Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Thanks, plenty variety there for sure!
Problem is choosing which ones to go for. Anyone willing to share some tried and tested progressions which can take my playing out of the doldrums*?
* Accoring to Wikipedia - "In colloquial usage, "being in the doldrums" refers to being in a state of listlessness, despondency, inactivity, stagnation, or a slump".
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Learn the CAGED system. Learn how to play for example the D chord 10 different ways up the neck. Do that with every chord.
Learn how to invert each chord.
For example playing a D chord with the third F# or fifth A in the bass.
Learn how chords are built. After that you will not need a book to show you chord shapes. That should keep you busy for a year or so.
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
I'd recommend John Doyle's instructional DVD - it is for dropped-D tuning, but that only requires retuning one string. His ideas for chords and use of them is very helpful.
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
just scanning the above is giving me a headache, never mind someone just looking for some 'interesting chords' in Standard
I haven't seen Dolye's DVD, but will say Drop D is a powerful 'open' alternitive, with minimal tuning change involved _ very effective
not a universe way I hope, but I've been working on a open form of 'C' = CGCGCD _ which is worth it
It requires low-tuning the guitar (which is fun) and a must-have 'roller' style capo for chord mobility and fretboard freedom
just default at capo 2 = open D form and use 'your ear' to find the simple 2 and 3 fingered chord shapes within-id-it
this 'Open C Sus 2' system is waiting for a break through and is a killer on the tunes too . . .
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Two separate strands of answer suggest to me;
1) try concentrating more on the rhythmic component of the accompaniment.
2) Take up a different instrument ! 1 guitar at a session is enough. Play something different !
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
I agree with the sentiments above that the rhythm comes first. That being said, it does add some fun to find different chord shapes, and here are a few ideas that work with standard tuning:
Droning Notes: Often in traditional music, you will hear the same harmony note throughout a long stretch of a tune, or even through the entire tune. This is known as a drone, and some attribute it to bagpipes, which usually have one or more drones that play the same note as long as the bagpipe is playing. You can use this effectively in tunes. For example, in a D major tune, you can leave your finger on the third fret of the B string throughout the tune, playing the D normally, but using Em7 chords instead of G chords, and Asus4 chords instead of normal A chords. This is especially effective if you tune your low E string down to a D, and let it sound without damping throughout, as you have the root note of the tune droning in two different octaves.
Tricks and Alternative Chords for Standard Tuning: One trick to remember when shaping your chords, is to use shapes that de-emphasize or eliminate thirds. This music favors open chords, consisting of roots and fifths, which can fit either major or minor modes. For example, when using the traditional D chord shape, damp the high E string instead of pressing the second fret. And using a finger on the third fret of the B string in G chords instead of leaving the B string open helps reduce the strength of the third in that chord.
Sometimes little repeated two or four bar vamps will work in tunes. For example, in A minor, the vamp Am to F to G to Em often works nicely on a guitar (although in an A dorian tune, that F chord wouldn’t sound as well, clashing with the F#s in the melody). You will notice that as you move from key to key, some progressions that sound good, or play easily, in one key, do not work as well in another key, because of the way your fingers fall on the frets. For example, in B minor, you will find it difficult to sound good without barring your chords, so you may want to stick to the Bm, F#m and A chords, and keep the accompaniment simple.
Another trick is to let the bottom string and top two strings drone throughout a tune in E minor. If you finger the seventh fret of the A string, and the ninth fret on the D and G strings, it makes a nice open E chord. Slide all these fingers down two frets, and you have an open D chord in the middle of your droning strings. Slide them down two more frets, and you have an open C chord in the middle of the drones. With these three chords, you can accompany many E minor tunes, with a very interesting variety to your sound (again, remembering that with a dorian tune, that C natural chord will clash with the C#s in the melody). And you can also slide this shape up three frets, and then back down one before you return to the home position, it offers some other color to the tune.
