Chord formation help.................please.

Ray Anderson · Post by **Ray Anderson** » 9 Oct 2012 4:07 pm

On fret 5 no peddles (A), up to fret 8 A&B F lever then to fret 10 no peddles. Is that a valid chord on fret 8 with A&B F lever? If so, what is it called?

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 9 Oct 2012 4:47 pm

That's just another inversion of an A chord. If you're moving to 10th fret no pedals, try an A7, by leaving out (or hitting, then releasing) the A pedal, using only the F lever.

Michael Hummel · Post by **Michael Hummel** » 9 Oct 2012 4:54 pm

First of all, any chord is "valid". Of course some are more useful than others!

I just reviewed Jeff Newman's E9 Chord Dictionary, so hopefully I can help

8th fret, A/B/F (haha, wouldn't you know it -- my F lever is broken at the moment so I had to fake it) is what I would call F augmented (F, A, C#), but it has the same notes as an A augmented (A, C# F). (Jeff Newman points out that an augmented can be substituted with an augmented 4 frets up if I have that right).

A I Chord (in your case A) moving to a IV Chord (D) can use a I augmented as a nice passing chord.

I would highly recommend Jeff Newman's Chord Dictionary DVD if you are trying to learn more about chords.

Mike

Chris Reesor · Post by **Chris Reesor** » 9 Oct 2012 4:57 pm

Actually, in this context, moving from I to IV (A to D, 8AB plus F is A aug, which works fine as a passing chord. Same function to move from 8AB (F, I chord,) to 6 no pedals. (Bb, IV chord).

CR.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 9 Oct 2012 5:08 pm

If anyone else onstage with you plays the G note, though (not unexpected), the augmented would clash.
OTOH, if someone plays the augmented, the 7 would clash.
A, C#, E, F, G would get a mite thick.
But then you've moved past theory into taste (okay, now I've learned what this stuff is, so what do I do with it?).

Ray Anderson · Post by **Ray Anderson** » 9 Oct 2012 5:19 pm

Thanks guys, Yes I was using that as a passing chord, it sounded good and I kind of surprised myself with it. Took some of the "vanilla" out the melody. My taste is changing somewhat as this is the ending of my 2nd year learning. I'm starting to incorporate more 7th & 9th and etc. and it does make a big difference in your sound and tone. I will have one of those Newman chord dictionaries as soon as one comes back up on the Forum for sale. Thanks again.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 9 Oct 2012 5:28 pm

Aren't they available from www.Jeffran.com still?

Michael Hummel · Post by **Michael Hummel** » 10 Oct 2012 5:34 am

Aren't they available from www.Jeffran.com still?

Yes. I got one two weeks ago.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Oct 2012 8:01 am

The A, B & F combination gives you an augmented chord.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 10 Oct 2012 8:05 am

Oops. I don't know why I didn't see the B pedal in the original post.
For the record, I rarely suffer from CAIS¹, but I did up there.

¹Cranio-Anal Impaction Syndrome.

Michael Hummel · Post by **Michael Hummel** » 10 Oct 2012 8:16 am

Are my posts invisible to everyone but me?

8th fret, A/B/F (haha, wouldn't you know it -- my F lever is broken at the moment so I had to fake it) is what I would call F augmented (F, A, C#), but it has the same notes as an A augmented (A, C# F). (Jeff Newman points out that an augmented can be substituted with an augmented 4 frets up if I have that right).

Being a newbie, I guess I haven't built up enough credibility here on the forum to be taken seriously.

Rick Johnson · Post by **Rick Johnson** » 11 Oct 2012 4:16 am

Ray,
I thought you were gonna try and come
over some weekend?

Rick

www.rickjohnsoncabinets.com

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 11 Oct 2012 5:08 am

Michael, Chris responded to you, clarifying that since the OP was in A it'd fit better under the name A augmented (since F natural doesn't readily occur in A).
And you were first with the right answer (because I hadn't, apparently, learned to read)

Will Cowell · Post by **Will Cowell** » 11 Oct 2012 8:20 am

Well he sort of did, Lane, but it wasn't obvious he was answering Michael. But Michael, you are quite right. And tasteful use of the Aug chord is IMHO part of moving out of the newbies' class when it comes to choosing chords to play. Take heart!

Will C

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 11 Oct 2012 8:46 am

The A, B & F combination gives you an augmented chord and the A, B & E combination gives you a 9th chord. Both combinations very useful in making music.

Michael Hummel · Post by **Michael Hummel** » 11 Oct 2012 9:39 am

The A, B & F combination gives you an augmented chord and the A, B & E combination gives you a 9th chord.

Erv, I'm confused.

Again using the 8th fret as an example, A+B+F gives F augmented or A augmented (F, A, C# if you play strings 4,5,6. If by "E" lever you mean the lever that lowers the Es (I call it the "D" lever) then the notes are F, A, B, which doesn't seem like a 9th to me. Looks like an Fb5.

Where am I missing the boat? Maybe you are playing other grips?

Mike

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 11 Oct 2012 10:28 am

You won't get the F9th chord at the 8th fret with the A, B & E combination, you will get the G9th chord.
For an F9th, you'll need to drop back to the 6th fret. On the 6th fret with the B & E combination, you'll get a F7th chord, add the A and you get the 9th chord.

Michael Hummel · Post by **Michael Hummel** » 11 Oct 2012 11:36 am

Ahhh, I knew something was missing (the bass player is playing the root (G)) !!!

Thanks Erv.

Ray Anderson · Post by **Ray Anderson** » 11 Oct 2012 2:46 pm

Hey Michael, I do appreciate your help and you were absolutely correct. A aug and as Erv stated a swing to the E lever would give you a G9th. Happened to find this in my Newman course ( Chord Connection). E lever and Bpedal gives you the 7th add A and it gies you the 9th.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 11 Oct 2012 2:50 pm

Michael, one of the things as you move out if the newbie class is that you realize the rest of the band around you has the basic notes of the chord covered; you can leave them out. That's why a ii minor chord can stand in for a dom7 of the 5 chord: you have (assume key of D, the band has yer A chord covered, and you hit fret 1 with the A pedal) E G B. The cats around you have the A and C#, so you're filling out a A9.

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 16 Oct 2012 7:02 pm

When going from a 1 to a 4 and you don't think the other band members will catch it you can use the augmented in a quick little run to the 4.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Chord formation help.................please.

Chord formation help.................please.

passing chord...