Hi, This is pretty simple but good to know. I am just going to tell about the basic Interval Theory and how it maps on the Fretboard and how can you use it to form Major or Minor chords anywhere in the neck. I am elaborating it pretty much, so kindly excuse me for the size of this message. Please give me feedbacks on this, so that if it's good and rate the thread if you feel it deserves, I can post some similar stuffs. First Step: Know Thy Interval -------------------------------------- The intervals in order are a semi tone apart, which means one fret apart. This is the same for any stringed instrument with frets. Here goes the intervals 1. Unison or Root 2. Minor Second 3. Major Second 4. Minor Third 5. Major Third 6. Perfect Fourth 7. Augmented Fourth 8. Perfect Fifth 9. Minor Sixth 10. Major Sixth 11. Minor Seventh 12. Major Seventh 13. Octave (Same note as Unison or Root but one octave higher) Step Two: Where the hell are they in my Fretboard. I dont see any ...... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For this let me take it from the 6th String or the Low E String or the Bassiest string or whatever names to call it. Assumption is your guitar is tuned the standard way not some open tunings. Take any Fret or even open string. The fret exactly below that fret is the perfect fourth. Count, if you want to know why. This is applicable for 6 - 5, 5 - 4, 4 - 3 and 2 - 1. Not for 3 - 2, where the exact fret below is Major Third sometimes called as Diminished Fourth. As an example, consider the 3rd Fret of 6th String, which is the G note. So the third fret on the 5th string is the perfect fourth for G, which is C. Now look at the 3rd Fret of 5th string which is C and the third fret on 4th string is F which is the perfect 4th of C. Now continue it but beware of 3 to 2. Interval differs there. Now this is also a short cut to remember which is the fourth or fifth or anyother interval to a particular note. Step Three: I knew all these, but where are those chords you promised ...... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These chords were used a lot in the golden age of Blues and still being used but not predominantly. Anyway these chords are still legal. But I dont guarantee whether you will like the sound better than your power chord or bar chord. These chords are still chords. These are still helpful to play Arpeggios if you like Arpeggios. D ---+P5+----+----+----+----- | | | | | A ---+----+m3+M3+----+----- | | | | | E ---+----+----+----+-R-+----- So this is the shape formula for the Major and Minor Chords. R means Root, M3 means Major Third, m3 means Minor Third and P5 means Perfect Fifth. The best thing is it's a movable shape. Formula Major Chord = Root + Major Third + Perfect Fifth = R + M3 + P5. Minor Chord = Root + Minor Third + Perfect Fifth = R + m3 + P5. Just a small difference between the Major and Minor Chords. The names of these chords is dictated by the notes on the 6th string also the root in this case. If you held the same shape with the Low E string on A, then it's A Major or A Minor depending on the thirds you are also fretting. This same shape formula works for 6-5-4 strings and 5-4-3 strings. 3-2 is evil, so we need a different shape formula. Damn that B string............., I liked G String anyday, at least the ones who wore the G String B ---+----+-P5+----+----+----- | | | | | G ---+----+m3+M3+----+----- | | | | | D ---+----+----+----+-R-+----- Use the above formula to get the major and minor chords. The chord name in this case is dictated by the note on the D string. If you held the shape with you D string in it's 3rd fret or the F note, then the chord is either F Major or F Minor. Damn the B String again. There's a different shape for 3-2-1 strings. E ---+-P5+----+----+----+----- | | | | | B ---+----+m3+M3+----+----- | | | | | G ---+----+----+-R-+----+----- I wont repeat, what I said above. Notes on the G string dictate the chord names. Tada......Voila ........ You can form your Major and Minor chords across the Fretboard on wherever you like by just remembering these three shapes plus those little crappy theory which was in the beginning. Hope you enjoyed it.
Good Job Good work dude! Have you posted any more stuff like this? Can you explain Dom 7th and more such theory the same way? It will be great work.
Hi Ridge, Go through the chord shapes of what I have given below and add these to get the 7ths. With a Major Chord ------------------- 1. Add Maj7th to get a Maj 7th Chord. 2. Add a Min7th to get a Dominant 7th Chord. With a Minor Chord ------------------- 1. Add a Maj7th to get a Minor Major 7th Chord. 2. Add a Min7th to get a Minor 7th Chord. Actually if the shapes get difficult for you, try excluding the 5ths in the chord while making the 7th. So your A Major 7 could be A C# and G# instead of A, C#, E, G#. Try this and in case you have doubts feel free to ask. I also wrote something about Modes and it's somewhere in Beginner's Q&A. I didn't get good response for my articles, so I quit writing them.
