General Music Chat

I'm sure I play some of those 5ths 7ths and maybe 9ths, but I wouldn't know because I don't read music and rarely know what chords I play. I just play what sounds good to me. Perhaps someone could tell my what kind of chord I'm playing in the 3rd song on my profile "long way home". At about 15 seconds I play softer to make less distortion and you can hear the chord clearly there. I can tell you it is a g based bar chord.

I got a chance to try the Bm7 with the D chord, RhythmMan. It sounds very good, it has a great flow. It actually sounds better using a Dsus2 with the Bm7. I usually will take chords like these and turn them into arpeggios.

Like this for instance:

------------------------------7-------------------0----2--------------------------0--------
-----------------------7--------7---------3--------3----3--------------3--------3--------
-----------------7-------7-------------------2--------------------0-------0-----0--------
-----------7-------7-------------------0----------------------------2------------2--------
---------------9------------------------------------------------3-----------------3---------
-------7-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Bm7 arpeggio, followed by a Dsus2/D arpeggio, and then a C add9 arpeggio, and finally the C add9 chord strummed once itself.

Just made that pattern up. Sounds good. Thanks for the suggestion of the Bm7 and D chords, RhythmMan.

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.

Alan,
I finally got around to reading most of this thread and found it most enjoyable. Oppinion,usefull information, and wit abound. Much of what I would care to say has already been said .(much of what I care to "PLAY" has already been "Played".)...anyways.....

I have created and performed many songs ,(for better or worse). I "probably" played most every chord possible,(agan,"for better or worse") The point is, in most cases, I couldn't "name" the chord I was playin'. (at least at the time I was playin' it.) . The first real band I was in was "The Lost Minds" ,an honest to goodness 60's "Garage Band".The amount of "music theory" I possesed at that time amounted to "0". This band "sure 'nuff" wasen't "The Beatles",but we were good enough to play out, get paid, and get hired back. We were"PLAYING BY ROTE"which in plain talk means , we worked songs out without a deep understanding of "what we were doing".

Nowadays,I'm happy to say that I do have a handle on 6ths,7ths,Augs. and Dims. (ect.).

P.S. I've played "96 Tears"over the course of many years, and still haven't figured out the name of that second chord (the one after the "second inversioned" (G) .....can any body help ?:lol:

Howlin,
You guys played by ear - nothing wrong w/ that, eh?
You certainly don't need to study music (on paper) to be able to play good.
The only reason I learned the 4ths, 5ths (et al), was so I could write them down quickly, so that I wouldnt forget a new song I just found . . .
Charts and dots take too long . . . although I occassionaly still use them with some unusual chords or unusual fingerings . . . .
.
Also, I record all my little music ideas (via microphone), which eventually and invariably morph into songs when I hear them later.
It's easier to say "Standard open E9,' or'E9 on the 7th fret,' or 'E9 on the 12th fret w/ B & E open,' than to describe which string is fretted where . . .
.
Also . . .
Playing music mostly engages the emotional side one's brain.
Reading and interpreting music mostly engages the logical side of one's brain.
It's all up to what you're into, when it comes to music.
. . . either by ear or by music theory . . .
When you get to where you're going, what difference does it make how you got there, eh?
Doesn't matter if you took a train, a plane, or a submarine . . .
When you hear a terrific song, you surely don't care how the guy learned music . . .
.
Anyway, I suspect a great deal of readers here DO know these chords - they just don't know the names of them, that's all . . . .

I took a submarine (with a screen door) or was that by dragonfly?

GREAT FLAMMIN' FARFISAS ! ,

I pulled out my copy of Robert Hartz's "Essential Piano Chords" out of the old piano bench and deduced that the name of that "mystery chord i've been playin all those decades in "96 Tears" is none other then a good ol' (E dim.), root position! ...funny thing is , knowing what it is don't make it sound any different!

P.S. Alan,
I hear what your sayin' and concur.

Thanks for a good "thread"

J

I will tell you what, I prefer writing everything by ear. If I hear it in my head, it goes onto the guitar, and if it sounds right, it stays. However, I am going through the two most painful things in the world, as to make myself a better musician:

1. I am learning how to alternative pick (I HATE IT! MAKE IT STOP! ).
2. I am going through the painstaking process of learning music theory.

