Peter Greenfield - The Mechanics of Metal - Lesson 1 - Heavy Metal Chord Guide

The Mechanics of Metal T• Series A slale-ol-Ihe-art inslruclion course designed lo help beginning, inlermediale, and advanced guilarisls masler Ihe art 01 heavy melal guitar playing.

Lesson 1: Heavy Metal Chord Guide (with accompanying cassette tape)

Lesson 2: Total Sea les and Modes (with accompanying cassette tape)

Lesson 3: Teehnique and Exereises (with accompanying cassette tape)

Lesson 4: Trieks (with accompanying cassette tape) Lesson 5: 100 Versatile Lieks and Runs (with accompanying cassette tape)

Mechanies 01 Metal'" Publications P.O. Box 162 Howard Beach, N.Y. 11414

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The Mechanics of Metal" Series A Sound and Organized Approach

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Mastering of Heavy Metal Guitar.... Lesson 1: Heavy Metal Chord Guide

AlJ material wriuen. narrated. and performed

by Peter Greenficld COPYri&IM CI 1916 by Ptw:r Oremrorid.

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Author' s Note Muc h care has been taken so that all the material presented in the Mechanics of Me ta1"" se ries can be understood by guitarists at almost any level of playing ability, even those with minimaJ knowledge of music . To obtain the most benefit from this course, read through aU material carefully. Try to absorb each idea com pletely before going on. If confusion shou ld occur at any point, review the troubled area. After going over it a few times, it should make sense. Please note that a small number placed aboye any word or term indic a tes the lesson number in which that word or term is discussed more thoroughly. For example, on page 6, a small 2 appears aboye the term "major sca le". This means that the major scale itself is discussed thoroughly in Lesson 2. These references are provided primarily for those who have ordered this lesson individually, and not the entire Mechanics of Metal.... course. 1 hope that Lesson I enables you to advance your guitar playing. Good luc k.

Okay, you're figuring out the rhythm guitar part to a particular songo You know that the c hord being played in the song is an A chord, but it just doesn't sound like the A chord that you are playing on your guitar. Something about it seems to sound diffe rent. Aside from the technical recording aspects (echo, c horusing , flanging, e tc .), c hances are that t he chord does not sound quite the same because you a re not playing the same "voici ng". Voicing is just a fancy word used to describe all the diffe rent ways and pl aces that the same c hord can be played on the guitar tingerboard. Becoming familiar with t he different chord vOlcmgs that are used by today's heavy me tal guitari st should prove to be a useful tool for interpreting and composi ng thi s style of music. Before we get to these "me tal c hords", let's just knock off a little basic c hord theory. First of aH, for those of you who may not a iread y be familia r with the concept of sharps and f1ats, we'd better c lear that one up right now. A sharp (1) rai ses a note's pitch one "half-step" . A half-step is equa l to the distance of one fret on the guitar. The note 01 is one fret higher than the note O on the guitar. A flat (~) lowe rs a note's pitch one half-step. The note O~ is one fret lowe r than the note O on the guitar. A note is said to be natural (~) when it is nei ther sharp nor flat. AH natural notes are separated by a sharp note and a nat no te , with the exception of B and C, and E a nd F.

Al and Bb are ac tuall y two difie re nt names for the sa me note . The same hold s true for CI and Ob I [)# and Eb, and so for th. Whether or not a note should be called by i ts sha rp or tlat name is determined by the kel that note is associated with.

5

Since most heavy metal chord progressions (a progression is an organized sequence oí chords) utiJize major and minor chords, the majority oí thi s lesson is devoted to these two c hord types. Of course you will encounter other c hord types in your heavy metal travels, but nine out ot ten metal rhythms employ major and minor chords excJusively. So, what is a major chord? The first thing to understand about any chord is that it is construc ted from the major scaJe t oí the same lette r name. Any t ype oí A chord, whe ther it' s A major, A minor, Al, etc., will be construc ted from the A major scale. Any type oí O chord (O ma jor, O minor, etc.) is constructed from the O major sca le, and so forth. The next conce pt to understand is that every chord type has its own formula for construct ion. The formula íor a major c hord is J, 3, 5. This mean s that a major c hord consists of the íirst degree (or root), third degree, and fifth degree oí its major scale. Below is a major scale in the key oí A. Al! the scale degrees have been numbered.

