Hey - I'm working through beginners 1 and am confused by the b chord. The online instructor puts the index finger on the e string on the second fret (and three fingers on fourth fret), while the beginners chord printout on guitartricks puts the index finger on the A (which I find more awkward). Can't find a basic online answer. Anyone have an easy explanation (if I've made myself clear enough)?
TIA
David
The chord on the beginners chart is a bar chord putting the index on all 5 strings from high E to the A string, the one from the instructor is an easier form only putting the index on the high E string but also only playing the 4 higher strings, look out for that.
Herman
Thanks. On my "essential chords for beginners" chart it just shows the index finger on the A string (not bar chord). As I say, I do find it much easier to keep the index finger on the high E. I'm just wondering if both are considered, e.g, a B Minor chord. Or is there any difference? If some piece of music says "play B minor" I could do either/or?
Originally Posted by: DavidMebAnyone have an easy explanation (if I've made myself clear enough)?
All major and minor chords are formed by playing some combination of the 1st, 3rd & 5th scale degrees of their parent scale. That means there are many different ways of playing (or voicing) any given chord.
Which voicing is used or taught depends on the musical context or purpose. For example, a B major chord is formed by playing these notes any place you can find them on a musical instrument.
B (1st or root of B major scale)
D-sharp (major 3rd of B major scale)
F-sharp (5th of B major scale)
Some curriculums start with this particular voicing:
|--2--(F#)------------|[br]|--4--(D#)------------|[br]|--4--(B)--------------|[br]|--4--(F#)------------|[br]|-----------------------|
|-----------------------|
Because:
1. There's no easy open string option for those 3 notes.
2. It's fairly easy for beginners.
3. The shape matches the A major chord. It's easy to see how the B major shape is related, but 2 frets higher.
Some curriculums start with this voicing.
|-----------------------|
|--4--(D#)------------|[br]|--4--(B)--------------|[br]|--4--(F#)------------|[br]|--2--(B)--------------|[br]|-----------------------|
Again, because it matches the A major, but also because eventually you'll learn barre chords. But also because the root note B is the lowest.
You can play either. You can combine them!
|--2--(F#)------------|[br]|--4--(D#)------------|[br]|--4--(B)--------------|[br]|--4--(F#)------------|[br]|--2--(B)--------------|[br]|-----------------------|
You could just play the middle 3 notes!
|-----------------------|[br]|--4--(D#)------------|[br]|--4--(B)--------------|[br]|--4--(F#)------------|[br]|-----------------------|[br]|-----------------------|
But as you can hopefully see these are simply different ways of combining the same 3 notes over & again. They all have the characteristic sound of B major, but with variations. Some voicings double certain notes, some do not, the result is that some voicings have more or less bass or treble, a lower or higher timbre, more or less bright, more or less full. But they are all B major chords.
Hope that helps! Have fun practicing!
thanks for stepping in Christopher because 1st post he askes about a B chord and then jumps to a B minor chord on his second post, confusing.
The printable chord chart he is talking about, I can't find anywere, probably comes from some other site and mixing up different sites and methods only leads to confusion.The chord charts in the toolbox have the 1 number on the high E and on the A both for major and minor indicating a bar chord.
No, I'm not mixing up sites. Here's a screenshot of the essential chords sheet sent to me by guitartricks when I signed up. You can see that for the B chords the index finger is on the A string; go to the video Lisa puts it on the E. That's all I was confused by. Perhaps there is some easy explanation, but for a beginner using these two items together, it is not clear.
Originally Posted by: hsnoeckxthanks for stepping in Christopher because 1st post he askes about a B chord and then jumps to a B minor chord on his second post, confusing.
The printable chord chart he is talking about, I can't find anywere, probably comes from some other site and mixing up different sites and methods only leads to confusion.The chord charts in the toolbox have the 1 number on the high E and on the A both for major and minor indicating a bar chord.
Okay I get it, don't remember if GT ever send me that chart by mail but like that I can understand that it gets confiusing. Maybe something for GT to update that chart.
Basic Major and minor chords are made up of 3 notes out of a scale, they are called the root, the third and the 5th. To form a chord on the guitar like that you can either use them in this order or in first inversion ( being the third, then the fifth and then the root ) or in second inversion ( being the fifth, then the root and then the third ),
Chris his first example is the second inversion of the B chord, the second example just puts the B note in the bass and the last puts an other F# on the top.
In a chord voicing you can double every note in that chord so that explains that chords are not always fixed shapes but this will all become more clear if you are more advancing and learning more theory.
Hope this helpes you on your way
Originally Posted by: DavidMeb[p]Ah ha! Good observation. :) I think the difference may be that I taught the previous version of the Fundamentals courses. And I start with the root note in lowest position.Here's a screenshot of the essential chords sheet sent to me by guitartricks when I signed up.
https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=11139
But then GT had Lisa do the latest version of the Fundamentals courses. And she starts with the B major chord using a different voicing. So, maybe the chord sheet needs to be updated to reflect that.
But in any case, it's just 2 different voicings of the same chord. Did you understand my earlier post about that?
From a practical perspective, as a beginner you can pick either one & it's fine. They are both B major. Eventually if you keep learning and playing guitar you will need to know both anyway for different musical contexts.
Hope that helps!
It does, and thanks to everyone who answered. I do prefer the index on the E just because it is a lot easier for me. So will stick with it for now.
Originally Posted by: ChristopherSchlegelOriginally Posted by: DavidMeb[p]Ah ha! Good observation. :) I think the difference may be that I taught the previous version of the Fundamentals courses. And I start with the root note in lowest position.Here's a screenshot of the essential chords sheet sent to me by guitartricks when I signed up.
https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=11139
But then GT had Lisa do the latest version of the Fundamentals courses. And she starts with the B major chord using a different voicing. So, maybe the chord sheet needs to be updated to reflect that.
But in any case, it's just 2 different voicings of the same chord. Did you understand my earlier post about that?
From a practical perspective, as a beginner you can pick either one & it's fine. They are both B major. Eventually if you keep learning and playing guitar you will need to know both anyway for different musical contexts.
Hope that helps!
Originally Posted by: DavidMeb[p]Good deal! Keep practicing!It does, and thanks to everyone who answered. I do prefer the index on the E just because it is a lot easier for me. So will stick with it for now.
