Captaincranky

Imagine my shame when I realized I forgot to mention D minor (Dm) ! It seems too important to forget.

All to the chords I mentioned are reached, for the most part, by lifting a finger, or putting a finger down, from the basic D chord.

You have to learn the 5 major open chord "shapes". You'll see those sometimes referred to as "CAGED", which is a teaching system based on those 5 majors at different locations on the neck. So, C, A, G, E, & D, are all available in the open position, plus 3 minor derivations of Dm, Em, & Am.

These are lovingly referred to as "cowboy chords" as a large part of country and folk music is comprised of these chords, and only these chords!

The other 2 chords you'll run into as a beginner are Bb and F. These are "barre chords" based on the A and E shapes respectively.

The capo moves the "top nut" of the guitar to whichever fret you place it. The frets of the guitar follow the 12 tones of the "chromatic scale". So, if you place a capo on the 3rd fret, and play the chords, (shapes), of the key of G major, (G, C, & D), you will be playing in the key of Bb, and the chord names will now be Bb, Eb, & F. You have moved the key up the chromatic scale by "3 semitones".

That's enough theory for now as I don't want your head to break. (at least not all at once).

Music that is written for a guitar intended to be capoed, is generally annotated naming the chords as they would be played open, not as the actual key you'll be playing in.

Written music will show the melody and chords in the correct key on the staff, but the chord letters above will give the open chord names, and the fret to place the capo.

Please check out this Bryan Adams tab, "Run to You": http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/b/b..._to_you_crd.htm It gives the chords for the key of G, but asks you to put a capo on the second fret. That puts the actual key at A, but you play in G.

I will, "bear" with you. But, I will not "bare" with you, which would require getting naked.

We here in the colonies look to you Brits to lead us through the maze of homophones that is the English language. Please don't disappoint us....

stepchildusmc

in short craney...yes . and yes, cranky will get naked on request... never invite him over for yahtzee and a movie !

Captaincranky

tuxs

Gee Cranky it crossed my mind that you would give him Brian Adams other hit. " Summer of 69" played to me fingers bleed. Cheers

Captaincranky

Yeah, I always quote that song for newbies who think learning to play is supposed to be painless. Don't think that's the case here though.

In any event, this was a capo question, and "Summer of '69", is stone in D major, and played open... (It modulates to F major, but we haven't gotten that far yet). It's actually a great acoustic song too. I have a bit of trouble with the F# in the melody on the D chord though......As raspy as he is, Bryan Adams is a pretty high tenor.

Given my sense of "whimsy" and "irony", I've taken to playing the song exclusively on the 12 string...

craney5

This is the 1st song i intend to try and learn, i was just a little confused though after going through the chords it shows. When i hover over the chord it shows which strings need to be played but it seems to be showing different notes not the standard eadgbe?
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/n/n...coustic_crd.htm

Just wondered why this might be? Dont mean to sound silly here still kinda finding my way around all the different chords etc. Learning them is one thing but then rying to change between chords is a whole different ball game for me lol. I'll get there i hope

Captaincranky

My mind reader's on the fritz craney, which song is "this song", and where is the music located?

craney5

CaptainCranky my minds gone mad i forgot to actually post the chord thread!!

The song is Fade Away by Noel Gallagher
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/n/n...coustic_crd.htm

Captaincranky

The chord diagrams are correct to form the named chords called for, in E standard tuning (EADGBE).

I didn't want to say this but, the note name will change when you fret a string. I'm sure you know this, but you haven't gotten down the names of the notes on the fret board yet, and that's what's giving you trouble.

I asked you to work on learning the "chromatic scale". From there, it will become second nature to name the note on the string and fret you're playing.

Natural notes only have one name, "A, B, C, D, E, F, G". While sharps and flats have two names, depending on how, and in what "Key" they are being used.

IE:The pairs of sharps and flats, (A#=Bb), (C#=Db), (F#=Gb), (G#=Ab).

craney5

I have been looking into the chromatic scale this afternoon and its all to much for my brain to take in at the mo im getting myself all confused.

I was just confused when looking at the chords for the song and it states the top e string is not touched yet when you look the fmaj7 and g6 its showing you in the example that you need it? Im sure i have this wrong being a newby and learning to read chord boxes etc lol

Thanks for all your kind help help CaptainCranky tho i really appreciate your time

Captaincranky

OK, so the top string is either not touched at all, or played as a "drone"?

I can't say since I've never heard the song.

Nonetheless, the chord pictures are correct as to finger formations.

You would still finger a "D major chord" the way it's shown in the picture.

e-1 __ 2 (F# is the note)
B-2__ 3 (D is the note)
G-3__ 2 (A is the note)
D-4__ 0
A-5__ 0

If you're going to "drone" the e-1 string, just lift your finger clear and let it sound as the open E.

If you're going to not play the top string at all, you could either lift your finger partially to "mute" the string, or you could simply not hit it with the pick.

So, here is the chromatic scale in its entirety:

A, (A#=Bb), B, C, (C#=Db), D, (D#=Eb) E, F, (F#=Gb), G, (G#=Ab), A

Notice that B/C, and E/F, do not have a sharp or flat between them!

This corresponds to the piano keyboard, and if you look at it, you'll see the pairs of white keys next to one another. These are the B/C's, & E/F's. Natural notes are all white, sharps or flats are black.

Whether a note is a sharp or a flat will have no meaning to you until you learn what "keys" are, and how the notes in them are named. Be patient.

craney5

Thanks so much for that info, i know it will take time to pick up i think i just way ahead of myself at times!

Im slowly getting there with the basic chords A,D,E so i think just mastering them and changing between them is where i should be looking to master before going to far. I always find myself muting the High E (thin one) with my 3rd finger on the B String on some chords mainly the D chord that is

It will come i know well i hope

DeathByDestroyr

A good teacher will give you the tools to teach yourself.

Most of all, have fun!