http://banjosrule.com/blog/part-5-beginner-banjo-series-chords/ Once I coodn't even spel bango pikker...now I are one! Mon, 31 May 2010 18:24:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://banjosrule.com/blog/part-5-beginner-banjo-series-chords/comment-page-1/#comment-543 admin Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:57:11 +0000 http://banjosrule.com/blog/?p=860#comment-543 Jesse is of course correct in what he says and he always has good wisdom to impart. For some of my readers that went way over their heads, yet still others nodded along knowingly. I'll cover all of the above...and more...in time, so hang in there and keep learning and picking! Jesse is of course correct in what he says and he always has good wisdom to impart. For some of my readers that went way over their heads, yet still others nodded along knowingly. I’ll cover all of the above…and more…in time, so hang in there and keep learning and picking!

]]> http://banjosrule.com/blog/part-5-beginner-banjo-series-chords/comment-page-1/#comment-538 Jesse Taylor II Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:31:29 +0000 http://banjosrule.com/blog/?p=860#comment-538 That was a good 5-Part Series on Chords. Of course, this will lead into the topic of "how to count through the Chords". Actually, if you already know your ABC's, you know how to count Chords. Our "musical alphabet" only contains 7 letters, representing 7 Major Chords. Namely, A-B-C-D-E-F and G. Of course, there are Sharps (#) and Flats (b). As you might suspect, these fall in between the Major Chords. So, let's count some Chords. Paul has already shown you how to make a Major A-Chord by using the "Barred Chord" fingering position. You should know it falls behind the 2nd fret above the "Nut". Starting there, move your finger up two frets. That's a Major B-Chord. Move your finger up another Fret and you're holding a Major C-Chord. Why do you only move one Fret? Well, we'll save that explaination for later in your carreer. For now, just remember that any C-Chord only moves one Fret up from any B-Chord. Now, move your finger up another two Frets and you'll have a Major D-Chord. Move your fingers up another two Frets and you'll have a Major E-Chord. Now, remember this, move your fingers up only one Fret and you'll have a Major F-Chord. Just the same as any C-Chord only moves up one Fret, so too does any F-Chord advance only one Fret. Just as before, this is enough to know, for now. Next, move your finger up another two Frets and you'll have a Major G-Chord. This Chord is considered to be an "Octave" above the "Open G-Tuning" of your banjo. If you wish to continue, you may do so. Just move your finger up another two Frets for another Major A-Chord...and another two Frets for another Major B-Chord...and only one more Fret for another Major C-Chord...and another two Frets for another Major D-Chord...and so on for as long as you feel comfortable, or until you run out of banjo neck. Your banjo's Frets are "Chromatically Spaced". (Just take my word for it.) What that means to you is, when you take any Note up or down only one Fret, you've "sharpened" or "flattened", as the case may be, that note by "one-half step". Therefore, logic tells us that an advance of two Frets would be considered to be a "whole step". So, starting with any Chord you care to grab, you can count right on around by advancing the appropriate number of Frets, or "steps". That is to say, any A-Chord, no matter if it's a Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented, Flat or Sharp or otherwise, will always be two steps above a G-Chord of the same "configuration", which is a fancy word that means "the way you're holding your fingers so as to make a specific Chord". As well, the Chords will always "count the same". That will be: A=2 steps up from G, B=2 steps up from A, C=1 step up from B, D=2 steps up from C, E=2 steps up from D, F=1 step up from E, G=2 steps up from F, and so on and so forth. If this is confusing, we'll get Paul to give a little course on it. Knowing how this works makes it possible for you to find any Chord in any of the "finger positions" on the neck. For instance, say you're performing with someone and they tell you the next Chord is a "D-Minor", but you've never held a D-Minor Chord. Well if you know where your A-Minor Chord is, you can start there and count right on up to find a D=Minor. It's as easy as 1-2-3...or A-B-C, as the case may be. -Jesse That was a good 5-Part Series on Chords. Of course, this will lead into the topic of “how to count through the Chords”.
Actually, if you already know your ABC’s, you know how to count Chords. Our “musical alphabet” only contains 7 letters, representing 7 Major Chords. Namely, A-B-C-D-E-F and G. Of course, there are Sharps (#) and Flats (b). As you might suspect, these fall in between the Major Chords.
So, let’s count some Chords. Paul has already shown you how to make a Major A-Chord by using the “Barred Chord” fingering position. You should know it falls behind the 2nd fret above the “Nut”. Starting there, move your finger up two frets. That’s a Major B-Chord.
Move your finger up another Fret and you’re holding a Major C-Chord. Why do you only move one Fret? Well, we’ll save that explaination for later in your carreer. For now, just remember that any C-Chord only moves one Fret up from any B-Chord.
Now, move your finger up another two Frets and you’ll have a Major D-Chord.
Move your fingers up another two Frets and you’ll have a Major E-Chord.
Now, remember this, move your fingers up only one Fret and you’ll have a Major F-Chord. Just the same as any C-Chord only moves up one Fret, so too does any F-Chord advance only one Fret. Just as before, this is enough to know, for now.
Next, move your finger up another two Frets and you’ll have a Major G-Chord. This Chord is considered to be an “Octave” above the “Open G-Tuning” of your banjo.
If you wish to continue, you may do so. Just move your finger up another two Frets for another Major A-Chord…and another two Frets for another Major B-Chord…and only one more Fret for another Major C-Chord…and another two Frets for another Major D-Chord…and so on for as long as you feel comfortable, or until you run out of banjo neck.
Your banjo’s Frets are “Chromatically Spaced”. (Just take my word for it.) What that means to you is, when you take any Note up or down only one Fret, you’ve “sharpened” or “flattened”, as the case may be, that note by “one-half step”. Therefore, logic tells us that an advance of two Frets would be considered to be a “whole step”.
So, starting with any Chord you care to grab, you can count right on around by advancing the appropriate number of Frets, or “steps”. That is to say, any A-Chord, no matter if it’s a Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented, Flat or Sharp or otherwise, will always be two steps above a G-Chord of the same “configuration”, which is a fancy word that means “the way you’re holding your fingers so as to make a specific Chord”.
As well, the Chords will always “count the same”. That will be: A=2 steps up from G, B=2 steps up from A, C=1 step up from B, D=2 steps up from C, E=2 steps up from D, F=1 step up from E, G=2 steps up from F, and so on and so forth.
If this is confusing, we’ll get Paul to give a little course on it. Knowing how this works makes it possible for you to find any Chord in any of the “finger positions” on the neck. For instance, say you’re performing with someone and they tell you the next Chord is a “D-Minor”, but you’ve never held a D-Minor Chord. Well if you know where your A-Minor Chord is, you can start there and count right on up to find a D=Minor. It’s as easy as 1-2-3…or A-B-C, as the case may be.
-Jesse

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