What chord are you drawn to?


Joseph
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Joseph
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08/24/2001 4:09 am
I know a lot of people where almost every time they pick up their guitar, the first chord they play is A minor. Where they have to purposely tell themselves to avoid it when doodling around trying to write a song. Where they have simply worn out the Am-Asus2-Asus4 motif. I guess, the chord, it's very comfortable for a lot of people, and from just relying on their immediate reaction, they want to play what feels good.


However, What's your favorite chord? The one that your fingers will always make unconsciously when you're stuck in the moment?

Theres something about the acoustic guitar, lately I've been drawn to it, especially with all my electric guitars lying around. Theres just that simplistic feeling whenever you pick up an acoustic, where its much easier to write new songs, and it's easy to get into a nice groove without too much pressure. When I'm alone without any distractions, thats when I wail away with my electric guitars..

Yeah, it's safe to say that A minor is a chord that a lot of us tend to start out with, I guess out of mere habit, because this chord is so easy to form. I guess whenever I pick up the guitar, whether or not I'm just playing a simple progresssion, I'm always trying to apply new found knowledge to familiar territory, :).Which is inevitably how we grow as musicians. Lately I've naturally been looking for substitute chord voicings, replacing Em with em7 or EM9, it's a nice way to spice up things especially when writing new songs, and if you're not quite comfortable with your singing voice.

Another common practice in substitution is the interchanging of chords that share the same notes. For example, a Gmaj7 chord contains the notes g,b,d and f#. Since bm contains b,d,and f#, the two chords can often be interchangable. All of the notes of both chords don't necessarly have to correspond for this method to work. Sometimes somply by changing the root note of a chord, you can come up with a suitable subtitution...

Overall, the only limitation is in how far you want to go with the complexity of your voicings. In other words, let the style of music you are playing be your guide.



-Joseph




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"Swoop and soar like the blues angels."
# 1
Christoph
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Christoph
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08/24/2001 4:42 am

I've been leaning towards the cluster chords lately. Really airy sounding, celtic stuff.

Other than that I've always liked add9s. Major and minor.

But what could be better than a good old E power chord? That has to be one of the coolest sounds in the whole world . . . when you strike that E power chord and let it ring.
# 2
Zeppelin
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Zeppelin
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08/24/2001 2:12 pm
i'm not sure about the chord, but my favorite tonality should be Cm, i dont understand why did blues and rock players used Am and Em so much and rarely used Cm, because to me it has the real blues sound
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# 3
Fenderblues
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Fenderblues
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08/24/2001 6:37 pm
like christoph I too have been leaning towards celtic music.

when I first pick up the guitar I tend to go straight into scales for warm up then I play what ever I have decided to so it depends on the song as to the chord, sorry not much of an answer but its the best I can do
While I'm sat here, Playin', I'm tryin' to free my mind!
# 4


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08/24/2001 7:51 pm
Celtic music is so beautifull, probably my favorite type of classical type music. Anyone know any sites to find celtic sheet music (ok fine, or tab).

As for chords, add9s are always fun, but if you REALLY want something that will get your rocks off, try an min7(add9). Such as

----------------3-
-------------1----
---------4--------
-----2------------
--0---------------

Is that it? Yeah I think so.. Amin9(add). You can also transpose this all up and down the neck- just the top part though, obviously not the bottom root. Unless you have an extra finger. Anyways, this chord is so beautifull, not so much if you strum it, but whatever, give it a try. I could just pick around this chord for hours. Well almost.

# 5
Wide
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Wide
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08/24/2001 7:53 pm
I'm an E guy...don't know why really.....:)
# 6
Christoph
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Christoph
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08/25/2001 12:38 am

Yeah, that's a great one. Am7add9. Satch uses one of those in "Tears in the Rain".

Try reversing the B and C in the fingering. Makes it a little easier to play.