Another nice chord shape that slides up and down the neck is the A chord that starts with one finger on the fifth fret of the B string, another on the sixth fret of the G string, and another on the seventh fret of the D string. Damp the top and bottom E strings, and you have a nice A major shape on top of an A bass note. Slide this shape down two frets and you have a G major triad on top of that A bass note. And then slide it up to the top of the neck (10 th fret of the B string, etc), and you have a D major triad on top of the A. This works really well on an A mixolydian tune, like the High Reel, which uses the A, G and D chords, with the droning A in the bass adding nice color to the tune.
If you click on my member name, you see I have added a lot of information for beginning accompanists to my description. The ideas above come from that little essay. I don't claim to be a great accompanist myself, but I have included some information there in an effort to help others who are trying to improve their ability to accompany this music.
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Don't learn chord shapes. Learn about chords, derive chords from the basic rules, find them on the neck - they're all over the place! - and you'll actually know something about how to use them, and how to find them when you need them.
If you're asking this question, you need to do 4 things:
1)derive a D major scale
2)figure out what chords each note of that scale can suggest
3)find voicings on the guitar, in whatever tuning you favor, for all of the chords you find associated with the D scale
4)play with those voicings and hear how they fit together
Repeat for all of the modes.
Basically, you need to beat an intuitive, concrete grasp of harmony into your head, and repetition is the hammer you're going to use.
Once you've done that, come back and I'll get you hip to drop-2 voicings, they'll blow your mind right open.
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
What Jon said!
When I first started learning the guitar (hymns and the like) in standard tuning I learned "this shape is an E" and "this shape is a D" and so on but I never really learned why they were that. I learned shapes rather than the component notes. This is instantly limiting and gave me a very poor knowledge of the notes on the fretboard.
From the first day I started learning DADGAD and tune accompaniment it was from the basis of what notes are in each chord and how a chord is constructed. I learned the theory about what notes were in a scale and what chords were in that scale and how that transfers into the tunes.
Whilst it frustrated me in the class when you would ask the tutor which fret or string a particular finger was on because you couldn't quite tell just to get an answer along the lines of "which one do you think it is on?" it ultimately helped me in the long run. Learning accompaniment with a whole new tuning was a great way to wipe away previous bad habits and start looking at the instrument afresh. It allows you to approach the guitar in a much more instinctive way and helps you find voicings and structures of chords all over the place. This, in turn leads to new progressions and tricks.
It also helps you understand the similarities between particular chords and subsequent substitutions or variations on patterns.
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
donaidh - in addition to all of the great advice above - I went to a workshop with Matt Heaton, and he handed out a sheet with some of his stuff, and explained how he came up with them. It's probably some of the same stuff that's been presented here, but if I can get a decent scan, I'll send it along in a PM. So I tried some of his and followed his advice, and came up with a ton of interesting, useful chords all over the neck. But, as already been said, you need to know how the chords work, and what the tune is doing.
For me, too many barre chords just make my hand hurt and limit my speed.
Another advantage of learning some other shapes (or, God forbid, actually playing the melody!) is that if there's other guitarists present (especially newbies) you can keep out of each other's way, but still get to play. At my local sesh, there's a few of us (all better than I, in all fairness) that just seem to have that part worked out without ever talking about it - either we take turns, or try to play stuff that complements the other guy. I can already hear the hoots of derision about those last bits. The multiple backer thing has been done to death around here, but nonetheless is a big problem where I live....
I'm also a big fan of drones, bits of scales, and droney partial chords based upon stacked fourths or fifths, but you REALLY need to know the tunes and how the modes work to get away with that kind of nonsense...
...oh, and as soon as I get up to session speed on a melody instrument, the guitar's staying in its case...
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Haidh a dhonaidh. Lots of advice above there. I'm afraid my approach has never been as analytical as many other guitarists - perhaps I'm just a lazy slob.. All I've mainly done over the years, is to stuff around with my fingers until it sounded right to my ears - but in conjunction to that, I listen to a lot of traditional CDs (Scottish, Irish, Cape Breton, etc..), but pay particular attention to what a lot of the Irish DADGAD players do. However, I only use "standard" and drop D tunings with a "QuickDraw" capo, but try to emulate the open-tuning sounds. Another thing that you would find helps your accompaniment skills, is to learn to play a melody instrument as well. Good luck with your playing and music.
