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And Let's try the same thing but using 5ths: fig. 116
Those Perfect 5ths are also called "power chords"Very similar - only one tritone or diminished 5th (the fingering is the same as the example for 4ths). Again, it's easiest to use the index and ring fingers to make the perfect 5th shape and shift positions as you move up the fretboard, which is switching out the ring finger for the middle finger (or moving the ring finger back a staple of rock and roll musicfret) when you reach the tritone. They might You may notice the 5ths sound a little weird on rather similar to the 1st 4ths. Remember that 4ths and 2nd strings5ths are the most harmonious intervals, but try playing around with that shape on the 5th ratios of 4:3 and 6th strings!3:2, respectively.
One last thing about intervals Figure 8 first demonstrates an E- the name used is determined whether you are calculating the distance above or below a given pitch. For exampleB P5 interval and its inversion, G is 7 semitones above C, making it a Perfect 5th above C. HoweverB-E P4 interval, it is only 5 semitones below then an E-C, making it a perfect 4th below C. Similarly, a G is a perfect 5th above C, but a C is only a perfect 4th above G. Typically, we default to above m6 interval and use the lowest of the 2 pitches in question as the base. For exampleits inversion, if we are playing a C on the 2nd string in open position with the -E on the 1st string above it, we would call that a Major 3rd, not a Minor 6thM3 interval.
→Intervals
Two notes form an ''interval''. The distance between them determines what they are called and what they sound like when played together or in sequence. '''Understanding intervals IS understanding harmony.''' Let's look at all the possible intervals.
=== All Intervals ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Table 1
|}
Where the names have ()'s around a word in the description, that word is commonly optional, and often omitted. Major 2nd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, and minor 7th are all implied by 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 7th. Let's hear some of the different intervals: fig. 2 e-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-- b-5--6--7--8--9--10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17- u m2 M2 m3 M3 P4 T P5 m6 M6 m7 M7 o Figure 2 starts on E on both the 1st and 2nd strings. The 2nd string moves up one fret each time: F, F#, G, G#, A, etc. This allows us to hear all the intervals named in the tables above; however, we are hearing them all against the common note of E, not C. That we are using E instead of C is immaterial. '''Intervals have their own unique sound, and a major 3rd between E and G# will sound the same compared to a major 3rd between C and E. Only the pitches are different; the relative distance and harmonic interaction between each pair of notes is the same.''' The line below the tab indicates the interval. Notice how nasty the m2 and T intervals are. the M7 can also be a bit nasty, but because there's more space between the notes, it sounds less harsh. === Diatonic Intervals ===Also, when we may occasionally omit the major/minor descriptor. For instance, we may say that C - E is a 3rd without qualifying whether it is a major 3rd or minor 3rd. Or we may say we're going to play a harmony line a 3rd above any given melody; this , which will more than likely include both major and minor 3rds, as seen below. Let's look at the intervals from two different perspectives inside the key of C Major:
{| class="wikitable"
|}
Inside any particular major scale, every note has a different set of intervals for all the other notes in the same key. In C Major, C and A both have major 2nd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th intervals but have different 3rd, 6th, and 7ths. Let's hear some of the different intervals: fig. 2 e-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-- b-5--6--7--8--9--10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17- u m2 M2 m3 M3 P4 T P5 m6 M6 m7 M7 o Figure 2 starts on E on both the 1st and 2nd strings. The 2nd string moves up one fret each time: F, F#, G, G#, A, etc. This allows us to hear all the intervals named in the tables If we added a harmony line a 3rd above; however, we are hearing them all against the common note of Emelody, not C. That we are using E instead of C is immaterial. '''Intervals d have their own unique sound, and a major 3rd between E and G# will sound when the same compared to a major 3rd between melody played C (C and - E. Only the pitches are different; the relative distance and harmonic interaction between each pair of notes is the same.''' The line below the tab indicates the interval. Notice how nasty the m2 and T intervals are. the M7 can also be a bit nasty), but because there's more space between a minor third when the notes, it sounds less harshmelody played A (A - C).
