Classic Major Chord Voicing Lesson


jluther0516
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jluther0516
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05/22/2022 1:45 am

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.


# 1
ddiddler
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ddiddler
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05/22/2022 1:27 pm

More detail

give the lesson name, chapter one ,lesson 2 etc

there's one for power chords


# 2
ddiddler
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ddiddler
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05/22/2022 1:43 pm

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


# 3
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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05/22/2022 2:44 pm
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?

[p]Good question. The term voicing simply means how & where the notes of a chord are played. So, it's related to the possibility of barring at the 5th fret, but doesn't only mean that.

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!


Christopher Schlegel
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# 4
jluther0516
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jluther0516
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05/22/2022 5:53 pm

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?


# 5
Rumble Walrus
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Rumble Walrus
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05/22/2022 7:10 pm

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.


# 6
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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05/22/2022 7:54 pm

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!


Christopher Schlegel
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# 7
jluther0516
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jluther0516
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05/24/2022 1:11 am

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?


# 8
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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05/24/2022 11:21 am
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!


Christopher Schlegel
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# 9

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