How to Link Guitar Chords using Scales

Hi @bvvarma , what Justin is going for here is a transition that involves a run of 3 bass notes, the last of which is the root note of the 2nd chord. For example, for G to C, you’d have something like G – strum – A – B – C – strum … (I suppose this is 4 bass notes, including the first G).

So, to achieve this you need 2 intervening notes between the root notes of the two chords. You describe something like C - strum - B - A - A - strum (I guess), which may sound fine, but it doesn’t give the same feel as the 3-note descending run. Hence Justin plays B - Bb - A as the run for the C → Am transition.

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Thank you so much @jjw, that was a helpful explanation. Had a follow on question if you dont mind. In that example of C to A, i assume “theoretically” we could also play C-Bb-B-A instead of C-B-Bb-A. Is that correct? The former does sound better and is easier with the chord transition, was wondering if there’s some tips or thumb rules to consider when deciding the order.

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The run of bass notes would typically go in ascending or descending order. C-B-Bb-A is monotonically descending (i.e. each note goes down from the previous one). C-Bb-B-A is not, since C to Bb is a full tone down, then Bb to B jumps back up a semitone, then B → A is back down a full tone.

Having said that, neither one is “correct” and you should play what you like and what you think sounds good.

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Thanks for the lesson! Working the C to G… almost went crazy… trying to get fingers on the next chord after the fill… took a breather… tried again, and again… then BAM! It hit and heard the nice sound!

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