E |---------3---------------------|
B |-------0-----------------------|
G |-----5-------------------------|
D |---2---------------------------|
A |-0-----------------------------|
E |-------------------------------|



By the way, James, I do have some Celtic sheet music. But it requires tuning your guitar to all these funky alternates.
# 7
Christoph
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Christoph
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08/25/2001 12:42 am

If you're really insane, try this fingering -



E |-------------------------------|
B |----------8--------------------|
G |--------5----------------------|
D |------9------------------------|
A |----7--------------------------|
E |--5----------------------------|


# 8
donnie
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donnie
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08/25/2001 3:53 am
here it is, jimi is so sick!

|-------------------|
|--------8----------|
|------7------------|
|----6--------------|
|--7----------------|
|-------------------|


Use scales!!!!!
# 9
Dave How
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Dave How
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08/29/2001 12:57 am
9ths and Ma7's seem to be the first chords I go for and they really seem to mix well with each other. I also quite like shoving a diminished in between chords. It's also fun to move your fingers around and "find" a new chord, I've done that a few times but it always gives me a headache afterwards trying to name what I played.
# 10
Lordathestrings
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Lordathestrings
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08/29/2001 6:07 am
E7 at the 5th fret. It gives me a good idea of how accurate the guitar's tuning/intonation is, before I get into stuff that demands a well-set-up guitar.
Lordathestrings
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# 11


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08/29/2001 5:11 pm
Yeah I love maj7 chords as well. They have a great airy sound. This is a great topic, I love discussing cool chords.

Hey Christoph, you mentioned cluster chords before... could you explain to me what those are? I heard the term once before but never really explored what they are.
# 12
skee1
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skee1
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08/29/2001 6:35 pm
Here's a nice wes m jazz style Am7 add9 plus more.
Nice sliding inside chord.




E[-------X-------------------------]
B[-------5---------8---------------]
G[-------5-------------------------]
D[----------6----------------------]
A[--------------7------------------]
E[-------X-------------------------]
1 2 3 4




Mark
yours truly Mark Toman
# 13
skee1
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skee1
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08/29/2001 6:47 pm
Here's a nice flash G chord to use when you get bored,
when playing country.





E[------------5-----------]
B[------------------------]
G[------------------------]
D[------------------------]
A[------------------------]
E[---3--------------------]
T P
Use side of thumb and pinky to pull this off.
This will make your guitar friends take notice.ha


Mark

[Edited by skee1 on 08-29-2001 at 02:58 PM]
yours truly Mark Toman
# 14
Christoph
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08/30/2001 12:00 am

A cluster chord is a chord that takes two or more of its tonalities sequencially from the scale pattern. In other words, the notes of the chord are grouped together in the scale. The Am7add9 that we were talking about is a cluster chord. The B and C are a half step apart in the C major scale, and that half step is what gives the chord the airy sound.

Take a look at this chord -


E |------------|
B |--3---------|
G |--0---------|
D |--4---------|
A |--0---------|
E |------------|


I'm not sure what to call it (Am7aug6sus4 maybe. LOL, I dunno), but it's definitely a cluster chord. A, Gb, and G right in a row. A-minor Dorian scale, by the way.

You will definitely know a cluster chord when you hear it. They always hit you right in the ear.
# 15
SGgothSoundGod
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SGgothSoundGod
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08/30/2001 12:32 am
I'd have to go with the E. I just love the first sound of it like in "Back in Black".
Randy Rhodes should be every guitarists idle.
# 16


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08/30/2001 2:40 pm
ah I see, so basically it's just a chord that contains two notes that are a half step apart, for example in an add9 chord. Cool.


# 17
Christoph
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08/30/2001 5:00 pm

Well, by that definition, a minor add9 would be a cluster chord, but a major add9 wouldn't.
# 18


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08/31/2001 1:03 am
Oh ok, so not necessarily a half step but just sequential notes... kinda like you said.. hehe stupid me


That chord you posted before, the Am7aug6sus4 or whatever... it was almost like an Em7(add9). Maybe its an Em7(add9)/A.

So anyone else have any cool chords they want to share?
# 19
Christoph
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08/31/2001 4:28 am

Yeah, I guess it is, except with A in the bass, instead of B.


Yet another cool chord -


E |--0---------|
B |--7---------|
G |--6---------|
D |--6---------|
A |--7---------|
E |------------|


# 20

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