Just wanted to share some chord tricks I like to use out of one of my favorite positions, figured it might be of use to somebody!
Let's say we're playing in A. This is a root-fifth-root form, basically a power chord in the upper-middle register. It's akin to the first 3 notes of a 6th string bar chord but it's up higher, so it still has a punchy power chord sound, but it's not too heavy. A good home base for percussive style chopping with a lot of useful alterations readily accessible.
Sounds good with a slide-up, can be chopped at on off beats, etc. Usually I focus on either just the top two or bottom two notes.
E|--------
B|---10-- pinky
G|---9--- ring
D|---7--- index
A|--------
E|--------
Drop the B string 2 frets and you're at a 5-R-5 configuration of the IV chord, D:
E|------
B|--10-- (the major third is at 7 here if you want to work that in too)
G|--7---
D|--7---
A|------
E|------
You can get a cool effect from hammering on the B string to tease the 4th in there like this. You can use this like a sus4 except instead of going down to the third you go up to the 5th. Gives a nice full sound when other instruments are resolving that note down to the third.
E|--------
B|--10----
G|--7h9---
D|--7-----
A|--------
E|--------
Drop the high root down 2 frets for a b7 or 1 fret for a natural seventh. 3 frets to work the 6th in with some dissonance with that major 2nd interval between G and B strings.
E| (b7) (M7) (6)
B|--8------9-----7--
G|--9------9-----9--
D|--7------7-----7--
A|------------------
E|------------------
The thirds are accessible overtop here if you want them:
m3 M3
E|--8------9---
B|--10-----10--
G|--9------9---
D|--7------7---
A|----------
E|----------
You can work in the flat 5 easily as well (gotta love the stacked tritones!). The m7b5 is right there too if you want to really extend the harmony. You can play the 3rd on that or not.
E|-------------8--- (b3)
B|--10--------8--- (b7)
G|--8h9------8---- (b5)
D|--7---------7---- (root)
A|-----------------
E|----------------
I like to work in the dominant 7th note this way too:
E|----------------
B|--10-----10-----
G|--9------11/12--
D|--7-------------
A|----------------
E|----------------
Raise the root on the D string for a 9th chord with the 9th on bottom (stacked 4th voicings are fun to work in!)
E|------
B|--10--
G|--9---
D|--9---
A|------
E|------
Move your hand up a bit and you're at the C shape, good to jump to if you want to work around the thirds in the lower octave (or you can just go back down to the 5th string bar shape).
E|--------------
B|--10------10--
G|--9-------9---
D|--7-------11--(10 for minor)
A|----------12--
E|---------------
There's just tons of really cool ways to dance around that basic shape. It's basically right in between the 6th string bar shape and the C shape, so maybe if you're familiar already with those shapes it will give you a sense of the "in between" space between those shapes.
Let's say we're playing in A. This is a root-fifth-root form, basically a power chord in the upper-middle register. It's akin to the first 3 notes of a 6th string bar chord but it's up higher, so it still has a punchy power chord sound, but it's not too heavy. A good home base for percussive style chopping with a lot of useful alterations readily accessible.
Sounds good with a slide-up, can be chopped at on off beats, etc. Usually I focus on either just the top two or bottom two notes.
E|--------
B|---10-- pinky
G|---9--- ring
D|---7--- index
A|--------
E|--------
Drop the B string 2 frets and you're at a 5-R-5 configuration of the IV chord, D:
E|------
B|--10-- (the major third is at 7 here if you want to work that in too)
G|--7---
D|--7---
A|------
E|------
You can get a cool effect from hammering on the B string to tease the 4th in there like this. You can use this like a sus4 except instead of going down to the third you go up to the 5th. Gives a nice full sound when other instruments are resolving that note down to the third.
E|--------
B|--10----
G|--7h9---
D|--7-----
A|--------
E|--------
Drop the high root down 2 frets for a b7 or 1 fret for a natural seventh. 3 frets to work the 6th in with some dissonance with that major 2nd interval between G and B strings.
E| (b7) (M7) (6)
B|--8------9-----7--
G|--9------9-----9--
D|--7------7-----7--
A|------------------
E|------------------
The thirds are accessible overtop here if you want them:
m3 M3
E|--8------9---
B|--10-----10--
G|--9------9---
D|--7------7---
A|----------
E|----------
You can work in the flat 5 easily as well (gotta love the stacked tritones!). The m7b5 is right there too if you want to really extend the harmony. You can play the 3rd on that or not.
E|-------------8--- (b3)
B|--10--------8--- (b7)
G|--8h9------8---- (b5)
D|--7---------7---- (root)
A|-----------------
E|----------------
I like to work in the dominant 7th note this way too:
E|----------------
B|--10-----10-----
G|--9------11/12--
D|--7-------------
A|----------------
E|----------------
Raise the root on the D string for a 9th chord with the 9th on bottom (stacked 4th voicings are fun to work in!)
E|------
B|--10--
G|--9---
D|--9---
A|------
E|------
Move your hand up a bit and you're at the C shape, good to jump to if you want to work around the thirds in the lower octave (or you can just go back down to the 5th string bar shape).
E|--------------
B|--10------10--
G|--9-------9---
D|--7-------11--(10 for minor)
A|----------12--
E|---------------
There's just tons of really cool ways to dance around that basic shape. It's basically right in between the 6th string bar shape and the C shape, so maybe if you're familiar already with those shapes it will give you a sense of the "in between" space between those shapes.
