Mystery Chord

#1 and #3 are partial E chords - xx2100 gives x - x- E - G# - B - E. #2 is an E chord - you've still got the E - G# - B triad, with an added b9, so I'd stick my neck out and guess at E(addb9.) Hard to tell, though, without seeing the chords in the proper context.

:D :D :D

Vic

Here you go:

http://www.guitarchordsmagic.com/guitar-chord-finder.html

#1: E major
#2: F minor sharp 7th diminished 5th
#3: E major

Maybe one of the experts can tell me why #2 is an F... I guess, the F on the 1st string....

Edit: I just played #2 and it does sound like an F, not an E... My theory is really really rusty.

With no context, a highly dissonant chord like no.2 can have as many names as it has notes. The chord finder that Jeff posted a link for has assumed that F is the root and called it F min sharp 7 flat 5th, with notes F Ab B E (actually, that chord should be spelled F Ab Cb E)

But in the context supplied, sandwiched between two E major chords, (which the chord finder didn't know about) I'd agree with VIc. It's E addb9. Depending on how long it lasts and whether it's accented or not, it could even be argued that it's not a different chord at all but just E major with a brief melodic decoration.

If you take F as the root of the second chord, you'll have the notes F - G# - B - E......Root, flattened third, flattened fifth (this triad makes Fdim, so far so good....) but the E throws it out - it's either a major seventh or a fifteenth! So what you'd call it I don't know....Fdim(add15)? Fdim(maj7)? Neither of those looks right....

However, if you take E as the root, you've got the E major triad - E G# and B - with the F note on the first string as an added flattened 9th. As that chord's in between two E chords, and also shares the same E note as the bass/root, I'd be more tempted to call it E(addb9) - not E(b9), as there's no flattened seventh.

:D :D :D

Vic

EDIT - beaten to the punch by Fretsource! I should have waited till he or Noteboat came along instead of diving head first into the murky waters of theory.....

If you play them beside each other the #2 really does sound like an F instead of an E.

Ok, don't beat me . . .

Turns out the first chart I typed was wrong.

OK, #1 it turns out is an A5, both strings fretted at the 2nd fret (not one on the first) SORRY!

I was shown to make a Bdim from fretting the G and E on the first fret and strumming 4 strings X-X-0-1-0-1, but when I pick out the strings seperately I like the sound of the D fretted at the second fret. Then I like to resolve to the same with the e left open.

or rather it is an Esus4? That guitarchordmagic.com/guitar-chord-finder thing is neat.

So you're saying chord #1 is xx2200?

If so that'd give you an Esus4, as stated above; or an Asus2, if you believe in such things - I'd go with the Esus4, as the lowest/bass/root note is the E.

Esus4 - E(root) A(fourth) B(fifth)
Asus2 - A(root) B(second) E(fifth)

:D :D :D

Vic

Oh, BTW, Fenderbender, the Bdim you show (xx0101) is actually a Bdim7.....

notes are, from L to R, x x D G# B and F....with B as the root, you'd have B(root) - D(flattened third) - F((flattened fifth) and G#(flattened[flattened seventh]).

or to put it another way.....
Root b3 b5 bb7 chord

B D F G# Bdim7
D F G# B Ddim7
F G# B D Fdim7
G# B D F G#dim7

So move the whole shape up one fret - xx1212 - and you'll have Cdim7 OR Ebdim7 OR F#dim7 OR A dim7.
Move it up another fret - xx2323 - you've got C#dim7 OR Edim7 OR Gdim7 OR Bbdim7.
Move it up AGAIN and you've got a different voicing for the Bdim7/Ddim7/Fdim7/G#dim7 chords......

So you can play any of the 12 possible dim7ths using one shape and three frets - handy little chord to have in your arsenal!

(Oh yes - the G#dim7 should really be Abdim7, but I'm too lazy - and it's too late - to go back and correct 'em all!)

