Guitar Chords by Nikolay Rantsev

“All the books out now telling you how to play don`t mean a thing. What you feel is what you should be playing, not something someone else wrote down. All I can say is learn the fundamentals on your guitar, get to know your guitar, and don`t get a big head. There`s always going to be someone else better. Just play what you know, what`s inside of you” 

Pee Wee Crayton
“Guitar Player”, July 1977

This book is all about fundamentals - intervals and chords.

Congratulations, you have a new amazing hobby - guitar! You already memorized basic chords or played few favorite songs. Now you want to understand more about chords. What is actually behind C Major chord in a simple handy position on the first fret? Why the same chord is also located on the third fret? Where can I find more C Major chords on the neck, and how many these chords totally on the neck? 

Intervals, triads chord theory looks boring and complex? For me - too.

After reading the book you’ll be able to build Minor, Major and Dominant chords from any root note on the fretboard. For most cases - this is more than enough at the beginning of your guitar journey. No more learning by rote, just understanding through a visualization and practice. 

What exactly is behind Minor, Major and Dominant chords? What are their basic building blocks, and how can I create my own shape of the chord if I forget the chord diagram? The chord theory is not a rocket science. This book explains it through the very simple bricks - the intervals. You are the guitarist, and that’s why you want to understand the chord theory using the fretboard. Not the piano keyboard, as many other books referring to. 

The expected result will be much deeper if you practice all the concepts with your instruments in a hand and notebook with a pencil. Book diagrams -> finger memory -> singing the notes -> draw on your own. This is the fundamental way of learning basic music concepts. 

Every chapter demonstrates one of the elements of chord construction. Finally, we’ll put together all the pieces in one picture. And you’ll grow your skill. You can choose any direction in a world of guitar in future - rhythm guitar or solo. And you1ll see these basic elements everywhere. 

Table of Contents:

Root Notes
- Root notes on the neck
- Open strings root notes
- Practice tips for the root notes memorization
- Root notes check-list
Perfect 5th (P5)
- Perfect 5th across the neck
- Perfect 5th inversions on the neck
Major 3rd (M3)
- Major 3rd across the neck
- Major 3rd inversions on the neck
Minor 3rd (m3)
- Minor 3rd across the neck
- Minor 3rd inversions on the neck
Minor Seventh (m7)
- Minor 7th across the neck
- Minor 7th inversions on the neck
Triads
- Major Triads
-- R-M3-P5
-- P5-R-M3
- Minor Triads
-- R-m3-P5
-- m3-P5-R
-- P5-m3-R
Building the Chords
- Chord formulas
- Major Chord
- Minor Chord
- Dominant chord
What is the next?
- More Intervals and Chords
- Fretboard logic and intervals foundations
- Chord progressions
- Scales and Arpeggios
- Useful free online resources
About
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