guitar fundamentals lv2, chords and scales

I'm kinda confused here when it comes to using the 1(root note),3rd (majord third) and 5 (fifth) to building chords from their respective major scales.

This formula makes perfect sense to me looking at the C Major chord but when I look at the A Major chord I'm kind of lost. If you look at the picture example in the lesson the A Major chord follows this pattern of the scale 1,5,1,3,5.

I was under the impression the formula is to be as followed 1,3,5,1,3 as it is clear in the C Major chord.

Maybe this is a simple solution and could answer my own question do you have to use the triad in that specific order or can you choose to put them in any random order and get a correct result?

Hi Andrew,

Great question! The C major chord is generally taught first because it's laid out in a way that's easy to understand, like the white keys on a piano. But you can arrange the chord notes in any order, in fact this is called a chord inversion.

Generally "Power Chords" are arranged in 1,5,1 order and barre chords are arranged in 1,5,1,3,5 order, like the A chord you described. Or, if it's an E chord shape (root on 6th string): 1,5,1,3,5,1

It's really fun when you start mixing the order of chord notes! :D

Great question!

Sorry about the late reply. In short, it is fine for the chord to be 1,5,1,3,5. As long as it has 1, 3 and 5, all is well.

If you were playing piano, where all the notes are laid out in nice rows, you would play 1-3-5 in a row. But with the guitar, often you can't easily play the notes in that order. If you think about where the C is in the A major chord, it is on the 3rd fret of the A string. But you are already playing the A string for A, and can't play both notes on one string.


Have fun,
Jon

Thanks Neal appreciate the reply! I'm starting to understand the concept more and more