(This post has not been written completely yet)
In this post we introduce systems of shapes for 3-notes major or minor or diminished chords, of a single diatonic scale , based on the standard open tuning of Greek 4-courses bouzouki (CC-FF-AA-DD) and tenor Ukulele (GG-CC-EE-AA) or baritone ukulele (DD-GG-BB-EE) which as open tuning are the chords Dm7 and Am7 and Em7 respectively but in 1st inversion the mnor and 2nfinversion the major (inverted open tuning) . And also for the tuning respectively for these instruments in normal position of Dm7 and Am7 and Em7 (normal position open tuning) which are (DD-FF-AA-CC), (AA-CC-EE-GG) and (EE-GG-BB-DD) respectively. See also post 90 about the harmonic tuning of the 6 string or 6-courses, guitar.
We describe a scale of chords of such smallest possible (or minimal in umber of frets used or minimal triad-shapes which is 1 or 2 only frets) chord-shapes which is identical with the chords of a diatonic scale. But such triads (=3-notes chord-shapes) may define more general scales of chords (see post 148).
1) Greater number of major or minor triads per number of frets, thus easier chord playing
2) Less number of chord-shapes, thus easier guitar to learn . Only 5-shapes for 3-notes chords in each of the two above type of tuning and only 4-shapes for 4-notes chords with 7nths. Finally for only major or minor chords there are only 2 easy shapes of 4-notes chord , which can be used for strumming too, that cover all chords of the diatonic scale. In total for the 3-notes shapes for both ways of tuning and for major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords there are only 7 different shapes! By using a double line of triad shapes upper and lower, we can even play all major and minor chords with single shape which is the smallest one inside only in one fret!
3) The shapes of chords require less number of frets (only 1 or 2 for the triads, of minor, major, diminished or augmented chords that cover at least the diatonic scale and the harmonic minor and double harmonic minor scales ) .Therefore it is easier and tiring the hand to play chords in such scales of chords.
4) As the triad shapes e.g for a diatonic scale are non-overlapping, it is easier to plan the moves of chord progressions in advance and remember them.
5) In the 2nd tuning (the normal position open tuning e.g. (DD-FF-AA-CC) etc ) the 1st inversion chords require only 1 or 2 frets, thus have easier shapes and are easier to play
In this post we introduce systems of shapes for 3-notes major or minor or diminished chords, of a single diatonic scale , based on the standard open tuning of Greek 4-courses bouzouki (CC-FF-AA-DD) and tenor Ukulele (GG-CC-EE-AA) or baritone ukulele (DD-GG-BB-EE) which as open tuning are the chords Dm7 and Am7 and Em7 respectively but in 1st inversion the mnor and 2nfinversion the major (inverted open tuning) . And also for the tuning respectively for these instruments in normal position of Dm7 and Am7 and Em7 (normal position open tuning) which are (DD-FF-AA-CC), (AA-CC-EE-GG) and (EE-GG-BB-DD) respectively. See also post 90 about the harmonic tuning of the 6 string or 6-courses, guitar.
The normal position open tuning has the advantage that the shapes of the diatonic scale derived by 2 adjacent 4-notes chords can be with only 2-notes per string! Also all 2-voices intervals by adjacent 2-strings derived from the chord shapes are always intervals of 3rds thus 1st-2nd voice or 2nd-3rd voice , because the chords are in normal position.
Based on this system of 3-notes shapes, all the fretboard is charted , and therefore is is "unlocked" for easy and fast "in the flow" improvisations either as 4-notes chords or 3 notes chords or 2-notes intervals or single notes scale ,which here are the F major, C major and G major scales respectively. If we include the 2 inversions besides the normal position of a minimal triad , and include also two inversions of diminished such triads and one for the augmented triads we get in total 9-different shapes of triads that as 4-notes chords are the usual a, e or d shapes (see post 3 about the DAE system on the fretboard)and give respectively for the privileged diatonic scale of the fretboard the Ionian, Aeolian and Lydian modes respectively. We may standardize the 3 basic chord relations on both 3-string rows of the 4-courses fretboard ,to have that chromatic and melodic relations of two chord triads are played always horizontally, while the harmonic relation always vertically.
