I've tried this before, but........

[Soupy1957]

Seems no matter how hard I try, I manage to not describe chord structures correctly when I have a question, but I'll give it another shot........patience folks.....hold on to your hats...

You know better than I that there are many repeatable chord patterns on the mando.......let's start there.

Go to your typical four-finger Bluegrass "G" chord (Starting from the G string, I see 7523)........now slide everything down 2 frets, (5301?) forcing the pointer finger off the strings altogether.

What chord is that? I found out, quite happily, that it works in certain songs this morning!!

-Soupy1957

[Steve L]

F major

[Soupy1957]

thanks Steve..........

[MikeEdgerton]

Soupy, it's like a barre chord in the guitar world. Think about it. Slide it up two, what would that be? It works the same way. The truth is you learn a few basic shapes and you can at least fake the majority of the chords if you know the position.

[Mike Bunting]

It would help to learn a scale.
http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/theory/intervals.htm#keys

[AlanN]

Watch The Sound Of Music. Pay attention to the songs.

[MikeEdgerton]

Watch The Sound Of Music. Pay attention to the songs.

Warn me next time you do that.

[Rob Gerety]

Also helps to know where the root is located in the shape. Then when you move the shape you look a that finger and you know the name of the chord.

Also helps, especially with that shape, to understand the 1 4 5 triangle pattern using that particular shape - its always the same. Briad Liard's book taught me that and as a rank beginner the next day I was able to play chords behind pretty much every tune imaginable at my Thursday night jam. The minor chords fit into the pattern as well so in literally two or three days of practice I was able to play the diatonic chords in every key on the mandolin in at least one way. Amazingly simple really. It took me 10 years to get to that point on guitar. Of course - then it started getting a lot more complex. :mad:

So, using that shape - but for a moment drop off the pinky and make it a three finger chord, don't play the string the pinky was supposed to be on - and don't play any open strings (the E string will be open now and then). Take the G chord using that three finger shape and notice that the root - G - is on the E string played with your middle finger. Now, move the entire shape up one STRING - toward your head. So the middle finger is now on the A string - third fret which is a C note. Voila - you are now playing the 4 chord in the key of G.

Next, take that 3 finger C chord and move it up the fret board two frets - so the middle finger is now on the A string 5th fret - which is a D note. Voila - you are now playing the 5 chord in the key of G.

You can move this all over the fret board and pretty much cover F# through C or C#.

Then there is a mirror image pattern that catches the rest of the keys - C# through F or F#. Take the same 3 finger chord shape. Only this time start by placing your middle finger (the root) on the A string 5th fret which is a D note and a D major chord (don't play the E string for now). Now move that same shape down a string and down two frets so that your middle finger is on the E string 3rd fret - that is the G chord or the 4 of the key of D. Now, slide up two frets (one full step) and voila - the 5 chord - A.

Two mirror image triangles with one 3 finger shape and you have the 145 in every key. Brad explains it a lot better with visuals - so you might think about buying his book.

Minors later.

[Soupy1957]

neat stuff, ya'll.....

-Soupy1957

[Ted Eschliman]

F major

So many "secrets" to the mandolin. Throw a G-chop back two frets; you get an F. The shape of the holes on my mandolin--F.

Coincidence? I think not...

[bonny]

Also helps to know where the root is located in the shape. Then when you move the shape you look a that finger and you know the name of the chord.


That is a serious understatement.
Knowing the root is useful not just to move the same shape chord into different keys but also to be able to play the same chord voiced in different ways. I've been playing mandolin less than a year but knowing some theory I've figured out five usable voicings of a basic G chord in the first position....that's the first finger on the (first or) second fret. Now I'm working on doing that with 7th, Major 7th and Maj6 chords. Minor chords are on the list too but I haven't gotten to exploring past the basics yet. Something else I'm getting under my hands is that I don't always have to play the root of the chord for it to be effective. I guarantee that if you pursue this and learn basic chord/scale theory as the sun rises on this knowledge you will experience much joy.

ADVISE: TAKE A FEW LESSONS.
Even if you can't find a mandolin teacher someone who plays a different instrument can very effectively show you this stuff. Books are a great tool but initially this is a pretty abstract way of thinking and having a person to explain and show you the same thing in several different ways (one of the things a good teacher often does) can smooth the path immensely. After thirty-five years of being a musician I still take a single lesson occasionally when I have questions I need help with.

