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#282706 by jc1220372
Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:40 am
I play with a friend in an acoustic rock duo that does cover songs (we both play guitar and sing). He absolutely refuses to play the same chords as me at any time. I understand and even prefer that we play different parts when it's appropriate, but I feel there are times when we should both just play the same chords as there is nothing else musically going on in the song. He seems to think it's not right to do so. I think this is something that is common.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.
#282713 by GuitarMikeB
Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:59 pm
I assume you mean he is playing inversions rather than 'different chords' (because that would just sound bad!)
It all depends on the song, but having 2 people strum the same chords doesn't do much, or add much to the sound, and there can be annoying phase issues because the strumming doesn't' quite match up.
So sometimes, playing the same chords is ok, but its better to play them differently (one person doing an arpeggio version, for example)
#282716 by Planetguy
Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:54 pm
GuitarMikeB wrote:I assume you mean he is playing inversions rather than 'different chords' (because that would just sound bad!)


and i'll assume the same.

things are going to sound "small" if you're both playing the same chord shapes and strumming w the same or similar rhythmic patterns. if you want to sound "bigger" you should to strive for playing different inversions (chord shapes) of the "same chords" with different rhythms/phrasing. that's called "counterpoint" and not only makes you sound "bigger" it also creates interest for the listeners.
#282726 by schmedidiah
Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:39 pm
Yup. I hate when a band has 2 guitarists and they copy each other almost all the time except a solo here or there.
I even tried to show a young band how to switch these things up and they couldn't even use the inverted chords when I showed them how. They didn't know the notes on the fretboard. I asked if they played video games. They said yes. I said work on this instead. This is more important than shooting zombies. :roll:
#282727 by MikeTalbot
Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:45 pm
Two guys playing two barre chords sounds muddy and adds nothing. Even open chords, no thanks. Inversions? Sure.

Talbot
#282732 by Ancient Vegan
Tue Feb 13, 2018 3:05 pm
You can get the same chord anywhere on the neck, it doesn't necessarily have to be a inversion, just in a different register. If you have two guitar players, one should be playing a lot of lead fills, classic rock and roll or even country set-up, lead and rhythm guitar. I've seen one guy play his guitar and the other pound it like a drum and get a pretty nice sound. Be creative.
#282770 by Ancient Vegan
Wed Feb 14, 2018 3:33 pm
I mean this in a constructive way but you can play a inversion and still hold basically the same chord shape ie barre a open A and let your finger reach down and pick up that C#. A inversion is really a piano player thing( tho Hendrix did it), hard for any guitar player to play a inversion of a 7th chord since there is 4 notes, but you knew this Planet Guy cause you been reading standard notation since high school. A chord is made up of a 1 a 3 and a 5 to invert you play the 3 and the5 then the1, and you can invert even more but that's the basics (hate to go over stuff you already know planet guy.

Now playing in a different register, you can play the chord in a different position on the neck, and there is all kinds of ways to do this.
#282787 by Planetguy
Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:40 pm
getting a little snarky there, lynard w the HS stuff, no? :lol:

look, i'm not sure what that has to do with anything relevant to this thread, but since you bring it up...i'm not gonna apologize for having learned to read and write standard notation while still in HS. if snark and sarcasm helps you deal w it....go for it. (still, i'm not sure WHY that would stick in your craw, but whatev) :wink:

as far as playing inversions of 7th chords....nowhere is it written that you must include all four notes! you simply decide which note you want on top/which you want on the bottom of the voicing. the fifth is the first one to go and toss aside as it does nothing to define the "quality" of the chord....as in whether it's major, dominant seventh, or minor. the next to lose is the root (someone else like the bassist is already likely supplying the root)

freddie green is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest rhythm gtrsts ever, and he mainly played two note "shell voicings" that use only the "guide tones" of a chord.....the third and seventh. he also played lots of stuff strumming just one note on one his middle strings while muting the others.

point being, you don't always need six notes... or even four note to play cool chords.

happy chording, all! 8)
#282788 by GuitarMikeB
Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:57 pm
If you play an (open (E major on the guitar: E B E G# B E - how can you play that anywhere else on the neck (besides barring at the 12th fret), except by playing an inversion?
#282789 by Ancient Vegan
Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:21 pm
Didn't planet guy just answer that one for you Mike, go figure.

Snarky huh, in this thread there is no bass just two guitars.
No one asked for your apology.
Lot of widely acknowledged people out there, but on another thread we've already acknowledged we have different versions of greatness.
#282798 by Planetguy
Wed Feb 14, 2018 10:57 pm
Literal much??!!

I mentioned the root coming from the bassist as an example. Just as easily it could be the other gtrst.
#282809 by Ancient Vegan
Thu Feb 15, 2018 2:30 am
Mike you can play that E chord (or any chord) at 5 different spots on the neck using the CAGED system.

Standard notation is a lot harder to read on the guitar then the piano.

I feel like I stood up to the bully. :oops:
#282810 by jc1220372
Thu Feb 15, 2018 3:59 am
He's open to playing the same chord in a different register, but only as a last resort. He insists we need to be playing different parts. E.g., I play the chords and he plays a repeating riff or something. Again, I prefer this as well, but there are many songs that just don't have two separate parts.

Yes, we could be creative and add solo bits here and there or come up with a second part (we typically do one or the other), but it becomes time consuming and laborious to always be trying to add a second part to songs that don't have them.

Interesting to hear the different opinions. Thanks!
#282822 by Planetguy
Thu Feb 15, 2018 7:03 pm
you know what? there ARE rules (lots of them) when it comes to music.....and there's also A LOT of stuff that's completely subjective and lies in the ear of the beholder.

in the end you just have to find a compromise and work-around that you can live with and satisfies both of you.

speaking for myself.... playing music w others is just like pretty much everything else in life....full of compromises!
#282824 by GuitarMikeB
Thu Feb 15, 2018 8:47 pm
Ancient Vegan wrote:Mike you can play that E chord (or any chord) at 5 different spots on the neck using the CAGED system.

Standard notation is a lot harder to read on the guitar then the piano.

I feel like I stood up to the bully. :oops:


I've never met another guitarist who uses a G or C chord barred up the neck (I rarely use them). Never tried to use a D Chord barred, but I'll use just the top 3 strings, or top 3 plus the open D and/or A string.

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