How to Play Easy Chord Shapes Up The Neck Lesson on JustinGuitar

Beginner Grade 3 Module 16: Playing Melodies & Moving Chords Up
85

Hi there,

Are you talking about barre chords?

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Hi Vitor
For the E shape you use the root on the 1st or 6th string (they are the same) so eg if the barre is on the 3rd fret its a G, 5th fret its an A.
A shape is 5th string of the barre

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@LeeMB @MrBP watch the lesson it’s not about barre chords it about using open strings as you move chords up the neck.

@vitorg77 you need to know where the root note is in the chord shape your using and the names of the notes on that string. For example move the D or Dm shape the root is on the B string. Using the C shape the root is on the A string.

Beware that chords can have multiple names depending on the context they are use so the name really doesn’t matter in this lesson. The sound is what this lesson is about.

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88

Hello
No, I was talking about using open strings as you move chords up the neck.

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Hello @stitch

Exactly. I was talking about using open strings as you move chords up the neck. I think that I understand now. I think I understand now. I was confusing the root note with the bass note and thought it was the bass note that gave the chord its name. Now that I understand the true concept of the root note, I see how Justin was naming the chords along the neck. However, I still have a doubt about minor chords. For example, in the case of Am, what is its root note?

Thank you very much for your help!

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The root note of a chord is the note after which it is named. The root note of Am is A.

The bass note is the lowest note in a particular chord depending on the grip used. It may or may not be the same note as the root note. If the bass note is not the same as the root note, the chord is often called a “slash chord” after its notation, e.g. C/G means that it is a C chord in which the lowest note is G (and not C).

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To add to what Jozsef said, for the chords where Justin is muting the drone note the root note is the middle string of the chord. The D string for E and Em, the G string for A and Am, the B string for the D and Dm. This is a good lesson for learning the notes on the D, G and B string.
Theses are called chord inversions, they all have the 5th as the lowest note instead of the Root

Be aware the the open strings do change the name of the chord by adding an extra letter or 2 the the name. For example a E11 or Em7 but that’s not important in this lesson. What’s important is hearing what sounds good and what doesn’t.

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