Friday, August 15, 2008

The Minor Bar Chord and Notes On Fretboard


Hope all is doing well with the bar chords.This post is speaking about the minor bar chord,how to form and play it, and the notes on the fretboard.
The minor bar chord shape is a 3 string bar,done with your first finger.You will bar the same as the Major,but including one more string in the bar.I have also included a diagram of the fretboard.Along the bottom will be blue dots.These dots represent the major notes for the 6th and first string up the fretboard.I know when you look at all the notes listed,it is a bit daunting!But by having a system for learning the notes,it takes the mystery out and makes the task a lot easier!
As mentioned earlier,the same applies to the minor bar chord shape,bar all six strings,slant the left hand slightly to the left and pinch the neck with your thumb and fingers.And if you look inside the chord you will see the E minor open string shape within the F minor bar chord.
Now,since this shape is "moveable",we can simply move the shape up the fingerboard to other frets,thus calling it a G minor bar chord or an A minor bar chord,etc.I have included a diagram of the fretboard,with the notes for the 6th string listed with a blue dot underneath each one.These are the "main" notes to be concerned with for now.And there is a set pattern for the order of these notes.Beginning with the 6th string open,it is the note E,then F to G to A to B to C to D and to E(same as open).There is a rule here,it is always this way...
Notes A to B =Always 2 frets apart or 1 Whole step
Notes B to C =Always 1 fret apart or a half step
Notes C to D =Always 2 frets apart or again 1 Whole step
Notes D to E =Always 2 frets apart or,yes, 1 Whole step
Notes E to F =Always 1 fret apart or.yes,a half step
and finally G to A =Always 2 frets apart or 1 Whole step
So,All notes are 2 frets apart from one another(Whole step),Except for the notes B to C and E to F which are 1 fret apart(half step).
Now,knowing this and the name of each open string,will help you figure out the notes,on each string,going up the fretboard.Yes...going UP the fretboard!Because we are going UP in pitch!Simply start with the name of the open string,then apply the rules above,and you will figure or know the main notes on the fretboard!
So you ask,why all this extra info?Because each time you move this minor bar chord shape up the fretboard,it will have a different name!On fret one it is the F minor.On fret 3,it is the G minor,on fret 5,it is the A minor,etc.And this will apply to the Major bar chord shape as well.
Again,be patient,let this all settle for a while,and it will begin to make sense.
...Below is the F minor(6th string root)bar shape,along with the fretboard diagram,For now just concentrate on learning the major notes for the 6th and 1st strings.They are the same!

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