Posts Tagged ‘Guitar Chords’

Blues guitar chords are not really different than the chords you would find in many styles of music. What make blues music and blues guitar different is the fact that most of the chords are of the dominant family instead of the major or the minor family. In this article I’ll explain the difference and point you in the right direction to learn more blues guitar chords and spice up your blues guitar playing.

All chords in music are divided into 3 families: major, minor, and dominant. Altered chords usually get lumped in with the dominant chords also. All chords are built from the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of the major scale. As the chords get bigger, we can start to add in the 7th tone as well, and even notes from the second octave of the scale. This would mean the 9th is really the same as the 2nd, the 11th is the same as the 4th, and the 13th is the same as the 6th. An interesting side note is that a 13th chord actually has every single note in the scale.

Triads are the building blocks of all chords. A triad is a chord that contains the requisite 1st, 3rd, and 5th and nothing more. The major triad has the 1st 3rd and 5th with no alterations. A minor triad has the 1st and 5th, but the 3rd note is flatted. To flat a note means to lower it by 1/2 step. B would become Bb for example, and C# would become a C.

The major chord family is notated by the word “major” in the name of the chord. A major7th chord has a 1,3,5, and 7 from the major scale. A major9 chord has a 1,3,5,7, and 9 (same as 2 but up an octave.) Major11 adds an 11, and major13 adds the 13 on top of that.

The minor chord family has the word “minor” in the name of the chord. These chords all have 1,b3, and 5 from the minor triad. A minor7 chord has a flatted 7 as well. Minor9 adds a 9 (not flatted), minor11 adds an 11, and minor13 adds a 13. Only the 3rd and 7th are flatted in all cases.

The dominant family is the most common in blues music. The dominant family is the default case. So C7 is really C dominant 7 even though it’s usually not notated that way. These chords all have a 1,3,5, and a flatted 7th. The 9th chord adds a 9, the 11th an 11, and the 13th a 13. In all cases the 7th is the only flatted note.

The most common blues guitar chords are the 7th chord and the 9th chord. The 7th can be used for hundreds of songs. The 9th is a great substitution for the 7th chord and can add quite a bit of spice to your playing. The 11th and 13th chords can take a bit of getting used to.

Obviously, on the guitar, we have to leave some notes out to play an 11th or 13th chord because we can’t play 6 or 7 notes at a time. Even most common chords that have all 6 strings have some duplicate notes to make them playable. Getting used to playing all of the 7th chord and 9th chord shapes will get you well on your way to great blues guitar playing.

So many people would love to learn how to play the guitar, and now with the technology of the internet it can be fast, fun and affordable. How? Printable guitar chord charts… Now there is an easy way to teach yourself guitar from the comfort of your own living room.

Printable guitar chord charts provide you with an easy visual way to learn at your own pace. The charts are set up with easy to read grids and take zero time to learn how to read them. Many printable chord charts have actual pictures of real guitar teacher demonstrating how to make the shape.

Another cool tool is an online guitar chord generator. There are many to choose from and work a little different since it is software. You simple pick from a list of guitar chords and there you go, the chord shows up right on the screen and now you can make your custom printed guitar chord charts as you need them.

The great thing about these charts is that if you forget how to make the chord shape you have a fast and handy reference to look at. To take a step further if you are really serious about learning how to play the guitar would be to join an online guitar school and access professional lessons and chord charts.

It’s so easy now to learn something new from home with the internet being so readily available. So many would be guitar players are now given the resources to learn at their own pace.

The fastest way to learn guitar is to learn the basic hand positions and chords and then practice zealously. When you first start to practice chords and songs, your fingertips will likely get sore. You have to develop calluses on the tips of your fingers, so playing through the soreness is necessary. Using a pick will help with the soreness, but if you want to get there faster, build on those calluses. You will also need to develop strength in the hand you use to fret. The best way to do that is to practice as often as you can.

Practicing often means practicing daily. If you have the time, try to practice for an hour a day. The least you should practice is for half an hour of your day. Take every other opportunity you have to work on your guitar skills. If you can fit in more practice, then do so. It is the best way to learn guitar fast.

