POWER CHORDS TO JAZZ POWER Transform Your Guitar Rocker to a Jazzer!
Glen McCarthy George Mason University, Fairfax, VA Teaching Guitar Workshops [email protected] POWER CHORDS
• METHODOLOGY index finger points to root of chord finger of choice on adjacent string – 2 frets “higher” 6th, 5th & 4th strings only!
ROOT ACTION E open F 1ST fret • Play through familiar material G 3rd fret using power A 5th fret chords with the root on the 6th B 7th fret
string (R6) C# 9th fret
E 12th fret
ROOT ACTION A open
• Play through B 2nd fret familiar material C 3rd fret using power chords D 5th fret with the root on the 5th string (R5) E 7th fret
F# 9th fret
A 12th fret
MIX & MATCH •Play through familiar tunes finding efficient moves from R6 & R5 Power Chords
JAZZ CHORDS • In general, chords function in 1 of 3 ways...
• HOME TRANSITIONAL DOMINANT Resting Moving “Tensive” I, vi ii, iii, IV V, vii*
Jazz musicians add ”extra” notes for color, but the function remains the same. The numbers indicate the distance of the added note from the root of the chord. Z Zm Z7 Z6 Zm6 Z9 Zmaj7 Zm7 Z13 Z6/9 Zm9 Z7#9 Zmaj#11 Zm13 Z7b9 Zmaj9 Zm7b5 Zalt Zmaj13 Zsus Zdim*
INTERVALS: maj7 = major 7 7 = lowered 7 #11 = raised 11th b9 = lowered 9
Chord Substitution any chord from the same column can replace another from the same column therefore, one shape works for the entire column. Three shapes cover all the chords. BASIC RULES
• 3 TONES PER CHORD
• ROOT WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE BASS
• ROOT, 3RD AND 7TH IN EACH FORM CHORDS WITH A 6th STRING ROOT
Dominant 7 Major 7 Minor 7 CHORDS WITH A 5th STRING ROOT
Dominant 7 Major 7 Minor 7 Minor 7 METHODOLOGY
• Learn the dominant 7 R6 form first – play through familiar blues tunes • Repeat procedure with R5 and chord shapes • Combine R6 & R5 forms in blues tunes • Introduce home & transitional chord shapes with R6 & R5 Rhythm
• Four strokes per bar a la Freddie Green • Fretting Hand – pulse to emphasize rhythm • P i m block finger style • Pick – be sure to mute other strings
• When in doubt – play only the root! C JAM BLUES
1.Play R6 2. Play R5 3. Play Mix & Match POWER CHORDS TO JAZZ POWER Transform Your Guitar Rocker to a Jazzer!
Glen McCarthy George Mason University, Fairfax, VA Teaching Guitar Workshops [email protected]