How do I form chords?

[Mikeman9412@gma]

Hey guys, I've seen really weird chords and I'v wondered, how do I form these? I'll get a few notes down but then I realize that I need to finger a note that I can't reach, It really gets me mad :mad: LOL

So yeah if you could help?

Thanks!

[mjo]

I'm not sure what you're working with.
Do you mean an extended or altered chord: you don't have to play all the notes, the root and 5th are good canidates to drop.
Are you working with diagrams and just can't reach: practice stretching for these, many are hard to form at first, practice slowly and carefully.
You may want a chord dictionary, it'll show you various voicings for a single chord.

-best,
Mike

[fingerpikingood]

http://all-guitar-chords.com/

[Mikeman9412@gma]

No so I mean like let's say I get a chord I don't know how to play, and I can't look it up, let's say C7(#4) How would I form this chord?

[fingerpikingood]

http://all-guitar-chords.com/index.php?ch=C&mm=7b5&get=Get


#4, b5 same thing.



pretty much anything is possible on the guitar.

some stuff is really tough though, and sometimes you need to leave out some notes, like on 13ths you're technically supposed to play the 7th and 9th and 11th, but on guitar you need to drop some of those.

like, technically a 13th should have 7 notes in it which is one more than there even are strings on a guitar.

[JazzMick]

Indeed. Well, b5 and #4 are not always the same thing. Putting that asside though.

Chords should not be hard at all. If you learn your 5 open voicing shapes first. C A G E D and learn to play them up and down 12 frets. You will find that every other voicing ever used can be made by simple alterations to those shapes.

Like Fingerpickin said. Guitar only has 6 strings. So it is impossible to play full extended chords like a piano can. Just pick out the most important notes for that particular situation. Such as the Root, the 3rd, the 7th and any extensions like #11 or b9 ect..

Sometimes you need to play the 3rd up an octave so that your b5 or 6 will fit in. There are probably plenty of chord sites. Don't spend too long on them though. Just learn a few and then work at building some for yourself, there is no better way to learn.

PS- If you find yourself playing a chord that requires you to stretch over 5 frets. Odds are there is an easier way to voice that chord. There is rarely any need to have to stretch that far. Unless your trying to emulate a 12 string guitar and do those double octave harmonies.

[JonR]

No so I mean like let's say I get a chord I don't know how to play, and I can't look it up, let's say C7(#4) How would I form this chord?
1. Ask yourself "what's the #4 of C?"
2. The 4th up is F, right? (Just count note letters, but make sure the 4th is a perfect 4th ;)) So the #4 is F#.
3. Now you need to find a way to add an F# to your C7 chord. Could be anywhere, but high up is best if you can.

IOW, you need to begin with some basic chord structure knowledge, and fretboard knowledge.
Where is a #4 relative to your chord root (chord shape or string/fret configuration)?
Where are all the F#s on the fretboard?
How many shapes do you know for C7? Including partial or rootless one? You should be able to play a C7 chord in at least 5 places on the neck. That means including 3rd and 7th as essential, maybe root and 5th if you can fit them in. (You don't need more than 4 strings for most jazz chords.)
In the case of C7#4 (better written as C7#11), you may not be able to include the 5th as well as the #4/#11. So omit the 5th.
So minimum you need for C7#11 is C-E-Bb-F#. Fit in a G (below the F#) only if you can easily; and if you have a bassist you could leave out the C.

If you don't understand everything I'm talking about above, enough to act on it, you need to study some chord structure theory before dealing with jazz chords.
Check out these sites:
http://www.jazzguitar.be/jazz_guitar_chords.html
http://www.petethomas.co.uk/jazz-theory.html