Session # 5 takes a look at major chords as we move further up the neck on the guitar.
In order to get a full understanding how chords work on the guitar, you need to get familiar with what a wholestep & halfstep is pertaining to
the guitar fretboard. Diagram # 1 shows the wholestep & halfstep on the guitar. As you can see the wholestep is a 2 fret distance and the halfstep
is a 1 fret distance.
Diagram # 1
Diagram # 2 displays the A major chord on the second fret, notice how we moved up the neck 2 frets which is a wholestep, kept the same chord shape
as the A major but now its a B major. If we keep the same chord shape and move another halfstep up the guitar neck, we have a C major chord. Another
wholestep up the neck we have the D major chord, an so on all the way up the neck.
Diagram # 2
The chords you see in diagram # 2 are usually played in what is called a barred chord. (see diagram # 3
Diagram # 3
This particular type of barred chord is played with the index finger across the fretboard holding down the 1st & 5th string while the ring finger is bent in a way to hold down the remaining 3 strings.
The index finger is holding down notes that are in the chord being played. For instance take a look at the C major chord, the index finger is
held across the 3rd fret, holding down the G note on the 1st string and the C note on the 5th string. The notes that make up the C major chord
are (C - E - G).
Now if you were to play the chord as shown in diagram # 2, you wouldn't be able to strum all the strings on the guitar because not all the open string notes
are in the chord C major, for instance the 5th string played open is an A note which isn't in the C major chord.
Diagram # 4 shows the E major chord shape as we move up the guitar neck
Diagram # 4
Now diagram # 5 shows you how these major chords are played in the barred chord.
Diagram # 5
For the beginning guitarist, the barred chord is a little difficult at first. Thats because you need to build strength in your fingers in order
to play the chord. The up side is that the more you practice these barred chords, you'll build the strength in your fingers and the better you will
become at playing them.
Also you may have been wondering why there was only a halfstep distance between the "B major chord to C major chord" & "E major chord to F major chord".
This has to deal with music theory, to learn more about music theory see Constructing Music Scales-Chords Intro, and also
Musical keys. Here you will gain a better understanding of the theory behind the music.
For more major barred chord diagrams and chord charts see Guitar Barred Chords-Major Chords