Ron
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Nice simple trick that Dylan fans will recognize: play your G with your little finger on the top e third fret, and when you change to C keep your little finger where it is. It makes a nice drone as suggested above. If you want, you can tuck your third finger in behind your pinky on the second string third fret on the G chord as well.
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
gam, That is another good 'minimize the thirds' trick.
Old and in the way, Jon and No Cause have good advice, that you need to move beyond chord shapes to really progress as an accompanist. I agree, but also feel that the progression from learning basic chord shapes, to advanced chord shapes, to figuring out what notes and theory is behind those shapes is part of a very natural progression (a very natural chord progression, I guess I could say).
A lot of good advice from a lot of people up above, how refreshing to have a discussion that focuses on the positive!
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Lots of good advice here already. One thing to add re exploring different inversions: Find some that are nice and quiet, i.e., can be played on three strings, and in the upper register. Offers a good contrast to the fully voiced chords.
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Yes, I agree with you sts. That is why the CAGED system is IMHO very easy place to start. These are basic chord shapes that everybody knows already, and makes it easier to incorporate into your playing. In your practice time, dedicate 5-10 minutes and just pick a chord or two and find different ways to play (voice) it. In no time at all your playing will become more interesting to you. One other thing I would like to add, listen to piano players/backers. This has been mentioned before here by Iris. Personally, I try to play and think like a piano player would. That keeps it interesting for me. That can be especially helpful if you are playing with more than one backer. Check out this youtube with two excellent backers playing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1ayHYwMtJo
I like the guitar backing of course, who wouldn't, but the piano accompaniment is how I want to play.
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
I've played backup guitar in trad for 30 years. Thousands of gigs. There is no method of playing that you can learn quickly - playing is about intuition and risk. It's about mood, inflection and space.
The best thing you could do for yourself is identify other players that you like to listen to and emulate their sound. The chord positions that you hear and the way you make them sound will be unique to you - the voicing might be different than the original, but, that could happen for a number of reasons - maybe you like it to sound differently, or you can't reproduce what you want, or a position is easier to get to, or you're tuned differently.
Whatever the reason, your first decision should be "who do I like to listen to" - Arty McGlynn, Daithe Sproule, Tich Richardson, John Doyle, Dennis Cahill, Ian Carr, Roger Tallroth, Finn McGinty - the list of richly talented and unique players is endless.
Try to find your desired sound and learn everything you can about it - and after a lot of listening and practice time you'll have it and will expand on it - but you'll always be hungry for more.
Keep practicing!
Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
I play tunes on mandolin and also accompany on guitar in standard tuning.
Problem is that I seem to be stuck in first position with my chords, or going up and down the neck wth standard barre chords!
Do any guitarists out there have any interesting chords I can use in standard tuning to let me get some variation into my backing?
Thanks,
Donaidh
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by donaidh
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
http://chordfind.com/
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by bogman
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Thanks, plenty variety there for sure!
Problem is choosing which ones to go for. Anyone willing to share some tried and tested progressions which can take my playing out of the doldrums*?
* Accoring to Wikipedia - "In colloquial usage, "being in the doldrums" refers to being in a state of listlessness, despondency, inactivity, stagnation, or a slump".
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by donaidh
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Learn the CAGED system. Learn how to play for example the D chord 10 different ways up the neck. Do that with every chord.
Learn how to invert each chord.
For example playing a D chord with the third F# or fifth A in the bass.
Learn how chords are built. After that you will not need a book to show you chord shapes. That should keep you busy for a year or so.
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by old and in the way
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
I'd recommend John Doyle's instructional DVD - it is for dropped-D tuning, but that only requires retuning one string. His ideas for chords and use of them is very helpful.
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by dmac
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Variation is a much, if not more, from the right hand.