Many know the story of the remarkable Django Reinhardt , how discovered and created much of the Gypsy Jazz. In his story after a fire accident he was left with only 2 fingers functioning in is left hand . Still it is reported that Django re-educated himself to play the guitar with only 2 fingers in the left hand. Now by listening to his remarkable gypsy-swing jazz, we realize that he was playing not only marvelous solos but also marvelous chord progressions. How this is possible with only 2 fingers? The classification of the minimal triads in this post , proves that actually it is possible to play all the minor or major chords in the guitar fretboard even with one only finger!
We describe a scale of chords of such smallest possible (or minimal in umber of frets used or minimal triad-shapes which is 1 or 2 only frets) chord-shapes which is identical with the chords of a diatonic scale. But such triads (=3-notes chord-shapes) may define more general scales of chords (see post 148).
The main advantages of using such minimal triad chord-shapes of 1 (or 2) only frets are the next
1) Greater number of major or minor triads per number of frets, thus easier chord playing
2) Less number of chord-shapes, thus easier guitar to learn . Only 5-shapes for 3-notes chords in each of the two above type of tuning and only 4-shapes for 4-notes chords with 7nths. Finally for only major or minor chords there are only 2 easy shapes of 4-notes chord , which can be used for strumming too, that cover all chords of the diatonic scale. In total for the 3-notes shapes for both ways of tuning and for major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords there are only 7 different shapes! By using a double line of triad shapes upper and lower, we can even play all major and minor chords with single shape which is the smallest one inside only in one fret!
3) The shapes of chords require less number of frets (only 1 or 2 for the triads, of minor, major, diminished or augmented chords that cover at least the diatonic scale and the harmonic minor and double harmonic minor scales ) .Therefore it is easier and tiring the hand to play chords in such scales of chords.
4) As the triad shapes e.g for a diatonic scale are non-overlapping, it is easier to plan the moves of chord progressions in advance and remember them.
5) In the 2nd tuning (the normal position open tuning e.g. (DD-FF-AA-CC) etc ) the 1st inversion chords require only 1 or 2 frets, thus have easier shapes and are easier to play
6) The distribution of such minimal triad shapes on the fretboard for a diatonic scale is very symmetric and easy to remember. It is an eye of remarkable simplicity in the full complexity of the fretboard. We usually start with a distribution of the triad chords of the diatonic scale I , ii, ii, IV, V vi, vii, I' and then we deviate from it
7) Because the voicing of the chords is the minimal it is crystal clear harmony. Especially for the normal position open tuning, the triad chords are also in normal position, and the voicing is even more natural.
8) In the melodies the notes are closer in total thus easier to find with the fingers
All the above advantages together allow for a low difficulty threshold for improvisation "in the flow"
4) Irish music makes much use in the melodies of intervals of 3rd. This can be played with the minimal triads by converting the 3-notes chords to a 3-notes soling triads and adding also one of the previous chromatic triads in the melodic themes.
Notice that the soloing chromatic 4-notes or quadruples , defined by 4 notes sounded successively and with consecutive intervals of 2nds are the next 8 .
1-1-1, 1-2-1 , 2-1-1 ,1-1-2 , 2-2-1, 1-2-2 , 2-1-2 . 2-2-2
7) Because the voicing of the chords is the minimal it is crystal clear harmony. Especially for the normal position open tuning, the triad chords are also in normal position, and the voicing is even more natural.
8) In the melodies the notes are closer in total thus easier to find with the fingers
All the above advantages together allow for a low difficulty threshold for improvisation "in the flow"
E.g. when the scale of chords is identical with the chords of diatonic scale of notes.
An relatively easy and safe way to produce mesmerizing monotone but beautiful "in the flows" improvisations , is to use scale of chords as in post 148. And in particular a very familiar scale of chords that are the chords of diatonic scale:
I , ii, ii, IV, V vi, vii, I' (=1M, 2m, 3m, 4M, 5M 6m, 7dim, 1M)
and in addition to an instrument tuned normal position open tuning fr 4-curses string instruments or harmonic tuning for a 6-courses guitar (see post 90) so that there is a densest possible opportunity of major or minor chords per number of frets.
