chord positions
I can play the same chords with many different left hand fingering positions. Eg. I can play a Gmaj with many different fingerings all over the fret board. But i dont know what this is good for. Can someone help me out here?
# 1
The reason chords can be voiced (fingered in different ways) in so many ways is basically because there are some many ways to play a G maj chord. Why so many and why be concerned? Because in "voice leading", each note in a chord must progress melodically to the next note in the next chord.
I'll try to explain. In every chord there are four voices (regardless of doubling). These voices are called bass, tenor, alto, and soprano. So each note in a G major chord will take a voice. Since there are only three notes in a G major chord, one will be doubled. If G is in the bass it will be doubled in another voice. So if you assign a note to each voice you have this:
G major chord
soprano - B
alto - G
tenor - D
bass - G
tabbed for guitar:
e---7------
b---8------
g---7-------
d---5-------
a-----------
e-----------
Now say you wanted to go to a D major chord next. Voice leading requires that each voice line (except the bass) move the smallest interval to a note of the next chord.
Take the D major chord (D F# A)
To move the smallest interval possible, here's how the chord would be voiced.
D major chord
soprano - A
alto - F#
tenor - D
bass - D
SO going from G major to D major, the correct voice leading would be.
e---7---5---
b---8---7---
g---7---7---
d---5---0---
a-----------
e-----------
G D
In voice leading, each line in the chord has it's own melodic progression. Making a great sounding harmonic progression. If you go by every possible progression of chords, you will find hundreds of different voicings. That's why there are so many.
I'll try to explain. In every chord there are four voices (regardless of doubling). These voices are called bass, tenor, alto, and soprano. So each note in a G major chord will take a voice. Since there are only three notes in a G major chord, one will be doubled. If G is in the bass it will be doubled in another voice. So if you assign a note to each voice you have this:
G major chord
soprano - B
alto - G
tenor - D
bass - G
tabbed for guitar:
e---7------
b---8------
g---7-------
d---5-------
a-----------
e-----------
Now say you wanted to go to a D major chord next. Voice leading requires that each voice line (except the bass) move the smallest interval to a note of the next chord.
Take the D major chord (D F# A)
To move the smallest interval possible, here's how the chord would be voiced.
D major chord
soprano - A
alto - F#
tenor - D
bass - D
SO going from G major to D major, the correct voice leading would be.
e---7---5---
b---8---7---
g---7---7---
d---5---0---
a-----------
e-----------
G D
In voice leading, each line in the chord has it's own melodic progression. Making a great sounding harmonic progression. If you go by every possible progression of chords, you will find hundreds of different voicings. That's why there are so many.
"My whole life is a dark room...ONE BIG DARK ROOM" - a.f.i.
# 2
knowing the notes of the chord you are trying to play over, all over the neck. what is it good for? lol great for arpeggios, great for sounding like you have some target notes in mind and not like you are just practicing scales over a chord. my tone is joking ( best of intentions) , but seriously, there's a lot you can do with that.
try doing the four chord shapes of a dominant chord on the top three strings, up the neck.
or,
learn one for A dom, D dom, and E dom, right in the vicinity of the fifth fret, and try to change them over the chord progression with your own creativity and sync.
try doing the four chord shapes of a dominant chord on the top three strings, up the neck.
or,
learn one for A dom, D dom, and E dom, right in the vicinity of the fifth fret, and try to change them over the chord progression with your own creativity and sync.
# 3
It's also EXTREMELY useful in jazz comping to know more than 1 (actually you should know a few) way to play a chord.
There are many reasons for this:
1) Exactly what Noticingthemistake said...
2) Sometimes on a real fast song, you may be playing chords around the 9th fret, and only know a voicing for the next chord in open position, or first, and realize you can't make the switch that fast
3)You may want certain chords to have different bass notes, but realize you can't do that by only uing that same chord, unless you want to shorten it, so you can move it down to a different inversion and put the fifth on the bottom..
4)Just getting psyched that you have more options!!!
Hope that helps
There are many reasons for this:
1) Exactly what Noticingthemistake said...
2) Sometimes on a real fast song, you may be playing chords around the 9th fret, and only know a voicing for the next chord in open position, or first, and realize you can't make the switch that fast
3)You may want certain chords to have different bass notes, but realize you can't do that by only uing that same chord, unless you want to shorten it, so you can move it down to a different inversion and put the fifth on the bottom..
4)Just getting psyched that you have more options!!!
Hope that helps
There are only two important things in life - There's music and theres girls, not necessarily in that order....
The Ace's Guitar Tricks
The Ace's Guitar Tricks
# 4
