Chords and how I don't know many

Ok, I've got a whoppingly large book of chords and I've no clue how to apply any of them. I guess I might come off as a bit inane, but how do chords work with the music theory? Any other info on using chords for the better of mankind would also be cool as I know the standard power chord and about as many chords as I have fingers. What chords I do know are pretty much random chords I grabbed out of the book I have that I liked.

Their is a book by Jo Pass that Sach recommends. It just has loads of chords in it with out any labels. The idea is that you recognize the way the chord sounds and apply it that way as opposed to thinking too much about the theory.

I have it and will look it up when I get home this evening.

Another thing on my to do list !!!

Yes that's a way to go, but if you buy the whole theory package,
you get so much more. If there's a chord you've never heard of,
you can figure out how, where and when to play it.
It's like everything else, you can learn it without understanding
how it works, but if you run in to a problem, you're lost.
Let's say you're a racecar-driver, and you practice and practice driving
around the Laguna Seca course, but you don't learn any basic race driving.
Sure, after a while you'll be badass at that course, but if you race
somewhere else you won't know what to do.

I suggest getting a basic music theory book, or even better, take
theory classes (if available). But then again, if you're not that interested
in music theory, it's a whole lotta work for a couple of chords.

I'm very interested in learning the music theory. I aspire to be a great songwriter and the music theory seems to be the place to make that happen. Only thing is, I don't know how to apply it. Music theory classes are available, just not at this particular moment.

Joe Pass Guitar Chords by Mel Bay Publications

ISBN 0-87166-615-4

7 bucks from amazon.com

Originally Posted by: Cryptic ExcretionsI'm very interested in learning the music theory. I aspire to be a great songwriter and the music theory seems to be the place to make that happen. Only thing is, I don't know how to apply it. Music theory classes are available, just not at this particular moment.

Then you may want to search around on this forum a little bit. A lot of the questions you probably have right now may be answered.

I reccomend the guitar grimoire books if you are looking at chord theory/construction. They explain how every interval and symbol put in the chord name (such as C13b9 or Am7#11 etc...), and what that means for the whole of the chord.

And you can never go wrong with Joe Pass. He's the man. If you can take a bebop song, play a bass line, chords and melody/solo on top of that at the same time, your a god in my eyes. That chord book is worth checking out (and I may have to do so myself!).

Just to chime in a bit with my own recommendation. I got "Fretboard Logic" by Bill Edwards and I must say it's the best theory book I've come across thus far. It applies music theory to the unique tuning system for the guitar and it really an invaluable resource. It's pointless to try to use rote memorization to remember all those chords, but understanding how they're constructed is important.