Difference between revisions of "G Major Chord"

The G major chord consists of the G, B, and D notes. Again, the major chord consists of a root note and its major third and perfect fifth above.

• C Major Chord - Be sure you read about chord basics before proceeding.

Here are the common open position shapes for a G major chord.

G  ||-|-|p|-|
D  ||-|-|r|-|
G  o|-|-|-|-|
D  o|-|-|-|-|
B  ||-|i|-|-|
G  ||-|-|m|-|  

G  ||-|-|p|-|
B  o|-|-|-|-|
G  o|-|-|-|-|
D  o|-|-|-|-|
B  ||-|m|-|-|
G  ||-|-|r|-|

G  ||-|-|r|-|
B  o|-|-|-|-|
G  o|-|-|-|-|
D  o|-|-|-|-|
B  ||-|i|-|-|
   ||-|-|-|-|

G  ||-|-|p|-|
B  o|-|-|-|-|
G  o|-|-|-|-|
D  o|-|-|-|-|
   ||-|-|-|-|
   ||-|-|-|-|

The first chart shows the classic rock position and fingering. It is rather easy to finger this way, and because you use the D (2nd string, 3rd fret) instead of open string B, you get more of a power chord feel - 3 roots (G), 2 fifths (D), and 1 major third (B).

The Alt 1 is the classical way to play a G chord. Notice it retains strict open position by using your ring finger on the low G on the 3rd fret. This is rather difficult to finger, especially for a beginner. But it's worth trying - once you develop your finger stretching enough to make the shape, it can help open up the left hand to more complex shapes. You can just use index, middle, and ring if necessary.

Also included are 1st and 2nd inversion.

In the key of C Major, G is the 5th note of the scale, and the G Major chord is thus called the V chord (that's the roman numeral five, not the letter 'v'). Its notes are the perfect 5th, major 7th, and major 9th (octave of the major 2nd) above the tonic note of the key. Note: like all major chords, it consists of a root and the M3 and P5 above the root. G is the root; B is a M3 above G; D is a P5 above G.

That last paragraph may be confusing. Rather than try to do all the distance math in our heads, it's simpler to say that the root of the V chord is a P5 above the tonic note, and that the V chord is a major chord. That is enough to quickly determine its member notes. And given that the V chord is diatonic to the major scale and that all basic triads consist of every other note from the root, we can simply skip the A and C to get (G B D). At this point it may be easier to simply memorize the notes. Later, you'll see why the intervallic relationships matter, start to understand all the patterns, and see how multiple methodologies point to the same results.

   C    G    B    D    - Notes
B--1----8----12---15-
   |-P5-|              \
   |---M7----|          > distances from the tonic note of the C Major key
   |------M9------|    /
        U              \
        |-M3-|          > distances from the root note of the G major chord
        |---P5----|    /

The V Chord is unambiguously a dominant function' chord, also called the dominant chord. This means it produces a large amount of tension and "wants" to resolve to a tonic-function chord, such as the I chord. The 7th note of the major scale is called the leading tone because it naturally "wants" to resolve up a half step to the tonic note. The B note in the G major chord is the leading tone of the key of C Major and wants to resolve up a half-step up to C. The root note of the V chord is also the fifth of the I chord, making its transition from the V chord to the I chord seamless. The G in the G chord becomes the 5th of the C chord (C E G) without changing. However, it can alternatively descend from G to the E of C major. The 5th of the V chord is the 9th or 2nd of the scale, which isn't in the I chord. For a G chord, this is the D note. It can descend one whole-step to the root note of the I chord (C) for a very peaceful resolution or ascend one whole-step to the major 3rd of the I chord (E) for a richer harmony.

The V - I progression is called an authentic cadence, which the harmonic equivalent of the leading tone to tonic note in melody. It is the strongest way to establish tonality, moving from the strongest tension to the strongest resolution.

   G           C
   V           I
E--3-----------0-------------
B--3-----------1-------------
G--0-----------0-------------
D--0-----------2-------------
A--2-----------3-------------
E--3-------------------------

Here's a piece of tab. Above the tab lines there's the chord names - G and C. Below that are V and I. Tab or sheet music is often marked with these roman numerals to identify the harmonic function of that part of the music.

Note: This assumes that we are in the key of C Major. If for instance, we were in the key of G Major, the markings would instead be I and IV. Given that any piece of music can have multiple ways to interpret the key and even which chords are being sounded, there is no one correct way to interpret the music. However, usually pieces tend to begin or, more importantly, end on the tonic note/chord. We can use that as a starting point, then analyze the harmonic movement we get. For the above example, if we were in the key of G Major, we'd have a I - IV transition, which is considered to build tension rather than relieve it. Using the key of C Major instead we have a V - I cadence, the strongest and most "satisfying" chord progression. So it makes more sense to assume we're in the key of C Major with a V - I chord progression. That appears more likely to be the intent of the composer and how most audiences will perceive it.

The above example is pretty boring, both to listen and to play. Let's get into strumming.

C       |G       |C       |G       |C
q q q q |h   q q |h   h   |h.    q |w 

So admittedly this isn't the most entertaining chord progression or strumming pattern, but it adds more variety. The chord changes each measure. The first measure is just 4 quarter notes - there is no rhythmic variation, just a direct on-beat strum. The 2nd measure mixes it up a little, using a half note for the first two beats, then 2 quarter notes to finish the measure. This gives a bit more emphasis to the downbeat.

