What's The Chord?

[henry]

same position in G#m7 context. Mark, is it fair to say this is a G#m7b5 position? ..where you can skip the D notes to give you an incomplete G#m7?

G#m7 - root
B - b3rd
D# - 5th (no occurrences in this position)
F# - b7th

or

G#m7b5 - root
B - b3rd
D - b5th
F# - b7th


1 - B - b3rd
2 - G# - root
3 - D - b5
4 - G# - root
5 - F# - b7th
6 - D - b5
7 - B - b3rd
8 - G# - root
9 - G - maj7 (you would skip this string)
10 - F# - b7th

[henry]

same position in Gmaj7/maj9 context. (probably easier to consider this use of the shape without the lowered Es)

G - root
B - 3rd
D - 5th
F# - maj7th
A - 9th

1 - B - 3rd
2 - G# - b9 (you would skip this string or lower to a G for another root note)
3 - D - 5
4 - G# - b9 (skip this but if you release the Es you get a natural 9th)
5 - F# - maj7
6 - D - 5
7 - B - 3rd
8 - G# - b9 (skip this but if you release the Es you get a natural 9th)
9 - G - maj7 root
10 - F# - maj7th

[henry]

same position in Db5 context

D - root
F# - 3rd
G# - b5th or #11


1 - B - 6th
2 - G# - b5th
3 - D - root
4 - G# - b5th
5 - F# - 3rd
6 - D - root
7 - B - 6th
8 - G# - b5th
9 - G - 4th (probably skip)
10 - F# - 3rd

[henry]

sorry for the spam..please correct any mistakes i've made so i can correct and prevent spread of misinformation!

[B.J.Weston]

ooooouch!! my brain hurts . I hope J.D doesn't see this, he'll have a nervous brake-dance What's this, -- strings 8,7,6,5,4,played on the tuning side of the roller nut? Noooo! don't go theeere. Of corse the truth is, I am learning something here. good stuff guys. Baz.

[Mark]

Baz, I can just hear JD now... Henry, that's great. Just a couple of thoughts.

The reason I call that a G#m7 is simple, you don't have to play all the notes in chord. If you just played the root, b3rd and maj7 and the bass player is playing a G#, you still have a G#m7. If fact, two notes is often enough. And now you've figured out the theory try putting it into practice.

To be truthful, I don't use it quite as described, but I know the root and minor 3rd are 1 fret up with the E's to Eb, I use that, and you can get the 5 note by lowering your B's to Bb, if you have that change.

Mark

[henry]

thanks for that!
i dont have that change but i see what you mean..

u got any tips for C6 while you're about
I am getting my long awaited uni next week and dont quite know where to start on the C6 side of things..

[Mark]

Buddy Emmons basic C6 course is a good. It shows chord positions and has backing tracks to practice the changes.

Mark

[Paul Brennan]

Try this:

pick strings 6 and 5 at position 7, A and B pedals down. Slide back one fret to position six, pick strings 2 and 1. Strings 5 and 6 should be still sustaining.
Now slide to position 5 with everything sustaining. You'll have a beautiful E9 chord (or whatever else you want to call it) enhanced by the sliding and sustaining notes.
You need to resolve this to an A chord which you can do by releasing A and B. You'll have to block off strings 1 and 2 now (if you have a lever that raises 1 and 2 then engage it instead).

By the way, coming up all the different names for a triad is very interesting but what's really important is how it moves or resolves to the next chord.

[Will C]

Henry,

Great analysis. Welcome to the magical world of chord synonyms. Depending on what your root note is, any other note adopts a different position in the scale *based on that root*. If you Google "chord synonyms" you'll get to the Angelfire site and there's a lot of good stuff on there, e.g.

Bm6 = Abm7b5 = E9(no root) = Bb7b9(no root)

That's how I got to my "magic Maj7" chord, by considering what "job" each note does: Go up 2 frets from any "open" major chord, and across one string, with A&B pedals:

C = 8th fret. Cmaj7 = 10th fret, A&B pedals, strings 9,7,6,5,4. String three throws in a 9th just for good measure.

See you in a couple of weeks!