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Post subject: Help with chords???
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:11 pm
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Most of you may know I am still a beginner/intermediate player. I need some help!

Is there a specific scale for chords? Like the lowest to highest sounding? I'm so confused. :x


For example, I see people playing chords in organized ways, and they can switch to chords to match a song's tune (I was watching the Rolling Stones documentary, Crossfire Hurricane, saw Keith Richards ad-lobbing these chords onto a new song). When I play, I kind of just spit out random chords (unless I am on bass, where I just follow the chords). Can you guys give me some info on this? Thanks.

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:37 pm
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Western music for the most part uses the diatonic major scale. The 1,4,5 chords are major, the 2,3,6 chords are minor.

In the key of C major, that means you may use any of the following chords:

1st (root) - Cmaj
2- Dmin
3- Emin
4- Fmaj
5- G maj (or dominant)
6- Amin
7- B dim

Now, on to how to make a chord. Chords are built from triads or stacked thirds. Major chords contain 1-3-5, minor chords contain 1-b3-5. Flatting the 3rd of a major chord is the way to turn a major chord into a minor one.

eg. C Major:
C D E F G A B C
Here, the 1-3-5 notes are C, E, and G. Each note climbs the ladder, up a third from the last.

eg. D Minor:
C D E F G A B C
Here, the 1-b3-5 notes are D, F and A. We say the F is a flatted third because a major third has an interval of four half steps from the root, however here it is only 3 spaces up from the D (flatted one space).

Practice playing each of the chords above and you will see how they work together, given that they are in the same key. I have chosen C major as this is the only key which doesn't have any sharps of flats, to make it easier on yourself.

Playing the major scale will show you which notes are within any given key. Once you can identify which chords belong to a key, you may start adding notes such as 7ths to add some spice. What really becomes fun is creating inversions, where the chord is flipped and a note other than the root is played as the bass note. Soon you'll be playing variants of a chord which sound quite different but really are one and the same chord.

I would advise you to visit this site to gain a visual grasp of what I am talking about. Click on the "Chord progressions" tab. Most people are visual learners, and this site really helps for one who is starting out.
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/


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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:38 pm
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M1KE wrote:
Most of you may know I am still a beginner/intermediate player. I need some help!

Is there a specific scale for chords? Like the lowest to highest sounding? I'm so confused. :x


For example, I see people playing chords in organized ways, and they can switch to chords to match a song's tune (I was watching the Rolling Stones documentary, Crossfire Hurricane, saw Keith Richards ad-lobbing these chords onto a new song). When I play, I kind of just spit out random chords (unless I am on bass, where I just follow the chords). Can you guys give me some info on this? Thanks.

What you need to learn is key signatures, that's basically what you're hearing when the chords sound on an organized way, they're simply playing to a specific key. For example if a song is played in the key of G (many popular songs are) then a popular progression is G, D, Em, C.

To learn key signatures, you need to learn scales.

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:40 pm
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Toronado wrote:
Western music for the most part uses the diatonic major scale. The 1,4,5 chords are major, the 2,3,6 chords are minor.

In the key of C major, that means you may use any of the following chords:

1st (root) - Cmaj
2- Dmin
3- Emin
4- Fmaj
5- G maj (or dominant)
6- Amin
7- B dim

Now, on to how to make a chord. Chords are built from triads or stacked thirds. Major chords contain 1-3-5, minor chords contain 1-b3-5. Flatting the 3rd of a major chord is the way to turn a major chord into a minor one.

eg. C Major:
C D E F G A B C
Here, the 1-3-5 notes are C, E, and G. Each note climbs the ladder, up a third from the last.

eg. D Minor:
C D E F G A B C
Here, the 1-b3-5 notes are D, F and A. We say the F is a flatted third because a major third has an interval of four half steps from the root, however here it is only 3 spaces up from the D (flatted one space).

Practice playing each of the chords above and you will see how they work together, given that they are in the same key. I have chosen C major as this is the only key which doesn't have any sharps of flats, to make it easier on yourself.

Playing the major scale will show you which notes are within any given key. Once you can identify which chords belong to a key, you may start adding notes such as 7ths to add some spice. What really becomes fun is creating inversions, where the chord is flipped and a note other than the root is played as the bass note. Soon you'll be playing variants of a chord which sound quite different but really are one and the same chord.

I would advise you to visit this site to gain a visual grasp of what I am talking about. Click on the "Chord progressions" tab. Most people are visual learners, and this site really helps for one who is starting out.
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/

That was a good read thanks!

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:42 pm
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There are also chord progressions which naturally sound good to the human ear.

