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Permalink Reply by Skeesix on September 23, 2014 at 6:42am

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking. Can you try to explain again?

Do you want to know what the notes of a chord are?

Or what the notes of a scale are?

Is this for blues or some other kind of music? There are certain scales associated with different genres of music, which give them their flavor.

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Permalink Reply by Scruggy on September 23, 2014 at 8:26am

I know both the notes of a chord and the notes of the main scales! Mainly classic rock!

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on September 23, 2014 at 5:47pm

I think that for playing most simple numbers, you don't really need to learn chord extensions and inversions - putting in a minor and 7th is handy...but as for diminished chords, it's not essential, and that "sustained chord"? I think you've got hold of the wrong end of the stick: suspended chord may be what you are referring to. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing - if you are remotely thinking about teaching people how to play...either stay away from theory altogether, or make sure you have a robust working knowledge of it, otherwise you'll come unstuck and confuse people onto the bargain.  As soon as you mention theory, most beginners' eyes glaze over - they want to just play a tune and make some noise. I've taught many, many people how to play cigar box guitar...and I know that look all too well.

Because you might have spotted these variations on pieces of music or tab, don't worry that you need to know them. It's possible to over-think all this - it's far better to listen to what you are doing and be free with it rather than concentrate on the names of the chords.

I tend to play by ear...but if I reckon I need, for example a 6th chord, it really is just a matter of counting up 6 notes on the scale from the root, then figuring a sensible fingering pattern. 

Because a lot of people are playing the guitar tuned in a power chord (G-D-G), it's already crossing into contested territory as far as music theory is concerned...so I don't worry too much about that, and as I say, I tend to play by ear. I do know that this tuning, in traditional or technical music theory, isn't regarded as a true chord as it only has two notes, but it's easy enough to figure out how to add a major or minor third to it.

Getting familiar with your way around the neck is really the most useful thing you can do - being able to drop onto the one, four and five chords and the octave position with your fingers and the slide is a good start. Stop worrying, play, listen and enjoy.

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Permalink Reply by Patrick Curley on September 23, 2014 at 10:27pm

Couldn't agree more.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on September 23, 2014 at 7:44am

Scruggy,

What song are you trying to learn? If you can learn to play a single note on one string, then, since you have a thumb and three other fingers, you are well equipped to play 2 or even 3 notes, either all at once ( a chord), or sequentially (arpeggiated chord, taking the notes that make up a chord, and playing a little mini scale with them). If you have a 3-stringer, then you can play at best a 3-note chord (all notes sounded together), or a 3-note mini scale (3 notes played sequentially).

If you have a chord sequence, then yes, you can very simplistically use the tonic of each chord to creat a song made of single notes. These tend, to my ear, to sound very basic. If this is what you are after, then you can indeed do as you suggest. That being the case, then all you really need is a diddley bow. The extra strings allow for more complicated rhythms and leads.

Other than that, I'm with Skeesix: what exactly are you trying to do?

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Permalink Reply by Scruggy on September 23, 2014 at 8:23am

Basically I know about chords and how the fingering or even slide is played for each chord! Me still a newbie finding some chords challenging especially for the songs I wana play rock! Also converting chords to 3 string although I know how it's done still bit time consuming!
So I just wana try something different to see if it speeds things up a bit instead of playing chords mainly 3 fingers just play notes one finger!
Seeing there is major and minor scale just want to know if people play the major chords on single root note of major scale and vice versa for minor chords!
I know it's not guna be perfect but with bit of distortion might work!
The more songs I play the more I want to learn so when I hit a wall I tend to give up, if it works this way I can play more and want to learn more,

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Permalink Reply by Scruggy on September 23, 2014 at 8:33am

One other thing is my cbg was not well made tried fixing it a bit which helped but still not great because of this hitting chords is very difficult and don't sound right! It's not bad playing as I don't have issue on other guitars! Single notes are a lot easier to sound ok!

I plan on buying a proper cbg for myself in few months so that's why for now want to try just notes!

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on September 23, 2014 at 9:33am

Practice scales and it'll all come together.

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Permalink Reply by Scruggy on September 23, 2014 at 11:45am

So am I correct in saying playing notes instead of chords, the major chords from note on major scale and vice versa for minor?

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on September 23, 2014 at 12:13pm

Pretty much, yep. If you know the scale, well that's the same thing as the chord. The chord just takes two octaves to spell the whole scale out cos it skips over every other note. So if you take the scale and play every second note from it, then yep spot on that's arpeggiating the chord

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Permalink Reply by Patrick Curley on September 23, 2014 at 10:49pm

On orchestral string instruments which, like the 3 string CBG, are not suited to chordal playing it is entirely possible to play complex, harmonically rich music. Listen to Bach's Cello Suites, there are no chords there in the sense that most guitar players think of. No one thinks that this in anyway diminishes the cello or old man Bach. But as soon as you state the same obvious fact about a 3 string guitar all hell breaks loose.
To play more complex music on a 3 string you approach it like a cello or a violiin, by playing notes from a certain tonality/chord in sequence rather than simultaneously. Whether this means your playing arpeggios, or riffs, it doesn't matter you just choose your notes according to the chord you want.
The 3 string has many advantages, primarily that it's easy to play. The payback is that you simplify the music, ignore minor/major/seventh etc. To a point that's OK but eventually most people want to move on. When this happens you have to sacrifice some of its simplicity, you can't have it both ways.

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Permalink Reply by Scruggy on September 24, 2014 at 2:52am

Thanks everyone for feedback, but just to clarify I appreciate both sides but as mentioned earlier I have a very badly made cbg so one finger is ok even two finger possible but any 3 finger patterns are next to impossible not because of my playing as I've tried on others with no problem and don't have any issue at all, even simple bar chords! String height prob buzzing prob string closeness prob it's a disaster! I am buying a new one in a couple of months!

That's why I want to know if playing pretty much one string at a time will make ok music till I get my new guitar!

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