Let's look at only the intervals listed in tables 2 and 3:
fig. 73
e-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--
b-5--7--9--10-12-14-16-17-
u M2 M3 P4 P5 M6 M7 o
fig. 8 4
e-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--
b-5--7--8--10-12-13-15-17-
Notice the difference in the 3rds, 6ths, and 7ths.
=== Harmony in 4ths and 5ths ===Time for an exercise. Let's play the C major scale with a constant interval above it. First we'll use 4ths. Figure 5 shows chord charts for how to finger the 4th intervals in 4ths:open and other positions. fig. 5 Perfect 4th Tritone |o|-| |i|-| |m|-| |r|-| |-|i| |-|m| |-|r| |-|r| |o|-| |i|-| |i|-| |m|-| |o|-| |i|-| |m|-| |i|-| open ------ other ------ open ------ other ------
These are pretty much the only ways to do it comfortably - you have a lot of options. figTry them all and determine which one is the most comfortable for you. 9 For the Perfect 4th Tritonethat uses the index finger on both strings, you just flatten the finger, '''using your fingerprint to fret both strings'''. |o|-| |i|-| |m|-| |-|i| |-|m| |-|r| |o|-| |i|-| |i|-| |o|-| |i|-| |m|-| open other open otherThis breaks from the desired technique of using your finger tip, but it actually happens quite a lot and shouldn't be viewed with any kind of taboo.
fig. 106
e-1--3--5--7--8--10-12-13
b-1--3--5--6--8--10-12-13-
P P P T P P P P
Notice the major scale only contains one tritone or augmented 4th. I find it's easiest to flatten the index finger and shift positions for each interval, but add the middle or ring finger for the tritone.
Perfect 5th
|-|-|m| |-|-|r| |-|-|p|
P P P P P P T P
Those Perfect 5ths are also called ''power chords'', which are a staple of rock and roll music. They might sound a little weird on the 1st and 2nd strings, but try playing around with that shape on the 5th and 6th strings! Playing the 4th or 5th intervals on a melody line isn't very interesting - you almost always have a perfect 4th or 5th. Let's try thirds3rds:
fig. 13
M m m M M m m M
In some cases, we're using major 3rds, and in some cases minor 3rds. Now that was is a little more interesting! Again, shift positions for each interval, leaving the index finger on the fretboard but shift between using the middle and ring fingers to make the major and minor shapes. === Intervals Above vs. Intervals Below and Inversions ===One last thing about intervals - the name used is determined whether you are calculating the distance above or below a given pitch. For example, G is 7 semitones above C, making it a Perfect 5th ''above'' C. However, it is only 5 semitones below C, making it a perfect 4th ''below'' C. Similarly, a G is a perfect 5th above C, but a C is only a perfect 4th above G. Typically, we refer to the interval above the root note and use the lowest of the 2 pitches (bass note) in question as the root. For example, if we are playing a C on the 2nd string in open position with the E on the 1st string above it, we would call that a Major 3rd, not a Minor 6th - C is the root note and E is 4 half steps above C. Calculating the interval the opposite way is called its ''inversion''. {|class = "wikitable"!Interval !! Inversion|-| m2 || M7|-| M2 || m7|-| m3 || M6|-| M3 || m6|-| P4 || P5|-| TT || TT|-| P5 || P4|-| m6 || M3|-| M6 || m3|-| m7 || M2|-| M7 || m2|} Notice the '''major intervals' inversions are minor intervals''', the perfect intervals' inversions are also perfect intervals, and the tritone's inversion is also a tritone. This may seem a little counter-intuitive at first. "Major" is often associated with harmonious and happy, while "minor" is associated with dissonant and dismal. That's more true of the major and minor keys than the intervals; however, I would even contest such a general statement. Songs in major keys can be sad and songs in minor keys happy given how they are written. fig. 8 d----2--------2-- a-2--2-----3--3-- e-0--------0----- P5 P4 m6 M3
== C Major Scale on the 2nd String ==