Modal or Power chords are a great alternative to
majors and minors.
They only use two notes - the root and
the 5th - duplicated twice on the fretboard.
Example of modal chord using G again: |
|
| Power Chord |
Notes played |
frets |
| A |
AEAE |
2200 |
| B |
BF#BF# |
4422 |
| C |
CGCG |
5533 |
| D |
DADA |
7755 |
| E |
EBEB |
9977 |
| F |
FCFC |
10,10,88 |
| G |
GDGD |
12,12,10,10 |
|
These are the three notes for a major chord.
Just taking G and D, missing out the third
and repeating the notes twice - GDGD
makes a modal chord.
Because the third is missing, modal chords
can't clash with either a major or minor so
you can play them in place of either.
They're usually easy to play
and sound good accompanying other
instruments. |
Right, there's an advantage in the same
shape being used up the fretboard,
but the disadvantage is that you have to play
high up the fretboard....... You can play
inversions of the power chords to
stay lower down: |
| Chord |
Notes played |
frets |
| A |
AEAE |
2200 |
| B |
BF#BF# |
4422 |
| C |
CGCG |
5533 |
| D |
ADDA (inversion) |
2055 |
| E |
BEBE (inversion) |
4220 |
| F |
CFCF (inversion) |
5331 |
| G |
GDDG |
0053 |
|
| Chord |
Type |
Notes played |
frets |
| A |
Power |
AEAE |
2200 |
| B |
Power |
BF#BF# |
4422 |
| C |
Major (2nd inversion)
with repeated 3rd |
GECE |
0230 |
| D |
Major (2nd inversion)
with repeated 5th |
ADAF# |
2002 |
| E |
Power (1st inversion) |
BEBE |
4220 |
| F |
Major (1st inversion)
with repeated root |
AFCF |
2331 |
| G |
Major with repeated root |
GDBG |
0023 |
|
In practice, you can play a mix of 5ths and
major chords if you want to stay
in the same area of the fretboard.
Typically, one plays the chords opposite
So if this is your common chord set for
the 'majors' you now know that they're
a real mixture! |