Hope you all get something out of this. Open position chords C D E F G A etc... |---0--------2---------0---------------1-------3------0-------------------- |---1--------3---------0---------------1-------3------2-------------------- |---0--------2---------1---------------2-------0------2-------------------- |---2--------0---------2---------------3-------0------2-------------------- |---3------------------2-----------------------2------0-------------------- |----------------------0-----------------------3--------------------------- Dmin Emin Amin Fmin |--1-------0--------0---------1-------| |--3-------0--------1---------1-------| |--2-------0--------2---------3-------| |----------2--------2---------3-------| |----------2--------0-----------------| |----------0--------------------------| How these are constructed is easy. The basic major chord is based on scale degrees. I III V So, if you want to build a Cmaj chord, you just use C, E, G. These are usually non-moveable...I know some will argue, but in this case they aren't moveable ************************************************************************** Now, there's Barre chords. These are moveable, I will put a * by the root note. The root note is what decides what the chord is called. Yes, this is also arguable, but not right now. By moving the chord up or down on the fretboard, you change the name of the chord. So if you take Gmajor and move it to the 5th fret, it becomes A major, or down to the first fret makes it Fmajor. Because you're using the bottom note to define the chord. G major G minor C major C minor |-----3-----------3-----------3-------------3------------| |-----3-----------3-----------5-------------4------------| |-----4-----------3-----------5-------------5------------| |-----5-----------5-----------5-------------5------------| |-----5-----------5-----------3*------------3*-----------| |-----3*----------3*-------------------------------------| Now, a minor chord is based the same way as a major with one exception major I III V minor I bIII V Major scale = I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII Minor scale = I, II, bIII, IV, V, bVI, bVII Ok, so to explain this a little better, if you take a C maj chord C, E, G and make it a C minor all you have to do is flat the third. C, Eb, G and there's your minor chord, it's really easy once you get the hang of major - minor relationships. *************************************************************************** Ok, now onto triads. A triad is just three notes I, III, and V major triad. tri-three, three notes. For now, I'm only going to get into major and minor because I don't want to confuse the issue. Dmaj D#maj Gmaj Dmin F#min Bmin |---2--------3------7------|-----1--------5---------10--------------------| |---3*-------4------8------|-----3*-------7---------12--------------------| |---2--------3------7------|-----2--------8---------11--------------------| |--------------------------|----------------------------------------------| |--------------------------|----------------------------------------------| |--------------------------|----------------------------------------------| for the first chord, Dmaj, when using it in open position, you would play the open D for the 'root' note. Well, with these triads, the root note isn't on top. You don't play the open note (you can, lots of people use lots of people do that, but personally I think that has been overdone it sounds cliche anymore, but that's only my opinion). The nice thing about triads, is you can change the actual chord by adding a different note for a 'root' note. I'll get to that later. |------------| |---5--------| |---5*-------| |---5--------| |---3*-------| |------------| remember this chord? The C major? In this chord, you're playing the C (root) note twice, sometimes, especially with two guitarists, or a keyboard player, it sound muddy, if you take off the bottom root note, |--------| |----5---| |----5*--| |----5---| |--------| |--------| You have this, less bass doesn't sound as muddy and you can play around more with it. And it's still a Cmaj chord. The Key of Cmajor C Dmin or Emin Fmaj Gmaj Amin |------------------1--------0-----------1--------3--------0---------------| |---1-------3------3--------0-----------1--------3--------1---------------| |---0-------2------2--------0-----------2--------4--------2---------------| |---0-------3-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| Something else you can do is invert the chords. I.e. using a different bass note, playing a chord that way, makes it more interesting. And it doesn't really sound like a generic chord anymore. An A major chord with a C# in the bass. A, C#, E is an A major Triad but by putting a C# instead of the open A gives it a different flavor. Especially when the bassist is playing A under the chord, it sounds cool. A/C# D/E etc... |---------------|-----------------------| |----2----------|------5----------------| |----2----------|------5----------------| |----2----------|------5----------------| |----4----------|------7----------------| |---------------|-----------------------| ************************************************************************ Melodization of triads is accomplished by replacing the top note of a triad (the root, 3rd or 5th depending on the inversion) with a higher degree of the scale from which the chord is formed. These notes (other than 1, 3 or 5) are referred to as TENSION NOTES, TENSIONS or HIGH DEGREES. General Rule: A melodic tension replaces the 1st triadic tone directly below it in pitch. (usually found on the same