Some of the variation techniques to walk this scale of chords are
1) Walk in the chromatic order up and down (all then only odds then only even)
2) Walk in the relative chords order up and down
3) Walk in the resolution or harmonic order by 4ths or 5th order up and down
4) Walk only the minor chords first descending and then the major chords ascending
5) Walk in the 4-notes chords (major 7nth extension of the chords) up and down, all then only even then only odd
6) Walk in a half scale (in the chromatic order) up down then other half up and down.
7) Walk in a random way either 3-note chords or 4 notes chords
8) Alter some chords to include the 5#, or 2# notes of the harmonic minor or double harmonic minor, or other like 6#=7b. E.g. alter the 3m to 3M7 or to 3dim to include 2# etc
An relatively easy and safe way to produce mesmerizing monotone but beautiful "in the flows" improvisations , is to use scale of chords as in post 148. And in particular a very familiar scale of chords that are the chords of diatonic scale:
I , ii, ii, IV, V vi, vii, I' (=1M, 2m, 3m, 4M, 5M 6m, 7dim, 1M)
and in addition to an instrument tuned normal position open tuning fr 4-curses string instruments or harmonic tuning for a 6-courses guitar (see post 90) so that there is a densest possible opportunity of major or minor chords per number of frets.
Some of the variation techniques to walk this scale of chords are
1) Walk in the chromatic order up and down (all then only odds then only even)
2) Walk in the relative chords order up and down
3) Walk in the resolution or harmonic order by 4ths or 5th order up and down
4) Walk only the minor chords first descending and then the major chords ascending
5) Walk in the 4-notes chords (major 7nth extension of the chords) up and down, all then only even then only odd
6) Walk in a half scale (in the chromatic order) up down then other half up and down.
7) Walk in a random way either 3-note chords or 4 notes chords
8) Alter some chords to include the 5#, or 2# notes of the harmonic minor or double harmonic minor, or other like 6#=7b. E.g. alter the 3m to 3M7 or to 3dim to include 2# etc
For improvisational solos, that fit harmonically to each such 3-notes minimal number of fret chords, in the guitar (mainly 4-courses string guitar), the simple rule of 2 only notes outside the notes of the chords plus all notes of the triad chord and duration of the note in the average about equal is a rule that works very well.
THE BEST WAY TO LEARN THE FRETBOARD IN ANY OPEN TUNING (E.G, OVERTONES TUNINGS OR THE CURRENT TUNING IN THIS POST) IS BY CONCEIVING THE FRETBOARD AS OF A DIATONIC INSTRUMENT, MARK THE DEFAULT PREFERED DIATONIC SCALE ON THE FRETBOARD, AND LEARN THE 3-NOTE CHORDS NORMAL FORMS (ON 3 CONSECUTIVE STRINGS) IN THIS SCALE AND TUNING.
THEN FIGURE OUT THE BASIC 3 INVERSIONS OF A TRIAD CHORD (EQUIVALENT TO THE DEA-SYSTEM) AND CORRESPOND TO EACH INVERSION D, OR E OR A, THE MODE OF THE DIATONIC SCALE THAT IT GIVES.
THEN LEARN THE MINOR CHORDS HARMONIC TRIPLET OF CHORDS AND MAJOR CHORDS HARMONIC TRIPLET OF CHORDS OF THE DIATONIC SCALE WITH ANY CONVENIENT INVERSION ON THE FREBOARD.
THE GENERAL PATTERN OF PROGRESSIONS WITH ALTERNATING CHORD-RELATIONS OF
CHROMATIC-MELODIC ,CHROMATIC-HARMONIC , HARMONIC-MELODIC , HARMONIC-HARMONIC, MELODIC-MELODIC, CHROMATIC-CHROMATIC CHORD-TRANSITIONS.
This is a progressions X1->X2->X3->...->Xn where the Xi->Xi+1 and Xi+1->Xi+2 is an alternation of chord relation and transitions of the chromatic-melodic , chromatic-harmonic, melodic-harmonic, chromatic-chromatic, melodic-melodic or harmonic-harmonic relations.
