Guitar chords form the backbone of many songs and musical genres. Triads are among the simplest chords, consisting of three notes that work as an underlying foundation – with root as the anchor note; third providing some character or emotion; fifth providing strength.
Each fret represents a semitone; therefore, the first note is one octave above from its adjacent note.
Major Chords
C, A, G and E are four essential major chords for beginners playing guitar. These chords serve as the cornerstones for other types of chords to follow on both electric and acoustic instruments alike.
Major chords generally sound brighter and happier than minor ones due to the larger interval between root and third notes than between fifth and seventh notes. This occurs because major chords feature larger intervals between root and third notes than between fifth and seventh notes.
An extension of a major chord, commonly referred to as a maj6 chord, can be created by adding a 6th note to its triad. Depending on its strength, it could even be expanded further as a maj9 or diminished further as a dm7.
Prior to moving onto riffs/melodies, it is vital that you spend some time learning basic major chords. Doing this will enable you to be like a decathlete with an extensive skill set instead of only excelling at one thing. These chords will come in handy in numerous songs!
Minor Chords
Know Your ChordsWhether strumming emotive ballads or rocking out to an upbeat anthem, knowing the most common chords will greatly enhance your guitar playing skills. Learning how to interpret chord names as letters, numbers and symbols is also invaluable when creating songs, improvising with fellow musicians or communicating between musicians.
To identify a minor chord, look for its first, second and fifth notes from its namesake major scale; or think of these chords as triads with an added major third.
Cm6/9 chords are one of the most favored minor chords, often written as Cmaj7 but more accurately represented as CM6 or Cm9. To create these chords, simply stack an existing minor triad with an added major third above it. More advanced forms include Cm7(m9) or Cm9(m7) to distinguish them from more commonly seen major sevens and dominant sevens.
Augmented Chords
Augmented chords are an intricate part of harmonic language. Denoted by symbols such as C+ or Caug, they consist of a root note, major third and an augmented fifth (which is one semitone higher than what can be found in major chords).
These mysterious chords can create dramatic tension before eventually resolving into more stable chords, while also adding color and texture to a piece of music.
Augmented chords offer a distinctive sound and can add depth and variety to your music compositions. Guitar players who wish to expand their musical vocabulary must become acquainted with them – learn these chords now and watch your musical compositions come to life!
Diminished Chords
Diminished chords can add tension and drama to your progressions. Used often in jazz to evoke feelings of unease or mystery, diminished chords also often feature prominently in classical music as an expressive way to convey pain, sadness or anger.
To create a diminished chord, all it takes is pairing together a minor third and diminished fifth notes – three half steps above your root, six half steps below it respectively – into one chord. This combination creates an uneasy sound which can be both dissonant and engaging when used properly.
Diminished chords are an invaluable addition to your progressions as they can add tension while leading to resolution in other chords. Just make sure to use them sparingly so as not to overdo it; memorize their musical symbols (circle with line through it and an o above it)!