Guitar chords are an integral component of music theory. Composed using standard musical intervals and displayed on a guitar tab with fret numbers or open strings marked, chords can also be indicated using hammer-on notation (where notes are connected by an arc).
Once intermediate guitarists have mastered major and minor triads, they progress onto seventh chords – for instance the dominant seventh chord concatenates both major and minor triads with a major-minor seventh interval added on top.
Major Triad
A Major Triad chord contains the first, third and fifth notes of a major scale and can be started on any note with its unique fingering pattern. You can learn different major triads by first studying CAGED chord shapes before breaking them apart into their individual forms on each string.
An easy way to remember fingerings for each triad shape is with a diagram. A chord diagram depicting each chord shows which strings and frets need to be played on, as well as which fingers should play each note and whether a triad has open or closed spacing.
Chord symbols consist of three components: the letter name for the chord root, a number indicating how often its root is played and an indication of triad quality (major, minor, diminished or augmented). You can also observe its various attributes by looking at its key signature.
Minor Triad
As you construct chords, learning how to plot minor and major triads in root position, first inversion and second inversion will make voicings flow much smoother. This also applies when writing melodies as many melodies contain triadic structures; knowing these formations will allow you to create more interesting lines.
Minor triads consist of three notes stacked atop one another and separated by intervals. Minor chords generally produce more melancholic tones than major ones and are frequently found in sad or tragic music compositions.
For a minor triad, start by placing your first finger on the low root note, placing your second finger on the fifth fret and finally, your third finger on the root note – creating a R 5 b3 triad. Take some time practicing this shape to understand how it differs from others you already know as well as incorporating these triads into songs you already know to see how they change their feel and enhance the experience.
Mixolydian Triad
Mixolydian triads can be heard in songs by Belle & Sebastian such as Black and White Unite. Once you become aware of its patterns, they’re everywhere you look; once you understand how it works in your own playing. Mixolydian is one of seven modes whose interval structure follows Roman numeral analysis (1-2-3-4-5-6-7); these seven are divided according to whether there’s either a major or minor third above their tonic (do-mi): Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian Dorian Phrygian Locrian are some examples where these patterns appear.
Mixolydian is an easy sound to create as it uses only the Major Scale with a flat 7th note, but by adding blue notes and chromatic embellishments you can expand your vocabulary and make the sound more captivating. Ex. 2 illustrates this approach using an arpeggio as its starting point before moving into an E minor seventh scale run that descends toward C, adding tension before concluding on a C7 chord resolution.
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The mixolydian mode is a major scale with its seventh note (known as leading tone) lowered by one half step. This gives a closer resemblance to that of major scale, making it much easier for songs to incorporate without realising. Popular in folk music and giving music an overall bluesy sound.
Don McLean’s Vincent is an excellent example. Although relatively easy to play, its difficult fingerpicking patterns and arpeggiated chords present unique challenges when performing. Furthermore, its variable tempo can make keeping up challenging at times.
This guitar lesson for Don McLean’s song takes you step by step through his guitar part note-by-note, complete with video lessons, performance play through videos, full tabs and chords (please be aware that due to YouTube data protection laws the download file size will be 237 Mb). Perfect for beginner through intermediate players.