what are some good chord progressions that i should try to learn first? it seems that C to G is pretty important, but is it 'okay' to use an 'odd' fingering of the first chord in order to make it easier to switch to the next chord?
and next, does anyone have any advice on how to correctly lay down a barre? i've read some articles in here that say that once you can barre correctly, you can just go up and down the fretboard, with the same finger-shape, to change chords, but i can never consistently do the barre.
and here's another question about theory that is bothering me. i think i get the basic idea of the circle of fifths- you use it to figure out what notes in a given major scale are flat or sharp. but here's the question: why does it use both flat AND sharps? are the flats used only for the flat major scales?
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The basic chord progressions to learn are I-IV-V progressions, like 12 bar blues. After that, ii-V-I or I-vi-IV-V progressions. The chords that go into them depend on the key. C and G are found in two keys, C major (as I and V) and G major (as I and IV).
Playing barres can be tough at first. Try rolling your hand slightly towards the thumb, so that you're fretting a bit more with the side of your finger. Raising the headstock can help a bit too, or pulling the neck a bit more in towards your body.
The circle of fifths can show you how many sharps or flats are in a key, but it's main use is to show relationships between keys. When you want to change keys, the circle of fifths can show you which transitions will be pretty smooth, and which will take some doing. It's also useful to figure out the I-IV-V chords in any key - the I is the key you're in, IV is the next key counter clockwise, and V is the next key clockwise.
Keys use sharps or flats to retain one note per letter name. In constructing a major scale, you want only one of each name to make it easy to read in standard notation. Since the spacing of notes in a major scale is fixed, you'll need to raise or lower notes from the basic alphabet to match that fixed pattern. The result is that the key of F and all the 'flat' keys use only flats, and the rest use only sharps (except for C, which needs none at all)
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I am stuck on your first question and the odd fingering part.
C to G is relatively easy.
C= 1st finger 1st fret B string, 2nd finger 2nd fret D string, 3rd finger 3rd fret A string.
to go to G just move your 2nd and 3rd fingers 1 string over and plop your pinky down on the high e string.
Those,as far as I know are standard fingerings.
I am stuck on your first question and the odd fingering part.
C to G is relatively easy.
Everyone will not find difficulty in the same things - one of the interesting things about this instrument. I had next to no problem with barre chords while learning to move to the G chord from C (and several others) was very frustrating - my little finger did not want to cooperate. My instructor still comments on this one.
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I am stuck on your first question and the odd fingering part.
C to G is relatively easy.
C= 1st finger 1st fret B string, 2nd finger 2nd fret D string, 3rd finger 3rd fret A string.
to go to G just move your 2nd and 3rd fingers 1 string over and plop your pinky down on the high e string.
Those,as far as I know are standard fingerings.
Even though I use that fingering for a G. I only use it if there is a C before or after it otherwise I use 320033. That is 2nd finger 3rd fret fret low E, 1st finger 2nd fret A string, ring finger 3rd fret B string, pinky 3rd fret high E. I like the sound of the FULLER G chord.
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i didn't necessarily mean C to G, but other chord changes, where you try to keep the 'pattern' in your fingers. . .
but i don't understand how that 12-bar blues progression works, can someone put up an example?
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You can finger a chord any way that gets the job done... but you should try to learn as many fingerings as you can, so you're not doing one just because it's comfortable, but because it makes sense in the context of the change. For instance, I finger an open A chord at least 5 different ways, depending on where I'm coming from/going to.
A 12 bar blues progression is a standard in a lot of styles of music. The basic pattern, with each chord standing for one bar, is:
I-I-I-I
IV-IV-I-I
V-IV-I-(V)
the last V is in parenthesis because it's the turnaround - you use the V chord when you're going to start over... you use the I chord the last time through.
The chords depend on the key. In E, I=E, IV=A, V=B (usually you play V7, or B7). In C it would be I=C, IV=F, V=G7 and so on.
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what strumming pattern do you use? or which is the most 'popular'?
and why would you make the G a seventh chord?
i'm still fuzzy on the progression- so if you put together a scale of notes, those notes would act as the chord names for the blues progression?
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The most popular rhythm for blues progressions is a broken triplet, and a lot of people play them with just downstrokes. To play triplets, you're dividing each count into three parts: ONE-trip-let-TWO-trip-let... an broken triplet plays on just the count and the 'let' (just hold the chord through the 'trip' count)
G is a 7th because V7 leads to I very nicely - try G7-C or D7-G or B7-E and you'll see how pleasing they sound. V7 also leads to IV pretty well.
And yes, to figure out the I-IV-V just take the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes of a major scale.
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Keys use sharps or flats to retain one note per letter name. In constructing a major scale, you want only one of each name to make it easy to read in standard notation. Since the spacing of notes in a major scale is fixed, you'll need to raise or lower notes from the basic alphabet to match that fixed pattern. The result is that the key of F and all the 'flat' keys use only flats, and the rest use only sharps (except for C, which needs none at all)
wait... now i'm not going to do it right now, but i was trying my hand at figuring out some major scales (just the A, B, C, etc, not the flat major scales)), and i noticed that if you organize each scale so that when you put each scale beneath the one before, and lined up the notes, the letters go diagonally downward, BUT i noticed that the pattern broke every once in a while, . . . so the circle of fifths uses flats and sharps so that the general idea of a scale is A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, with the sharps and FLATS put in their respective positions; so you will always have each letter, but it may be sharp or flat. . . is that the general idea?
and another thing. . .
And yes, to figure out the I-IV-V just take the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes of a major scale.
wouldn't you sometimes get flat notes, and what would you do then? and do these progressions stay in the same key/scale?
i know i'm asking a lot of questions, but i'm saving all my money for college, so i'm just trying to put it together in my head, without going out and getting a teacher/book. and so far, with a lot of you people's help, i think i'm coming along pretty well . . . thanks much everyone!
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You've got the idea with the scales. Each major scale has seven different notes, and every one of the seven letter names will appear - sometimes with a flat or sharp to keep the proper spacing between notes.
The I-IV-V might include sharp or flat chord roots. For example, in the key of F:
I=F IV=Bb V=C
and the I chord can be sharped or flatted...
I=F# IV=B V=C#
or
I=Bb IV=Eb V=F
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