Shortcuts to Chords


SnowRose
Registered User
Joined: 01/13/06
Posts: 23
SnowRose
Registered User
Joined: 01/13/06
Posts: 23
05/09/2006 2:41 am
Sometimes it's pretty difficult to form a chord using all 6-strings or even 5 strings. I was wondering if there was a site that has a basic guide to forming chords using only 3 strings. For example, forming a Cmaj with 3 strings is simply:

e: x
b: 8
G: 9
D: 10
A: x
E: x

If I want to form a Cadd9, is it possible to use only 3 strings? Thanks, I need some of these shortcut formulas and thanks in advance.
# 1
Julian Vickers
Registered User
Joined: 05/23/02
Posts: 557
Julian Vickers
Registered User
Joined: 05/23/02
Posts: 557
05/09/2006 3:12 am
Hi, I'm not sure why it's important for these chords to be exactly three strings, but here's a few common three string chords that I use in jazz reasonably often:

--------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
----5-----------6------------5--------------------------
----4-----------4------------3--------------------------
----5-----------5------------5--------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------

The first is D7, the second is Dmajor7, and the third is Dminor7. Bear in mind that these chords are all missing the 5th.
To make them into 4 note chords, I would usually play this:

--------------------------------------------------------
----5-----------5------------5--------------------------
----5-----------6------------5--------------------------
----4-----------4------------3--------------------------
----5-----------5------------5--------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------

D9, Dmajor9, Dminor9

I'm sure I haven't answered your question properly, but those chords are good to learn anyway, I use them every day!
Miracle Blade 4: Gibs on touch.
# 2
Kevin Taylor
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 03/05/00
Posts: 4,722
Kevin Taylor
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 03/05/00
Posts: 4,722
05/09/2006 4:58 am
I just did a tutorial on chords specifically for acoustic guitar that covers mostly 3 finger chords and using open strings as well.
There's also quite a few 3 finger chords in the 'Minor 7' and 'Suspended Chords' tutorial as well.

http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=9728&s_id=196
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=9750&s_id=199
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=9609&s_id=181

I'm also just working on a tutorial for alternate tunings as well that covers quite a few 3 finger chords for Open G and DADGAD tunings.
... should be finished later in the week.
# 3
SnowRose
Registered User
Joined: 01/13/06
Posts: 23
SnowRose
Registered User
Joined: 01/13/06
Posts: 23
05/09/2006 6:49 am
Originally Posted by: Julian VickersHi, I'm not sure why it's important for these chords to be exactly three strings, but here's a few common three string chords that I use in jazz reasonably often:

--------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
----5-----------6------------5--------------------------
----4-----------4------------3--------------------------
----5-----------5------------5--------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------

The first is D7, the second is Dmajor7, and the third is Dminor7. Bear in mind that these chords are all missing the 5th.
To make them into 4 note chords, I would usually play this:

--------------------------------------------------------
----5-----------5------------5--------------------------
----5-----------6------------5--------------------------
----4-----------4------------3--------------------------
----5-----------5------------5--------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------

D9, Dmajor9, Dminor9

I'm sure I haven't answered your question properly, but those chords are good to learn anyway, I use them every day!



Well, it doesn't have to be 3 strings, but it's just easier to remember that way. Like for the Cmaj I showed previously, you can slide that structure up and down the fretboard and it would be _maj. Like Dmaj, D#maj, etc. I was wondering if there were any other tricks to more complicated chords, such as Cadd9, haha. Or like slash chords which are always tricky.

Oh side question, can you make up slash chords? Like D/C or G/Eb? Or does it have to be part of the root note? Kinda of confused. Thanks again though, guys!
# 4
Julian Vickers
Registered User
Joined: 05/23/02
Posts: 557
Julian Vickers
Registered User
Joined: 05/23/02
Posts: 557
05/09/2006 7:24 am
Ohhhhh, well I will let you in on a few chords that have become the backbone of my rhythm guitar playing in the past few years. They are all played on the bottom 4 strings and can be moved up and down.
Here are the first ones, the Major7 chords. Here are four different inversions of Cmajor7 (bear in mind that you can move each of these to make other major7 chords:

--3-------7--------8--------12-----------------
--1-------5--------8--------12----------------
--4-------5--------9--------12----------------
--2-------5--------9--------10----------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------

Here are 4 inversions of Cminor7:

--4-------6--------8--------11-----------------
--1-------4--------8--------11------------------
--4-------5--------8--------12-----------------
--1-------5--------8--------10-----------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------

I could do the dominant7 ones too but I gotta go, I'll do them later if anyone is interested. It's worth learning all of these movable patterns. some of them are harder to finger than others unfortunately.
I'm considering making a whole lesson just for the learning and application of these great Drop2 voicings, if only I was an instructor....
Miracle Blade 4: Gibs on touch.
# 5
SnowRose
Registered User
Joined: 01/13/06
Posts: 23
SnowRose
Registered User
Joined: 01/13/06
Posts: 23
05/12/2006 6:06 pm
Alright, thanks for the help.

I will look into it more, but if you could a few more examples of various moveable chords, that'd be great!
# 6

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