These chords are a vital part of any guitarists chord vocabulary and should be memorized. Utilize the bar chord changing exercises from the video lessons to practice switching chords in smooth rhythmic patterns. Use these chords in your daily exercises and practie them in songs. ROCK ON!

The following two-page written lesson is a continuation of modal studies. Please print out the previous written lesson on modal playing part one. With part one you should now have a basic modal overview and now we can discuss each mode in detail and how to go about utilizing them. In order to thoroughly understand the modes we will need to look at the interval structure that defines each mode and then match them with corresponding chords and progressions where they can be applied. Remember that the modes are all just variations of the major scale and you will be playing the modes by shifting emphasis to a different note in the parent or mother major scale. Once you know all six major scale patterns up and down the neck you know all the modes of the major scale. You wont have to learn another six shapes or scale patterns for each mode – you can get to all the modes through the major scales. Refer to the past lessons and learn all six major scales and scale links up and down the neck and practice in all keys.

The illustration below shows each mode in order and its interval structure. Many of the modes are very similar, some just one interval difference. For example the only difference between Aeolian and Dorian is the Aeolian mode has a b6 while the Dorian mode has a major 6th. Mixolydian is just like the Ionian mode or major scale but with a b7 and Lydian is also like the Ionian mode but with a #4. Phrygian is just like Aeolian except it has a b2. So many of the modes are very similar but these slight differences will give you a totally different mood and totally different sounds – it’s absolutely amazing! Keep in mind that each mode has its own specific sound, texture, and mood.

In the last column of the table on page one, it denotes which modes are considered more major modes and which are considered more minor modes. Memorize which are your major modes, (Ionian, Lydian, and Mixolydian), and which are the more minor modes, (Dorian, Phrygian, Aeolian, and Locrian) as this will help guide you to utilizing the correct mode over a given chord or chord progression. Notice the asterisk on the Dorian mode.

In this example we have a I – VI – II – V progression in the key of D major. All the chords are common to the key of D major so you can utilize the D major scale over the whole progression as D major relates to all the chords. That is one road to take. Another road is to play over each chord individually with a different scale or arpeggio as it relates to that one individual chord that you are playing over. Print out the PDF file as I list some suggestions of a few scales, modes, and arpeggios that work over the given chords. Some arpeggios are also drawn out so you can see them on paper and put them in your reference library. There is a myriad of options and I list just a few to get you started, so get creative. Remember to listen carefully for the chord changes and try to end your phrases on strong chord tones. Mix things up – perhaps play through the changes at first utilizing all D major scales as that relates to all and then switch and practice playing over each chord. Practice with the jam track and really work on treating each chord like a separate event.

Have fun and try to build melodic ideas and play off yourself. Find the magic and then repeat the hip licks , vary them a little each time but keep going back to that melody lines. Remember, its rhythm, repetition and melody that will draw listeners into your solo – you want to engage the listener and draw them into what you are doing on the guitar.

Here is me playing over the jam using the jam track and playing the scales, modes, and arpeggios that I outline in this written lesson. Listen for the arpeggios and how I play both what relates to all (D major scales over all chords), and also play over each chord – treating each chord like a separate event – check it out by clicking HERE on this link

As per our previous lessons we have learned that music theory falls back to the major scale. The major scale is the standard in music that all is compared. The major scale is a seven note scale that you have probably heard before as doe, re, me, fa, so, la, ti – then it repeats and goes back to doe. Each note of the major scale also refers to a chord in that scale – there are seven notes in the major scale and therefore seven basic chords in any major key. Remember we are talking about major key in this lesson – we will look at minor key in another lesson.

Now we will build chords from each degree of the major scale and you will easily be able to know which chords are in any given key. A scale is a series of sounds arranged by order of pitch, or alphabetically, from any given note to its octave. To find the notes in any major key, (major scale), start at the root and go up following this pattern: whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. This will take you to the root one octave higher than where you began, and will include all seven notes in the major key in that octave. Remember, any chord might show up in any given key, however, some chords are much more likely to be in a given key than others. The most likely chords to show up in a given key are the chords made from combinations of the notes in that keys’ major scale. You’ll find that although the chords change from one key to the next, the pattern of major and minor type chords is always the same for any major key.

In the PDF file that coincides with this lesson we will examine the C major scale and build the chords in that key right from the scale. Then just follow this template to build the chords in any key. The chords in each key are built by stacking thirds. If you start on C and skip every other note in the scale for a total of 3, you have built a C major chord. The major chord follows the formula root, 3rd, 5th. So a C major chord is constructed from the three notes C, E, and G, the root of the scale, the third note of the scale, and the fifth note of the scale. (If this is not clear or totally new, before going forward, please stop and review the previous lessons on chord construction).

Now if we do the exact same thing except start on the D note, the second degree of the scale, and skip every other note – or just keep stacking thirds, we then have the three notes that construct a D minor chord, (as illustrated in the PDF document). The process of stacking 3 notes up in the major scale continues until you have a total of 7 chords, one for each note of the scale. Each major key will have a total of seven chords.

Because major scales are always built from stacking thirds, the pattern is always the same for every major key. The chords built on the first, fourth, and fifth degrees of the scale are major type chords (I, IV, and V). The chords built on the second, third, and sixth degrees of the scale are minor type chords (ii, iii, and vi). The chord built on the seventh degree of the scale is a diminished chord. So whichever key you are building chords from the pattern will always be the same. Major….Minor….Minor….Major….Major….Minor….Diminished – commit this pattern to memory!

Other written lessons to print out and read that coincide and dovetail with this lesson:
-SONGWRITING and Theory LESSON – chords in each MAJOR key – CHORD CHART – PDF FILE

It is so critical for the guitarist to know a large catalog of chords and how to utilize and embellish them. In this written lesson we will look at some different voicings for major 7th, 6th, ninth, and 13th chords. These chords are a lot of fun. The PDF file shows the chords diagrammed out as well as their fingerings and interval structure. Most of the chords shown have low root notes off the 6th string or the 5th string.

Major 7th, 6th, 9th, and 13th chords are all in the major family. You can usually tell major chords from minor chords by looking at the 3rd interval. Most major chords have a major 3rd interval while most minor chords have a flattened 3rd or b3 interval. Many major family chords are built off one another, and this principle is clearly illustrated by looking at each chord’s interval structure.

For example, the major seventh chord, (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th), is built off the major chord, (root, 3rd, 5th) – just add the 7th to the major. The dominant 7th chord is also built of the major by adding a b7 to the major making the formula root, 3rd, 5th, b7th. The ninth chord is then built off the 7th, (root, 3rd, 5th, b7th, 9th), – just add the 9th to the 7th.

Practice the examples below in all keys and commit the intervals to memory, as you will find them incredibly useful in everyday playing scenarios.