Do not skimp on learning guitar chords. If you really want to learn quickly, you have to learn barre chords as well as open chords. Chords must become second nature. For this to happen, your mind and fingers have to get accustomed to it. “Play” the guitar silently when watching television or sitting at stoplights. Here is where it is okay to play the “air guitar”.

Challenge yourself as you learn. Do not settle for learning one or two songs and then playing them all the time. Not only will that bother the people around you, it will not take you where you want to go. Practice the easy songs, of course, but move on to the intermediate and then advanced songs, too.

You cannot skimp on any part of learning to play the guitar if you want to become an expert guitarist quickly. Treat your guitar lessons like a job. In order to advance, you have to learn and apply on a consistent basis.

This article presumes that the reader is familiar with several different types of guitar scales, and has a good working knowledge of guitar chords (triads and extended chords). Further, this article presumes that the reader is familiar with some basic music theory (key signatures, chord and scale function within a key signature, etc.).

In general, guitar scales and guitar chords are a must-know for every guitar player. The depth of each player’s knowledge is relative only to the desire of each individual guitarist. For example, some guitarists can play a few guitar scales and guitar chords, but have no desire to truly understand the music theory behind those scales and chords. Other guitarists thrive on scale and chord construction, diatonic and chromatic relationships, and usage (including substitution principles).

This article is intended for the intermediate and professional guitarist. It is also intended for the advanced beginner who has decided to advance to intermediate and then on to professional levels of proficiency.

Learning and practicing guitar scales is essential to one’s growth on the instrument. If one truly desires to learn to play guitar, then guitar scales must become part of the learning process. Of course, the exception is for the campfire type of guitarist. Playing a few songs at the beach doesn’t require an in-depth study of guitar scales.

As the title of this article suggests, one can practice guitar scales and have fun with music theory at the same time. In fact, if one is practicing correctly, recognition of music theory should be occurring simultaneously along with the mechanical practice. Let’s play a game with guitar scales and music theory. This is an easy game to play, yet extremely profound in application.

First, we must establish the foundation for the game. Therefore, we’ll utilize the major scale along with it’s construction and function within a diatonic tonality. Further, and in the spirit of simplicity, the C major scale will be referenced for explanation purposes.

The C major scale (diatonic scale) consists of eight notes (scale tones) to the octave. For example, C (1)-D (2)-E (3)-F (4)-G (5)-A (6)-B (7)-C (8) represent the notes and degrees of the C major scale. In theory, these notes are represented as I-II-III-IV-V-VI-VII-VIII or I (VIII always means I). All of these notes and numbers represent the players in our upcoming game.

The purpose of the game is simple. However, an explanation for playing the game is appropriate in order for one to fully understand the essence of the game.

Years ago, one of my students asked me how many different ways the major scale could be played. At the time, I was teaching in Hollywood California. I instructed my student to go grab the Los Angeles phone book (sitting on top of an amplifier in my recording studio), and bring the phone book to me. Baffled, my student complied with my request. I opened the phone book and asked my student what the population of Los Angeles was. Of course, the answer is millions of people. Millions of people results in millions of telephone numbers. Hence, the name of the game is Playing The Phone Book.

The rules of the game are as follows. The numbers of any telephone number are matched with the corresponding degree of the major scale. For example, the telephone number 576-3321 would translate into playing the following notes V-VII-VI-III-III-II-I or G-B-A-E-E-D-C (5-7-6-3-3-2-1). When the number 9 is encountered, it means to skip to the next note. When a Zero is encountered, it means to repeat the previous note or command. When the number 8 is encountered, it means the same as the number 1. How would you play the phone number 236-5431? How about 652-3800? How about 871-9056?

How many phone books would you suppose exist in the United States? How many phone numbers would you suppose exist in the United States? How many different ways (presuming you understand the phone book game) do you think the notes of the major scale can be played? Millions! That’s right, millions.

By playing the phone book, one develops an awesome awareness of note location and note function. There are hundreds of variations of this game that I teach to my willing students (for scales, chords, and substitution principles). The results are staggering for both fingerboard awareness and knowledge of music theory.

The next time you find yourself with a little time on your hands, pick up the phone book and play it. However, be ready to receive a few strange looks from your loved ones and friends when you attempt to explain your actions. That’s also a part of the game. You know, it’s called consequence. Just kidding! Have a great time playing the phone book.