Thanks Griff. I hadn’t received any of your emails for the last 3 days. I’m glad they started again. I thought my email had started blocking you again.
That was good stuff, but when you switch from barre chords to “little chords,” you always lose me. You say “I just do this,” but I can’t tell what “this” is. Just seeing your fretting hand for a couple of seconds doesn’t tell me what strings you’re pressing at which frets. I can’t tell which fingers are actually fretting a string and which are just hovering over a string.
You need just a little more music theory as it applies to the guitar. There is an excellent video instruction set by Howard Morgan (now deceased) called “Howard Morgan Fingerboard Breakthrough”. You can find most of it on YouTube or go to over to TrueFire.com and sign up for a free 30 days. You’ll never be lost on a guitar again. It’s an intermediate level course but Howard presents it so that beginners can use it too. Howard was a master a teaching the guitar! Once you’ve gone through Howard’s master work videos you will be totally up to speed and be able to take on courses like Griff’s excellent BGU to the next level.
“Little Chord”=full barre without/reduced by eliminating the 6th (E)string G on then 3rd fret and 5th ( A) string D 5th fret. Play same 4 high notes of the chord. Move index finger down and only barre (G7 chord) 1st string, 2nd string, and 4th string on the 3rd fret, while middle finger presses 3rd string 4th fret. Now you only have one root on the 1st string 3rd fret= high G=root. That’ll be a dominant 7th/7th chord up and down the neck, and you’ll always know which 7th, because of the root on the 1st string. I know this is a little winded, but follow this slowly. I know you’ll get, Once you know fingering to one type of chord you can use it up and down the neck. Same fingering, diff chord.
I’m self taught and have been playing for over 40 years (started in college instead of studying), and I learned more about chords in under 15 minutes than I thought possible! I want to know to if this video is available as a pdf file (to learn it visually and in written form)?
Very interesting. I use either open chords or barre chords in all my playing but have never looked at them quite like this. Might have to spend some time re-educating myself into playing more 4 string chords. And incidentally making it a bit easier on the poor old fretting hand.
great stuff griff, this is something i have been trying to work on for some time. you mention going further on this in the next video but i can’t find this, can you help
The root, 5th, root, 3d, 5th, root doesn’t work if the key/chord has sharps or flats in it. Example, if you are playing a D chord, the R,5,R,3,5,R gives you a Dm since it requires an F#. Can you clarify for us?
R,5,R,3,5,R is the formula for that particular barre chord shape, the shape used as the Gmajor barre. The formula works for that shape up and down the fretboard.
Change the chord shape and we get a different formula for the intervals. Once we know the formula for that shape it is consistent as we move up and down the fretboard.
fantastic….really good info. answered several of my questions so now I have a basis for investigating some of my esoteric chord forms. looking forward to the next installment.
Please put up tab for this as I agree with Mark Robbins that it is hard to tell what your fingers are doing in this video.
Iām not trying to copy you note for note-tab would just give everyone a better idea of what you are doing.
This is good stuff. I know that this is free stuff….but it would be huge if you did this for the other 4 shapes….one lesson at a time….challenging the reader to not move on before 1 3 5 was mastered for each shape….a little hardcore accountability. I teach and have the same problem explaining how I know so many chords that I don’t know. I always tell a new student that my goal is to teach them how to play “on the fly”.
This is one to watch over and over and over. I’ll be doing that and greatly increasing my chord library each time. Thanks Griff; this is even better than your normally great videos. I only play chords for the most part at jams and with this I will be a lot better. Make that a lot less boring.
I have been asked recently to play rhythm guitar with a band, and could not say no to the opportunity, but like your BB quote, I was wishing I had been working more on chords. This lesson really helps me organize my thinking. You sent it at the perfect time for me. Iām looking forward the next installment. Thanks so much
Hi Griff Here you show, how to find all the chords in the E shape.
Is /are there also video’s in which you shows the same proces with the other shapes?
Thanks,
Hello Louis, For you and anyone else interested…in case you did not know already, Griff does have a whole guitar theory course you can purchase…it is one I plan to add to my Griff downloads in the future myself!
