Chop chord minors

[Rocky Top]

I was wondering if any of you could tell me if there was a way to make minor chords in a chop chord style (if that makes any sense)? I've been playing about 5 1/2 years and am self-taught. I learned to use chop chords after seeing Ricky Skaggs do it on tv not long after I got my first mando, but I was wondering if there was a way to make minors like that instead of having to make the actual chords out of a chord book. Any tips and secrets are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[wiremando]

I think all ay gotta do is ...take your index finger, and move it towards the nut one fret. Leave the others (fingers)lay way they are.

Just learnin myself though.

[Jim Broyles]

Sure. Lower the third 1/2 step. For the G chop it's 7-5-2-3, where your index finger is fretting a B note which is the third in a G major chord. Drop it to the first fret and play 7-5-1-3 and you have a G minor. Determine which note is the 3rd for any other chop chord and lower it one fret (1/2 step) to make it minor. This is where a basic knowledge of theory can help you.

[wiremando]

That one scares me!!!

I'm startin with the D minor, not as many fingers to worry about, plus it's not a SUPER SLINKY stretch, but a good excercise.

I'm also workin the 3 finger, open F chord, working the pinky stretch out, for that eventual G minor.

[Jim Broyles]

You can chop without using all 4 strings. I use 0-5-1-X to chop a Gm for "Kentucky Mandolin." I use 2-3-5-X for a Dm chop and move it around. Another minor chop is to barre and use the open Gm fingerings as a movable chop. For example, barre at the second fret and use your middle finger to fret the A string at 3 and your pinky to fret the E string at 5. This is A minor and the chord is named off the E or G string notes.

[Any Day Now]

I don't understand why people use monroe chop chord, there are easier ways to stop all 4 strings and make major or minor chords with proiper voice leading no less.

If you wanted to play an Am chop chord. Play the A on the G string (fret 2), E on the D string (fret 2), C on the A string (fret 3) and A on the E string (fret 5). If you get both the low A and E with one finger it is really easy.

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">e-5
a-3
d-2
g-2[/QUOTE]

[Any Day Now]

oops sorry, what he said ^^^

[Zako]

Well, as most people have experienced, a barre Am sounds kind of squeaky when played in that context and does not give the same boom-chuck effect (excuse the guitar-ism) that a Monroe chord does. I guess it has do do with the fact that when you do a Monroe chord you're stretching whereas when do a barre, you're squeezing either one finger onto two strings on two onto one fret. I hope that makes sense.
Also, A: Barre chords sound good otherwise,and B: do whatever works for you.

[AlanN]

Last night at Bluegrass Ridge, I sang Travellin' Kind, as off the CG Remembrances and Forecasts album. I actually was quoting the live version I have on tape from the old Vernon Valley bg fest in NJ, with Rick Allred pickin mandolin. I was using the chop E minor (9,5,7) and the chop A minor (9,7,3,5). It was mighty pahrful.

"The rich man has no use for me, nor have I any for he
He'll judge a man by the clothes he wears
Judge I a man by the burden he bears."

[Rocky Top]

Thanks everybody! You've been alot of help.