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JasonMcGuire -> Chord Theory for Guitar doesn't have to be so complicated..... (Nov. 19 2010 5:15:53)
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Learn Major, Melodic Minor, Harmonic Minor and optionally Half-Whole Diminished Octatonic scales in every key. Harmonize each scale tone in those up through the 13th by stacking 3rds which on the guitar can be a juggling routine. Omit the 5th of the chord if necessary to add upper intervals (9th,11th,13th). Also if you are trying to voice a 13th chord on guitar you can get rid of the 9th or 11th if you need to, but remember a 13th implies that those other intervals CAN be present. Likewise an 11th chord can but does not have to contain a 9th.
Flamenco aside..... I would recommend any musician spend some time studying this. Certainly there are amazing players who haven't needed to know this stuff. But simply knowing western harmony will not inhibit ones ability to be creative. It can however aid a guitarist in learning the fretboard better.
Lets start in C major-
The scale of C major fits over ALL OF THESE CHORDS!!!!
-----------------------------------------------5-7-8-7-5--------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------5-6-8-------------------8-6-5---------------------------------------
-------------------------4-5-7-----------------------------------------7-5-4-----------------------------
--------------3-5-7---------------------------------------------------------------7-5-3------------------
---3-5-7-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7-5-3-------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Triads -
C maj, D minor, E minor, F maj, G maj, Amin, Bdim
---0-----1--- 0-----1---1-----0-----x----------------------------------------------------------------------
---1-----3--- 0-----1---1-----1-----3----------------------------------------------------------------------
---0-----2--- 0-----2---4-----2-----4----------------------------------------------------------------------
---2-----0--- 2-----3---5-----2-----3----------------------------------------------------------------------
---3-----x----2-----3---5-----0-----2---------------------------------------------------------------------
---3-----x----0-----1---3-----x-----x----------------------------------------------------------------------
7th chords -
Cmaj7, Dmin7, Emin7, Fmaj7, G7, Amin7, Bmin7(b5) or Bø (half-diminished)
--0----1-----0----1----1----0------x-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--0----1-----0----1----0----1------3----------------------------------------------------------------------
--0----2-----0----2----0----0------2-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--2----0-----0----2----3----2------3-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--3----x-----2----3----2----0------2-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--3----x-----0----1----3----x------x-----------------------------------------------------------------------
9th Chords -
Cmaj9,Dmin9, Emin(b9)*this chord is basically useless in my opinion, Fmaj9, G9, Amin9, Bmin7(b5,b9)* another somewhat useless chord
---0---0----0*----3----1----0----x*--------------------------------------------------------------------------
---1---3----0*----1----0----1----3*--------------------------------------------------------------------------
---0---2----0*----2----2----4----5*--------------------------------------------------------------------------
---0---0----3*----3----0----2----3*--------------------------------------------------------------------------
---3---0----2*----x----x----0----2*--------------------------------------------------------------------------
---3---1----0*----x----3----x----x*--------------------------------------------------------------------------
11th chords -
Cmaj11,Dmin11,Emin11(omit b9),Fmaj7(#11), G11, Amin11, Bmin11(b5)
---0-----3---5-----0----3-----x-----0----------------------------------------------------------------------
---6-----6---8-----0----3-----3-----3----------------------------------------------------------------------
---7-----5---7-----2----5-----5-----2-------------------------------------------------------------------
---5-----x--- x-----3----3-----5-----3---------------------------------------------------------------------
---3-----5---7-----3----5-----x-----2----------------------------------------------------------------------
---x-----x----x-----1----3-----5-----x---------------------------------------------------------------------
13th , "minor 6th" , "major 6th" and "min7(#5) chords
Cmaj6,Dmin6,Emin(#5),Fmaj6(#11),G13, Amin7(#5), Bmin7(b5,#5)
-----0-------1------0-----0----0-----0------5-------------------------------------------------------------
-----1-------0----- 1-----0----0-----1------3--------------------------------------------------------------
-----2-------2----- 0-----2----0-----0------0--------------------------------------------------------------
-----2-------0----- 0-----0----3-----3------3--------------------------------------------------------------
-----3-------x------3-----3----2-----0------2-------------------------------------------------------------
-----x-------x------0-----1----3-----x-------x-------------------------------------------------------------
Of course these are NOT the only voicing for these chords. To get the most out of this exercise it is best to think of the notes in these chords rather than just memorizing fingerings. By learning THE NOTES in the chords you will easily be able to "respell" the chords in different places around the guitar neck. The guitar is limited in comparison to the piano, but still the possibilities are enough to allow multiple versions or "voicings" of each of these chords. On guitar (and piano for that manner) some notes in the chords may be left out to allow easier fingerings. Remember that Chords (generally speaking) Stack UP IN 3rds.
for example..... Root,3rd,5th,7th,9th,11th,13ths or 6ths
If you need to omit a note to fit the chord on the fretboard, the 5th of the chord is the best choice. You may also omit the 7th if the chord is a 9th, the 9th if it is an 11th chord and the 11th if it is a 13th chord. Omitting the 3rd of a chord removes it major/minor coloring and is discouraged but sometimes acceptable so use caution if you do that. With that is this disclaimer that often the 3rd of a chord is omitted when voicing 11th chords.
I can't stress enough the need for the student to hear the C major scale against these chords. I recommend that students record themselves playing various combinations of these chords and then "noodle" or improvise using the C major scale while playing the recording of the chords back through a set of speakers. It will reinforce in your ear the relationship between the chords and the scale. The chord voicings (for the more complex chords) I have chosen here are more common to flamenco than most other books that usually voice things in a more jazz oriented manner. At some point it may be a good study to the jazz voicings to see the difference. There are certainly some overlap because of the limitations of the guitar. The biggest piece of crap instrument ever invented.
Next class.......... C Melodic Minor. Get ready this is where things get interesting.
i just typed all this in so there are most certainly some typos. I will edit but the fact that I am on "probation" will make the info become unavailable until the post is approved. please be patient.
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