The third measure has a note duration we haven't talked about yet. This is a dotted half note. Any note that has a dot behind it gets 1.5x its normal lengh. So a dotted half note lasts as long as one half note + one quarter note. A dotted quarter note lasts one quarter note + one eighth note. In this case, the dotted half note takes up the first 3 beats of the measure. The final measure is just a whole note on the C Major chord.

NOTE: I'm saying quarter "note" and half "note", but really you are strumming multiple notes that make up the chord. Saying "quarter note" is really just short-hand for saying "each note of the chord has the same duration as a quarter note".

Swing Feel

Sometimes to make simple rhythms a little more interesting, musicians employ a swing feel. Basically, it takes two notes of equal duration and makes the first one a little longer and the second one shorter. The most typical rhythm uses a triplet, which we will cover later. However, a swing feel does not have to be strict. For now, consider a swing feel as though two quarter notes sound more like a dotted quarter note and an eighth note. This creates a rhythm similar to an accented downbeat with a leading upbeat rhythm, but it does so for every beat.

There are no strict rules to a swing feel. You may choose places where you abandon the feel and play strict time. You may overemphasize or underemphasize the swing feel by making the first note far longer than written or just a touch longer.

               1     2     3     4
Strict Time   -x-----x-----x-----x-----|
Swing Feel 1  -x------x----x------x----|
Swing Feel 2  -x-------x---x-------x---|
Swing Feel 3  -x--------x--x--------x--|
               1     2     3     4

The above tab demonstrates visually how a swing feel impacts timing. Strict time plays directly on the beat, while swing time delays every other note a bit. Swing feel 3 is the dotted quarter/eighth note feel, which really emphasizes the swing. Feel 2 is the triplet approach - dividing the beat into 3rds and playing on the 1st and 3rd divisions. Feel 1 falls somewhere in between this and strict time and would actually be a bit difficult to notate.

Similarly, sometimes musicians play ahead or behind the beat (even on the 1 and 3 beat, not just the 2 and 4). This means they are technically off-time, but if done very subtly, it sounds musical instead of sounding like a mistake.

Bass/Strum

Another way to make simple chord progressions more interesting is to play a bass/strum pattern. This is where you play the bass note on one beat, then strum the rest of (or whole) chord on the next.

  C           G           C
E----0-----0-|---3-----3-|0--------
B----1-----1-|---3-----3-|1--------
G----0-----0-|---0-----0-|0--------
D----2-----2-|---0-----0-|2--------
A-3-(3)-3-(3)|---2-----2-|3--------
E------------|3-(3)-3-(3)|---------

Notice that the bass notes are carried over to the next beat. They can even be strummed again if desired. Even though I explicitly marked the notes to carry over, it is implied in a bass/strum pattern. But that doesn't mean you have to. It's a pretty subtle thing - try it all three ways: carry the bass note to the next beat but don't strum, strum the bass note in addition to the other notes, and mute the bass note when strumming the other notes.

While the other notes are not explicitly marked to carry into the next beat, it is ok to do so while on that chord. For instance, you can hold the chord and allow it to sustain into the 3rd beat of the 1st measure, but you shouldn't let the C Major chord sustain into the G Major on the 1st beat of the 2nd measure.

This is quite a bit more engaging than straight strummed quarter note chords, eh?

Inversion Bass/Strum

  C     C/G   C     C/G   G     G/B   G     G/B   C
E----0-----0-|---0-----0-|---3-----3-|---3-----3-|0--------
B----1-----1-|---1-----1-|---3-----3-|---3-----3-|1--------
G----0-----0-|---0-----0-|---0-----0-|---0-----0-|0--------
D----2-----2-|---2-----2-|---0-----0-|---0-----0-|2--------
A-3----------|3----------|---2--2--2-|---2--2--2-|3--------
E-------3----|------3----|3----------|3----------|---------

Here the C Major chord alternates from root position to 2nd Inversion with its perfect fifth (G) in the bass. The G Major chord alternates between root position and 1st inversion with its major third (B) in the bass. Notice how this has much more of a sense of movement than the simple bass/strum example above. We stay on each chord for 2 measures instead of just one, but it doesn't feel boring.

Also, notice the B in the bass of the 1st inversion G Major chord cleanly ascends one half-step to the bass note of the C Major chord. This is good voice leading and should seem quite natural - a bit easier on the ears than going from root position G Major to C Major.

• Practice the open position G major chord shapes including inversions.
• Know that the G major chord consists of (G B D).
• Know that the chord based on the 5th note of the major scale is called the Dominant or V chord, and it's primary harmonic function is to resolve to the Tonic or I chord.
• Practice strumming in swing time, using an upstroke-strum for the shortened backbeat, although at this point the swing is up to you to determine. It should feel comfortable and musical.
  • When playing to a metronome, use two strokes per beat, so your down-strum is always on the beat, with the upstrum a bit before the next beat. This will keep you from having confusing clicks near your upstrum.
• Practice playing the C and G Major chords using a bass/strum pattern.

• 1st and 2nd Strings - Intervals
• C Major Chord
• F Major Chord
• E Minor, D Minor, and A Minor Chords
• Other Open String Chords