Can someone explain these styles of playing?

[nousername]

I took theory years and years ago, long before I played guitar. Promptly forgot most of it. So here are my thoughts:

 

Bad Moon Rising by CCR is D > A > G for the verses. Say I capo at fret 2, and continue to play the same shapes. Obviously, the tones of the chords are now E > B > A. She likes the higher pitch of the chords played at capo 2. I agree.

 

The other side of this is as follows:

 

Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. The simple guitar version is F > G for all but a couple bars. Because I like the sound, I capo this at 5, then play C > D shapes.

 

Example 1: Same shapes, different notes.

Example 2: Different shapes, same notes.

 

What are the terms for these two styles of "tuning"? Do they even have terms?

 

Obviously I have no idea what to search for, other than capo, but that ended up being a mess of results with no good answers found.

[Alex_DeLarge]

Example 1: You are playing the song in a different key (Key of D major v.s Key of E major), I think it is called transposing.

 

Example 2: You are playing the same chords in other than first position. You can play an F chord all over the neck, so your C shape at 5 fret is just an F chord at a different position.

[jeremy_green]

Alex is right on both counts.

 

One of the things that beginning players really struggle with is the concept that there is no ONE WAY to play any chord or note on the guitar. ALL if the different ways add colour and style to your playing. When I learn a chord progression i usually try to learn it all over the neck in as many different ways as i can. Listening for the colours each fingering holds.. Some sound softer, some brighter, some more dense, some less so. As you perform the song you can take the listeners to different places with all these different ways.

 

BUT - I do realize there are different strokes. My brother for example NEEDS to play EVERYTHING exactly as it is on the album. He considers it WRONG to do it any other way. To me that is nonsense. An Utter and complete jail cel for music. One of the things i love most about music is the spirit of improv. When a band play something differently live my bro goes ape! I LOVE IT! If I wanted to hear it exact i would just stay home with the record.

 

So you need to learn which way is your way.

 

To answer your question - the first is transposing. The second is more about chord voicings or "grips". You can look into chord inversions too. Check out CAGED ... all of these avenues should assist.

[QuietInTheDark]

Example 1: You are playing the song in a different key (Key of D major v.s Key of E major), I think it is called transposing. Example 2: You are playing the same chords in other than first position. You can play an F chord all over the neck, so your C shape at 5 fret is just an F chord at a different position.

 

 

agreed with Mr. Delarge. Adding a few search terms for you.

 

Ex. 1. yes, transposing AKA simply playing in a different key. Note that people are often sloppy about this. They might say, playing it in C, meaning that is the starting chord or that that is the key signature, i.e. the sharps or flats throughout the song. Granted, many songs the first chord is also the key.

 

Ex. 2. You will also see the term 'Inversion' in this context.

 

From wiki "A chord's inversion describes the relationship of its bass to the other tones in the chord. For instance, a C major triad contains the tones C, E and G; its inversion is determined by which of these tones is used as the bottom note in the chord. The term inversion is often used to categorically refer to the different possibilities, although it may also be restricted to only those chords where the bass note is not also the root of the chord (see root position below). In texts that make this restriction, the term position may be used instead to refer to all of the possibilities as a category."