Chords
Learning chords on guitar is normally based on a few shapes that you then tweak to create interesting rhythms. When you have a look at the theory though you get to understand what makes a chord a chord. Now you may have seen things like triads and such – I am going to avoid using those terms as I remember it being an alien language. What we will focus on is using a scale – which has 7 notes – and picking out the 1st, 3rd, and 5th note. This is what makes a chord. On piano this is great because you have a key for each note – easy – but on guitar you need to work out where each note is and on which string. Note: This is why I don’t like Tab, you don’t learn the actual notes and have no idea what is going on in the chord shapes you learn. So get into this lesson and have a play with a few chords then go back to some you have learnt earlier – break them down and really get to know which note is which. Once you know you can get some really good melodies going by choosing which notes to pick – A 5th is crisp, a 3rd adds character. Check out the supporting material at https://7minutemusic.com/theory/level-2/chords/. The chord charts are really helpful. The next lesson you should do is the major and minor which will let all of this sink in – https://7minutemusic.com/theory/level-2/major-and-minor/.
Backing Track – A minor to E minor
Basic chords are made from the 1st, 3rd, and 5th note from a scale
Major and Minor Chords have different 3rd notes
Chords often repeat notes at higher octaves giving different notes strength
Level 2 Progress
Name each note as you play it in an Am chord (e.g. 1st, 5th, etc)
Try playing a chord picking each note but skipping one string – what changes – try with different chords
What are the chord notes in the Em chord – chord pattern is 1st, 5th, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 1st
Play through scale without watching your fingers
Try to make up a chord using a scale (use 1st, 3rd and 5th) E.g. G Major – G, A, B, C, D, E, F