| Wouldn't it be great if you could figure out your | | | | playing. If your song has 4 beats to the bar as most |
| favorite songs all by yourself, and not have to rely | | | | rock/blues/pop/country songs do, beat 1 is where |
| on tabs or to wait until next week's guitar lesson? | | | | most of the chords change. So, listen carefully to |
| To a lot of beginning to intermediate guitar players, I | | | | that 1st beat. Most likely, the note that the bass |
| might as well have said, "Wouldn't it be great if you | | | | player is playing will tell you the note name of the |
| walked outside of your house this morning, and | | | | mystery chord. |
| tripped over a bag of $100 bills, and a vintage Les | | | | The second job for you is to decide what kind of |
| Paul?". Well sure Dave, but that ain't gonna happen. | | | | chord it is - major, minor, dominant 7th, etc. You can |
| Well, hold on, I'm here to tell you that it's not as hard | | | | narrow down your choices considerably if you |
| as you might think. It's definitely not easy, but as | | | | understand that different styles of music tend to use |
| they say, nothing worth it is. In this article, I'm going | | | | specific kinds of chords. Here are some general |
| to give you some tips and inspiration to get you | | | | suggestions that may help - just remember that |
| started. | | | | there are exceptions to every"rule": |
| If you're just beginning to play guitar, you'll want to | | | | ************* |
| be comfortable with at least all your open position | | | | Metal - mostly power chords, with an occasional |
| chords, and at least one pattern each of minor | | | | major or minor chord. |
| pentatonic and major scale patterns to be best | | | | Classic Rock - if it's on the lighter side of classic rock |
| prepared for this - the more you know, the better. | | | | - rock ballads - listen for mostly major and minor |
| If you're an intermediate or advanced player, and | | | | chords, with an occasional power chord, and maybe |
| maybe have figured out a song or two, you'll want | | | | an occasional dominant 7th chord. On some rock |
| to do more because figuring out songs and riffs by | | | | ballads, you may find some notes added to your |
| ear is the one of the best things that you can do for | | | | basic major or minor chord. Major add 2 chords are |
| your guitar playing and musicianship. | | | | very popular, as these chords are perfect for rock |
| Before you Start... | | | | ballads- very pretty chords. If you'd like to know |
| There are a few things that might make your road | | | | more about these chords, let me know, and I'd be |
| easier... | | | | happy to give you some info on them in a separate |
| First, you may want to use a CD player that has | | | | post. For the heavier stuff, it's reversed - mostly |
| decent stop and pause controls, because you'll need | | | | power chords, with an occasional major/minor chord. |
| them. It's possible to do it with iTunes or something | | | | Blues/Blues rock - Anything that sounds "bluesy" is |
| similar, but trust me, it's much harder to do on | | | | likely to have a fair amount of dominant 7th chords. |
| iTunes, because the controls are very hard to use. | | | | Once you've heard them a time or two, they'll |
| Second, you may want to invest in slow down | | | | probably jump out at you compared to the major |
| software. There are many companies that offer this | | | | and minor sounds. Blues rockers like Eric Clapton, and |
| software. You'll be able to slow down a song or a riff | | | | many others, generally use a combination of power |
| as much as you want so you can hear what's going | | | | chords and 7th chords. |
| on with it. 2 pieces of software that I've used with | | | | Like I said generally speaking... |
| success is Transkriber by Reed Kotler, and Amazing | | | | Folk/Folk rock - major and minor chords |
| Slow Downer, by Roni Music. They run about $50 | | | | Country - These songs rarely use power chords, but |
| each, but they're worth it. They're not absolutely | | | | rely more on major, minor and dominant 7th chords. |
| necessary, but helpful and worth it. I'm not sure | | | | For this next group, you'll most likely need a good |
| about Transkriber, but Amazing Slow Downer has a | | | | amount of experience with chords, and actually |
| trial download option. | | | | playing songs in these styles. For that matter, for any |
| Find or create a nice work space for yourself, that | | | | style of music, the more songs you've played, the |
| you can see yourself sitting and working at for a | | | | easier it is to hear and identify the chords. |
| while. | | | | Pop - By pop, I'm referring to the big pop ballads that |
| Finally, if you plan on writing your discoveries down | | | | you might hear Mariah Carey (like "Hero") or Whitney |
| (tab or standard notation) - which I recommend, but | | | | Houston sing. Pop songs use a bit of a wider range |
| not necessary - get some tab paper, a sharp pencil, a | | | | of chord types. They'll use major, minor, dominant |
| good eraser and you're ready to go! | | | | 7th, major 7th, minor 7th, and others. They also use |
| If you've never done this before, don't worry - | | | | what are called inversions. Inversions are easy to |
| nobody masters this the first time they do it. Just | | | | understand - instead of an A note being the lowest |
| start with easy stuff - really easy ideally - and then | | | | sounding note in an A major chord (the usual |
| keep building on that. To get your feet wet, you | | | | situation), another note from the chord takes its' |
| may want to try to figure out the vocal part to a | | | | place. In the case of an A major chord, either a C# |
| song. It's December 11th as I write this, so why not | | | | or E. They usually take a bit of experience to hear. |
| try your hand at something like Jingle Bells? Like I | | | | But there are ways to figure them out, using a little |
| said, really easy. Don't try to do the whole song - | | | | music theory, which I'll explain later. So given all that, |
| just try the "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the | | | | you may want get some experience with some of |
| way..." part - it's only 5 or 6 notes. If it's July when | | | | the other genres before tackling these. But don't let |
| you're reading this, maybe you can try to play a few | | | | me stop you if you feel ambitious and want to test |
| notes of the vocal part of your favorite song. | | | | your ear! That's always fun, when you work and |
| Now I'm going to recommend something crazy. Once | | | | struggle to hear something, and you FINALLY get it. |