A B CI O E Fu GI A 12345678

By a ppl ying the major chord fo rmula to the A major scale, we arri ve at the notes A, d, E. This type of three note chord is known as a triad - a major triad. (There are four types of triads: major, minor, augmented, and diminished.) The note s contained in this triad may accur in any order: A, el, E- eJ, E, A- E, A, ct - e tc. Specifically, the term voidng is used to describe the actual order in which the no tes are arranged . When speaking olor writing a chord voidng, the notes are named in order from lowest to highest in pitch.. If a c hord is "voiced" with it s root note as the bass note (Iowest pitc hed note), the chord is said to be in root position. If the chord's third degree is the bass note, this is known as the chord' s firsl inversion. When the chord's fifth degree is the bass note, th is is caBed the chord' s second inversion. 6

Any oí the notes con tained in the A major triad may be repeated. If the re a re more than three notes present (Hke A, 0, E, A), the structure is usuaJly termed a c hord as opposed to a triad . However, in terms of "tona lit y", the c hord is still conside red a triad because it contains the first, third, and fifth degrees only. With a1l the options available for arrangemen t and repetition of notes, there are quite a few fingering and tonal variations, or voicings lor the same chord. The formul a tor a minor c hord is 1, ~3, 5. The only difference between a ma jor c hord and a minor chord is the third. A major c hord contains the natural (unaltered) third oí its major scaJe, and a minor c hord contains a f1atted (Jowered) third. (Even though the third, sixth, and seventh degrees of the A major scale contain sharps, these notes a re considered natural to the key of A.) Applying the minor c hord fo rmula to the A major scale, we arrive at the notes A, e, E. Thi s is an A minor t riad. Alt hough major and minor c hords technically consist of the root, t hi rd (or tlatted third), and fifth degrees, iI is more than common heavy metal practice fo r these chords to be employed The root plu s fifth consisting oí the roo t and fiJth only. combina t ion is known as a "power c hord". As its nickname ma y impl y, the root combined with the fifth produces a ver y st rong, powerful sound . The power chord is neither major nor minor because it no third . Howeve r, when placed in a chord progression, 11 may function 2 as ei the r a major or a minor c hord.

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AlI oI the fo llow ing c hord examp les a re moveable . Thi s means tha t they may be moved from fret to fret, with each posi tion giving the chord a new letter na me. The ci rcJed note is the c hord's root - the note that determines the letter name oí the c hord. If Example I is played at the fifth fre t, it is an A major chord since the note on the six th string, fifth fret is an Play the same c hord a t the seventh fret, a nd it A note. becomes a B major chord, as the note on the sixt h. string, seventh fret is a B note. AIl moveable chords may be manipulated in the same manner.

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Becoming familiar with the names oí the different c hord forms as they are moved up and down the neck should prove to be a use fui aid in learning the names of all the notes on the guitar fingerboa rd. For those of you who are not familiar with the names oí the notes on a1J six strings, a diagram indicating this information has becn incJuded on page 24. A1J chords wilJ be illustra ted using standa rd c hord di agrams. In case you may not know how to inte rpret them, the vertical lines represent the guitar's six strings hhe fi rst string being the thinnest and highest in pi tch), and the horizontal line s re prese nt the fr ets. r,--.,---,-,----, • •

1---+-+-+-+-1-

•

I

¡ ¡

..

JI

•

2

11' ...

An "x" placed aboye a str1ng indica tes that the st ring 15 not played at all . BJack dots indicate the placement of fingers, and numbers indicate specific finge r ings. Two or more dot s joined by a curved line indicate the notes a re held down, or ''barred'' with the same finger.

Example 1

Example 2

Learning to play Exa mpl e 1 is usua1Jy the fi rst step that most guitarists take towards playing any type of moveable c hord that is used in heavy metal. It see ms to be a standard among most teachers and instruction books tha t thi s chord 15 the forerunner of all other "heavy" chords. This t ype of chord is known as a "barre" chord, as the first finger forms a bar to hold down all six strings. This major chord 15 voiced root, fifth, root, third, fifth, root. Lilt up the second finger, which holds down the chord's third degree, and the first finger will now hold down the flatted t hi rd. The chord now becomes minor, bringing us to ExampJe 2. Although Examples 1 and 2 are usually introduced as heav y metal or hard rock c hords, they a re actually more sui ted to these styles in the smalle r form oí Example J. With the third, second , and first strings e liminated, the result is a power c hord voiced root, fift h, root. (A good number of guitarists hold down the full major barre c hord, but ac tuaJly strike the sixth, fifth, and fourth strings only.) The root note on -t he fourth string is one octave higher than the root note on the sixth string. (Thi s means that t he note on the fourth string shares the same letter na me as the note on the sixth string, only the note on the fourth string 1s higher in pitch. One com plete major .scale Hes between these two notes. If two major .scales fit between them , the higher pitc hed note is said to be two octaves rugher.) Sometimes Example J is e mpl oyed as a two note chord, consist ing of the sixth and fifth strings only. Even the fourth string 1s left out this time . Eliminating the higher octave on the íourth string won't c hange the sound of the chord that much, it will just take away a bit of treble.

