AXEMAN2415
Guitar Weenie
USA
740 Posts |  Posted - 13 Jan 2006 : 23:57:06 
| Constructing Chords: Key of "C' Major
In the last lesson, we examined single string scale patterns, in the key of 'C' Major.Now, let us really dig in, and learn how to construct
Chords from the scales.Like I said last time, learning lead techniques are great, but that isn't even the most important part of playing the
guitar. Learning chords is better for a good foundation.And remember, scales are not music.It is what you do with those scales, when you create
melodies, that makes it music.Great melodies come from a good, solid foundation in harmony, or in chords.
In order to grasp an understanding of chords, we must first go back to the scales. And since we are in the Key of 'C' Major this month, that
is the scale we shall use.Let's review;
Ex.1 'C' Major scale
Scale Tones C--D--E-F--G--A--B-C
Scale Degrees R 2 3 4 5 6 7 R
Ex.1a 'C' Major scale, starting on 5th string, in box shape.
1'E' ------------------
2'B' -------------0-1--
3'G' ---------0-2------
4'D' ---0-2-3----------
5'A' -3----------------
6'E' ------------------
C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 (R [Or "Root"]= 1, And I will be using "1" from here on out, to represent the 'Root.')
Let's begin with a simple 'Triad.' A 'Tiad' has, of course, 3 notes in it's structure.I have broken the triads into "families", or groups,of part-
icular chord types.The four "families" are: Major triad, Minor triad, Diminished triad, and Augmented triad.Most,but not all,chords stem from
one of these families. Let me demonstrate these in a formula, and then I will plug in the key of 'C' Major;
Ex.2a
1. Major Triad: 1--3--5
2. Minor Triad: 1-b3--5
3. Diminished Triad: 1-b3-b5
4. Augmented Triad: 1--3-#5
Ex.2b
'C' Major scale: C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
'C' Major Triad C E G
1 3 5
'C' Minor Triad C Eb G
1 b3 5
'C' Diminished C Eb Gb
1 b3 b5
'c' Augmented C E G
1 3 5
Ex.2c Apply to fretboard (These are Chords "rolled" over, called "Arpeggios")
CMajor Triad cMinor Triad C Diminished C Augmented
1'E'---------0-3----------------3---------------2---------------0--4-
2'B'-------1---------------1--4--------------4---------------1-------
3'G'-----0---------------0-----------------5--------------1----------
4'D'---2--------------1--------------1--4--------------2-------------
5'A'-3-------------3---------------3----------------3----------------
6'E'-----------------------------------------------------------------
C E G C E G-- C Eb G C Eb G-C Eb Gb C Eb Gb--C E G# C E G#
Ex.2d Apply to fretboard (These are "block" chord shapes, or forms.)
1'E'---0--------3-------------------4--------
2'B'---1--------1--------4----------1--------
3'G'---0--------0--------5----------1--------
4'D'---2--------1--------4----------2--------
5'A'---3--------3--------3----------3--------
6'E'-----------------------------------------
CMajor CMinor CDimin CAugmented
Let's look at the C Major triad forms a little more closely. We shall examine the other forms in future examples.But for right now, I want
to focus on the C Major triad and its forms across the fretboard.First, let's review the chord formula;
Ex.3
C Major scale: C--D--E-F--G--A--B-C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
C Major Triad C E G
1 3 5
Now, let's see how these scales and arpeggios lay out on the neck.We are only examining 'C' Major for this month. First, we must look at the
scale patterns up the neck, and then we can extract the chord shapes from those patterns.
Ex.4a [-----FORM I----------] [---------FORM II-----------] [----------FORM III-----------] [--------------FORM IV------------] [------------FORM V---------------]
1'E'-------------------0-1-3---------------------------3-5-7-8-------------------------------7-8----------------------------------7-8-----------------------------12-13-15-
2'B'-------------0-1-3---------------------------3-5-6--------------------------------6-8-10---------------------------------8-10------------------------12-13-15----------
3'G'---------0-2---------------------------2-4-5--------------------------------5-7-9---------------------------------7-9-10--------------------10-12-14-------------------
4'D'---0-2-3-------------------------2-3-5--------------------------------5-7-9--------------------------------7-9-10------------------10-12-14----------------------------
5'A'-3---------------------------3-5--------------------------------5-7-8-------------------------------7-8-10-------------------------------------------------------------
6'E'--------------------------------------------------------------8--------------------------------8-10--------------------------------------------------------------------
C D E F G A B C D E F G C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C C D E F G A B C D E F G
Ex.4b "Block" Chord shapes, derived from the scale patterns above.
