What is a Chord?

A chord is a combination of three or more notes. They are built off a single note, called the root. A chord composed of three notes is called a triad, and it consists of the root, the third, and the fifth notes of its scale. Chords with four or more notes are called extended chords. The common chords, C, G, D, A, and E, are all major triads. (not major in the significant sense, major in the music theory sense)

A major triad is composed of the root, a major third and a perfect fifth.

To find the major third, count up four half steps from the root. The root can be any of the notes on the musical scale. To find the perfect fifth, count up seven half steps from the root. For example, if your root note is a B, then your major third will be Eb. Your perfect fifth will be Gb. When you add these three together, you get your major triad.

There is also such a thing as a minor triad. It is created with the root, a minor third and a perfect fifth. To find the minor third, count up three half steps from the root. To find the perfect fifth, count up seven half steps from the root, just like you did for the major triad. If your root is the note E, your minor triad will have G for its minor third and B for its perfect fifth. 

The augmented triad and the diminished triad are also used. They are not super common, because you can work your way around them, but they are useful to know nevertheless since you may run into them sometime. The augmented triad is created with a major third and an augmented fifth. The difference between an augmented fifth and a perfect fifth is that the former is raised one half step. To find the augmented fifth, simply find the perfect fifth of your root and add a half step.

To find a major third, count up four half steps from the root, as shown in the section on major triads. 

The diminished triad is created with a minor third and a diminished fifth. A diminished fifth has one less half step than a perfect fifth. To find the diminished fifth, find the perfect fifth and subtract a half step.

To find a minor third, count up three half-steps from the root as shown in the section on minor triads. 

So here is your group of triads with the three notes that make them up:

MAJOR-Root, Major 3^rd, Perfect 5^th

MINOR-Root, Minor 3^rd, Perfect 5^th

AUGMENTED-Root, Major 3^rd, Augmented 5^th

DIMINISHED-Root, Minor 3^rd, Diminished 5th

In our next post, I will discuss how you can use this information to find what chords make up a key and how to find what key you're playing in. This is not useless information, it has several practical applications. 

Quiz: What is the Perfect 5th of a minor triad where Gb is the root note?

The Movable Chords

The following diagram shows the 6 major movable chord shapes. Not every chord functions like a movable chord, which makes these unique and very handy. The practical implications of this method are really incredible. Once you learn how to play these positions, you will be able to hit these chord shapes anywhere on the neck of the guitar without having to learn a bunch of individual shapes. This way you will be able to play fuller chords in several different places on the neck depending on which of the movable chord shapes you use. As you can see, the frets aren't marked, because these are not chords, they are positions. The fret they are played at determines what chord they will be. 

In this diagram, you will probably recognize the top four shapes as your regular Em, E, A and Am chords. For demonstration purposes, they are labeled as A, E etc. but it is important for you to realize that they are different chords now that they've been barred. What chords do they become?

If you remember the music scale, you will know that the 12 notes on that scale are C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# and B. So each of these chords are going to change in relation to that scale. When you bar the E at the first fret, it will become an F chord, F# at the second fret, G at the third fret and so on. 

Same with the A position. When barred at the first fret, it will become an A#. When barred at the second fret it will become a B, a C at the third fret, C# at the fourth fret and so on.

The A minor chord will become an A#m at the first fret, a Bm at the second fret, a Cm at the third fret, etc. 

The Em position will become an Fm when barred at the first fret, an F#m at the second fret, a Gm at the third fret, G#m at the fourth etc. etc.

You can always refer back to the music scale if you forget what the chord becomes, because as you move the chord, it moves with the music scale.

10,000 Reasons (Matt Redman)

Intro: F C G Am F G C
                F                C

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

G     Am

O my soul,

F                     C     G

Worship His holy name.

                  F        Am

Sing like never before,

F G  Am

0 my soul.

        F                    G        C

I'll worship Your holy name.

Verse 1:

         F               C           G              Am

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning;

F                 C               G     Am

It's time to sing Your song again.

F                        C                     G           Am

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me,

F                 C                          G            C   [to Chorus]

Let me be singing when the even- ing comes.

Verse 2:

              F       C                           G        Am

You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger.

            F          C                       G         Am

Your name is great, and Your heart is kind.

       F              C                       G         Am

For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing;

F2                    C                      G          C    [to Chorus]

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.

Verse 3:

          F        C                        G            Am

And on that day when my strength is failing,

        F                C                    G         Am

The end draws near, and my time has come;

F               C                             G        Am

Still my soul will sing Your praise unending:

F                        C                 G               C  [to Chorus]

Ten thousand years and then fore - - vermore!

Say Something (A Great Big World)

(INTRO) Em C G D x2

Em                    C                       G        D

Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Em            C                          G        D

I'll be the one, if you want me to.

Em           C                              G         D

Anywhere, I would've followed you.

Em                    C                       G        D 

Say something, I'm giving up on you.

       G                      Bm           

And I am feeling so small.

           C

It was over my head

                            G     D

I know nothing at all.

       G                        Bm 

And I will stumble and fall.

             C

I'm still learning to love

                         G     D

Just starting to crawl.

