chords

jaad · #1 November 25th, 2007

I just can't understand chords. I understand what a chord is but I can't relate it to the guitar. Example... C chord....3rd finger C, second finger E, first finger C. Now G chord....second finger G, first finger B , third finger G. How does this work and how does it relate to finger position? From what I've read, a chord is 3 nonconsecutive notes eg(a-c-e)or (b-d-f) etc. . Dam this is frustrating.

allthumbs · #2 November 25th, 2007

There is a definite pattern to chords. You should check out some of the chord lessons. Basic chords have to have the the first note or root. The next note is the 3 or third note in the scale. The last note is the 5 note. So a C chord would be C-E-G. There are some basic finger positions for chords that are based on what is the moat practical fingering for playing them so moving to the next chord can be done as smoothly as possible.

jaad · #3 November 25th, 2007

I assume that if for instance I'm playing a C chord, then one of my fingers should on C, one should be on E and one should be on G. Thats what I feel should be happening but it's not (as my examples showed earlier). Also if you are playing ,again, a C chord, why would you not have the same finger on the C (eg. index finger), but if you played a D chord, your, again(eg. index finger) doesn't start that chord? I hope you get what I mean.

Aunt Doty · #4 November 25th, 2007

Go here and read all about the chords: Brand new to playing the guitar?...read this first.
Then if you don't understand come back and ask questions. You put your fingers where the dots are and strum and you just have to learn/memorize these postions!Hope this helps.

allthumbs · #5 November 25th, 2007

You have to factor in the notes on the open strings too.

Kirk Lorange · #6 November 25th, 2007

Hi, jaad. Plain old chords are 3 notes, but there are 6 strings on a guitar, so what happens is that some of those required notes are repeated in other octaves. Of course, you don't have to play anything but three-not chords, but why waste those extra strings?

That C chord you mention: X32010 ... XCEGCE

Notes in a chord can come in any order -- it sounds strongest with the root as bass note -- but any combination of C-E-G will be a C chord, even if it's the bass player playing the C, a trumpet playing the E and a singer humming the G ... the overall sound will still be a C chord.

jaad · #7 November 26th, 2007

Understood BUT, unless I'm totally out of wack, as I said on my first post---C CHORD---3rd finger is a C. 2nd finger is a E. 1st finger is a C. NOW shouldn't the first finger be a G?

jdpaz · #8 November 26th, 2007

jaad, you get the G for free. When you strum the five skinniest strings, that third string---that doesn't have a finger on it at all---is the G!

So you're playing at least one C, E and G when you strum that chord. The G doesn't need a finger since it's on an open string.

starsailor · #9 November 26th, 2007

Hi jaad, you've lost me a bit but here are some pictures of C Chords and a link to open chords,to see if we can clarify the situation a bit.

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/chord_picsC.html

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/openchords.html

jaad · #10 November 26th, 2007

Ok, so I was under the assumption that when you played a chord, all three fingers had to play all three notes. I didn't think about the open 3rd string as being the G. Thanks for the explanation. I will look for that now.

jaad · #11 November 26th, 2007

So then why do I have to put my first finger on the other (higher) C note if I have all the notes covered on the C chord?

si16 · #12 November 26th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaad

So then why do I have to put my first finger on the other (higher) C note if I have all the notes covered on the C chord?

When strumming it's virtually impossible to not strike that string. If you didn't place a finger on that string, and played it open, you would be playing a B note instead of a C. This means that the chord would no longer be C major.

felixdcat · #13 November 27th, 2007

Hey. You seem to be lost a bit. The notes are 1-3-5, but they can appear in any order, any number of them - those are called chord inversions. Order in the C chord including open E string is 3-1-3-5-1-3, or in notes E-C-E-G-C-E. In the C barre chord, including the E string is 5-1-5-1-3-5 or in notes G-C-G-C-E-G.

Remember that you're looking at every chord as derived from its own major scale. Like, Dm in key of C -> you're looking at it as 1-b3-5 of the D major scale, and not as 2-4-6 of the C major scale.

Read the CAGED lesson on this site if you're interested.

Hope I didn't confuse you or anything.

jdpaz · #14 November 27th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaad

So then why do I have to put my first finger on the other (higher) C note if I have all the notes covered on the C chord?

You don't have to use that higher C. The C-E-G is all you really need. With that said, we all play an open C like that because, well, it sounds nice.