MORE ON TRIAD CHORD RELATIONS AND THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL MEANING HERE
M symbolizes major chord m the minor chord and the number in between the distance of their roots in semitones
THE BEST WAY TO LEARN THE FRETBOARD IN ANY OPEN TUNING (E.G, OVERTONES TUNINGS OR THE CURRENT TUNING IN THIS POST) IS BY CONCEIVING THE FRETBOARD AS OF A DIATONIC INSTRUMENT, MARK THE DEFAULT PREFERED DIATONIC SCALE ON THE FRETBOARD, AND LEARN THE 3-NOTE CHORDS NORMAL FORMS (ON 3 CONSECUTIVE STRINGS) IN THIS SCALE AND TUNING.
THEN FIGURE OUT THE BASIC 3 INVERSIONS OF A TRIAD CHORD (EQUIVALENT TO THE DEA-SYSTEM) AND CORRESPOND TO EACH INVERSION D, OR E OR A, THE MODE OF THE DIATONIC SCALE THAT IT GIVES.
THEN LEARN THE MINOR CHORDS HARMONIC TRIPLET OF CHORDS AND MAJOR CHORDS HARMONIC TRIPLET OF CHORDS OF THE DIATONIC SCALE WITH ANY CONVENIENT INVERSION ON THE FREBOARD.
THE GENERAL PATTERN OF PROGRESSIONS WITH ALTERNATING CHORD-RELATIONS OF
CHROMATIC-MELODIC ,CHROMATIC-HARMONIC , HARMONIC-MELODIC , HARMONIC-HARMONIC, MELODIC-MELODIC, CHROMATIC-CHROMATIC CHORD-TRANSITIONS.
This is a progressions X1->X2->X3->...->Xn where the Xi->Xi+1 and Xi+1->Xi+2 is an alternation of chord relation and transitions of the chromatic-melodic , chromatic-harmonic, melodic-harmonic, chromatic-chromatic, melodic-melodic or harmonic-harmonic relations.
THE GENERAL PATTERN OF A CHROMATIC DOUBLE SCALE OF CHORDS
Here is an alternative way to produce not harmonic scales of chords (based on the harmonic relation of chords) but chromatic scales of chords based on the harmonic relation of chords but which still involve the other two chord relations the melodic and the harmonic
WE START WITH A CHROMATIC CADENZA OR ASCENZA in semitones 2->2->1 or 1-3-1 or 1-3-1-1-3-1 in harmonic and double harmonic minor scales, and we paralel chords rooted on such notes X1->X2->X3->X4 with chords
Y1->Y2->Y3->Y4, such that the relation of Xi with Yi is either in a relation of being relative chords (melodic relation of chords) or a 4th apart (harmonic relation of chords)
Of course the less total number of different chords that we may use is better and it sounds more familiar if such chords belong to an harmonic personality (diatonic or harmonic minor or double harmonic minor etc).We may use either minor or major chords.
TRIPLE ALTERNATION OF CHORD-TRANSITIONS
More generally and we paralel chords X1->X2->X3->...->Xn that are in one of the relations chromatic, melodic harmonic , with chords X1->X2->X3->...->Xn so that the relation of Xi with Yi is always constantly in one of the 3 basic relations relative chords (melodic relation of chords) or a 4th apart (harmonic relation of chords) .
When playing the scale as progression X1->Y1->X2->Y2->... it is equivalent with having a triple alternation of chord relation and transitions of the chromatic-melodic , chromatic-harmonic, melodic-harmonic, chromatic-chromatic, melodic-melodic or harmonic-harmonic relations and a third which is variable.
INCORPORATION OF MELODIC THEMES:
NEW STYLE OF FINGER PICKING WITH MINIMAL TRIADS AND MELODIC TRIAD THEMES ALONG A SINGLE STRING.
