Classic Major Chord Voicing Lesson

So, I am on the rock guitar level 2 lessons and have come across a lesson in Chapter 1 about classic major chord voicings. I am just really confused as to why these voicings are labeled as "D", "E", and "G".

E

B

G 7

D--7 7

A--7_h_9

E

How on earth is this a D chord? Wouldn't it be an "E" chord since the root note is the 7th fret of the A string? What am I missing here?

Is the "voicing" the fact that the "barre" has been removed from fret the fifth frets on ADGBE? Help me out here as I am just confused.

More detail

give the lesson name, chapter one ,lesson 2 etc

there's one for power chords

D chord

D ,A and F#

your playing an inversion with F# D and A with a twist.

Anders or Christopher will be along soon.

your not playing the root note on the low string

Dave

Originally Posted by: jluther0516I am just really confused as to why these voicings are labeled as "D", "E", and "G".[/quote]

Because they are first inversion voicings with an embellishment.

Originally Posted by: jluther0516How on earth is this a D chord? Wouldn't it be an "E" chord since the root note is the 7th fret of the A string? What am I missing here?

The E note is the 2nd degree of the D major scale & is merely an embellishment that happens right before you hammer-on the F#, the major 3rd of the D major scale.

So you get these scale degrees.

|-----------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------|

|--7-(d)(1st)---7-(d)(1st)-----|

|--7-(a)(5th)---7-(a)(5th)-----|

|--7-(e)(2nd)--9-(f#)(3rd)----|

|-----------------------------------|

To be precise, the first chord is a Dsus2, then after the hammer-on you have a resolution to a complete D major chord in first inversion (or D/F#). Important to notice is that the root note doesn't have to be the lowest note in a chord voicing.

This is a commonly used technique in rock music, and the 2nd to 3rd hammer-on happens so quickly that it's just regarded as a grace note embellishment of the D chord.

Same for the other chords. You're playing a commonly used first inversion rock chord voicing. See tunes by Hendrix, The Stones, Skynyrd & others.

That image is from my series of tutorials on chord voicings.

https://www.guitartricks.com/collection/triads-and-inversions

You might enjoy just working through this one tutorial on how any chord can be played in a variety of ways across the fretboard.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=148

[quote=jluther0516]

Is the "voicing" the fact that the "barre" has been removed from fret the fifth frets on ADGBE?

Any place on the guitar you can find to play the notes D, F# and A together make a voicing of a D major chord.

But being able to visualize that barre chord voicing is a great way to help work toward other voicings because you can see all the notes of the scale around that shape & extrapolate other possible related voicings.

Hope that helps!

Yeah this helps out a little. I struggled a little bit with some of these concepts the first time around, so I need to go back and try to master these things a bit better.

Ha...all of this can be overwhelming! I've been playing for almost 2 years now, and I feel like there is so much I don't know! Is this normal?

Absolutely normal jlu.

I continue to be gob-smacked by all that I have to learn.

Welcome to the jungle. Pull up a chair with he rest of us and have some fun.

Glad it helps.

Originally Posted by: jluther0516

I struggled a little bit with some of these concepts the first time around, so I need to go back and try to master these things a bit better.[/quote]

Good idea. Every concept & skill builds on the next. So reviewing helps solidify things, give you a wider perspective & context in which to integrate it all.

[quote=jluther0516]

Ha...all of this can be overwhelming! I've been playing for almost 2 years now, and I feel like there is so much I don't know! Is this normal?

Yes, totally normal. :) Your conceptual knowledge should grow with your playing skills. So, it's great to stop & ask a question like you did to help you understand the concept being used with the physical playing skill technique.

Take it one idea & skill at a time. Be patient with yourself. Try to enjoy the process!

Hi, Chris! I started working through the tutorial you recommended. Thank you!

This may or may not be a stupid question, but it is essential to make sure I have wrapped my head around some key information.

So, as long as a major chord contains the notes C, E, and G somewhere and in some order, it is some kind of variation of a C major chord, correct?

Originally Posted by: jluther0516

So, as long as a major chord contains the notes C, E, and G somewhere and in some order, it is some kind of variation of a C major chord, correct?

Correct. C-E-G together in any manner is a voicing of a C major chord.

That's a great question. Please ask as many questions as you find necessary to understand the material!