Some examples include the 1-4-5.
In C major, this is C maj, F maj, G maj. This one is extremely popular and shows up a lot in rock and pop songs.

Another popular one is 6-3-2-5-1
In C major, this is A min, E min, D min, G maj, C maj

Try making your own progressions and see what sounds good to you! :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:26 pm
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Do you know what to do when playing an out of key chord? For instance if you are playing in the key of "G". So you play "G-C-D-Am-F". The "F" would not be diatonic for the key of "G". Is there an theory based approach to this other than a temporary key change. Should it be maj or min or dim? any rule to this?

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:14 am
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There's an interesting Free MUSIC THEORY H A N D B O O K from The Berklee College of Music.

It's basically a teaser to promote their on-line music courses (excellent, but a little spendy for a hobbyist). But I still think that it has some merit, and may help you.

Use this link: https://www.berkleemusic.com/landing/do ... f6024305=1

They'll ask for an email and send you the link to download the Handbook in .pdf.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:31 pm
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Deluxe Matt wrote:
Do you know what to do when playing an out of key chord? For instance if you are playing in the key of "G". So you play "G-C-D-Am-F". The "F" would not be diatonic for the key of "G". Is there an theory based approach to this other than a temporary key change.


Playing F Major is an acceptable substitution in the key of G, because F is the fourth of G's fourth. Very specific rule, but handy to know.

Deluxe Matt wrote:
Should it be maj or min or dim? any rule to this?


It would be F major because 4ths are always major.


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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:53 pm
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Toronado wrote:
Deluxe Matt wrote:
Do you know what to do when playing an out of key chord? For instance if you are playing in the key of "G". So you play "G-C-D-Am-F". The "F" would not be diatonic for the key of "G". Is there an theory based approach to this other than a temporary key change.


Playing F Major is an acceptable substitution in the key of G, because F is the fourth of G's fourth. Very specific rule, but handy to know.

Deluxe Matt wrote:
Should it be maj or min or dim? any rule to this?


It would be F major because 4ths are always major.


Yes, this is what I'm talking about. I suppose there is a substitution for the 5th of the 5th as it is a perfect? What would I look for or is there list of these rules? So, in "G" if we went to say "A#" that would be a temporary key. Thanks for any help.

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:27 pm
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Another book you would find really useful is: Guitar Fretboard Workbook by
Barrett Tagliarino.

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Fretboard- ... d+Workbook

This takes you from the beginning, through the fretboard with all the chords, scales etc.

It is a workbook, so there are diagrams which you fill-in and quizes to test how well you're absorbing it.

It's under $15 and available at many music stores, Amazon, etc.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:03 pm
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There was a very timely thread over on the Heritage Owners Forum that will really help you and others.

A member there found this: Free Online Chord Finder

Select what kind of chord you want to find using the little snow flake looking symbols and the pull down tabs. Then place the pointer any where on the fret board (on the fret) to see the chord shape. The pointer's position is the root note. The name of the chord pops up on the right. Different progressions can be selected. You can even "play" the chord to hear it.

This is an invaluable tool everyone should save a link to.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:39 pm
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But how would you figure out what chords are in a key? I understand that the first chord in the Key of C would be Cmaj, and the Key of D would be Dmaj, but how would you find the chords after this? How can you tell what key to play in according to the song?

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:35 pm
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M1KE wrote:
But how would you figure out what chords are in a key? I understand that the first chord in the Key of C would be Cmaj, and the Key of D would be Dmaj, but how would you find the chords after this? How can you tell what key to play in according to the song?


Considering Major keys only:

By applying this formula: Maj-min-min-Maj-Maj-min-dim to the following notes of a Major scale. The D Major scale is D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#. So, D Maj- E min- F#min- etc... This is what Toronado's post is all about. This is for Major keys. If you study building major diatonic chord scales it should all add up.

Also, If a song has certain chords in it, it is a clue as to the key. Lots of song start and resolve to the key. Some are tricky and you have to look at the signature of the chords. For example if a song goes - Fmaj-Gmaj-Emin-Cmaj-Fmaj This matches up with the key of C Major because there are no sharps or flats and it corresponds with the formula 1Maj-2min-3min-4Maj-5Maj-6min-7dim when starting with C Major.

Sorry to hijack your thread with my own questions, hope I was able to help.

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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:13 pm
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You take lessons and then apply those lessons. Play with as many people as you can that are better than you and you will learn.


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Post subject: Re: Help with chords???
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 6:49 pm
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try this, it might help you http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/video/9SScNs


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