play the chords a minor third higher than written.
Interval training - play the notes in ROOTS, but add a constant (not changing) note on top of each root note. This will give you a new interval for each bar.
If your a music teacher you can use Chord Generator even with beginners. Perhaps limiting the exercises to only the first two bars - then gradually introduce more bars as the student learns to identify the note names on her instrument.
You can construct any number of exercises using Chord Generator, adapting them to your own skill level, or that of your student.
As with everything, your mind is the only limitation!