Perhaps get some snare drum rudiments and practice strumming them? Right Left = Down Up
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by the wicked hacker
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
learn to play the diatonic triads in a key or mode
then move up and down the scale with triads
then do the same thing with the 3rd in the bass
then the 5th in the bass
then move it all over to the next set of 3 strings and figure out the voicings there
then do another key or mode and figure out that in all the inversions and cross those over, too
then play a bass line and pick triads to put on top
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
just scanning the above is giving me a headache, never mind someone just looking for some 'interesting chords' in Standard
I haven't seen Dolye's DVD, but will say Drop D is a powerful 'open' alternitive, with minimal tuning change involved _ very effective
not a universe way I hope, but I've been working on a open form of 'C' = CGCGCD _ which is worth it
It requires low-tuning the guitar (which is fun) and a must-have 'roller' style capo for chord mobility and fretboard freedom
just default at capo 2 = open D form and use 'your ear' to find the simple 2 and 3 fingered chord shapes within-id-it
this 'Open C Sus 2' system is waiting for a break through and is a killer on the tunes too . . .
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by lisaniska
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Hardly in need of a break as it is used at various times by Dougie MacLean, John Doyle and Martin Simpson to name just 3.
Tony Cuffe apparently played in DADADF# (CGCGCE tuned up a tone).
Donaidh - a nice D chord in standard tuning would be:
10 0 0 7 10 x
If you alter the bass note from there you will get a number of interesting implied chords.
Good luck
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Two separate strands of answer suggest to me;
1) try concentrating more on the rhythmic component of the accompaniment.
2) Take up a different instrument ! 1 guitar at a session is enough. Play something different !
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
I agree with the sentiments above that the rhythm comes first. That being said, it does add some fun to find different chord shapes, and here are a few ideas that work with standard tuning:
Droning Notes: Often in traditional music, you will hear the same harmony note throughout a long stretch of a tune, or even through the entire tune. This is known as a drone, and some attribute it to bagpipes, which usually have one or more drones that play the same note as long as the bagpipe is playing. You can use this effectively in tunes. For example, in a D major tune, you can leave your finger on the third fret of the B string throughout the tune, playing the D normally, but using Em7 chords instead of G chords, and Asus4 chords instead of normal A chords. This is especially effective if you tune your low E string down to a D, and let it sound without damping throughout, as you have the root note of the tune droning in two different octaves.
Tricks and Alternative Chords for Standard Tuning: One trick to remember when shaping your chords, is to use shapes that de-emphasize or eliminate thirds. This music favors open chords, consisting of roots and fifths, which can fit either major or minor modes. For example, when using the traditional D chord shape, damp the high E string instead of pressing the second fret. And using a finger on the third fret of the B string in G chords instead of leaving the B string open helps reduce the strength of the third in that chord.
Sometimes little repeated two or four bar vamps will work in tunes. For example, in A minor, the vamp Am to F to G to Em often works nicely on a guitar (although in an A dorian tune, that F chord wouldn’t sound as well, clashing with the F#s in the melody). You will notice that as you move from key to key, some progressions that sound good, or play easily, in one key, do not work as well in another key, because of the way your fingers fall on the frets. For example, in B minor, you will find it difficult to sound good without barring your chords, so you may want to stick to the Bm, F#m and A chords, and keep the accompaniment simple.
Another trick is to let the bottom string and top two strings drone throughout a tune in E minor. If you finger the seventh fret of the A string, and the ninth fret on the D and G strings, it makes a nice open E chord. Slide all these fingers down two frets, and you have an open D chord in the middle of your droning strings. Slide them down two more frets, and you have an open C chord in the middle of the drones. With these three chords, you can accompany many E minor tunes, with a very interesting variety to your sound (again, remembering that with a dorian tune, that C natural chord will clash with the C#s in the melody). And you can also slide this shape up three frets, and then back down one before you return to the home position, it offers some other color to the tune.
Another nice chord shape that slides up and down the neck is the A chord that starts with one finger on the fifth fret of the B string, another on the sixth fret of the G string, and another on the seventh fret of the D string. Damp the top and bottom E strings, and you have a nice A major shape on top of an A bass note. Slide this shape down two frets and you have a G major triad on top of that A bass note. And then slide it up to the top of the neck (10 th fret of the B string, etc), and you have a D major triad on top of the A. This works really well on an A mixolydian tune, like the High Reel, which uses the A, G and D chords, with the droning A in the bass adding nice color to the tune.
