Moving beyond cowboy chords

[jmfields]

Good evening, all!

 

I am a folk/country, flatpicking, singer-songwriter, and I've been playing acoustic guitar for several years now. Recently, I've found myself hitting a wall as far as songwriting is concerned, and I think it has to do with my reliance on the standard, open-position major and minor chords. I'd like to improve my chord vocabulary in the hopes of jump-starting my songwriting, and I'm looking for any advice you have to give. I'm getting increasingly frustrated here...

 

Thanks!

[Birdy]

Time to get your Mickey Baker book. I don't care for the layout of the books, but its all in there.

[pop tarts]

learn 7ths next. major, dominant, and minor. also major and minor scales. they'll make 7ths make sense and give you more to work with.

[fmw]

Fool around with jazz. I'm not suggesting you should switch and become a jazz player but the chord structures and progressions will sound very different from "cowboy" chords. This young fellow is singing his famous pop song that is put together whith what I would view as jazz chords. Listen for the maj7 and 7sus4 chords and m7 and m6 chords. It is a great tune.

 

KtMAvjvw-Lc

 

Or here is a jazz pianist/singer doing the same song. Same chords, same melody, a little different style.

 

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[Jed]

I'd recommend that you learn how to harmonize a major scale in triads, study triad voicings along sets of three adjacent strings (triad inversions) and four note voicings along sets of four adjacent strings. Looking into three and four note triad voicings will give you 12 ways to play any triad (for three note inversions) or 18+ (for four note voicings) ways to play any of the diatonic triads.

 

Once you know the triad patterns and their chord spellings, learning the 7th and larger chords will make much more sense. In the meanwhile you'll learn a ton of new chords and chord voicings so you'll be able to play things you already know in new ways.

 

cheers,

[jmfields]

 

I'd recommend that you learn how to harmonize a major scale in triads, study triad voicings along sets of three adjacent strings (triad inversions) and four note voicings along sets of four adjacent strings. Looking into three and four note triad voicings will give you 12 ways to play any triad (for three note inversions) or 18+ (for four note voicings) ways to play any of the diatonic triads.

 

 

Jed,

 

Thanks for the advice. Do you recommend a website or instructional book for triads?

[Jed]

 

Do you recommend a website or instructional book for triads?

 

 

It really depends how you learn best. My own path was unusual in that I learned theory at college as a vocalist. So once I decided to learn the guitar I was able to self-teach.

 

Private instruction is always my first recommendation but many people have good experience with books and DVDs. Any basic theory book will explain the theory side of things. I've never seen any material to goes as deeply into what can be done with (simple?) traids as my own studies have taken me.

 

I can help you get started via email or telephone - that way you can learn at your own pace for free. PM me if you're interested.

 

cheers,

 

Jed