Chord & Scale Shapes

LinnStrument notes are arranged like the notes on any stringed instrument: each row consists of two octaves of consecutive semitones, and the rows are offset from each other by any interval you choose. This page gives some helpful tips on where to find common chords and scales in LinnStrument's default 4ths tuning, in which the rows are tuned to intervals of a musical fourth (5 semitones), just like the lower four strings of a guitar.

The following diagram shows the note names for all 200 note pads, as well as the fingerings of common chords and scales:

The chords and scales are shown in the key of C, except for the A Minor scale. To transpose any of these chords or scales to another key, simply move your hand left, right, up or down, keeping the same relative finger position, or shape. That's the beauty of LinnStrument's isomorphic note layout: you only need to learn one chord shape for all 12 keys. Compare this to a piano keyboard, which requires that each chord has a different shape for each of the 12 keys.

Here's a drawing showing the location of the natural notes on the musical staff, submitted by LinnStrument owner James Weaver (Twitter: @JavaFXpert):

Other resources for learning to play LinnStrumentLinn:

• LinnStrumentalist Jeff Moen has created a "Learn the LinnStrument" video series.

* My "Learning to Play" YouTube playlist, which contains many tutorials.

• Here are some aids for learning chord and scale fingerings and more, created by LinnStrumentalists:
1) Daniel Mura (PDF)
2) Aaron Rouby (Google Doc)
3) Jez Pritchatt (PDF)
4) Martin Jirsák (Mac/Windows app)
5) James Weaver (article on his Blog Cultured Ear)