:D :D :D

Vic

(Oh yes - the G#dim7 should really be Abdim7, but I'm too lazy - and it's too late - to go back and correct 'em all!)

The G# dim7 is fine, Vic and makes a lot more sense than Ab dim7
G# dim 7 = G# B D F
Ab dim 7 = Ab Cb Ebb Gbb !!!

G#dim7 is quite common as it occurs on the leading note of A (harmonic) minor: A B C D E F G# A
But, I don't think I've ever encountered an Ab dim 7 and with any luck, I never will :D

To elaborate on how context defines a chord, sometimes it depends on for whom I'm making the notation or even how I got to the chord, and where it occurs in the song.

Let me start by saying pay no attention to me. What I know about theory you could fit in a thimble.

The song I'm working on now, in Bm, has a section that starts with a Bm7. I decided to play a descending bass line and the next chord is Bm7/A. In other words I just took the bar off of the A string. But then I listened and thought, no that's not quite it. I'd also like to lift my middle finger off of the 3rd fret B string to create a very nice contrasting sound. So I went from:

Bm7 - x24232 or B F# A D F#

to

Bm7/A - x04232 or A F# A D F# which I decided not to use.

to

Mystery Chord - x04222 or A F# A C# F#

Now if you look at the construction of the mystery chord you'll notice it's only three notes, F# A and C# which pretty much defines an F#m chord. So you'd probably be better off calling it an F#m/A and that does fit in the key. But in this case, and I could be very wrong, I'm going to call it a Bm7b3/A. Why? Because it fits better in the context....at least in my mind. Not that I've ever seen a chord with that notation before...

How'd I get to that? Well one...because it's easier for me to keep track of. In context the song doesn't go to v, it's hanging about on i....I'm modifying a Bm7, not changing chords. Really all I've done is applied an accidental to the third of a Bm7 or if you like to think of it this way I've double flatted the third of the B7.

However now that I think of it, by taking out the minor 3rd, it's no longer minor....hmm, B7sus2/A

that's why I try not to think of these things, it makes my brain hurt.

The G# dim7 is fine, Vic and makes a lot more sense than Ab dim7
G# dim 7 = G# B D F
Ab dim 7 = Ab Cb Ebb Gbb !!!

G#dim7 is quite common as it occurs on the leading note of A (harmonic) minor: A B C D E F G# A
But, I don't think I've ever encountered an Ab dim 7 and with any luck, I never will

Ah, I was looking at the Ab/G# scale and it seemed to make more sense to call it Ab...

I = Ab, II = Bb, III = C, IV = Db, V = Eb, VI = F, VII = G.

Quite possibly, I'm at that stage of music theory where a little knowledge is a dangerous thing!

:D :D :D

Vic

The back-story is my guitar teacher wants he and I to work out a song based on the C scale. Keep in mind that I am a green beginner, slow learner, etc. (More about me if you click that globe button to the right under my profile picture.)

He is only expecting me to find a chord progression I like by next week. I've written out the intro, verse, chorus, and outro. A couple of spots I am very happy with, a couple of spots need work. Anyway...

So the verse is a progression of Am, G, Dm. But in with the Am's I am alternating with that broken Am chord where I lift my finger off the B string. (So that turns it into an A5) I was not really sure they were "chords" but was hoping to just write chord titles above the staff instead of writing out the entire TAB.

Another for instance is when I play the Dm through 8 strokes, on the 7th I like to slip my pinkie down (for one stroke) on the e string, third fret, under my ring finger. It's just an accent from my perspective. ( I checked that guitarchordsmagic.com thingy, it says that's a Dsus4 )

In the same way the Bdim (cheat) chord I am using gets things slightly added / changed / removed to accent it as well.

I was really only expecting a few easy answers, or "them aint chords" responses, I didn't realize I would spark a Theory debate. All that is still over my head . . . for now.

Thanks again for all the help!!

http://www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php

Its great, you can do exactly what you are looking for. Pick a bunch of notes and it will tell you what the name of the chord is.