Chord sub

[dwc]

My friends and I play alot of rock/alternative/jam band stuff, but I am basicly a two-trick pony. I play alot of counter-melody (Think Ruster Root), but sometimes I need to strum away if the song is really simple. For these songs I use alot of partials and two-finger chords. Currently, we are working up "Runaway Train" By Soul Asylum, basic C/Em/Am/G (I think) with a bridge. I just can't get a good sounding Em. The C, the Am and the G are full and deep, but when I fret the Em it is piercing and whiny. Can anyone think of an Em voicing that would be deeper/fuller or perhaps a chord sub. i've tried a G, but the tonality doesn't quite jive with the guitar. Any thoughts or ideas?

[Jon Hall]

Here are a couple I use (4th - 3rd - 2nd - 1st)

4--5--7--0
4 - 2 - 2 - 0

[AlanN]

To get the most 'open sounding' Em, try 0-2-2-0, that may mitigate the tinny sound.

[Perry]

I'm not familiar with the tune but based on the chord progression here's a "thunky" sounding double stop line using just 3rds and 7ths over the whole progression. I like playing stuff like this with a real percussive (choked) feel to add drive to rock n roll type tunes. Note: you dampen the top (highest) strings. I find that double stops like this not only cut through the din in loud band situations but add to the overall sound without clashing two much with guitars and keys.

x x x x
x x x x
5 5 2 0
9 7 5 4

C Em Am G


Here's an alternative using random chord tones:

x x x x
x x x x
5 5 2 5
5 9 2 4

C Em Am G

[PhilGE]

To get the most 'open sounding' Em, try 0-2-2-0, that may mitigate the tinny sound.

This works well when I'm strumming away.

[drelb]

Maybe try 0223.

[James P]

Try 4250 for an Em7.
2530 follows as an alternate Am7.

Might start sounding too interesting tho'.

[dwc]

Thanks, the 0-2-2-0 sound pretty good. I can use it in a variety of situations, I think it will smooth out my Uncle John's Band as well. I lean heavily on the Chord Charts in Ohmsen's MTfMM, but that one wasn't in there. It also isn't on the Cafe 2 Finger Chord list. So, what is it? Its really G-E-B-E which is a b3-1-5-1.

[Walter Newton]

#So, what is it? Its really G-E-B-E which is a b3-1-5-1.

It's a perfectly valid Em - ANY combination of E, G, and B - Root, b3, and 5 - is an Em chord. #Books and charts will give you one or two options, but there are many ways to play any chord.

[John Flynn]

One I really like is 4-2-2-3, barring the 2nd fret, middle finger on the E string and the ring finger on the G string. I use that all the time. A cool one that is great for crosspicking is X-9-10-0.

[earthsave]

Maybe try 0223.

I like this one or is it 0224? Dang, where's that mando when you need it?

[AlanN]

The naming convention is low to high, so 0223 it is.

[ApK]

#So, what is it? Its really G-E-B-E which is a b3-1-5-1.

It's a perfectly valid Em - ANY combination of E, G, and B - Root, b3, and 5 - is an Em chord. #Books and charts will give you one or two options, but there are many ways to play any chord.

And, actually, you could probably come up with any number of enharmonic namings, but strictly speaking, in this context, with the G in the bass position, it's an E minor, first inversion (with an octave E added).

ApK

[jmcgann]

I like to violate the rules of theory completely and use 'good sounding notes' along with Official Chord Tones, so i might use the following:

9500
12 0 0 0
7200
0950
2250
7400

It really depends on the context (including who you are playing with and how orthodox their attitude toward this stuff is). Life gets really interesting when you weave in 'notes from the scale' with chord tones to create unusual sonoroties.

Just remember the accompanist's credo:

First, do no harm.

and the second:

Best know the box pretty well before you think outside of it.

[Jim Broyles]

John, you'd really stick that A natural in an Em chord? Not that there's anything wrong with that... No, I know what you mean. Very often suspension or other tension creating notes really sound cool. I don't know about that 7-4-0-0 though. Sounds more like a D9 than any kind of Em. Yeah, I know it's an Em9sus4, but that {D - F#} really suggests D major to me, especially after a C major chord. Sounds like you're going I- II.

[acousticphd]

I use 4520 quite a bit.

[jfbrown42]

I use 0220 for Em.

[Martin Jonas]

I use 4520 quite a bit.

Same here, and I've always wondered why it isn't quoted more often. Sounds great (to me) and is so easy to change to from the two-finger open G.

Similarly, I tend to use 5200 for Amin, which also seems a rare choice.

Martin

[earthsave]

I use 4520 quite a bit.

Same here, and I've always wondered why it isn't quoted more often. #Sounds great (to me) and is so easy to change to from the two-finger open G.

Similarly, I tend to use 5200 for Amin, which also seems a rare choice.

Martin

Those are the Em and Am shapes I use too. But mostly use this for Em 4220, or 422x, or 42xx.

For Am, basically hold the C chord and leave out the middle finger or pick up the middle finger.

Sometimes I just hit the two bass strings and leave out the open.

It works find in a band situation since some other instrument or more is hitting the full chord.

[jmcgann]

I use 4520 quite a bit.

Same here, and I've always wondered why it isn't quoted more often. Sounds great (to me) and is so easy to change to from the two-finger open G.

If it sounds good to you, go for it. I wouldn't use it, because to my ears the doubled 5th makes it sound weak.

I don't know about that 7-4-0-0 though. Sounds more like a D9 than any kind of Em.

Definetly assuming a band context there, with someone else 9at least a bass player) covering the low E. My chord concepts here are based on a non-solo-mando context.

[mandroid]

I offer> Dm [2001] shifted up 2 frets Em 4223 .. in a movable barre chord form,
as is 4577, based on an open [0133]Cm.

[Elliot Luber]

Man, If I didn't know these were chord fingerings I'd think I was watching two computers clearing a credit card purchase. 0223, 0224, 4570... The scary thing, of course, is it all makes sense to me.

[JeffA]

One I use a lot is 0-2-2-3

[AlanN]

also 9-5-7, 9-9-10-12

[david blair]

suprised no one mentioned this one. It also works as a G for crosspicking. Minor/major relation.

0520