[Mandophyte]

Rob,

Which of Brad Laird's many books are you recommending?

TA!

[Rob Gerety]

That is a serious understatement.

ADVISE: TAKE A FEW LESSONS.

I totally agree. But, you can teach yourself an awful lot these days with all the excellent teaching materials out there and some of us have a tough time with the cost associated with private lessons. So, if you can swing it - yes, take lessons from a good teacher. But if you can't afford the time or the money - don't give up. You can still get there - the learning curve will be longer though. No doubt about it.

The root locations in all the chord shapes is the tip of the ice berg - but look how much just that little bit of information helps! I also agree that a lot of music knowledge is totally transferable between instruments. Ain't it great!

[MikeEdgerton]

So many "secrets" to the mandolin. Throw a G-chop back two frets; you get an F. The shape of the holes on my mandolin--F.

Coincidence? I think not...

Slide it north and you get the Canadian chord, eh? These things are a mystery known only to a select few.

[Mike Bunting]

Slide it north and you get the Canadian chord, eh?

:)) Gotta remember that!

[MikeEdgerton]

You of all people should be familiar with the Canadian key as well, eh?

[CES]

I thought the only thing they cared about was hockey???

[CES]

Eh?

[Jim Broyles]

Would have been funny if you had written hoc-KEY Then the joke would have been obvious.:)

[chasray]

Slide it north and you get the Canadian chord, eh? These things are a mystery known only to a select few.

slide it south two frets from G and you got A, the chord that starts Mexicali Rose as recorded by Gene Autry.

[Rob Gerety]

If your playing a D in Denver and you slip left a whole step you'll wind up in California, way left of center.

The Laird book I was referring to is titled The Mandolin Master Class.

[Jim Broyles]

slide it south two frets from G and you got A, the chord that starts Mexicali Rose as recorded by Gene Autry.
Can you please explain this? I'm dense or something.

[f#54]

[QUOTE=MikeEdgerton;701951]Slide it north and you get the Canadian chord, eh? These things are a mystery known only to a select few.[/QUOTE
:confused::whistling:

[gregjones]

Thanks, you all have me confused. I forgot where I'm going. I guess I'll keep going forward and break out the map book in a few days.

[Mike Bunting]

I thought the only thing they cared about was hockey???
Ouch!
:crying:

[bonny]

There a plenty of things Canadians care about besides hockey.
Like for example:
Beer
Ice Fishing
Beer
Curling
Beer
Snowmobiles
Beer
Chainsaws
Beer
Poutine & Beer
Leonard Cohen
&
Toques

I'm really sorry for goin' off topic and all, eh.

[man dough nollij]

It's a well known fact that there are only twelve things Canadians are interested in. I'm surprised that our Canadian members have not explained this.

Eight comic books
Seven packs of smokes
Six packs of Tuborg
Five golden tuques
Four pounds a back bacon
Three French toast
Two turtlenecks
And a beeer in a tree.

That's aboat twelve, eh?

[Soupy1957]

It's amazing to me how threads in here migrate to other topics! How in heck did we get on "Canadians?"
-Soupy1957

[JeffD]

Watch The Sound Of Music. Pay attention to the songs.
:))

[Charley wild]

It's amazing to me how threads in here migrate to other topics! How in heck did we get on "Canadians?"
-Soupy1957

Soup, we did it to you again, buddy. You start 'em we'll divert 'em!
Canadian's are great, man, I came with in six miles of being one. Canadian radio stations was where I got most of my Country music back in the 40's and 50's including a lot of great French and Scots fiddle tunes!!:grin:

[MikeEdgerton]

It's amazing to me how threads in here migrate to other topics! How in heck did we get on "Canadians?"
-Soupy1957

It had to do with a key question, eh?

[jbrwky]

What I don't know about music could fill a book.

[Mike Bunting]

It's amazing to me how threads in here migrate to other topics! How in heck did we get on "Canadians?"
-Soupy1957
And you spell it C eh N eh D eh. And don't you forget it, eh!

[MikeEdgerton]

:))