string). Ok in plain english C |----------| |----------| |--2-------| |--2-------| |--3-------| |----------| Ok, now this is a Cmajor triad, but replacing the open G with an A. this is replacing the 1st triadic tone (G) with (A) C, E, G is now C, E A. Kinda cool huh? None of this is law, this sorta stuff has to sound good to you. Some of this might sound bad to you, but, I might like it, it's personal preference. Now for some more. F |------|---3------|----5-------|----6-----|-------------------------------| |--1---|----------|----6-------|----6-----|-------------------------------| |--2---|---2------|------------|----5-----|-------------------------------| |--3---|---3------|----7-------|----------|----7--------------------------| |------|----------|------------|----------|----8--------------------------| |------|----------|------------|----------|----8--------------------------| Sus chords: (suspended) Which is I, IV, V. John Petrucci, from Dream Theater, uses these chords often. They sound good and when you can't figure out major or minor chord to use a sus chord works great usually. Asus F#sus Fsus Csus |--0--------2----------|---1----------3-----------------------------------| |--3--------2----------|---1----------3-----------------------------------| |--2--------4----------|---3----------5-----------------------------------| |--0--------4----------|---1----------5-----------------------------------| |--0-------------------|---3----------3-----------------------------------| |----------------------|---1----------------------------------------------| I'm sure you all know about power chords i.e. root & fifth |----------------------------------| |----------------6-----etc...------| |----------------5-----------------| |---------5------------------------| |--5------3------------------------| |--3-------------------------------| You can play around with those as well. |--------------|-------------------------| |--------------|-------------------------| |--------------|-------------------------| |--------------|--------9----------8-----| |---5-----5----|--------7----------7-----| |---3-----2----|--0--0-------0--0--------| Here's something cool, that uses that, |---------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------| |----9----------------------------9-----| |----7\6--------------------------6/7---| |---------0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--------| |---------------------------------------| Feel free to ask questions, or correct my screw ups. Major = I III V Chord C C E G G G B D D D F# A A A C# E E E G# B B B D# F# F# F# A# C# F F A C Bb Bb D F Eb Eb G Bb Ab Ab C Eb Db Db F Ab Gb Gb Bb Db Minor = I IIIb V Chord Cm C Eb G Gm G Bb D Dm D F A Am A C E Em E G B Bm B D F# F#m F# A C# Fm F Ab C Bbm Bb Db F Ebm Eb Gb Bb Abm Ab Cb Eb Dbm Db Fb Ab Gbm Gb Bbb Db (Bbb is the same as A) flat twice would bring it down a whole step Dominant = I III V VIIb Chord C7 C E G Bb G7 G B D F D7 D F# A C A7 A C# E G E7 E G# B D B7 B D# F# A F#7 F# A# C# E F7 F A C Eb Bb7 Bb D F Ab Eb7 Eb G Bb Db Ab7 Ab C Eb Gb Db7 Db F Ab Cb (B) Gb7 Gb Bb Db Fb
Hey Jay, I have got a question. I will explain it using an example consider the following chord: Em agar mein kahoon D................Am Mujhe tumse mohabbat he How would I play it? meaning, it is not a barre chord, so I need to strike the chord only once, but in what sequence and what tempo? The chord Em needs to be struck only once while the singer sings the complete line "agar mein kahoon"?? And what about the second line "Mujhe tumse mohabbat he"?? how and when would the switching between chords occur??? Thanks in advance.
hey jayanth , i could'nt understand what do you mean by the maj chord formation by I III and V .. ? i mean after C being 1st how do you get to III and V ?? .. please explain ..
@ TDM:- The chord changes depend on the way the song goes.. See probably you may have t ostrike it once or strumm it ... You are getting a wrong idea that if its not a Barre, you need not strum.. When he sings Mujhe, YOu will be playing D and when he changes the pitch in Thumse you play Am. But the first line, Depends.. Cause some songs need strumming some dont.. @Abhay :- Observe the C Maj Scale.. C D E F G A B ok.. Observe The C Major chord or popularly known as C chord.. Its C E G. .That the I , III and V of the Scale.. Thats how chord are formed..
ok jayanth .. . i've got the hang of it. .. i still have some doubts on triads. .. will try to understand first again. .. and thanks for the info. ..
Hi: I need some advice, please help: 1)I can play the melody of any song (as long as it’s not too fast) on my guitar. Tell me how can I find out the chords. I believe if I am able to play the melody I should be able to figure out the chords also. WHAT DO I NEED TO LEARN ? 2)I wanna play fast licks. What should I do? Can you give me some excersize or the tips? Regards,
thnx jayant for the tutorial on chords will study them more n then try to play if i've prob i know i can rely on help from u guitarists thnx
by the way for the titanic song its asDm xx0231 Csus4 x33010 Bbadd2 x13311 F 133211 C x32010 Am7 x02010 A7/C# 042020 A7 002020 F#m 244222 E 022100 Dadd2 xx0230 C#m7 x46454 A x02220 i can understand that the A is for chord A but whta r the others x02220 is it to not strike E let 5th n 1st open n strike on 2nd fret of 3rd 4th n5th strings??????
excellent lesson jayant.:nw: thnx a lot i have some doubts abt the ninths and fifth etc. u explained how the sevenths are made. is it the same way for all other, i mean using the flats of seventh or ninth in this case......
