There are three chord shapes that make up basic guitar chords: the Important shape, the Less shape and the Dominant seventh form. All of these chord shapes are derived from the major scales. Once you learn these chord shapes, you will be able to decipher and play most rock songs.
You can begin to recognize the different chord shapes by the sound they generate. There are some who even classify chord shape by the emotion that a chord can evoke when you hear it.
For example, a major chord ‘sounds’ complete, as if there were no missing notes. I’ve heard them call them “happy” chords, because they just sound full and upbeat. On the other hand, minor chords have a darker tone, almost a “sad” sound. Dominant seventh chords have a bluesy tone, a kind of unresolved sound, like you’ve lost something.
Regardless of chord shape, basic guitar chords are built from a set three-note formula, also called triad. You have a root note, the third note, and the fifth note. The root note is the first note in a scale, the third is, you got it, the third note, and the fifth is the fifth note.
So a major chord incorporates the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the scale. Since note 1 is the root note, it may be displayed as ‘R’ for the root note.
A minor chord consists of the root note, a flat third note, and the fifth note, noted like this: R, b3, 5
A dominant seventh chord simply adds a flat seventh note to a major chord. It would look like this: R, 3, 5, b7
Since a musical scale has seven notes (at least in western music, which includes rock), we can begin to understand how to create these guitar chords.
To keep it simple, let’s look at the C major scale. This is the easiest to demonstrate because each note on the C scale is a major note (the scale itself has no sharps or flats). Here are the notes in the C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B
Using the above explanation (notes R, 3 and 5 of the scale), a C major chord (C) would be the notes C, E and G. The CA minor chord (Cm) are the notes C, Eb (E flat) and G. The CA dominant seventh chord (C7) is C, E, G and Bb (B flat).
If this sounds like too much theory, don’t worry too much. Song tablature (tabs) typically shows where to place your fingers to form basic guitar chords. But the better you understand ‘asIf these chords are formed, it will be easier to learn and play most guitar chords for rock songs.