Chord Identification PT. 3

[astrozombie]

I lovingly refer to these as the Van Halen/Mr. Big/Journey 3 note, 4th string based chords.

I know this is a major chord shape, easy enough:

1
2 9
3 9
4 9
5
6

here are the two I'd like to know by name:

1
2 10 7
3 9 8
4 9 9
5
6

the shapes themselves, not the notes.

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Chord Identification PT. 3

Eadd4 and Bmajor

[ItsaBass]

Re: Chord Identification PT. 3

1. With the root on the G, it's an add 4, technically. But it would commonly be called a suspended 4 (and on an arrangement level, that would actually be correct terminology if someone else in the band was playing the 3).
2. It's the V from that E chord. A textbook triad.

Now you know one of the best guitar tricks in the book...and don't underthink it. This opens up a whole lot of doors on the instrument. Read the following at your leisure, 'cause it's long...but very cool.

If that first one is the I, you can play it with your ring finger, and easily go to the V by already having your middle and index fingers in place, and just lifting the bar made by the ring finger. If that second one is the I, you can easily go to the IV by quickly laying the ring finger down.

Add this one to your bag of tricks, and you'll be I, IV, V-ing with ease for life. Start with your one fingered E, played with the index finger. Then go:

1
2 10 (middle finger)
3 9 (leave one fingered E in place while playing this chord)
4 11 (ring finger)
5
6

The chord is your A, or the IV of the one-finger E chord. And lo and behold. You can also add the low octave by hitting the open A along with it. And you can also put your pinky on the high E, and it works with both the one-fingered E and the cheater A. Look at your fingers carefully, and you'll see that this is actually a partial bar formation based on the open C pattern. So, thinking about that...you realize you can easily use your pinky down on the A string three frets up from the index finger bar. And you complete the familiar open C pattern and give yourself another A note.

Also, simply slide that one up a step, and you've got another simple to reach inversion of the V.

And while you are at it, you can easily take that E chord and add the low octave of the 3 and/or the 1, and/or a high octave of the E note. Do your one finger chord using the index finger, and then:

1 12 (optional high E, pinky finger)
2 9
3 9
4 9
5 11 (low 3rd, ring finger)
6 0 (optional low E)

Learn to build and move your melodies around those three formations, and you can play 90 percent of pop and folk melodies and solos...not to mention being able to fake it well in most situations.

They're all just partial A.K.A. "cheater" bar chords. Basic, fundamental ****: what scale intervals fit melodically into what chord intervals. It's probably the most important thing a musician can learn. Good ****e, man.

To me, what this all boils down to is treating the guitar like a G instrument instead of an E instrument. Look at that "cheater E" more closely. You will realize that it's really based on an open G formation. Viewing the guitar as a G-based instrument instead of an E-based instrument will do wonders for your ability to find your way around and write parts and melodies. The low string may be an E, but moving around based on that open G ("cheater E") formation is the easiest way to view it IMO.

This **** is exactly how Keith Richards made his living in the post Brian Jones years. He is a G-string-based player...BIG TIME. Even when he plays in regular tuning. He doesn't play that way because of his open G tuning; he likes open G tuning because he plays that way anyhow.

Oh, by the way, now you also know how to fake it on banjo. Just learn to incorporate the high D, and avoid that stupid octave half string nonsense. (I take mine off.)

P.S. Is that third just not fitting in? You'd rather have a 12-string sounding power chord instead of that sappy-ass major 3? Try this formation:

1 12 (pinky bar)
2 12 (pinky bar)
3 9 (index bar)
4 9 (index bar)
5
6

Thank you,

ItsaBass' School of Lazy Rock-n-Roll Guitar Playing.