August 4, 2011

Intro to Major Chords

Remember what I said about the scale degrees? WELL, that applies to here as well. Play a major scale - the regular "1 2 3 4 5 6 7" pattern. Now isolate the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes in the scale and play them. That's a major chord!
e|-------------------------| Since the 1st and
B|-------------------------| 3rd note lie on
G|-------------------4--5--| the same string,
D|----------3--5--7--------| we must adjust
A|-3--5--7-----------------| our scale pattern
E|-------------------------| formula.
   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  *
*-octave of 1
alternate major scale pattern
e|-------------------------| 
B|-------------------------|  
G|----------------2--4--5--| 
D|-------2--3--5-----------| 
A|-3--5--------------------|  
E|-------------------------| 
   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  *
*-octave of 1


It seems that we still face a problem...or do we? The 3rd and 5th degrees share the same string, BUT I KNOW YOU ARE SMART AND WILL FIGURE THIS OUT. You know that D|5 is the same note as G|0, right??
BINGO
Here's your major chord
   C                              C
e|---| But it would sound more  |-0-|
B|---| complete if played like  |-1-|
G|-0-| this                     |-0-|
D|-2-|                          |-2-|
A|-3-|                          |-3-|
E|---|                          |-0-|

Due to the fact that the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of the C major scale are C, E, and G, adding more of the same notes help the chord sound more "whole", if you will.

Have fun.
   A   B   C   D   E   F   G
e|-0---2---0---2---0---1---3---|
B|-2---4---1---3---0---1--(3)--|
G|-2---4---0---2---1---2---0---|
D|-2---4---2---0---2---3---0---|
A|-0-------3---0---2-------2---|
E|---------0--(2)--0-------3---|

You can literally play hundreds of songs, just by knowing how to play 3 or 4 chords.
HERE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE

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