Welcome back, hope you guys had a fun and safe Halloween! Today's lesson will pick up where we left off last time with chord fragments. This time we will use familiar chord shapes to harmonize the major scale. This example is also in the key of G but can be easily transposed for use in any key.
Click to download the guitar pro file or the standard tab. If you don't have Guitar Pro yet, be sure to download a demo because this program is a great practice tool! Please leave comments so I can give better lessons and email me any questions. Thanks!
Another approach to this is taught by George Van Eps in 'The George Van Eps Guitar Method': Play the D chord shape at the 12th fret using your 2nd, 4th and 3rd fingers on the 3rd, 2nd and 1st strings respectively and think of it as an E-6th with no 5th. That transitions into a G7 in 13th position using the 2nd, 1st and 3rd fingers on the 3rd, 2nd and 1st strings respectively and think of it as a D7 chord with no root and then on to the G Maj 2nd inversion triad. This is cool because the shift from the E-6th to the D7 only involves a slide of the 2nd and 3rd fingers up 2 frets on the strings they are already on (basically the minor 6th interval shape we all know) with the C on the 2nd string played using the 4th finger in the E-6th shape and that same C played using the 1st finger in the D7. This results in great economy of movement as, except for the 1st inversion A- and B- triads, the 2nd finger stays on the 3rd string throughout the whole exercise. Of course you can play the A- and B- using a 2nd finger barre and that makes it all the more smooth. Just something to try.
ReplyDeleteSorry - correction. 'That transitions into a G7 in 13th position' should read That transitions into a D7 in 13th position'.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ethan. You're right on with the chord shape movements in the Van Eps method. It's hard to decide what to include in a short video clip so I appreciate your comments. Another great way to get intermediate players playing up the next is teach them the major scale in harmonized 6ths on the 1st and 3rd strings. "Peace Train" and some Derek and the Dominoes riffs can instantly become great instructional exercises!
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