Lesson #33: Power Chords in B Minor (Guitar, Intermediate)

This is not much of an "intermediate" lesson, except that we're asking you to compare this sequence of chords with a previous lesson, concerning power chords in D (major). How are B minor and D major related? (Bm is the relative minor of D.)

Lesson #32: Power Chords in B (Guitar, Beginner)

Today, make sure you know how to play the B5, C#5, D#5, E, F#5, G#5, and A#5 power chords. In our "dirty dozen" notation, this is expressed as B5, C#5, Eb5, E5, F#5, G#5, and Bb5.

Lesson #31: Seven Chords in B (Guitar, Beginner)

Chords you may know: B, C#m, E, and G#m.
Chords you may not know...yet: D#m (illustrated as Ebm here), D# (illustrated as Eb here), and F#.

Lesson #30: Parallel Modes in E (Guitar, Intermediate)

If you've mastered the past 29 lessons, you're essentially good to go as a guitarist. You know enough open chords to buy a capo to do all your transposing. You know a lot of moveable chords, so that you might not even need to use a capo to transpose. However, we have seven more weeks of differing root notes, so please stick around!

Okay, if you remember the Derivative Modes lesson, you will recall that - for example - the E major scale (E F# G# A B C# D# E) can change order into modes that start at different notes. The B Mixolydian, for example, contains the same exact notes as E major, but in a different order: B C# D# E F# G# A B.

Today, we're going to look at the various modes, but we'll let all the modes start with the E note. Notice how each mode relates to a corresponding major scale:

E Ionian	E	F#	G#	A	B	C#	D#	E	E major scale
E Dorian	E	F#	G	A	B	C#	D	E	D major scale
E Phrygian	E	F	G	A	B	C	D	E	C major scale
E Lydian	E	F#	G#	A#	B	C#	D#	E	B major scale
E Mixolydian	E	F#	G#	A	B	C#	D	E	A major scale
E Aeolian	E	F#	G	A	B	C	D	E	G major scale
E Locrian	E	F	G	A	Bb	C	D	E	F major scale

Lesson #29: Swing Time in E Blues (Guitar, Intermediate)

To get a grasp of what it means to shuffle/swing, be sure to do the following:

1. Listen to a lot of blues and jazz records;
2. Read the Wikipedia article on the "Swung Note" for lots of background information;
3. Listen to those same blues and jazz records.

For the sake of simplicity, and due to the limitations of text lessons over audio-visual lessons, I'm going to say that a form of swing time goes: 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a...and so on. It's a syncopated interpretation of the common time.

We'll do it over the twelve bar blues in E:

E and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
E and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
E and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
E and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
A and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
A and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
E and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
E and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
B and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
A and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
E and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
E and a 2 and a A Bb B yeah...

Let's slow it down a bit, with the swing still there:

E 2 3 4 E 2 3 4 E 2 3 4 E 2 3 4
A 2 3 4 A 2 3 4 E 2 3 4 E 2 3 4
B 2 3 4 A 2 3 4 E 2 3 4 E 2 A-Bb-B-yeah...

When you have that down (and its myriad variations), try to play some bluesy lead guitar in E blues:

Lesson #28: Power Chords in E Minor (Guitar, Intermediate)

Compare with Lesson 11: Power Chords in G.

Lesson #27: Power Chords in E (Guitar, Beginner)

Hint: These are not the only places where you can play these power chords (or any other chord, for that matter) on the guitar.

Lesson #26: Waltz Time in E (Guitar, Beginner)

Unlike common time, where four quarter notes make a full measure, in waltz time, three quarter notes make one bar (a measure and a bar are synonymous):

1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 3...and so on...

That's known as 3/4 time. A faster waltz, 6/8 time, is six eighth notes per bar:

1 2 3 4 2 3, 1 2 3 4 2 3, 1 2 3 4 2 3, 1 2 3 4 2 3, and so on...

Let's try it on some chord progressions and imagine people dancing the waltz to your music:

E 2 3, E 2 3, C#m 2 3, C#m 2 3, A 2 3, A 2 3, B 2 3, B 2 3...and repeat...

Now try the same progression in 6/8 time, and you'll probably notice it has more urgency and more jangle in the strum:

E 2 3 B 2 3, A 2 3 4 2 3,
E 2 3 B 2 3, A 2 3 4 2 3,
C#m 2 3 4 2 3, E 2 3 4 2 3,
C#m 2 3 4 2 3, A 2 3 4 2 3...and so on...