1'E'---------0---0------------------------3----3-----------------------------8-----8----------------------------8------8------------------------12----12--------------------
2'B'-------1-----1----------------------5------5---------------------------5-------5--------------------------8--------8---------------------13-------13--------------------
3'G'-----0-------0--------------------5--------5-------------------------5---------5------------------------9----------9------------------12----------12--------------------
4'D'---2---------2------------------5----------5-----------------------5-----------5---------------------10------------10--------------10-------------10--------------------
5'A'-3-----------3----------------3------------3---------------------7-------------7------------------10---------------10---------------------------------------------------
6'E'---------------------------------------------------------------8---------------8----------------8------------------8----------------------------------------------------
C E G C E C G C E G C E G C E C C G C E G C C G C E
You might notice that the notes of each chord form are not necessarily in the triad (1-3-5) order. Well, they do not have to be to form a chord. A chord consists of these
3 tones (1-3-5), in any order, and in any octave. Also, a chord does not always have to start on the root (or "1"). The chord can start on it's "3" or it's "5", and even it's
"7" (which we will look at in the future).These are called "inversions."If the 3rd is in the bass (the lowest note), it is called "First inversion." If the 5th is in the bass,
then it is called "Second inversion." And if the 7th is in the bass, then it is called (naturally) "Third inversion." If the Root (or "1") is in the bass, it is called "Root
position."
Let us examine some inversions.We will stay in the key of 'C' Major.
Ex.5a
[----Root Position-----] [---1st inversion---] [-------------2nd inversion---------------]
1'E'--0---3---8---8---8----12------0----8---7---12---12------0---3---0-------3---8---8---8----12---12---
2'B'--1---5---5---8---8----13------1----5---8---13---13------1---5---1---5---5---5---8---8----13---13---
3'G'--0---5---5---5---9----12------0----5---9---12---12------0---5---0---5---5---5---5---9----12---12---
4'D'--2---5---5---5---10---10------2----5---10--10---14------2---5-------5---5---5---5---10---10--------
5'A'--3---3---7---7---10----------------7---7---10-----------3---3-----------------------10---10--------
6'E'----------8---8---8-------------------------12-----------3---3--------------------------------------
C C C C C C C/E C/E C/E C/E C/E C/G C/G C/G C/G C/G C/G C/G C/G C/G C/G
Ex.5b To help ease the confusion, let's look at the inversions on similar string sets.
1'E'-------------------------------
2'B'-------------------------------
3'G'-------------------------------
4'D'-2---2---5---5---10---10---14--
5'A'-3---3---3---7---10---10---15--
6'E'-0---3---3---8---8----12---12--
C/E C/G C/G C C C/E C/E
Ex.5c
1'E'--------------------------------
2'B'--------------------------------
3'G'-0---5---5---9---9----12--------
4'D'-2---5---5---10--10---10--------
5'A'-3---3---7---7---10---10--------
6'E'--------------------------------
C C C/E C/E C/G C/G
Ex.5d
1'E'---------------------------------
2'B'-1---5---5---8----13---13--------
3'G'-0---5---5---9----12---12--------
4'D'-2---2---5---10---10---14--------
5'A'---------------------------------
6'E'---------------------------------
C/E C/E C/G C C C/E
Ex.5e
1'E'-0---3---3---8---8---8---12---12--
2'B'-1---1---5---5---8---8---13---13--
3'G'-0---0---5---5---5---9---9----12--
4'D'----------------------------------
5'A'----------------------------------
6'E'----------------------------------
C/G C/G C C C C/E C/E C/G
Ex.5f String sets do not have to be adjacent to each other. They CAN be spread out.These are just some examples.
1'E'----------------------------------------------------------0---3---3---8---8---8----8----12---12---12--
2'B'-1---5---8---8---8----13---13---1---5---5---8---8----13---1---1---5---5---8--------8---------13-------
3'G'-0---5---5---9---9----9----12-------------------------------------------------9---------12--------12--
4'D'--------------------------------2---5---5---5---10---10---2---2---5---5---5---10---10---10---10---14--
5'A'-3---3---7---7---10---10---10---3---3---7---7---7----10-----------------------------------------------
6'E'------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C C C/E C/E C/G C/G C/G C C C/E C/E C/E C/G C/E C/E C/G C/G C/G C C C C C/E
Study these examples for future references to chords. I will be presenting a more comprehensive study on chords, with some chord building charts to supplement our studies.
Try applying these forms to your own chord vocabulary. You may discover a new way to play those old, worn out chords! Out! |
"C'mon Dave, Gimme a break!" |
Edited by - AXEMAN2415 on 30 Jan 2006 15:17:31 |
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