Chord book

[burcher]

Hey all,

I'm in need of an expanded chord knowledge. I understand how to build chords, and can find a Bbsus7 if I take my time but what I need is a book or reference that I can use against sheets like the fakebook, jazz, swing, etc - more complex chords that take me too long to build in my head. Something I can cross reference to a song sheet and get the chords written down so I can hang with a jazz/swing band. Any recommendations? 'prece!


Chris

[mandocrucian]

Niles Hokkanen's Guide To Mandolin Chords (and how to use them)



in a smaller size and without the LHer's appendix.... Pocket Guide To Mandolin Chords



also available direct at the link below

Niles H

[burcher]

thanks, niles, I should've thought about your stuff.

cb

[Ted Eschliman]

Niles books are great, practical and context-sensitive.
Another recommendation for Windows users, an amazing software program: Mando-ModeExplorer.

[burcher]

Thanks, Ted - I'll check that out but first I need something to hold in my hand whilst playing/practicing new tunes in the jam format. Hard to refer to the old computer in that situation at least for me......................

[San Rafael]

The most systematic and complete (and nicely drawn) set of chords, including deeply inflected ones, that I've seen is in "Music Theory for Modern Mandolin," by Thomas Ohmson.

I'm looking at an entry for Gbmaj7b5. #It offers two forms. #For a Bbm6/9: two forms.

[mandroid]

Add to options /your library collection
not sure if it's in print, at present,
but, I have gotten a lot of use,over the years, out of the mandolin section of the:
'folksinger's guide to : Chords and Tunings'
© '67 Oak Publ [isbn 0-8256-0061-8]

[mandroid]

Oh, and I've found the little rubber grid stamp on a piece of paper is quite handy
to write down the chord form pictures,
to work thru the changes and learn new stuff. ..

[Pete Martin]

Can I suggest that in addition to the excellent materials mentioned above, you write your own as well? Do the following:

1) Write out the notes in the chord you want to learn. If needed go to a Jazz theory reference book (Mark Levine’s “Jazz Theory” is my favorite). For example the chord Am7b5. The m7b5 chord is spelled 1 b3 b5 b7. For A this would be the notes A C Eb G.

2) Make a drawing of the entire mandolin fingerboard and fill in all the notes from the chord everywhere they are found on the fingerboard. (I do this in a drawing program like Publisher and InDesign, keeping a blank then saving it as a chord name. I can then look at it at any time).

3) By analyzing your drawing, chord voicings will appear. Play them all and see what you like and don’t like. Keep it as a reference.

I have my private Jazz students do this, as they learn a lot about the theory of chord construction, chord voicings, etc. I firmly believe what a person discovers on their own stays with them a lot longer than what they learn from outside sources.

Best of luck.

[mando.player]

I did exactly what Pete mentions when I was looking for a 3 note chord reference. After mapping out lots of chords I ended up finding three or four different patterns. Now I don't really use the "book" I created and just work from the base chord forms I figured out.

[Jean-Pierre WOOS]

I have my own way to build chords... four different fingerings for each chord, but always built on the arpeggio of the chord played on the G string.

So you can move the whole shema along the neck: you have to put the "1" on the root. It's a "moving chord system"

Here is the whole chart:



Now: b9= 1 + 1/2 tone and 9 = 1 +1 tone

11 = 3 + 1/2 tone and #11 = 3 + 1 tone

b13 = 5 + 1/2 tone and 13 = 5 +1 tone

6 = b7 - 1/2 tone

When you are playing a jazz tune, you have to find the fingerings as closest as possible while going from a chord to another. So you find a great voicing...

For example: | A9 | AØ | G6(9) | Bb° | Am7 | D7 | G7M |

A9/C# = 6577
AØ/C = 5565
G6(9)/B = 4255.
Bb°/Bb = 3243
Am7/A = 2233.
D7/A: 2032.
G7M/G = 0022

[groveland]

I would have suggested the chord-building link in my tag-line below, but you say you know how to build chords and need a quick visual reference.

Still, it's best to just carry the knowledge in your head. So, if you have ANY chord, do this to get its 4 inversions:

1) Take the first and second strings' frets and add 2 to them. Play the third and fourth strings on those frets, respectively.
2) Take the third string fret and add 5 to it. Play the second string on that fret.
3) Take the fourth string fret and add 3 to it. Play the first string on that fret.

Another way to say it:
string3 = string1 + 2 frets
string4 = string2 + 2 frets
string2 = string3 + 5 frets
string1 = string4 + 3 frets

That will quadruple the number of chord shapes you know - And produce JeePee's chart in your head for ALL possible chords.

[burcher]

after getting niles book and playing in a swing setting with pickers who know how to build chords on the fly I see the wisdom being presented here. It still takes too long to look chords up, write them out, and then play the tune. I need what y'all are telling me. Thanks for helping me see the light. Part of my problem is I'd rather pick when I practice than practice theory - gotta get over that I suppose.

Relatedly, do y'all find it's hard to learn chord theory on your own and/or easier with a regimen or teacher?

cb

[Jean-Pierre WOOS]

Really, if you learn my chart verticaly and horizontaly, if you practise it like a " mooving chart" , 15 minutes every day, two months later, you build chords on the fly...

[groveland]

I have my own way to build chords...

Mel Bay published this type of "chord system" in the early 1970's. There is nothing new under the sun!

[Perry]

I like Nile's book; I also like John Baxter's <a href="http://www.baysidepress.com/home.asp?ProductID=98354" target="_blank">Book
</a>

In Baxter's book in addition to chord diagrams he also lists the note sequences which I find very handy when trying to compose chord melody stuff. i.e. you can look for the chord that has the melody note on top that you need.

I also found something called the Chord Wheel very handy. It was reccomended by a cafe member a few months back.

Baxter sample