Colorful Chord Tension Guitar Lesson

Chapter 1: (9:15) Colorful Chord Tension Brad demonstrates how to achieve fresh new sounds by adding open strings to chord shapes you already know. Often, guitar teachers classify chord shapes into two different categories: moveable chord shapes and open chord shapes. However, some “open” chord voicings can be moved to different areas of the neck. When this is done, strange new chords are created. The open strings combined with high fretted notes add “colorful chord tension” to a basic three note triad.

Two chord shapes work especially well with this concept. Both the E major barre chord shape and open C chord shape are examined in this lesson.

Creating New Chords from the Open E Shape

In lesson 3, Brad demonstrated how to transform the open E chord shape into a moveable barre chord. (Review this lesson now if necessary.) This particular barre chord has its root on the sixth string. This chord shape is the basis for the following chord shapes:

FMA7(#11)

Begin by forming an F major barre chord at the first fret. Now, instead of using your first finger to barre all six strings, use it only to fret the low root note. This leaves the B and E strings open. A brand new chord has been created. This particular F chord has a strange and mysterious sound. This is due to the manner in which the open strings interact with the basic F major triad.

F#7add4

This chord shape (open strings included) can be moved to different areas of the fret board. Slide the F chord shape up one fret. Your second finger is now playing F# as the root note of the chord. This new chord has a totally different sound. Once again, this is due to the addition of the open strings. This particular chord has a dominant sound.

GMA6

Slide the shape up another fret. This forms a new G chord. Take a look at some chord progressions you know that use a G chord. Try substituting this new form of the G chord for the old open G or G barre chord.

Aadd9

Not all root notes work with this chord shape. Notice how there is no chord shape for the root note G#. This is because the open B string clashes with the sound of the chord. Play the chord shape at the fourth fret to see just how horrible it sounds. As a result, the next available option is the root note A at the 5th fret. This forms an Aadd9 shape.

Badd4

This chord has a very unique sound. The D# on the G string is only a half-step away from the open E string. These notes rub together to give the chord its unusual sound.

CMA7

This is probably the most normal sounding chord presented in this lesson. The CMA7 voicing sounds like a normal CMA7 barre chord with a heavy chorusing effect applied to it.

DMA6add9

The final available chord shape occurs at the 10th fret. The root of this chord is D. At the 12th fret, the pattern of chords begins again in a higher octave.

Intro to Chord Theory

Note: The following information is taken from Matt’s Phase 2 Jazz Series.

It is possible to know a vast number of chord shapes without knowing the theory behind them. However, I highly recommend you do not take this approach. The process of determining the individual notes in a chord may seem confusing at first, but it is a relatively simple task. Study the instructions below.

1. Start with the Major scale corresponding to the letter name of the chord. For example, if you want to figure out the notes in C7, start by writing out the C Major scale. Even if you are spelling a minor chord, you must start with the Major scale of the chord name.

2. Determine the "triad type" of the chord. A triad is a chord containing three notes. It is also the base structure of any chord that contains more than three notes. There are four types of triads: Major, Minor, Augmented, and Diminished. Each of these triads is spelled using a different formula.

Note: The symbols that are frequently used to abbreviate these triad types are: ∆,-,+,o respectively. Thus, a CMA7 chord may be abbreviated as C∆7. Here are the formulas for these triads:

Major triad: scale degrees 1,3,5.

Minor triad: scale degrees 1,b3,5.

Augmented triad: scale degrees 1,3,#5

Diminished triad: scale degrees 1,b3,b5

Remember to start with the MAJOR SCALE regardless of whether the chord is major!

3. If the chord contains more than three notes, consult the formulas below.

MA7: 1,3,5,7
MA6: 1,3,5,6
MA9: 1,3,5,7,9
MI7: 1,b3,5,b7
MI6: 1,b3,5,6
MI9: 1,b3,5,b7,9
Dominant 7: 1,3,5,b7
MI7(b5): 1,b3,b5,b7
o7: 1,b3,b5,bb7

For some practice, let's spell an E chord. We know from the Circle of Fifths that the key of E has 4 sharps.

1. The scale is spelled E,F#,G#,A,B,C#,D#,E.

2. The 1,3,and 5 chord tones are E,G#,and B. Thus, an E chord is spelled E,G#,B.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the chords discussed earlier in the lesson. The first chord is labeled FMA7(#11). How is this chord named? To determine how a chord should be named, determine the individual notes that make up the chord. From the lowest string down, this chord contains the notes F, C, F, A, E, B. From this we can see that the chord contains an F triad: F, A, C. Now, we must analyze how the other two notes fit into the chord. E is the major seventh. B is a #11 interval from the root. Thus, the chord is named FMA7(#11).

Chord Progressions Using These Chords

The chorus part to the Alice In Chains hit “Heaven Beside You” utilizes these new chord shapes. This progressions provides a great example of how these chords can be used in the context of a song. Here are the chord changes in the chorus section: Aadd9, G6, CMA7, Badd4.

Note: Open the “Supplemental Content” tab for tablature to this progression.

New Chords from Open C Shape

The open C chord can also shift up the fretboard to create new chord shapes.

Note: Open “Colorful Chord Tension” in the “Supplemental Content” tab for fretboard diagrams of these chord shapes.

Dsus4add9, FMA9, GMA6, A7

Slide the open C chord shape up two frets. The two open strings in the C chord remain open. This forms a strange sounding new D chord. This chord also works with the following root notes: F, G, and A.

Experiment with Other Shapes

These are just a few examples of chord shapes that you can add open strings to. Brad briefly demonstrates how the A7 and D chord shapes can be applied to this concept as well. The Alice in Chains song “Brother” shifts the A7 chord shape to form new chords.

Note: Click the “Supplemental Content” tab for tablature to this progression.

Experiment with all the chord shapes you know. The open chord shapes are the best place to start since they already contain open strings. You never know what you’ll come up with!

Member Comments about this Lesson

Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.