Here is an alternative way to produce not harmonic scales of chords (based on the harmonic relation of chords) but chromatic scales of chords based on the harmonic relation of chords but which still involve the other two chord relations the melodic and the harmonic
WE START WITH A CHROMATIC CADENZA OR ASCENZA in semitones 2->2->1 or 1-3-1 or 1-3-1-1-3-1 in harmonic and double harmonic minor scales, and we paralel chords rooted on such notes X1->X2->X3->X4 with chords
Y1->Y2->Y3->Y4, such that the relation of Xi with Yi is either in a relation of being relative chords (melodic relation of chords) or a 4th apart (harmonic relation of chords)
Of course the less total number of different chords that we may use is better and it sounds more familiar if such chords belong to an harmonic personality (diatonic or harmonic minor or double harmonic minor etc).We may use either minor or major chords.
TRIPLE ALTERNATION OF CHORD-TRANSITIONS
More generally and we paralel chords X1->X2->X3->...->Xn that are in one of the relations chromatic, melodic harmonic , with chords X1->X2->X3->...->Xn so that the relation of Xi with Yi is always constantly in one of the 3 basic relations relative chords (melodic relation of chords) or a 4th apart (harmonic relation of chords) .
When playing the scale as progression X1->Y1->X2->Y2->... it is equivalent with having a triple alternation of chord relation and transitions of the chromatic-melodic , chromatic-harmonic, melodic-harmonic, chromatic-chromatic, melodic-melodic or harmonic-harmonic relations and a third which is variable.
INCORPORATION OF MELODIC THEMES:
NEW STYLE OF FINGER PICKING WITH MINIMAL TRIADS AND MELODIC TRIAD THEMES ALONG A SINGLE STRING.
The minimal triads can be alternated with melodic themes to create a new style of finger picking with greater freedom in interaction of harmony with melody.
The simplicity rules here is that
1) Keep the melodic themes between minimal triad chords on a single string, and usually as perturbations of the privileged diatonic scale of the 4-courses fretboard so that when ending or starting a melodic theme, it is easy to chose the minimal chord triad that will contain the last (or first) note. Use translation ,inversion, isocratic expansion and mutation to the melodic themes. A mutation is usually by changing string and waving pattern of the melodic theme.
2) Prefer to combine melodic themes with minimal chord triads so that the note of the melody is the highest note of the triad. In this way we may create also nice triad-melodies (usually in ukulele playing) or 2-notes (voices) power chord melodies (usual in Bouzouki playing)
3) The horizontal soloing triads are 3 notes that are played in a single string and make a total of an interval of 3rd , or 4th or 5th fitting to a chord or also an interval of 2nd . They are in semitones the next 18.
Chromatic-Melodic 1-1, 1-2, 2-1 , 2-2 , 1-3, 3-1,
Harmonic 2-3, 3-2, 1-4, 4-1 , 1-6, 6-1, 5-2 , 2-5 , 3-4 , 4-3, 4-4, 3-3
From them those that have total length an interval of 2nd or 3rd may be called chromatic-melodic triads and are the next 6 , 1-1 , 1-2, 2-1 , 2-2 , 1-3, 3-1.
3) The horizontal soloing triads are 3 notes that are played in a single string and make a total of an interval of 3rd , or 4th or 5th fitting to a chord or also an interval of 2nd . They are in semitones the next 18.
Chromatic-Melodic 1-1, 1-2, 2-1 , 2-2 , 1-3, 3-1,
Harmonic 2-3, 3-2, 1-4, 4-1 , 1-6, 6-1, 5-2 , 2-5 , 3-4 , 4-3, 4-4, 3-3
From them those that have total length an interval of 2nd or 3rd may be called chromatic-melodic triads and are the next 6 , 1-1 , 1-2, 2-1 , 2-2 , 1-3, 3-1.
4) Irish music makes much use in the melodies of intervals of 3rd. This can be played with the minimal triads by converting the 3-notes chords to a 3-notes soling triads and adding also one of the previous chromatic triads in the melodic themes.
Notice that the soloing chromatic 4-notes or quadruples , defined by 4 notes sounded successively and with consecutive intervals of 2nds are the next 8 .
1-1-1, 1-2-1 , 2-1-1 ,1-1-2 , 2-2-1, 1-2-2 , 2-1-2 . 2-2-2