| you've decided on a song to work on, I want you to | | | | I've been transcribing songs for over 20 years, and |
| actually sing the notes that you're trying to figure | | | | that feeling never gets old - and I always learn |
| out. It doesn't matter if you have a good voice or | | | | something. |
| not - that's not the point. The point is that if you can | | | | Jazz - Seventh chords, inversions, and some more |
| sing the notes, that also means that you stand a | | | | advanced techniques - slash chords, polychords. Slash |
| shot at "holding" the note in your head long enough | | | | chords are kind of like inversions, except they can |
| to find it on the guitar. All you have to do is match | | | | have ANY note as the lowest note, not just the |
| the note on your guitar to the one you're singing. | | | | notes of the chord. Polychords are combinations of 2 |
| Give yourself some time to get used to this process. | | | | chords, which can create a very sophisticated and |
| I can sum it up in 3 steps: | | | | complicated sound. For these kinds of chords, you'll |
| 1) Sing the note | | | | most likely have to figure them out note by note, |
| 2) Hold the note | | | | which I'll talk about shortly. |
| 3) Find the note on guitar | | | | ************** |
| Again, it's important to choose something that's really | | | | What I've covered so far should get you up and |
| easy if you've never done this before. As you get | | | | running. However, no matter who you are, you will |
| more comfortable, try singing and holding 2 or 3 | | | | ultimately get stuck at some point. Here are some |
| notes at a time - gradually build up your ability to do | | | | advanced ideas to help you out of a jam (or help |
| this over time. | | | | you into a jam!)... |
| Once you make the leap to doing slightly more | | | | If you're not currently using a piece of slow down |
| difficult songs/riffs, I'd recommend that you listen to | | | | software, this is where they usually pay for |
| the section that you're working on many times | | | | themselves. You can loop down to less than a |
| without trying to figure it out. Just LISTEN... This will | | | | second of the song, and slow it down at the same |
| make your job easier by helping to "burn" the sounds | | | | time. I've found that if I just step back and listen - |
| into your brain. | | | | and not try to figure it out - the notes become |
| Let's take a timeout to talk about scales. You can | | | | clearer to me. |
| definitely figure out songs by ear without knowing | | | | This applies to both lead and chords. If you're stuck |
| any scales. But, I want you to know that it will be | | | | on a chord, most of these software packages allow |
| MUCH easier to do this if you devote some of your | | | | you to "freeze" a chord and loop it. Once you've |
| practice time to learning scale patterns - especially | | | | done this, try to sing the notes in the chord. It will |
| major scales and minor pentatonics. For instance, if | | | | take some practice, but try to match your voice to |
| you're figuring out a song in either the classic rock or | | | | the notes that you're hearing in the song. I'll let my |
| blues genres, many solos use exclusively minor | | | | voice slide up and down until I feel like I've "landed" |
| pentatonic patterns. So, if you know those, your | | | | on a note that matches the chord. Then, I'll search |
| guesses will probably hit the right note a good | | | | for another note in the chord that way. Sometimes I |
| amount of the time. So, in short, I'd say it would be | | | | can figure out the whole chord this way. Other times, |
| a good use of your time. Actually, I'm understating | | | | I can hear only part of the puzzle. Which leads to... |
| that a bit. Here's the full truth - If you want to be a | | | | Figuring out chords this way is kind of like playing |
| solid or great player, knowing all your scale patterns | | | | Wheel of Fortune with notes. Once you've snagged a |
| is essential. As a side "note", I think scales get a bad | | | | few, the picture will become clearer and hopefully |
| rap. Every great solo you've ever heard has been | | | | your growing knowledge of chords will lend a hand |
| based -at least mostly- on scale patterns. Once you | | | | and solve the rest of the problem for you. |
| get them under your fingers they're a lot of fun to | | | | Here's what I mean by that: What if you hear the |
| play, and practicing them makes your guitar playing | | | | bass player play an E, and you hear a G somewhere |
| go through the roof. What's not to love? Anyway, I | | | | in the rest of the chord? Well, if you know your |
| digress. Shortly I will write an article on strategies for | | | | chords, you've already got some options to try... |
| learning and absorbing scale patterns and sounds - so | | | | Em: E G B |
| stay tuned! | | | | C: C E G |
| As you work on this, you'll notice that after a while | | | | What do these chords have in common? Well, they |
| you may hear a few notes, and know exactly what | | | | both have an E and a G in them. These are the only |
| shape they form on the guitar. That's an exciting day! | | | | 2 major and minor chords that have both notes. If |
| It may take awhile to work up to this level, but this | | | | you included 7th chords, you would have more |
| skill is crucial in your development as a musician, | | | | options to work with. Now all you do is test both |
| especially as an improvising musician. So get crackin', | | | | chords against the one in the song, and decide if |
| and when you come back we'll talk about how to | | | | you've guessed right. This isn't an exact science, but |
| tackle the chords of a song. | | | | it will definitely help you get to the finish line. |
| Depending on the song, figuring out the chords to | | | | Transcribing, or figuring out songs by ear is quite a |
| songs will quite often be more challenging than | | | | challenge, but it's definitely worth it. All the great |
| figuring out the solos. By the way, my "rant" on | | | | players have done it, and it's largely how they got to |
| scales applies to chords as well. The more you know | | | | where they are today. So, keep learning about |
| and can do with chords, the easier it will be for you | | | | chords and scales and learning everything you can by |
| to hear chords in a song and find them on the guitar. | | | | ear. This way, you can think AND feel. |
| The first thing you'll want to do is to just listen to | | | | I think it's the best of both worlds. Thanks for |
| the song a few times. While you're doing this, | | | | reading and I look forward to hearing what your |
| practice focusing in on what the bass player is | | | | experiences are. |