Example J Exa mple 4

8

Example .5

9

Example 6

Following the standard procedure, alter learning Example 1, most guitarists go on to learn the second barre chord form, Example 4. This major c hord is voiced root, fifth, root, third, fifth. Example!j, the minor version af this barre chard, has the same voidng, only it cantains the Uatted third.

As Example 7 is a mini version of Exam ple 3, ExampJe 8 is a mini version of Example 6. Use one finger to hold down this commonly used power chord which is aJso voiced fifth, root. Example 9

The situation is pretty much the same as before. You should know and be able to play Examples " and 5, but these chords are more readily applied to heavy metal in the smaller form of Example 6. Similar to Example 3, this power chord is voiced root, fifth, root. Also c omparable, the root note on the third string is one oct ave higher than the root note on the fifth str ing. It is also quite common for Exa mple 6 to be empJoyed as a two note chord, with the higher octave on t he thi rd string eJiminated. Exa mpJe 7

Example 9 isn't re peated as often as the o ther examples di scussed so far, but is de finitel y used in a fai r amount oí heavy metal rhythms. Store it in your me mor y bank aJong with the others. The voicing is root, fifth. ExampJe 10

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Example 7 is actuaJly a "mini" ve rsion of Example 3. It contains the same notes, only the sixth str ing is eliminated. This smaller version is usually used for convenience, where it might otherwise seern awkward to finger ExampJe 3. You c an si mpl y "grab" it with one finger. (The proper finger used to hoJd this chord down depends upon the position3 of the Jeft hand.) This power chord is voiced fifth , root. ExampJe 8

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Exam pJe 10 is obviousJy the same as Example 9, with the addition oí one note . This note on the second stri ng is aJso the root, one oc tave highe r than the no te on t he íourth string. ExampJe 1I

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11

With the introduction of Example 11 , hopefully you are starting to see the relationsh ip between aU the exam ples given so faro Basically, they are all extensions or pieces of one another. Consciously or unconsciou sly, the player chooses the one that comes c10sest to the sound that he (or she) is trying to c reate or duplica te. Use Example 11 for more of a treble effect than its bigger brother, Example 10. Two note c hords located on the treble stri ngs, Jike thi s one, can also be incorporated into guitar solos. When used in this manner, they are called "double-stops". Example 12

Example x

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X

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J

Example 4 can also be c hanged to a suspended fourth c hord by means of a rather simple modification, as iUustrated in Example 14 . (Notice that the first string is omitted, resulting in an emphasis of the suspended note.) Any major or minor c hord can be turned into a suspended fourth c hord, but Examples 1) and 14 are more common to heavy metal. Suspended íourth c hords are not used constantly in heavy metal, Iike powe r chords, but they da have their moments. Exam ple 15

Example 14

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2

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2

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Example 12 sometimes occurs in the larger form of Example 15. This is arare heavy metal c hord, but known to show its face occasionally. The fifth string is the root and the fourth string is the third. Form a bar with the first finger to hold down the first and third strings. This c hord can also be applied as a major triad, by holding down the fifth, fourth, and third strings only.

Example 12 utilizes the comple te major triad. Thi s chord is voiced fifth, root, third. Because it is often associated with Example 12, now is the perfec t time to introduce you to the "suspended fourth tl c hord. Any major or minor chard can be turned into a suspended fourth chord by taking the c hord's third (or f1atted third), and replacing it with the fourth degree of the chord's major scale. Relating bac k to the A major c hord, the c hord' s third, C~, would be repl aced with a O note, the fourth degree of an A majar scale. When suspended fourth chords are used in heavy metal, they are usually sandwiched between two m~jor chords oí the same letter name . (For example: A major, A sus 4, A major.) Example 12 can be conveniently turned into a suspended fourth chord si mply by placing the fourth finger directJy in front of the second finger, as illustra ted in Example 13. Uft the fourth finger up and you are right back to the majar triad. This mave will occur in heavy metal rhythm s from time to time .