I’ll grant you the pedagogical exaggeration. Mark Knophler told me that āGuitar Georgeā knows a few more chords, like diminished, sus 4, and sus 2.
Griff, been playing guitar (mostly rhythm and bass for 55 years. Took off for long periods here and there. But between Blues Guitar Unleashed and Covid, I’ve learned more in the last few years than in the previous 40. And this was probably the best single lesson I’ve ever had. Genius! You’re the best.
Dane, a flat 3rd gives you a minor chord. A major 3rd=major chord. First thing in theory…learn interval names…The 1, major 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, major 7th, 8 octave
V V V V V V V
whole step whole step 1/2step whole step whole step whole step 1/2step
MAJOR CHORD
ABSOLUTELY the best single video I’ve seen on this (actually, these) subject(s). Enough info here to last quite a while and take me through many practice sessions. Can’t thank you enough. Guess I’ll enroll in a course.
That was absolutely astonishingly great! I mean most illuminating chord building lesson ever, at least for me. So much very clearly presented information in quite short time.
Trying to teach to fast, Not big on caged. When i started playing in the 70’s never heard of caged. Learn chords get a good Teacher. Many internet players are trying to sell courses. As in the music world the internet is blasted with players trying to sell.
I can’t seem to find link for next video that Griff mentions at the end of this one, my email acct didn’t show it . Does someone have a link for next video???? in this sequence???
Same issue as some others. I feel when introducing something new, you shouldn’t change too many variables. Dropping the low two strings just made the whole conceptual lesson more difficult. Please recognize that some of us are just trying to hang on to your main point. Its easier to think about root, fifth, root, third, fifth,root if you are actually showing them.
Hi all, I’m new to the site, but I have purchased 5 easy blues songs.. I’m just trying to find my way around..
Anyway, what I’m interested in with this particular video is the 2nd sample Griff plays.. Blues comp at the 40 sec mark. Does anyone know a video that expands on this or plays a full version of it? I really want to learn to play that type of guitar.
This is likely not the place to ask this question but I’ve tried to use the forums but it won’t let me log in to them with my member email and password… Any help would be appreciated.
This Video (MP4)
Hi, Thank you for this lesson Griff,
I now have a better understanding
about cords, you may have ulocked
a door for me š
Thanks Griff. I hadn’t received any of your emails for the last 3 days. I’m glad they started again. I thought my email had started blocking you again.
That was good stuff, but when you switch from barre chords to “little chords,” you always lose me. You say “I just do this,” but I can’t tell what “this” is. Just seeing your fretting hand for a couple of seconds doesn’t tell me what strings you’re pressing at which frets. I can’t tell which fingers are actually fretting a string and which are just hovering over a string.
YOU CAN PRESS THE PAUSE BUTTON TO SEE WHICH FINGERS ARE ON WHICH STRING, OR BACK UP THE VIDIO AN WATCH AGAIN & AGAIN.
He’s playing the same notes as the barre chord, but is just leaving off the low E and B strings and refingering it.
Donāt you mean that hi s little chord mostly leave out the 6th and 5th string. E and A
I had that same problem – the reason I quit watching.
Yep, too convoluted..I quit watching too..
These are really good, but they do require a little pausing and re-watching. Well worth the extra 5 or 10 minutes. Haha.
You need just a little more music theory as it applies to the guitar. There is an excellent video instruction set by Howard Morgan (now deceased) called “Howard Morgan Fingerboard Breakthrough”. You can find most of it on YouTube or go to over to TrueFire.com and sign up for a free 30 days. You’ll never be lost on a guitar again. It’s an intermediate level course but Howard presents it so that beginners can use it too. Howard was a master a teaching the guitar! Once you’ve gone through Howard’s master work videos you will be totally up to speed and be able to take on courses like Griff’s excellent BGU to the next level.