If you click on my member name, you see I have added a lot of information for beginning accompanists to my description. The ideas above come from that little essay. I don't claim to be a great accompanist myself, but I have included some information there in an effort to help others who are trying to improve their ability to accompany this music.
# Posted on April 4th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Don't learn chord shapes. Learn about chords, derive chords from the basic rules, find them on the neck - they're all over the place! - and you'll actually know something about how to use them, and how to find them when you need them.
If you're asking this question, you need to do 4 things:
1)derive a D major scale
2)figure out what chords each note of that scale can suggest
3)find voicings on the guitar, in whatever tuning you favor, for all of the chords you find associated with the D scale
4)play with those voicings and hear how they fit together
Repeat for all of the modes.
Basically, you need to beat an intuitive, concrete grasp of harmony into your head, and repetition is the hammer you're going to use.
Once you've done that, come back and I'll get you hip to drop-2 voicings, they'll blow your mind right open.
# Posted on April 4th 2009 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
It's not trad. But find thyself a copy of Ted Greene's Chord Chemistry, and a copy of Modern Chord Progressions.
If you master the contents therein, you will be a monster.
# Posted on April 4th 2009 by jwvansteenwyk
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
What Jon said!
When I first started learning the guitar (hymns and the like) in standard tuning I learned "this shape is an E" and "this shape is a D" and so on but I never really learned why they were that. I learned shapes rather than the component notes. This is instantly limiting and gave me a very poor knowledge of the notes on the fretboard.
From the first day I started learning DADGAD and tune accompaniment it was from the basis of what notes are in each chord and how a chord is constructed. I learned the theory about what notes were in a scale and what chords were in that scale and how that transfers into the tunes.
Whilst it frustrated me in the class when you would ask the tutor which fret or string a particular finger was on because you couldn't quite tell just to get an answer along the lines of "which one do you think it is on?" it ultimately helped me in the long run. Learning accompaniment with a whole new tuning was a great way to wipe away previous bad habits and start looking at the instrument afresh. It allows you to approach the guitar in a much more instinctive way and helps you find voicings and structures of chords all over the place. This, in turn leads to new progressions and tricks.
It also helps you understand the similarities between particular chords and subsequent substitutions or variations on patterns.
# Posted on April 4th 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
A 0 0 2 2 5 5 , 0 0 7 9 10 0,
E 0 7 9 9 0 0 , 0 2 2 4 0 0
D X 0 0 2 3 5 , X 0 0 7 7 5,X 0 0 7 7 7 10 , X 0 0 7 7 10 10
G X 5 5 0 3 3
# Posted on April 4th 2009 by dafydd
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
donaidh - in addition to all of the great advice above - I went to a workshop with Matt Heaton, and he handed out a sheet with some of his stuff, and explained how he came up with them. It's probably some of the same stuff that's been presented here, but if I can get a decent scan, I'll send it along in a PM. So I tried some of his and followed his advice, and came up with a ton of interesting, useful chords all over the neck. But, as already been said, you need to know how the chords work, and what the tune is doing.
For me, too many barre chords just make my hand hurt and limit my speed.
Another advantage of learning some other shapes (or, God forbid, actually playing the melody!) is that if there's other guitarists present (especially newbies) you can keep out of each other's way, but still get to play. At my local sesh, there's a few of us (all better than I, in all fairness) that just seem to have that part worked out without ever talking about it - either we take turns, or try to play stuff that complements the other guy. I can already hear the hoots of derision about those last bits. The multiple backer thing has been done to death around here, but nonetheless is a big problem where I live....
I'm also a big fan of drones, bits of scales, and droney partial chords based upon stacked fourths or fifths, but you REALLY need to know the tunes and how the modes work to get away with that kind of nonsense...
...oh, and as soon as I get up to session speed on a melody instrument, the guitar's staying in its case...
