open chords

The short confusing answer is...no.

If you are playing an open chord, at least one note/string will be open or terminated at the nut. If you move the fretted fingers in either direction up or down the fretboard, all notes related to that chord most move accordingly, also. An open note can't move.

Now if you were to barre the G chord then you can move it anywhere up or down the fretboard and it will be a different note but a chord none the less. For example if you play a G-barre chord and move two frets towards the bridge you now have an A-barre chord. If you move two frets towards the nut you'll have an F-barre chord.

Hope that makes sense.

No, it wouldn't.

The difference between an 'open' chord (like G) and a 'first position' chord (like F) is that open chords aren't moveable, and first position chords are.

You CAN move up the fingering - and in some places, you'll probably like the result - but it'll be a completely different chord... it won't be a simple major chord anymore.

If you take an open G chord, 320003 and look at the notes, it's GBDGBG. The only notes used in a G chord are G, B, and D.

Move that fingering up two frets and you have 540005... which is A-C#-D-G-B-A. An A chord needs the notes A, C# and E - you'll be missing E and adding D, G, and B in its place. What you name that monster depends on how it's used, but it might be considered A11 (with no fifth in the voicing)

On the other hand, any chord with no open strings - like first position F - can be moved to anyplace else on the neck without changing the chord type. F played at the third fret becomes G.

What you can do if you want to play open chords higher is put a capo on to get those open strings. If you wanted to move an open chord up two frets then you'd capo at the second fret. Of course, then you have to play all your chords higher.

Think of the nut of the guitar as a barre you play with your index finger across all 6 strings.

So, an open G chord like this;


e---3p---
b---0----
g---0----
d---0----
a---2m---
e---3r---


Moved up two frets to be an A Major chord would look like this;


e---5p---
b---2i---
g---2i---
d---2i---
a---4m---
e---5r---


Do you see here that your index finger has taken the place of the nut in the open G chord?

This will help you understand barre chords. Barre chords are really exactly like open chords.

Open chords are played behind the nut.

Barre chords are played behind your index finger replacing the nut.

Once you understand this you see that you can really barre any open chord (providing you have enough free fingers) and move it up the fretboard.

But some open chords are easier to barre than others and so more frequently used. It is easy to fret an E or E minor, A or A minor, C, D7, and D minor chords behind a barre. These are used frequently. G and G7 are a little difficult to play behind a barre, as is a D chord. But these can be played and should be practiced.

Hope I didn't confuse you with all this.

What about:

E|-15-|
B|--0-|
G|--0-|
D|--0-|
A|-14-|
E|-15-|


Is that an open G chord?

Yes, it is. An open chord is any chord that uses open strings... you could also do:

-0-
-5-
-6-
-7-
-0-
-0-

for an open A, etc.

What makes them 'open' chords is the use of open strings. Although we usually think of open chords in first position, they don't have to be.

Any chord that uses open strings will become a different chord type if it's moved - unless it's moved exactly twelve frets.

That last one is great to throw into a blues improv in A or E (at the right moment) if you want to start getting away from just single note runs.

ok thanks for the input.