“Little Chord”=full barre without/reduced by eliminating the 6th (E)string G on then 3rd fret and 5th ( A) string D 5th fret. Play same 4 high notes of the chord. Move index finger down and only barre (G7 chord) 1st string, 2nd string, and 4th string on the 3rd fret, while middle finger presses 3rd string 4th fret. Now you only have one root on the 1st string 3rd fret= high G=root. That’ll be a dominant 7th/7th chord up and down the neck, and you’ll always know which 7th, because of the root on the 1st string. I know this is a little winded, but follow this slowly. I know you’ll get, Once you know fingering to one type of chord you can use it up and down the neck. Same fingering, diff chord.
Great information that needs to be done.great teacher and thankful for you.
I’m self taught and have been playing for over 40 years (started in college instead of studying), and I learned more about chords in under 15 minutes than I thought possible! I want to know to if this video is available as a pdf file (to learn it visually and in written form)?
Life is too short for this…..I just want to play, not get PhD in Music!!
Well then play on as Fleetwood Mac would say
I just want to learn how to read. I don’t care about what those 26 letters are or how they form words.
Well said!
VERY INTERESTING….
Very interesting. I use either open chords or barre chords in all my playing but have never looked at them quite like this. Might have to spend some time re-educating myself into playing more 4 string chords. And incidentally making it a bit easier on the poor old fretting hand.
Thanks Griff.
great stuff griff, this is something i have been trying to work on for some time. you mention going further on this in the next video but i can’t find this, can you help
Griff,
The root, 5th, root, 3d, 5th, root doesn’t work if the key/chord has sharps or flats in it. Example, if you are playing a D chord, the R,5,R,3,5,R gives you a Dm since it requires an F#. Can you clarify for us?
The D major chord has an F# as the third note. The Dm has a flat/minor 3rd, which is an F note. The formula from Griff is accurate.
R,5,R,3,5,R is the formula for that particular barre chord shape, the shape used as the Gmajor barre. The formula works for that shape up and down the fretboard.
Change the chord shape and we get a different formula for the intervals. Once we know the formula for that shape it is consistent as we move up and down the fretboard.
fantastic….really good info. answered several of my questions so now I have a basis for investigating some of my esoteric chord forms. looking forward to the next installment.
I own most of your courses.
Love your jazz style.
How about a Jazz Guitar Unleashed course?
Please put up tab for this as I agree with Mark Robbins that it is hard to tell what your fingers are doing in this video.
Iām not trying to copy you note for note-tab would just give everyone a better idea of what you are doing.
Wow cool like to learn more
Cool I like to learn more I like the way the information is presented
God bless Griff real good. I am not new to guitar but Griff brought a whole new perspective to this subject. I can’t wait for part 2 of this course
This is good stuff. I know that this is free stuff….but it would be huge if you did this for the other 4 shapes….one lesson at a time….challenging the reader to not move on before 1 3 5 was mastered for each shape….a little hardcore accountability. I teach and have the same problem explaining how I know so many chords that I don’t know. I always tell a new student that my goal is to teach them how to play “on the fly”.
People at the top of their tree always have an ability to explain their knowledge with such clarity. Terrific lesson Griff.
This is one to watch over and over and over. I’ll be doing that and greatly increasing my chord library each time. Thanks Griff; this is even better than your normally great videos. I only play chords for the most part at jams and with this I will be a lot better. Make that a lot less boring.
I have been asked recently to play rhythm guitar with a band, and could not say no to the opportunity, but like your BB quote, I was wishing I had been working more on chords. This lesson really helps me organize my thinking. You sent it at the perfect time for me. Iām looking forward the next installment. Thanks so much
Hi Griff Here you show, how to find all the chords in the E shape.
Is /are there also video’s in which you shows the same proces with the other shapes?
Thanks,
Jaap
You often encourage us to consider studying music theory but where does one start. Have you ever considered a quick video on theory basics. Thanks,
Hello Louis, For you and anyone else interested…in case you did not know already, Griff does have a whole guitar theory course you can purchase…it is one I plan to add to my Griff downloads in the future myself!
Great lesson and very thought provoking.
I’ll grant you the pedagogical exaggeration. Mark Knophler told me that āGuitar Georgeā knows a few more chords, like diminished, sus 4, and sus 2.
