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Guitar Chord Voicings: Playing Up The Neck

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Guitar Chord Voicings: Playing Up The Neck

This course is part of How to Play Guitar Specialization

Instructor: Rick Peckham

14,608 already enrolled

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

55 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

55 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Look at a lead sheet and play chord voicings
Construct triads, 7th chords, and inversions
Play and know the voicings of various chord qualities such as a major triad, minor triad, dominant 7, and gospel chords
Play triads over bass notes

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

8 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

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This course is part of the How to Play Guitar Specialization

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There are 4 modules in this course

Many beginning guitarists have learned the basics of open and movable chord shapes, but want to further expand this chord knowledge. In this course you’ll learn how to construct and play triads and basic 7th chords. You’ll start by creating major and minor triad inversions, and move on to power chords, drop-2 voicings, and learn how to substitute common chords to create a richer harmonic experience for listeners. Throughout the course, you will focus on the notes that chords are made up of, rather than the shape of individual chords. With this knowledge, you will be able to create inversions and different chord voicings up and down, and across the entire fretboard of the guitar, thus unlocking new ways of playing the guitar.

Module details

Welcome to Guitar Chord Voicings: Playing Up the Neck! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience. Then, we'll learn how to rearrange the notes in a triad to create inversions. Inversions can be difficult to conceptualize on the guitar since the same pitch can be found on different frets and different strings. We'll work to make this concept as easy as possible by inverting triads from the high strings to low and from the lower range of the neck up to the higher frets. The more you know about chords on the guitar, the larger the number of options for you to use!

What's included

6 videos8 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 16 minutes

Lesson 1 Overview1 minute
Technique Tips4 minutes
Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard6 minutes
Minor Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard Part 13 minutes
Minor Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard Part 21 minute
Triad Inversions Across the Fretboard1 minute

8 readingsTotal 64 minutes

Welcome!10 minutes
Course Resources10 minutes
Earn A Course Certificate7 minutes
Connect with Your Classmates5 minutes
Major Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard10 minutes
Triad Inversions Across the Freboard10 minutes
Sign up for the full experience!5 minutes
How to Record Yourself for Projects7 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes

Module 1 Quiz30 minutes
SELF-ASSESSMENT: Project #110 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Project #1: Major/Minor Triad Inversions60 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 7 minutes

Meet and Greet7 minutes

Power chords and barre chords represent a huge amount of the vocabulary used by guitarists in rock and pop music. Although they may be a bit tough on your fretting fingers at first, the many applications of these shapes make the effort worthwhile. In this module, we'll cover various exercises that will give you greater facility and command of these chords.

What's included

3 videos3 readings2 assignments1 peer review

3 videosTotal 5 minutes

Module 2 Overview2 minutes
Power Chords: Big Sound, Two Tones2 minutes
Grooving with a Backing Track2 minutes

3 readingsTotal 30 minutes

Power Chords: Big Sound, Two Tones10 minutes
Barre Chords: Big Sound, Three or Four Tones10 minutes
Minor Barre Chords10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 37 minutes

Module 2 Quiz30 minutes
SELF-ASSESSMENT: Project #27 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Project #2: Power Chords60 minutes

There are several ways to learn new voicing shapes on the guitar. Drop-2 is a term used at Berklee to describe a configuration of chord tones, pleasing to the ear, and, more importantly to guitarists, relatively easy to execute on the fretboard. It's the best way to play seventh chords on four consecutive strings. This module is going to give you plenty of practice in creating new voicing shapes on the fretboard and will help you develop the ability to play various seventh chords in all keys.

What's included

3 videos3 readings2 assignments1 peer review

3 videosTotal 7 minutes

Module 3 Overview1 minute
Drop-2 Voicings: Four Adjacent Strings3 minutes
Drop 2 Chord Qualities3 minutes

3 readingsTotal 30 minutes

Drop-2 and the Second Inversion10 minutes
One Thing in All Keys10 minutes
Dominant 7 Drop-2 Voicing Exercises10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 37 minutes

Module 3 Quiz30 minutes
SELF-ASSESSMENT: Project #37 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Project #3: Drop-2 Voicings60 minutes

We've learned many guitar voicings for triads and seventh chords. This module will help you to solidify your grasp of Drop-2 Seventh chords. We'll also explore some new ways of using what we've already learned. Finally, we'll look at how to substitute chords using a standard lead sheet.