root 5 strumming B7


josselin.anton
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Joined: 06/03/21
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josselin.anton
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Joined: 06/03/21
Posts: 7
07/20/2021 3:12 pm

Hello, I am a re-beginner (I pick up the guitar after many years) I am working my way through the lessons and now I am at country level 1 5: root 5 strumming B7 and I do not understand the theory.

I got it for E chord, you strum the E and then the fifth scale E1 F2 G3 A4 B5 so B

for the chord B7 it is F# but if I apply the same logic it goes B1 C2 D3 E4 F5 , it is obviously not F as it sound very wrong.

Can someone explain what is wrong in my reasonning?

Thank you in advance.

Joss.


# 1
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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07/21/2021 11:38 am

You are missing the complete musical alphabet including the accidentals; the sharps and flats in between some of the letters.

This is all 12 possible musical notes (the chromatic scale):

A - A# - B - C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G - G#

The distance between each of those is a half step (1 fret distance). So, some of the musical letters A through G are a whole step (2 half steps) or 2 frets apart, but some are only a half step apart (B and C, E and F). This means any time you include the B & C or E & F you have to be careful to account for the accidentals.

The musical distance of a fifth is 7 half-steps, or 3 and 1/2 whole steps. And sometimes you can just count letters. For example: what is the 5th of C?

You can rely on just counting letters in this case.

C - D - E - F - G

It works because the E to F half-step doesn't interfere.

C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G

That's 7 half-steps from C to G.

But if you try to figure out the 5th of B you run into trouble because you are landing on one of the exceptions.

B - C - D - E - F

Looks like F right? Not so fast! :) You have count the actual musical intervals to make sure you have 7 half-steps.

B - C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F#

The lesson here is that you need to be aware of the complete musical alphabet system including all the sharps and flats. And that you need to be aware of what the actual musical interval distances are, not just counting the shorthand of counting letters.

Hope this helps!


Christopher Schlegel
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# 2
josselin.anton
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josselin.anton
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07/21/2021 12:06 pm

Wow that is a very complete answer, thank you so much for taking the time, it is now way clearer for me.


# 3
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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07/21/2021 12:58 pm
Originally Posted by: josselin.anton

Wow that is a very complete answer, thank you so much for taking the time, it is now way clearer for me.

You're welcome! Glad it helped. Best of success with your guitar learning.


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 4

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