Griff, been playing guitar (mostly rhythm and bass for 55 years. Took off for long periods here and there. But between Blues Guitar Unleashed and Covid, I’ve learned more in the last few years than in the previous 40. And this was probably the best single lesson I’ve ever had. Genius! You’re the best.
Thank you Griff. Never have I ever been told or explained to in these technical terms. What a Revelation.
Beautifully done. You are the best.
Top notch explanation. Might help some to have diagrams overlayed
Whoa! Griff, sorry, but I also had to give it up. Toooo much….
Wow! Outstanding explanation. Really dynamite stuff.
Is there a similar explanation for diminished and augmented chords?
A diminished chord flats BOTH the 3rd and the 5th of the major chord by 1/2 step. An augmented chord raises the 5th of a major chord by 1/2 step.
Brilliant! And well explained. Definitely not too much, too fast. Just watch a few times if you need to.
It makes perfect sense to me. I only strum 4 strings anyway. Just look at the notes on the fret board on guitar.C -chord e-g-c-e bottom 4 strings
Is the third always flatted in the major chord?
Dane, a flat 3rd gives you a minor chord. A major 3rd=major chord. First thing in theory…learn interval names…The 1, major 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, major 7th, 8 octave
V V V V V V V
whole step whole step 1/2step whole step whole step whole step 1/2step
MAJOR CHORD
This was a great lesson. Most guitarist don’t think of this.
On another note. Wish you would offer your Sitting On the Porch offer again.
ABSOLUTELY the best single video I’ve seen on this (actually, these) subject(s). Enough info here to last quite a while and take me through many practice sessions. Can’t thank you enough. Guess I’ll enroll in a course.
That was absolutely astonishingly great! I mean most illuminating chord building lesson ever, at least for me. So much very clearly presented information in quite short time.
Do you have a PDF for this?
My reply was for Mark Robins.
Trying to teach to fast, Not big on caged. When i started playing in the 70’s never heard of caged. Learn chords get a good Teacher. Many internet players are trying to sell courses. As in the music world the internet is blasted with players trying to sell.
Mark, not everybody grew up around the Parker family, Geoff sloshing around on the dobro while you laid in your first diminished seventh on Misty.
I can’t seem to find link for next video that Griff mentions at the end of this one, my email acct didn’t show it . Does someone have a link for next video???? in this sequence???
Just publish the tabs! Maybe they are there and I canāt find them
Griff, fantastic theory video.
Dennis You. Me too.
Griff throw us a bone.
Sorry, Dennis Young!
Brilliant. Where’s the next one… I can’t wait.
Griff – that was awesome. It was a great ear opener. No pun intended.
Top notch as usual. Concise relevant and on point
Great lesson! I love the way you break this down to easily understand chordal structure.
Thank you!
Same issue as some others. I feel when introducing something new, you shouldn’t change too many variables. Dropping the low two strings just made the whole conceptual lesson more difficult. Please recognize that some of us are just trying to hang on to your main point. Its easier to think about root, fifth, root, third, fifth,root if you are actually showing them.
Don, when you play six strings, you play 2 roots, 2 thirds and 2 fifths.
when you play the top four strings You simply eliminate the 2 lowest tones. You are still playing the same chord
Great one Griff.
Thanks Griff ā¦ root, fifth, root, third, fifth, root.
“Aw, Shucks, ..I make them up as I need them!” :)-
I had been trying to memorize major/minor triads for a few weeks now. This really helped immensly.
Thanks, now what about the 2 chords like G2, C2, A2, etc.
Hi all, I’m new to the site, but I have purchased 5 easy blues songs.. I’m just trying to find my way around..
Anyway, what I’m interested in with this particular video is the 2nd sample Griff plays.. Blues comp at the 40 sec mark. Does anyone know a video that expands on this or plays a full version of it? I really want to learn to play that type of guitar.
This is likely not the place to ask this question but I’ve tried to use the forums but it won’t let me log in to them with my member email and password… Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!