Chords
- Your homework is to learn these shapes in a variety of positions. Name the notes in the chord, and be able to build any chord in any key.
- This is a general introduction how chords are constructed and how they work. There are tons of chords out there, but these are the most common ones in metal. If you were to play other types of music, such as jazz, you would probably want to learn a lot more than we will cover here. This lesson ties in with the previous lesson, and is closely related to harmonizing.
- A chord is a minimum of three distinct notes, played simultaneously. They are named by their root note, and the type of chord you are playing. As always, focus on the shapes, not the specific positions I will show you. Learn the shapes in other keys.
- We’ll start with just two notes, which are diads. These are just two distinct notes played simultaneously. One diad is a power chord. The two notes are the root and the fifth. Even three note power chords are still diads because the third note is just an octave of the first note. For example, an A power chord is A (root note), E (fifth), and an optional octave of A:
-------------|-------------------- -------------|-------------------- -------------|-------------------- -------------|-7-A-(Root, Octave)- -7-E-(Fifth)-|-7-E-(Fifth)-------- -5-A-(Root)--|-5-A-(Root)---------
- Other common diads are minor and major diads. These are just a root note and a minor or major third, respectively. For example, an E Minor diad is an E (root note), and a G (minor third). A D Major diad is a D (root note) and an F# (major third):
-E Minor Diad----|-D Major Diad---- -----------------|----------------- -----------------|----------------- -5-(Minor Third)-|-4-(Major Third)- -7-(Root)--------|-5-(Root)-------- -----------------|-----------------
- A triad is the same as a diad, but we’ll add a note. This time, we’ll add the fifth. Now that we have three distinct notes, we have the smallest, simplest chord possible. Remember from past examples that the fifth of E and D are B and A, respectively:
-E Minor Triad---|-D Major Triad--- -----------------|----------------- -4-(Fifth)-------|-2-(Fifth)------- -5-(Minor Third)-|-4-(Major Third)- -7-(Root)--------|-5-(Root)-------- -----------------|-----------------
- An inversion is just a different way of playing the same notes. In these past examples, we have always been playing root, third, fifth, from lowest to highest pitched notes. We can change that around to make things sound a little more interesting. Here are some common inversions for diads and triads. There are more, but they may be a little too hard to finger. Here’s a common diad inversion:
-E Minor Diad----|-D Major Diad---- --Inversion------|--Inversion------ -----------------|----------------- -----------------|----------------- -7-(Root)--------|-5-(Root)-------- -3-(Minor Third)-|-2-(Major Third)-
Here’s a common triad inversion:
-E Minor Triad----|-D Major Triad--- --Inversion-------|--Inversion------ -9-(Root)---------|-7-(Root)-------- -9-(Fifth)--------|-7-(Fifth)------- -10-(Minor Third)-|-9-(Major Third)- ------------------|-----------------
- Open chords are the same as triads, but they add more notes using octaves. Make sure to play them without muting notes you are not supposed to, or playing incorrect notes because of accidental barring. Note that you only need to change one note to go from a minor to a major chord.
- E Minor and E Major:
-0-(Root)--------|-0-(Root)-------- -0-(Fifth)-------|-0-(Fifth)------- -0-(Minor Third)-|-1-(Major Third)- -2-(Root)--------|-2-(Root)-------- -2-(Fifth)-------|-2-(Fifth)------- -0-(Root)--------|-0-(Root)--------
- A Minor and A Major:
-0-(Fifth)-------|-0-(Fifth)------- -1-(Minor Third)-|-2-(Major Third)- -2-(Root)--------|-2-(Root)-------- -2-(Fifth)-------|-2-(Fifth)------- -0-(Root)--------|-0-(Root)------- -----------------|-----------------
- D Minor and D Major:
-1-(Minor Third)-|-2-(Major Third)- -3-(Root)--------|-3-(Root)-------- -2-(Fifth)-------|-2-(Fifth)------- -0-(Root)--------|-0-(Root)-------- -----------------|----------------- -----------------|-----------------
- G Major, in two different ways:
-3-(Root)--------|-3-(Root)-------- -0-(Major Third)-|-3-(Fifth)------- -0-(Root)--------|-0-(Root)-------- -0-(Fifth)-------|-0-(Fifth)------- -2-(Major Third)-|-2-(Major Third)- -3-(Root)--------|-3-(Root)--------
- C Major, in two different ways:
-0-(Major Third)-|-3-(Fifth)------- -1-(Root)--------|-1-(Root)------- -0-(Fifth)-------|-0-(Fifth)------- -2-(Major Third)-|-2-(Major Third)- -3-(Root)--------|-3-(Root)-------- -----------------|-----------------
- Barre chords are essentially just E and A chord shapes moved up the fretboard, which requires you to barre where all the open note would be in the open shapes. These two shapes are essentially the same as power chords with extra notes and thirds. Practice playing barre chords and changing between various shapes and position rapidly to build strength in your barring index finger.
- Suspended chords are special chords. They are composed of a root, major second, and a fifth. For example, an A Suspended chord is an A (root), a B (major second), and an E (fifth). Here’s an A Suspended triad:
------------------ ------------------ ------------------ -2-(Fifth)-------- -2-(Major Second)- -5-(Root)---------
- Here’s a common way of playing an A Suspended chord using open strings:
-0-(Fifth)-------- -0-(Major Second)- -2-(Root)--------- -2-(Fifth)-------- -0-(Root)--------- ------------------
- Here’s an inversion of an A Suspended chord, which looks like a power chord, but it requires a big stretch:
------------------ ------------------ ------------------ -9-(Major Second)- -7-(Fifth)-------- -5-(Root)---------
- Here’s the same chord, but using dropped tuning. It makes the chord a lot easier to play because there’s no stretch:
------------------ -(Dropped Tuning)- ------------------ -9-(Major Second)- -7-(Fifth)-------- -7-(Root)---------
- Be sure not to overuse this chord. I have seen a lot of rockstars talk about this chord without knowing what it exactly is, in an ignorant way. Just be sure not to overdo it.
hey guys i need help i dont really understand the 3rd and 5th and stuff like that with the chords. I cant learn power chords if i dont get this please help.
@starfox707
Sure, what are you having trouble with specifically? Basically, you just pick a note, and then use intervals to find the third and fifth the way I talked about in the video. That’s about all there is to it!
so the diad is lets say low E so its
e—
b—
g—
d—
a-3-
e-1-
@starfox707
Well the lowest note you’ve picked is actually an F. The note on the A string is a C. Yes, that is a power chord.
o ok thanks