# Posted on April 4th 2009 by tomw
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Haidh a dhonaidh. Lots of advice above there. I'm afraid my approach has never been as analytical as many other guitarists - perhaps I'm just a lazy slob.. All I've mainly done over the years, is to stuff around with my fingers until it sounded right to my ears - but in conjunction to that, I listen to a lot of traditional CDs (Scottish, Irish, Cape Breton, etc..), but pay particular attention to what a lot of the Irish DADGAD players do. However, I only use "standard" and drop D tunings with a "QuickDraw" capo, but try to emulate the open-tuning sounds. Another thing that you would find helps your accompaniment skills, is to learn to play a melody instrument as well. Good luck with your playing and music.
Ron
# Posted on April 4th 2009 by Ron P
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Nice simple trick that Dylan fans will recognize: play your G with your little finger on the top e third fret, and when you change to C keep your little finger where it is. It makes a nice drone as suggested above. If you want, you can tuck your third finger in behind your pinky on the second string third fret on the G chord as well.
# Posted on April 5th 2009 by gam
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
gam, That is another good 'minimize the thirds' trick.
Old and in the way, Jon and No Cause have good advice, that you need to move beyond chord shapes to really progress as an accompanist. I agree, but also feel that the progression from learning basic chord shapes, to advanced chord shapes, to figuring out what notes and theory is behind those shapes is part of a very natural progression (a very natural chord progression, I guess I could say).
A lot of good advice from a lot of people up above, how refreshing to have a discussion that focuses on the positive!
# Posted on April 5th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Oh, and tomw, since Matt was my teacher at one point, I bet I have some of the same pages of information in my guitar case that you have!
Good stuff!
# Posted on April 5th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Lots of good advice here already. One thing to add re exploring different inversions: Find some that are nice and quiet, i.e., can be played on three strings, and in the upper register. Offers a good contrast to the fully voiced chords.
# Posted on April 5th 2009 by sts
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Thanks for all the comments people - more great advice than I ever expected!
AlBrown's essay is a facinating read - just need to break it down now and begin digesting it.
Dafydd - thanks, these are exactly the sort of chord shapes I was looking for. If I could find 5 or 6 of these chords for each key I'd be well happy!
Tomw - if you were able to find the time to send me the Tom Heaton stuff it would be much appreciated.
# Posted on April 5th 2009 by donaidh
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Yes, I agree with you sts. That is why the CAGED system is IMHO very easy place to start. These are basic chord shapes that everybody knows already, and makes it easier to incorporate into your playing. In your practice time, dedicate 5-10 minutes and just pick a chord or two and find different ways to play (voice) it. In no time at all your playing will become more interesting to you. One other thing I would like to add, listen to piano players/backers. This has been mentioned before here by Iris. Personally, I try to play and think like a piano player would. That keeps it interesting for me. That can be especially helpful if you are playing with more than one backer. Check out this youtube with two excellent backers playing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1ayHYwMtJo
I like the guitar backing of course, who wouldn't, but the piano accompaniment is how I want to play.
# Posted on April 5th 2009 by old and in the way
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
Anyone able to identify some of these chords Steve Conney is playing?!
# Posted on April 5th 2009 by donaidh
Re: Guitarists - help, I need some more interesting chord shapes!
I've played backup guitar in trad for 30 years. Thousands of gigs. There is no method of playing that you can learn quickly - playing is about intuition and risk. It's about mood, inflection and space.
The best thing you could do for yourself is identify other players that you like to listen to and emulate their sound. The chord positions that you hear and the way you make them sound will be unique to you - the voicing might be different than the original, but, that could happen for a number of reasons - maybe you like it to sound differently, or you can't reproduce what you want, or a position is easier to get to, or you're tuned differently.
Whatever the reason, your first decision should be "who do I like to listen to" - Arty McGlynn, Daithe Sproule, Tich Richardson, John Doyle, Dennis Cahill, Ian Carr, Roger Tallroth, Finn McGinty - the list of richly talented and unique players is endless.
Try to find your desired sound and learn everything you can about it - and after a lot of listening and practice time you'll have it and will expand on it - but you'll always be hungry for more.
Keep practicing!
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Toppish