3 note chord book

[mando.player]

I posted this over on CoMando last night and figured I might as well post it here too. It covers all 12 keys and
supplies two sets of chords for each key. The sets sit on the GDA and DAE strings. Most of the shapes are pretty practical. There are a few that feel a little odd, but I suppose you can always use the 4 note version in those cases. Since most of the chords drop the root, I've notated which chord tones are being used.

I've posted a PDF at the link below (the link is good for a week). I've done my best to proof this, but there may be errors. If you find something is off let me know.

3 Note Chords

-- Edit --
Updated the URL for the download

[Steve Davis]

Thanks.

[Robert Moreau]

Thanks for that one. Looks good!

Rob

[ApK]

Thanks for that. In all the shapes on that chart, are we only to play the three fretted strings, never the open one? I'm used to seeing an O or an X so I'm not sure unless I figure out the notes first.

ApK

[mando.player]

ApK,

Your assumption is correct. These are closed 3 note chord forms, i.e. no open strings. My initial thought was that the chords that sit on the GDA strings would be good from comping/rhythm. And the chords that sit on the DAE strings would be good for chord melody arrangements. I guess I won't know that for sure until I start putting this into practice. The first step was to simply document the chords.

[groveland]

You've given us a great illustration of the challenges in trimming down a big chord to some kind of 3-note essence of the chord, selectively tossing notes from the bigger chords and leave the 3 most important notes. For example, if we have a B13(#11) chord, we have to select from the 1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7. What are the best 3 notes?

Let's have some fun. If you had to make a general rule, How would you prioritize? I might (generally) prioritize like this:

1) All tensions get top priority (#4/b5 #5/b6 b9/#9);
2) All extensions get next priority (2 4 6); when forced to choose, 4 is first, 6 is second, 2 is third; when more than one of these exists in the chord, it is best to select only one.
3) All b3/3 and b7/7 get next priority; when forced to choose, the b7/7 takes priority over the b3/3; where possible, it is best to select both.
4) Then the 5;
5) Last, the 1.

So our 3-note B13(#11) would get #4, the 6, and the b7 according to that prioritization.

But - That's a generalization. I'm thinking the 3 chosen notes really are completely dependent on the guide tones and tension/release in the context of the tune.

Thanks for the chart - It's excellent food for thought!

[mando.player]

I pretty much tried to follow the rules you laid out. One problem I ran into was just being able to find the notes I needed. That being the case, there are some shapes that contain a 5th.

I don't view these chords as absolutes, more like a starting point. I needed some 3 note chords and was getting distracted coming up with them on an as needed basis. This is the result of that.

[David Lloyd]

Charlie,
Thanks again for some great charts.
How are the new ones that you were recently working on coming?
Dave

[mando.player]

Which ones?

I've been tinkering with some sheets for FFcP scales and also with some Chord Scales. The 3 Note Chords got me off on a tangent

[ApK]

Let's have some fun. If you had to make a general rule, How would you prioritize? I might (generally) prioritize like this:

1) All tensions get top priority (#4/b5 #5/b6 b9/#9);
2) All extensions get next priority (2 4 6); when forced to choose, 4 is first, 6 is second, 2 is third; when more than one of these exists in the chord, it is best to select only one.
3) All b3/3 and b7/7 get next priority; when forced to choose, the b7/7 takes priority over the b3/3; where possible, it is best to select both.
4) Then the 5;
5) Last, the 1.

Interesting.

I'm curious as to your choice to put sevenths ahead of thirds in priority.

My gut reaction would have been that the major/minor effect of the third, would be more important, but you feel that leaving out the third entirely, making it neither major nor minor, a la 'power-chord', and including more of the color notes is the way to go?

[mando.player]

I suppose it's all a matter of context. If you're playing with others, someone else will most likely be playing those notes. You also have the option of simplifying the chord, when possible. Again the assumption is that another player is covering that ground.

For me, it comes down to being able to play SOMETHING comfortably. These shapes allow me to do that.

[Walter Newton]

Can you re-post the file? It looks like the link above has expired.

[mando.player]

Hmph...I guess I won't use them again to post a file. Try here:
3 Note Chords

[Walter Newton]

That worked, thanks.

[rekx]

Actually a nice resource...thanks!

[fiddlingdan]

Thanks
DAn

[billkilpatrick]

very useful - thank you.

[groveland]

I'm curious as to your choice to put sevenths ahead of thirds in priority.

I'm with you - I sure could go with reversing that. If you have a II7 V7 - B7(#5b9) to an E9, for example - It would be way better to preserve the #5/b9 with the 3. The 3/#5/b9 of the II can all drop a half step to become the b7/9/5 of the V.

So let's <span style='color:red'>fix</span> that and see if it holds water:

1) All tensions get top priority (#4/b5 #5/b6 b9/#9);
2) All extensions get next priority (2 4 6); when forced to choose, 4 is first, 6 is second, 2 is third; when more than one of these exists in the chord, it is best to select only one.
3) All b3/3 and b7/7 get next priority; <span style='color:red'>when forced to choose, the b3/3 takes priority over the b7/7</span>; where possible, it is best to select both.
4) Then the 5;
5) Last, the 1.

But now our example shows that 3 is totally dependent on the context - For the II it was fine to choose the 3, but for the V we had to choose the b7! It all depends... Generally, it seems we can't generalize.

[Kate D.]

Charlie- thanks very much for this. I appreciate it.
Kate

[Ted Eschliman]

Nice work again, Charlie!

[David Lloyd]

Charlie,
The updates to the practice sheets. The ones with the different approach to scales that you had talked about. Your charts have been a big help in my learning to play the mandolin.
Dave

[mando.player]

Dave,

I'm in the process of thinking through a new version of "the sheets". I'm trying to pull together a few different concepts, into a single document. It's still not clear if the material is going to coalesce. Once I stop seeing dots and grids in my sleep, I'll probably start back up on it.

[Walt W]

Charlie,

Thanks for sharing this work, and reposting it so I could get my hands on it. I'll enjoy working it over this weekend. I don't usually have time to check out the message board much, and have been rewarded richly!

And thanks to Groveland for starting the thread within a thread. I enjoyed your website. That mode explorer looks pretty wild.

Walt

[mando.player]

I really wish there was software like this for the Mac. Although, figuring out stuff like this is my sick way of relaxing at night...LOL

[groveland]

I have had requests for '3-note chords' to be added to the ModeExplorer (Windows), which offers 4-note chords. I've been thinking about this problem for some time. Kindof like I was illustrating above, the fewer notes you play at a time (i.e. 3 or 2), the more options you have in note selection, and the more critical your selections become; and the bigger the chord you're selecting notes from, the more options you have, and the more subtle they get. A simple set of note prioritization rules doesn't work in all cases, and it quickly becomes a game of following 3/7 guide tones and tensions in a given tune, and chord shapes become irrelevant pretty quickly.

So for software, I felt it's best to leave it to the player to select notes based on the context.

But that's coming from more of a jazz perspective, maybe. #Perhaps there would be value in other genres to say, "Here's the best way to play a 3-note such-and-such chord" regardless of the context.

Hmmm.