Paul Swanson Guitar Tuition
Professional guitar tuition for all levels in Leamington Spa and Warwick
Is *Your*
Technique?
Novice or Guitar God?
Instant Grading
Fast TrackMethod for Beginners
Learned to Play
in 6 Weeks
In One Easy
Interactive Lesson
Guitar Theory
Beginner to Advanced
Fast Progress
Guaranteed!
I Just Want
to Play Music
Interested in
Technique
Demystifying
the Guitar Neck
Desktop Fretboard
Post Your
Progress
Online
Hall of Fame
Click for map
For Guitar Pro/
Tuxguitar
Tablatures
This isWhat it’s
All About
Performances
Free Download
Chord Theory from Beginner to Advanced in One Easy Lesson
2) Power Chords
So, a major chord is note 1,3 and 5 of the major scale. A minor chord is notes 1,3 and 5 of the minor scale. A “Power Chord” is made of only 2 different notes, the 1st (root) and the 5th. Here are the major and minor scales in the key of C.
C major scale = C D E F G A B C
Root 3rd 5th
C minor scale = C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
Notice that the root note (C) and the 5th (G) are the same in both scales.
The C power chord (C5), is made by playing these 2 notes (C & G) together.
(Click chord boxes to play)
By omitting the major or minor 3rd we have a chord which can be played over (instead of) either major or minor chord, as it is part of both.
Here’s one fingering for the C power chord (C5) on a piano.
Back on guitar, up the fretboard, by getting rid of the open string and playing 2 instances of the root note, we get the more familiar, beefier sounding,
and moveable power chord shapes shown below .
(click to play)
3) Suspended Chords
So, a major chord is notes 1, 3 and 5 of the major scale played together, and the power chord is notes 1 and 5 only of the major (or minor) scale.
A suspended (sus) chord is the same as a major chord but instead of using note 3, we use note 2 or note 4 to give a sus2 or sus 4 chord.
C D E F G A B C
C major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = C E G
Csus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = C D G
Csus4 = 1st 4th and 5th notes = C F G
(Click chord boxes to play)
The “sus “ in the chord is short for “suspended”. In a sus chord, the 3rd note of the restful major chord is pulled out of position and sounds tense. By playing the suspended chord followed by its corresponding major you create tension with the sus chord which is “resolved” when you move to the major. The suspended note is released back to its restful position.
Let’s now look at this same idea in relation to a D major chord.
Here’s the D major scale ...
D E F# G A B C# D
Try it on the piano
We now have to use the black keys to make the major scale. The F# and C# are black notes to the right of the F and C white notes correspondingly. The 8 note sequence should still sound like “do re me fa so la ti do”.
When it does, you can play the notes of these chords to hear the difference.
D major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = D F# A
Dsus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = D E A
Dsus4 = 1st ,4th and 5th notes = D G A
On a guitar, the sus chords are easily made from a plain D major,
by changing the note on the top string.
Click on each of the chord boxes above to hear them. The sus chords are followed by a plain D major, so you can hear the tension being resolved as the suspended note (E or G) moves to the major 3rd (F#).
Click the loudspeaker to hear a few examples of the Dsus chords in use. You’ll recognise a few of them.
Click here for the next page (Extended Chords)
D major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = C E G
Csus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = C D G
Csus4 = 1st 4th and 5th notes = C F G
G
E major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = C E G
Csus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = C D G
Csus4 = 1st 4th and 5th notes = C F G
F# major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = C E G
Csus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = C D G
Csus4 = 1st 4th and 5th notes = C F G
A major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = C E G
Csus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = C D G
Csus4 = 1st 4th and 5th notes = C F G
C# major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = C E G
Csus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = C D G
Csus4 = 1st 4th and 5th notes = C F G
B major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = C E G
Csus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = C D G
Csus4 = 1st 4th and 5th notes = C F G
D major = 1st 3rd and 5th notes = C E G
Csus2 = 1st, 2nd and 5th notes = C D G
Csus4 = 1st 4th and 5th notes = C F G
C5
C
G
C5
C G C
8th fret
C5
C G C
3rd fret
Fast Progress
Guaranteed!
Learning the guitar is all about taking what seems impossible, getting it to a stage where it feels achievable, and steadily working toward making it feel easy. Anyone can do this, to any level they want, with a combination of desire, commitment, patience and naturally, good instruction.