1 Topic by cytania (edited by cytania 2008-01-30 10:32:57)

  • From: Nottingham, UK
  • Registered: 2006-08-08
  • Posts: 690

Topic: Blues In G For Dummies

So you want to play the blues? Apart from hanging out at crossroads how do you inject some blues feel? Here's a chord shape I came across at the weekend.

So you're playing an E7 A7 B7 blues try this shape for the A chord.

E-3-
B-2-
G-2-
D-2-
A-0-
E-0-

Uses all four fingers but pretty easy to get your pinky into that diagonal form.

Now we want to play a G blues but C  is hard to barre and open D sounds wrong. Here's a way to use that A7something shape again.

Play G as a barre then jump and make the A? shape at 5th. I't's a good bluesy C sound and not a long move at all.

E-6
B-5
G-5
D-5
A-x
E-x

Now back to Gbarre and you're up for D, simply jump to the 7th fret.

E-8
B-7
G-7
D-7
A-x
E-x

You can now slide down to C with that shape. You hardly need to strum much, let the slide sound ring out, it's cool. Also if you strum muted and get one hard strum in just before changing chords it's very bluesy.

Can anyone tell me what I'm on about?

'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
  • From: Central Flatland
  • Registered: 2007-05-30
  • Posts: 223

Re: Blues In G For Dummies

Interesting; I've been finding myself using the A7 at the fifth fret (e-form barre), with the B7 as an a-form barre at the second fret; for the E7, I keep the barre at the second, and switch to the D7 shape (mute or just don't play the low E & A).

"There's such a fine line between genius and stupidity."
                              --David St. Hubbins
  • Registered: 2006-04-30
  • Posts: 80

Re: Blues In G For Dummies

Hey cytania.  That's the shape I first learned for A7 way back when.  Probably because the guy who first taught me was playing blues.  I never knew there was another way to make A7 for years.

Please talk slowly I don't hear good any more.
  • NELA
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: West Monroe, La. 71292
  • Registered: 2007-11-28
  • Posts: 1,303

Re: Blues In G For Dummies

Cytania,

Just to throw another log on the fire, I play a little music with some old time guitar players and they reference a Short "A" chord and Long "A" chord (and they play the Long "A" as a movable chord) They form this chord by using their index finger as a barre on the 2nd fret and the "pinky" finger on the 4th fret. To make other chords they use the same finger position and just move up or down the fretboard.

Short "A"                                                Long "A"
   e X                                                        e 4
   B 2                                                        B 2
   G 2                                                        G 2
   D 2                                                        D 2
   A 0                                                        A 0
   E X                                                        E X

Now with the Long "A" - slide down 1 fret and you have  a "A#/Bb" chord. Slide down 1 more fret and you have a "B" chord. Slide 1 more fret and you have a "C" chord. And on and on and on. At least that's the way they do it. Is this correct - they say it is. Sounds good, anyway.



nela

NELA's Website

  • tonydr
  • tonydr
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  • From: New Jersey
  • Registered: 2008-03-06
  • Posts: 144

Re: Blues In G For Dummies

Nela, long a as you described, is an Amaj7. A really pretty sound.     

Cytania et al,
A really good 7th form for blues and jazz is the C7 form. 

E  x
B  1
G  3
D  2
A  3
E  x

Move up 2 frets and root the 5th fret for D7.  The basic blues riff then is G (barre at 3rd fret) C7 D7
Move it all up 2 frets to play in A.
then try this C7.  it is also movable.
E  3
B  x
G  3
D  2
A  3
E  x 

try a C9 for a really good blues sound. Ii is also movable.
E  3
B  3
G  3
D  2
A  3
E  x 
Not hard to finger and really professional sounding.

That's alright, I got my guitar
-Jimi Hendrix
  • From: Central Flatland
  • Registered: 2007-05-30
  • Posts: 223

Re: Blues In G For Dummies

Not hard for who?  wink  It took me a week to get that 9th chord to sound at the 4th string without muffling with the index finger.  If I'm not paying attention, I still muffle it.

"There's such a fine line between genius and stupidity."
                              --David St. Hubbins
  • badeye
  • The Blues Fixer
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  • From: Cape Breton Island, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 3,381

Re: Blues In G For Dummies

Thanks guys. Don't have an electric, but I'm getting some nice sounds out of my acoustic.

...Badeye.

one caper after another
  • tonydr
  • tonydr
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  • From: New Jersey
  • Registered: 2008-03-06
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Re: Blues In G For Dummies

dguyton wrote:

Not hard for who?  wink  It took me a week to get that 9th chord to sound at the 4th string without muffling with the index finger.  If I'm not paying attention, I still muffle it.

so worth it tho...

That's alright, I got my guitar
-Jimi Hendrix