Re: (in)definitive chord guides
The only thing that bothers me are the terms used. I think of the e string as the 'top' because it is the highest pitch. So to me, it seems backwards. I'd have to write it and print it this way to 'convert the method'. (And I'd do it if it was not the end of a long day. Ha, ha.) Also I think Mandolin for Dummies borrows Jethro's method too.
Originally Posted by
dadsaster
I came across Jethro Burns' book and it was an eye opener for me to see that there were only 3 shapes you needed to play 3 voicings over every major chord.
My advice would be to learn only 3 major chord shapes to begin with and to only play 3-fingered chords (muting the E-string).
I would call the three different shapes:
1. Root on top
2. Root on middle
3. Root on bottom
(Here 'top' means on the G-string or the lowest note in the chord)
Taking A major as an example we have:
1. 2-2-4-x (Root on top - root is on G-string)
2. 6-7-7-x (Root on middle - root is on D-string)
3. 9-11-12-x (Root on bottom - root is on the A-string)
These three chord shapes exist for every chord. Find any note on any of the top three strings. To play a major chord of whatever note your finger is on, use the "Root on top" shape for the G-string, "Root on middle" for D-string and "Root on bottom" for A-string. If you can find a note on any of the top three strings, you can play that major chord.
Once you have these down you can easily flat the 3rd on all these shapes to learn every minor chord. You can build 7th and augmented from there as well. Common chord progressions fall exactly in the same relationship to one another regardless of the root key. If you start playing around with these shapes you will notice the open C-major and G-major are really the "5th on top" shape and can connect these shapes to form 4-finger chords.
I hope this helps.
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