converting chords from major to minor
Supplement
Module 8 DVD 8
CONVERTING CHORDS FROM MAI. IntroductionJOR (00:00 TO – 00:49) MINOR In this segment, we will look into integrating the theory behind scales and chords into a more practical light. We’ll do our best to understand how those scales and chords work together. We’ll also look into various tips and tricks or shortcuts such as how to figure out into what key or scale would certain chord progressions fall into place. Let us the proceed looking into all these theoretical things as they happen on a guitar.
II. Converting Chords from Major to Minor (00:49 – 10:00) At this point in time, we are expected to be able to play open chords such as C. In theory, the C major chord only consists of C, E and G. Although the open chord version contains 5 notes, C and E are repeated in the higher register:
In effect, a guitarist playing a typical open guitar chord like C is essentially playing the same pitches across two octaves. Again, the fact remains that we are still playing the same three pitches that make up a major triad. One cool thing we can do about our open major chord forms is convert them into their respective minor versions. If you can remember from the session where the basics of chords were discussed, a major chord has the root, major 3rd and perfect 5th. Let’s examine the open chord for A major:
GuitarZoom © 2014
1
Module 8 DVD 8
Supplement
As discussed previously, the A major has A, C, and E. To form a minor chord out this open A major chord, we just have to flatten the 3rd. In this case, all we have to do is convert Cto C natural by moving the note on the 2nd string from the 2nd fret to the 1st fret. As a result, we come up with A minor:
Be warned that your usual chords do not always follow the exact root-3rd-5th sequence. As a matter of fact, the open A major chord on the guitar follows a root-5th-octave-3rd-5th sequence, so you have to be diligent in finding those 3rds if you want to convert your major to minor chords. This task is easy if you know where your 3rds are for each chord you play. In the case of the open A chord, there’s only one 3rd present, so playing the A minor chord from there only requires changing one note on the guitar. Perhaps an easier example to convert from major to minor would be the open E chord:
Were you able to figure our how to convert E major to E minor. All it took was lifting the index or middle finger (depending on how you fret this chord) and we were able to immediately convert E to E minor. That note we just changed is the 3rd. E major has a Gfor its major 3rd, and we converted that from E major to E minor by just lifting a finger to flatten the 3rd, converting G into G. Another thing we can do to manipulate chords is to use barre chords. As many of you might already know, the barre converts the guitar chord into another pitch or register by transposing what originally were unfretted notes found all five basic open chord shapes to the appropriate frets
178178 2
© 2012 GuitarZoom © 2014
Module 8 DVD 8
CONVERTING CHORDS FROM MAI. IntroductionJOR (00:00 TO – 00:49) MINOR In this segment, we will look into integrating the theory behind scales and chords into a more practical light. We’ll do our best to understand how those scales and chords work together. We’ll also look into various tips and tricks or shortcuts such as how to figure out into what key or scale would certain chord progressions fall into place. Let us the proceed looking into all these theoretical things as they happen on a guitar.
II. Converting Chords from Major to Minor (00:49 – 10:00) At this point in time, we are expected to be able to play open chords such as C. In theory, the C major chord only consists of C, E and G. Although the open chord version contains 5 notes, C and E are repeated in the higher register:
In effect, a guitarist playing a typical open guitar chord like C is essentially playing the same pitches across two octaves. Again, the fact remains that we are still playing the same three pitches that make up a major triad. One cool thing we can do about our open major chord forms is convert them into their respective minor versions. If you can remember from the session where the basics of chords were discussed, a major chord has the root, major 3rd and perfect 5th. Let’s examine the open chord for A major:
GuitarZoom © 2014
1
Module 8 DVD 8
Supplement
As discussed previously, the A major has A, C, and E. To form a minor chord out this open A major chord, we just have to flatten the 3rd. In this case, all we have to do is convert Cto C natural by moving the note on the 2nd string from the 2nd fret to the 1st fret. As a result, we come up with A minor:
Be warned that your usual chords do not always follow the exact root-3rd-5th sequence. As a matter of fact, the open A major chord on the guitar follows a root-5th-octave-3rd-5th sequence, so you have to be diligent in finding those 3rds if you want to convert your major to minor chords. This task is easy if you know where your 3rds are for each chord you play. In the case of the open A chord, there’s only one 3rd present, so playing the A minor chord from there only requires changing one note on the guitar. Perhaps an easier example to convert from major to minor would be the open E chord:
Were you able to figure our how to convert E major to E minor. All it took was lifting the index or middle finger (depending on how you fret this chord) and we were able to immediately convert E to E minor. That note we just changed is the 3rd. E major has a Gfor its major 3rd, and we converted that from E major to E minor by just lifting a finger to flatten the 3rd, converting G into G. Another thing we can do to manipulate chords is to use barre chords. As many of you might already know, the barre converts the guitar chord into another pitch or register by transposing what originally were unfretted notes found all five basic open chord shapes to the appropriate frets
178178 2
© 2012 GuitarZoom © 2014
