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Guitars can vary both in the number of strings and in tuning. Most guitars used in popular music have six
strings and are tuned (from the lowest pitched string to the highest): E-A-D-G-B-E. The internal intervals
present among adjacent strings in this tuning can be written 5-5-5-4-5 (with perfect fourth intervals except
for one major third interval between the G and the B). Conventionally, the string with the highest pitch (the
thinnest) is called the first string, and the string having the lowest pitch is called the sixth.
Contents
1 Six-string guitars with standard tuning
1.1 CAGED major chords
1.1.1 B major and F major shapes
1.1.2 C major, G major and D major shapes
1.2 Other CAGED chords
1.2.1 Minor, Augmented and Diminished
1.2.2 Slash (inverted)
1.2.3 Seventh and extended
1.3 Power chords
2 Six-string guitars with alternate tuning
3 See also
4 External links
In the case of C Major, these notes are C, E and G. The graphical representation
In a similar way, the chords A Major, G Major, E Major and D Major are often played as:
A Major Chord
D Major Chord
E Major Chord
G Major Chord
These five chords are fundamental to guitar for a variety of reasons including:
they are all major triads, and as such they are all primary reference chords
they all occur and are available in open position (see also Voicing (music) and open chord): the first
three frets plus open strings
their overall gross large shapes become the basis of the CAGED system
they can be connected and linked together to create one large long contiguous 12-fret or one-octave
greater resource pattern of major triad tones encompassing the entire fretboard.
The two remaining whole tone major chords (to complete an octave) are those of B major and F major.
These are commonly played as barre chords, with the first finger used to press down multiple strings across
the guitar fingerboard.
B Major Chord
F Major Chord
On examination, it becomes clear that these two chords are logical extensions of the A major and E major
chords above. The B major chord is the same shape as the A major chord but it is located two frets further
up the fretboard. The F major chord is the same shape as E major but it is located one fret further up the
fretboard. In effect, barre chords act as if the whole guitar has been shortened, like a moveable nut or capo.
Barre chords in the shape of A and E major can be played anywhere on the fretboard. Wherever they are
played, these chords are major because they have the same shape, and this determines the intervals
between the notes. The root of the chord in any position can be worked out from the diagrams above.
The other three shapes in the CAGED system are C major, G major and D major. These can be
transformed into barre chords in a similar way to the A major and E major shapes.
The CAGED system therefore creates five major barre chords which can be used to play all the major
chords in more than one position on the fretboard.
These require the basic shape of the chord to be modified so that it has slightly different intervals between
each note. Once this is done, the shape can be played anywhere on the fretboard, as above.
Minor chords (commonly notated as C-, Cm, Cmi or Cmin) are the same as major chords except that they
have a minor third instead of a major third. This is a difference of one semitone.
To create F minor from the F major chord (in E major shape), the second finger should be lifted so that the
third string plays onto the barre. Compare the F major to F minor:
F Major Chord
F Minor Chord
Chord
Fret numbers
name
E minor [0 2 2 0 0 0]
A minor [X 0 2 2 1 0]
D minor [X X 0 2 3 1]
The C major and G major shapes cannot be modified in this way because the major third in those shapes
falls on the bar (or nut). It is therefore impossible to lower that note by one semitone (to produce the minor
third) and retain the barre. C minor and G minor therefore have to be played using one of the other
CAGED shapes.
Augmented chords (major third and augmented fifth) and diminished chords (minor third and diminished
fifth) can be created in much the same way.
Slash (inverted)
A chord is inverted when the bass note isn't the root note. For
example, if the note E (the open sixth string) were to be played
over the A minor chord (as in the table above), the chord would be
[0 0 2 2 1 0]. This has the note E as its lowest tone instead of A. It
is often written as Am/E, where the letter following the slash
indicates the new bass note. However, in popular music it is usual
to play inverted chords on the guitar when they are not part of the
harmony, since the bass guitar can play the root pitch.
E7:[020100]
G7:[320001]
A7:[X02020]
B7:[X21202] (note that a B major can't be played without using the barre chord, but B7 can)
D7:[XX0212]
Dm7: [XX0211]
Em7: [020000]
Am7: [X02010]
Bm7: [X20202]
F♯m7: [202220]or ([XX2222] Also an A/F# Chord)
Cmaj7: [X32000]
Dmaj7: [XX0222]
Emaj7: [021100]
Fmaj7: [103210]
Gmaj7: [320002]
Amaj7: [X02120]
Other extended chords, such as ninths (9), elevenths (11) and thirteenths (13) can also be constructed.
These can all be played with the CAGED shapes.
Power chords
Main article: Power chord
Power chords (sometimes notated as 5) consist solely of a root note and a fifth. Sometimes an octave is
included as well.
E5 Power Chord
G5 Power Chord
G5 Power Chord
(omit octave)
On a guitar with six strings, it is possible to play any of five power chord shapes. Each can be played
anywhere along the neck. The basic shapes are
Chord
Fret numbers
name
E5 [0 2 X X X X]
A5 [X 0 2 X X X]
D5 [X X 0 2 X X]
G5 [X X X 0 3 X]
B5 [X X X X 0 2]
There are many alternate tunings (like drop D tuning, for example). These change the way chords are
played, making some chords easier to play while others may be more difficult. Also, guitars may be tuned
to a chord so that a slide may be used to play the chord at a multitude of pitches.
See also
Chord progression
External links
Guitar (http://www.dmoz.org/Arts/Music/Instruments/Stringed/Guitar//) at the Open Directory
Project
Guitar Lessons (http://www.dmoz.org/Arts/Music/Instruments/Stringed/Guitar/Education//) at the
Open Directory Project
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_chord"
Categories: Chords | Guitar performance techniques