Now music theory I find is important to know, especially when conversing with other musicians -- mostly orchestra based musicians, since they are more prone to using sheet music and talking in those terms than us guitarist, bassist, and drummers. I hate it though, it is confusing at times, but being able to use it opens up a world of possibilities, especially with chords.

Brief note: As for the alternative picking (Yes, I am writing this out of order), I cannot do it right. I am getting better at it, but I am not fond of it. I do not think many would believe I straight down pick even fast solos most of the time, lol. It can hurt the hands.

I have a strong mind, I like to learn, I would do better if someone was teaching me the music theory in person. It is rough to understand all of this, at least I am getting the hang of it though. The other day I was studying a scale and actually realized what was going on in it for once. "Oh, that is a minor third," I thought. I am finally thinking in terms of music, and I can pick a lot of notes out of the fretboard a lot faster. So when I properly work on my chords I will not have such a hard time.

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.

G.A.,
I've known many people who could play like banshees but didn't know jack about theory. I've also encountered musicians who knew everything about music but couldn't "JAM". Thinking back about it makes me realize that most of the "BEST" players I've played with over the years had good skills on their instruments AND possesed sound musical knowledge.

Keep playing AND learning

P.S. I've heard it said that the great guitarest "Mark Knopfler" don't use picks!

G.A.,
I've known many people who could play like banshees but didn't know jack about theory. I've also encountered musicians who knew everything about music but couldn't "JAM". Thinking back about it makes me realize that most of the "BEST" players I've played with over the years had good skills on their instruments AND possesed sound musical knowledge.

Keep playing AND learning

P.S. I've heard it said that the great guitarest "Mark Knopfler" don't use picks!

That all makes sense. Start with somebody who plays by ear then when they learn sound musical knowledge it's ON! Lindsay buckingham plays without a pick. He smokes.

HowlinJ, thanks for the words of encouragement, man. They are really helpful. I did not know Mark Knopfler did not use picks at all, I have seen him not use them on "Brothers in Arms." But I never thought about it as a permanent thing. Fascinating.

As far as music theory goes, yeah, I know what you mean. Some of the best guitarist do not have a clue about music theory, they say Hendrix did not know any. If that is the case then it definitely does not matter, it all has to come from the soul. Even if you know music theory, it needs to come from the soul or it never has much feeling.

Neanderpaul, I have seen that before with Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac was performing "The Chain" and he goes into his solo, and has no pick and is tremolo picking with his fingers. Lol. He is a great guitarist, I remember not being able to play that song (Now probably, 6 months ago, no).

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.

I play lead and rhthym guitar. I use 7ths and 9ths a lot in blues but hardly ever use 6ths. NO real reason why. I guess myear isn't good enough to distinguish the difference.

I play lead and rhthym guitar. I use 7ths and 9ths a lot in blues but hardly ever use 6ths. NO real reason why. I guess myear isn't good enough to distinguish the difference.

Blues jim,
I bet'cha your ol' ear is good enough to play "I Put A Spell On You " as good as "Hilton Valentine"!

Keep on Rockin' Gin House Brother!

I've found that the 6ths don't fit very well in many songs.
I've tried 6ths in the blues. EE-yack! P-tooie!
I think most people use 7ths in the blues; but 9ths, if used in the right places, add some nice seasoning . . .
If you want to hear a neat sound, pick a song you've done with all 7ths, and swap it out to 9ths.
. . . turns it into a different song, eh?
You may cringe in a few spots, but, after you go back to all 7ths, you may come to find the song sounds better if you leave in one or 2 of the 9ths you just tried . . .
I've found that intoducing 6ths into many songs will just make them crash and burn, unless they are used as quick (REAL quick) transitionary chords . . .
It seems that many songs that actually use 6ths will often use them as part of the 'hook.'
.
As to 'ear' vs 'theory;' I think there are quite a few people who KNOW music (if you know what I mean), but don't know theory.
.
Again - it doesn't actually matter how you get there . . .
, , , but it is kind of nice to know what the names of the chords are, at least . . .

[quote=".Again - it doesn't actually matter how you get there . . .
, , , but it is kind of nice to know what the names of the chords are, at least . . .[/quote]

I can "JAM To That" rhythm man !

Again - it doesn't actually matter how you get there . . .
, , , but it is kind of nice to know what the names of the chords are, at least . . .

I agree with HowlinJ, great advice right there. I manage to at least learn the chord names even though I lack the ability to actually put them together.

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.