Lesson #25: Common Time in E (Guitar, Beginner)

Did you learn the chords from yesterday's lesson? We're going to put those chords to use and start strumming in common time. In published sheet music, this is often stated as 4/4 time. Count it out!

In quarter notes: 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4... Four quarter notes make a full measure (and you thought this wouldn't be fractions and math class!).

In faster eighth notes: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Got it? Let's try this chord progression:

E 2 3 4, A 2 3 4, E 2 3 4, A 2 3 4...and repeat...E 2 3 4, A 2 3 4, E 2 3 4, A 2 3 4...

Or this one:

E 2 3 4, B 2 3 4, E 2 3 4, B 2 3 4...

Or this one:

E and 2 and 3 and 4 and
C#m and 2 and 3 and 4 and
E and 2 and 3 and 4 and
C#m and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Like juggling, let's try three chords:

E 2 3 4, B 2 3 4, A 2 3 4, A 2 3 4...

Now four chords:

E and 2 and 3 and 4 and
B and 2 and 3 and 4 and
C#m and 2 and 3 and 4 and
A and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Five chords?

E and 2 and B and 4 and
A and 2 and 3 and 4 and
C#m and 2 and B and 4 and
F#m and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Six chords?

E and 2 and F#m and 4 and
G#m and 2 and 3 and 4 and
A and 2 and B and 4 and
C#m and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Seven chords?

E 2 3 4
B 2 3 4
C#m 2 3 4
G# 2 G#m 4
E 2 3 4
E 2 3 4
E 2 3 4
B 2 3 4
C#m 2 3 4
G# 2 3 4
A 2 F#m 4
E 2 3 4
E

Get comfortable with fast chord changes!

Lesson #24: Seven Chords in E (Guitar, Beginner)

Chords you should already know: and E, F#m, A, and C#m.
Chords you will know now: G#m, G# major, and B major.
Additional notes: G#m and G# major both sound good in E.
Also: Notice how the barre chords (the movable ones with your index finger as the barre) relate to the standard E major, Em, A major, and Am chord shapes you've learned over the past few weeks.

Asus4 (Guitar, Beginner)

To play the A suspended-2nd chord, start with the A major chord. Slip your ring finger forward to the 3rd fret, and that's the Asus4 chord!

If you're starting from the A minor chord, hammer your pinky finger on the B string, 3rd fret, and you're there!

Am/maj7 (Guitar, Intermediate)

The A natural minor scale is as follows: A B C D E F G A.

The A harmonic minor scale is as follows: A B C D E F G# A.

The A-minor major-7th chord shown above is built on the following notes:

A string: A (root note)
D string: E (perfect 5th)
G string: G# (major 7th)
B string: C (minor 3rd)
High E string: E (octave of perfect 5th)

Am7b5 (Guitar, Intermediate)

Am7b5 is basically the Am7 chord with a diminished 5th:

A string: A (root)
D string: Eb (diminished 5th)
G string: A (octave of root)
B string: C (minor 3rd)
High E string: G (minor 7th)

Adimadd6 (Guitar, Intermediate)

Adimadd6 is simply an Adim chord with an added 6th note:

A string: A (root)
D string: Eb (diminished 5th)
G string: A (octave of root)
B string: C (minor 3rd)
High E string: F# (6th)

Lesson #23: Am and the Circle of Fifths (Guitar, Intermediate)

Compare this table of sharps and flats with the same lesson in C (Am is the relative minor of C major, by the way):

A minor

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

A

Em (1 sharp)

E

F#

G

A

B

C

D

E

Bm (2 sharps)

B

C#

D

E

F#

G

A

B

F#m (3 sharps)

F#

G#

A

B

C#

D

E

F#

C#m (4 sharps)

C#

D#

E

F#

G#

A

B

C#

G#m (5 sharps)

G#

A#

B

C#

D#

E

F#

G#

Ebm (6 flats)

Eb

F

Gb

Ab

Bb

Cb

Db

Eb

Bbm (5 flats)

Bb

C

Db

Eb

F

Gb

Ab

Bb

Fm (4 flats)

F

G

Ab

Bb

C

Db

Eb

F

Cm (3 flats)

C

D

Eb

F

G

Ab

Bb

C

Gm (2 flats)

G

A

Bb

C

D

Eb

F

G

Dm (1 flat)

D

E

F

G

A

Bb

C

D