Em                      C                      G        D

  Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Em                 C                         G        D

  I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you.

Em              C                             G         D

  Anywhere, I would've followed you.

Em                      C                      G        D

  Say something, I'm giving up on you.

      G                         Bm 

And I will swallow my pride.

                 C

You're the one that I love

                                 G        D

And I'm saying goodbye.

 Em                  C                        G        D   

Say something, I'm giving up on you.

Em                C                        G        D   

I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you.

Em            C                             G         D   

Anywhere, I would've followed you.

Em                    C                       G      

Say something, I'm giving up on you. 

You and Your Heart

 Here are the chords to the song You and Your Heart, by Jack Johnson. 

A                                                   G

Watch you when you say, what you are

                                           D

And when you blame everyone, you broke again

   A                                                            G

Watch you change the frame or watch you when you

                                   D

Take your aim at the sum of everything

Chorus:

        G                     A

But you and your heart

                  D             G

Shouldn't feel so far apart

                  G                       A

You can choose what you take

                             D                                    G   

Why you gotta break and make it feel so hard?

    A                                                      G

You lay there in the street like broken glass

                                        D

Reflecting pieces of the sun, but you're not the flame

                       A                                              G

You cut the people passing by because you know

                                            D

What you don't like it's just so easy, it's just so easy

    G                         A

But you and your heart

                  D             G

Shouldn't feel so far apart

               G                          A

You can choose what you take

                             D                                   G   

Why you gotta break and make it feel so hard?

(repeat chorus)

                        A                  D

You draw so many lines in the sand

                 A                   D

Lost the fingernails on your hands

                       A                         D

How you're gonna scratch any backs?

              A                        D                     E

Better hope the tide will take our lines away

E

Take all our lines and

A               D          A            D

Hope the tide will take our lines and

A              D           A            D      E

Hope the tide will take our lines away

                               A

Take all our lines away

All of Me by John Legend

[Verse 1]

Em                 C                                 G 

What would I do without your smart mouth

                   D                         Em

Drawing me in, and kicking me out

               C                  G                   D               Em

Got my head spinning, no kidding, I cant pin you down

                     C                          G

Whats going on in that beautiful mind

                     D                   Em

Im on your magical mystery ride

              C                    G                              D         Am

And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright

Pre-Chorus

Am                     G

My heads under water

      D               Am

But I'm breathing fine

                          G                   D

You're crazy and I'm out of my mind

[Chorus]

       G

Cause all of me

        Em

Loves all of you

                  Am

Love your curves and all your edges

                D

All your perfect imperfections

                 G

Give your all to me

            Em

Ill give my all to you

               Am

You're my end and my beginning

             D

Even when I lose I'm winning

                

                          Em  C       G

Cause I give you all, all of me

                         Em  C          G    D

And you give me all, all of you, oh

[Verse]

Em              C                              G

How many times do I have to tell you

                             D                             Em

Even when you're crying you’re beautiful too

                        C              G              D                          Em

The world is beating you down, I'm around through every move

                    C                         G

You're my downfall, you're my muse

                    D                                   Em

My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues

                    C               G          D               Am

I cant stop singing, its ringing, in my head for you

[Pre-chorus]

[Chorus]

[Bridge]

Am                G

Cards on the table

         D                   Am

Were both showing hearts

Am          G                  D

Risking it all, though its hard

[Chorus and then:]

                  Em   C      G

Cause I give you all, all of me

                 Em   C      G    D

And you give me all, all of you, oh

The World of Chords

Country:
On the Road Again-Johnny Cash 
Remember When-Alan Jackson


Christian:
Mighty to Save
10,000 Reasons

Pop/Rock:
You and Your Heart- Jack Johnson
All of Me-John Legend 


Classic Rock:
Stairway to Heaven
Sweet Home Alabama

Folk/Bluegrass
Red River Valley
Ghost Riders
Wagon Wheel
CC Rider


Other:
Say Something-A Great Big World

Ghost Riders In The Sky

Em                                                  G
An old cowboy went ridin' out one dark and windy day
Em                                        G                   B7
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
Em       
When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw
Am                                                  Em
Plowin' through the ragged skies and up a cloudy draw

          Em                                             G
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
          Em                                                   G                        B7 
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel
   Em
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky
           Am                                               Em
For he saw the riders comin' hard and he heard their mournful cries

              G
Yippie i ohhh ohh ohh
              Em
Yippie i aye ye ye
Am                        Em
Ghost riders in the sky

 Em                                                 
Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred
          G
Their shirts all soaked with sweat
          Em
He's ridin' hard to catch that herd
             G                 B7
But he ain't caught em yet
                   Em                                               
Cause they got to ride forever in that range up in the sky
       Am                                   Em
On horses snortin' fire as they ride I hear their cries

Em                                                  G
As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name
    Em                                                   G                B7  
'if you wanna save your soul from hell a-ridin on our range
           Em
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
 Am                                         Em
Tryin to catch the devil's herd across these endless skies

               G
Yippie i ohhh oh oh
              Em
Yippie i aye ye ye
 Am                       Em
Ghost riders in the sky
 Am                       Em
Ghost riders in the sky
 Am                       Em
Ghost riders in the sky