[kbow]

Hi everyone,

I am kinda new to guitar and my teacher is old. I play christian music and want to learn how to chord out of a hymnal (the shape notes). I want some extra help on this.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Kbow

[allthumbs]

Look at the lesson Fretsource made about chord construction in the lessons forum.

[Fretsource]

I don't know how to help here. I've never met anyone who reads shape-notes before. It's a Christian worship system, used only in the southern states of the US, right?

If you can convert the shape-notes to the standard sol fa system (moveable, not fixed) and then to the standard letter system based on Doh = C, then you're part way there, and we can help you further.

[Matty22]

ok Ive never heard of this before, but after some googling i found this and gave it a quick read through...

From what i can gather, its the same as reading standard notation, except they use a fancy shape for the not head...

The only thing that changes when using shape notes is the shape of the note head. No rules have to be altered and it can be used with any music (major or minor), as long as the music is tonal and not atonal.

So id simplify it by ignoring the fancy shapes and read it as standard notation....
But theres probably more knowledgable than me, considering i dont know the style, nor technique... Check the site out, it might help anyway

[solidwalnut]

Hi kbow--

Interesting, interesting system. I can see the validity of using this system. It's great for understanding the basis of music. But the shape system is only a help-system of visualization of regular note-and-staff music. In order to use the shape system, you really need to understand the basics of music.

You want to use the shape system to be able to find the right chords to play for songs from a hymnal? Understand that the chords you find will be subjective and there are most likely few incorrect chords.

I see where you've been playing for over a year. Tell us, do you already know how to read notation? And can you translate the notes to the fretboard? This will help us understand the tac to take in answering your question.

I'm going to assume that you're not all that familiar with notation and music, and so the short answer for you is that if you want to be able to find chords from shape notes, you'll have an easier time if you study what shape notes are: visual representations of each component of the scale. For example, the triangle is the 1, the diamond is the 3 and the oval is the 5. These are the basic components, a triad, of a chord.

Read more about shape notes from the link that Matty22 provided (great info, thanks Matty). Then understand about the intervals of the major scale. When you get the intervals, then you begin to realize that the intervals are used as a sliding scale when the key changes: only the names of the notes and the pitches of the notes change!

To make a long story short, find the key of the song you want to play out of the hymnal. If you don't know what the key signature (no sharps or flats, 1 sharp, 2 sharps, etc.) is telling you, then you can probably find the right key by looking at the first triad (not always, but give it a shot). Find out what the notes of the triad are and then find what chord that triad represents. Do this research in the song every four beats or so and you'll get a great idea of what the chord might be.

If you can post a copy of a song example, we might be able to help get you going.

In reality, basic hymns are very tough to find the right chords for. Older hynms are piano-based, and often the key signature for the songs will be in piano friendly keys like Eb, F, Bb and Ab! I knoweth that which I speak! I've been playing in church for years. Quite the bummer for beginning guitar players! So, you could learn to either use a capo, or transpose the song into a good key for the guitar (you probably only have to drop or raise the song by a half step or so to make it work). But most songs are only going to be using 4 or 5 different chords within the same chord family.

But much of what you can do with hymns and the guitar depends on your level of understanding of the mechanics of the guitar.

I hope some of this helps.

Steve

[Hiram]

I don't know if it will help but www.ChristanBook.com has a 656 page gospel songbook with guitar chords for 49.99, not cheap but all the songs should be in there.

[kbow]

Wow thanks for the links and the replies.

Yup I am from the Bible Belt....

Let's see if I can give a little more information.... I can read music a little. I get confused about the capo (which fret to put it on) ... I do want to read the shape notes for the reason of using the capo. The link for the book would work but I want to be able to play with any hymnal I pick up.

I will try to post a song later and maybe we could discuss it.

Not too familiar with the doh re mi thing...

I will check out the links and get back with you...

Thanks again

kbow

[wjp01908]

That`s an interesting system and I can see the advantages for vocal groups - no need to worry about being in a particular key - just find a range that everyone can do and you`re away, in tune with eachother.

I think if you can establish a key for a given piece - just choose one that seems about right, it should be fairly straightforward to work out a basic chord structure. As solid walnut suggested, posting an example would be helpful

Will

[kbow]

Thanks everyone!
Good links... My guitar teacher is going over this with me now and I really haven't had time to do anything else with my schedule...

Thanks again!
kbow

[geezer]

You have already gotten some good advice and info.
The shape note system, think of the song from the Sound of Music, Doe a deer a female dear, ray a drop of golden sun, and so on is a description of this system.
It is a relative system rather than an absolute. In other words, it is ok to pitch the song in a key that most people can sing in rather that trying to sing it in the key it is written in, which for most men will be too high.
If you are like me and don't know how to read key signature, here is an easy way to find out what key it is written in:
In the treble cleft, (the lines and spaces at the top of each section on the page) find the triangle (do) whatever line or space it is located on will be the key, for instance if it is on the bottom line E and there are no flats shown in the top space, again E, the song is in the key of E. If there is a flat in the top space then the song is in Eb, which most of us don't like to play in Eb.
Simply play it in E, then your chords will be E A B7, assuming it is a three chord song.
If that is too high try another key maybe C Then your chords will be C F G7.
Most southern gospel songs will start in the Key they are written in and when you hear that it is time to change chord, try one of the other chords in that key.
An over simplfication to be sure, but maybe it will help.
geezer

[Matty22]

Originally Posted by geezer

Simply play it in E, then your chords will be E A B7, assuming it is a three chord song.
If that is too high try another key maybe C Then your chords will be C F G7.
geezer

Just to clarify. Thats assuming the song progression is 1 4 5(7th)....