Name that chord!

[Brian M.D.]

EDIT: to make this easier, a few things to keep in mind
1. assume that the lowest note of the chord is the root, unless someone says otherwise
2. order of strings:

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-e-
-B-
-G-
-D-
-A-
-E-

this is a good way to practice interval shapes and chord construction on the guitar. someone posts a chord shape, next person says what they think it is, if they get it right, then they get to post a shape.

example,

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-x-
-5-
-4-
-5-
-3-
-x-

is Cmaj7.

Alright, first up:

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-x-
-3-
-4-
-2-
-x-
-3-

(or)

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-(3)-
-5-
-4-
-x-
-5-
-3-

[taparoo]

Hey, cool idea! Emin7... or it could be a G6, no?

Here's another for you guys

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-2-
-3-
-4-
-5-
---
---

edit: whoops, guess I was supposed to wait till you said it was right... here's to my confidence

[Brian M.D.]

yeah, both Emin7 and G6 are correct.
to make this easier, let's say that the lowest note of the chord must be the root, unless you post otherwise. (so, G6)

yours is...Gmaj7, i really like that voicing.

now, a slight variation of a chord that shows up in heathcliff's haiku warriors as resolving to a Bbmin...

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-x-
-4-
-2-
-x-
-3-
-1-    

[taparoo]

F7

I'll throw some Lenny at ya...

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-9-
-9-
-8-
-9-
-7-
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[Brian M.D.]

well you have an Emaj7, (the chord that makes under the bridge such a great song ), and the 6th/13th...I'd say Emaj13?

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-x-
-7-
-8-
-8-
-x-
-8-

(there's one alteration)

[Nuladion]

I have a feeling its gonna be a lot of you two. Any chance you could go through how you figured out what the chord is?

[taparoo]

I have a feeling its gonna be a lot of you two. Any chance you could go through how you figured out what the chord is?

Yeah, I sorta figured that And explaining how you get a certain chord would be helpful to people...

Brian's chord - root is C, then comes a Bb, the b7 of the C major scale, next is an Eb, the b3 of the C major scale, so so far the chord is a C minor 7... and last is the Gb, the b5 of the C major scale. So that makes the 1 b3 b5 b7

So it would be a ... Cdim7?

[Brian M.D.]

Well, the way I write that is Cmin7(b5), but that's just two different ways of writing the same thing, unless Cdim7 is 1 b3 b5 bb7, I can't remember though.

[Nuladion]

does b(number) mean a minor? And bb(number) mean diminished? Why did they use "b" for flats and for that too... Also, do you just automatically use the major scale and determine whether its major or minor or whatever from that?

[taparoo]

does b(number) mean a minor? And bb(number) mean diminished? Why did they use "b" for flats and for that too...

'b' means 'flat' or 'minor' when you're talking about an interval in a major scale. So b3 would mean "minor 3rd" or "flat 3rd". And I'd have to look up the second question... I do know bb means to flat that interval twice.

Also, do you just automatically use the major scale and determine whether its major or minor or whatever from that?

Yeah, pretty much. The natural minor scale, in relation to the major scale, has flatted 3rd, 6th, and 7th intervals (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7).

And here's some info about chords -
1 3 5 = major chord
1b3 5 = minor chord
1 b3 b5 = diminished chord
1 3 #5 = augmented chord

[Nuladion]

cool. I think i understood that. Lets try this one... i think i know the answer.

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-4-
-3-
-4-
-2-
-0-
-0-

[TylerMoore]

uhmm... it looks like just an E7th, with the 4th added in there (the A). so... E7th add 4th? or does it have a funny name besides that? ha.

[Cor]

Well, the way I write that is Cmin7(b5), but that's just two different ways of writing the same thing, unless Cdim7 is 1 b3 b5 bb7, I can't remember though.

Cmin7b5 is a half-diminished chord (1, b3, b5, b7). Diminished 7th is, as you said, 1 b3 b5 bb7.

[markTR]

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-0- 
-0- 
-11- 
-13- 
-11- 
-0- 
 
 
 

Not even trying to stump anyone on this one, I seriously don't know what it is myself. Anyone care to name it, and possibly explain too?

[taparoo]

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-0- 
-0- 
-11- 
-13- 
-11- 
-0- 
 
 
 

Not even trying to stump anyone on this one, I seriously don't know what it is myself. Anyone care to name it, and possibly explain too?

I'd say it's an Emaj9

You're starting with the root, E, then you have a G# (the major third of the E major scale), next is D# (the major 7th of the E major scale), then F#, the 2 of the E major scale, but when naming chords with 2's, 4's, or 6's in them you can think of it as starting over when counting the intervals. Count the intervals 1 through 7, then once you reach 8 you 'start over' in the scale because 8 is really the 1, or root. So if you keep counting this way, 9 will be the 2, 11 will mean there's a 4rth interval in the chord, and 13 would mean a 6. Then you have a B and an E, both notes in an E major chord.

And here's one straight out of Little Thing

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4
5
6
7