12

Example 16

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Example 16 won't win a popularity con test either, but keep your ears open lor it because this two note c hord also shows its face every now a nd then. Thi s filth, root voicing is usually held down with one finger I but depending upon the chords that precede and follow it, it is someti mes more convenien t to hold it down with two fingers. (This holds true for all chords that a re normaJly held down with one finger.) 13

Exarnple 19 Example 17

x x x x

Example 18

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Example 20

x O

Example 21

x x

x x x

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O

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4

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J ~, E Powe r Chord

A Power Chord

o Power Chord

Examples 19 through 21 represent the E, A, and O power chords discussed on page 14, reduced to two notes only. These c hords are not moveable. In each example, the open string is the rool and the fretted note is the c hord' s fifth . (An open string is indi ca ted by an "o" placed above the string.) These chords are used quite oiten in heavy meta l.

Examples 17 and 18 both ha ve a similar sound that stands apart from the other power c hords. Play them on your guitar and you'l1 hear the slightly different effect that they c reate. Both examples are voiced root, fiith .

It is not unusua l fo r open st r ings to be added to sorne of the moveable chord fo rms. Open strings can add a full, sustaining quality. Example 8, played as an A powe r c hord at the second fret, is ohen employed with the addition of the fifth string (A) open. It is abo very common fo r the sixth string (E) open to be added to Example 7, when played as an E power chord at the second fret . (Thi s type of E power chord is oiten preceded or followed by Example 3. When making the transi tion lrom Example 3 to Example 7, or vice versa, finger Example 7 wi th the third and fourth fingers holding down the fifth and fourth strings, respec tively . This allows lor a smoother transition.) The fourth string (O) open is a common addition to Examples 11 and 12, when played at the second fret as O chords.

Sorne of the chord forms learned so fa r may be applied as complete open string chords. Examp le 8, played as a C power chord with both the third and fourth stri ngs open, is quite common. Example 7 may be played open as a O power c hord. Example 16 may be played open as an E power chord. Example 22 l

x x O

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C Power Chord •

Example 22 is the same voicing as Example 11, only t he note on the third string is now played open. This C power chord is not moveable .

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15

, Example 26 Open strings can a lso be added t o chords tha t a r e played higher up the neck . Example 6, pla yed as a~ E powe.r c hord . at the seventh fret, is sometimes employed wlth the slxt h stn ng (E) apen added tor a deeper, heavie r sound. Examples 9 a nd 10, played as A power chords at the seventh f re t, can be employed with t he add ition of the fif t h string (A) open . Even Example 8, played aH the way up the neck at the fourteenth f ret as an A power c hord (one octave higher than the same c hord played at the second fre t), can be e mpl oyed wi th the addition of the apen fifth string.

Example 23

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Example 24 x o x x x

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4

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4

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Examples 23 through 25 represent the pairing of two notes of the same le tte r name. Not even the fifth degree is included this time. In each example, the open st ring is the lower octave and t he fret t ed note, usual1y held down with the third finger, is one octave highe r. (Be sure to ho ld down the fr e tted note at the seventh fret.) Ope n strings added to c ho rds do not necessari ly ha ve to be the c hord 's roo t note. An open string may be the c ho rd' s fifth, third , or any note that adds a desi(able effect. Open strings can a lso be added on the treble stri ngs (the E, B, and G strings). The addition of open st rings usually c hanges the tone and overaU effect of a c hord' s t ypical sound. So, when figu ring out songs off record s, beware of those open strings!!

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O O O

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Example 28

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Example 29

O O

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Example 25

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Example 27

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Ending our discussion on apen strings bri ngs us to Examples 26 through 29. These non-moveable chord forms are sorne of the first major c hords t hat a beginner learns to play on the guitar . These c hord s are usually used in heavy metal taking on fur ther reduced forms, most of whic h have been di scussed earlier . Example 26, the e major c hord, is voiced root , third, fifth, root, third. In its largest form, this c hord is usually a pplied to heavy metal with the first st ring omitted. In smaller forms, this e maj or c hord can be broken up in a number oí ways. Strings three through five, strings two through four, and strings one through t hree are all e major triads within themsel ves. Look back at Example 22. Thi s e power chord consists of the second and th ird st rings oí the aboye e ma jor chord.

17

, Although the G major chord usuaJly appears in most beginners' books and chord encyclopedias in the form oí Example 27, most heavy metal guitarists apply it in the form oí Examp le 28. Example 27 is voiced root, third, fiJth, root, third, root. Example 28 15 voiced root, third, fifth, root, fi1th, root. The only differenc e between these two voicings is tha t Example 27 repeats the chord's third degree played on the second string, whereas Example 28 repeats the chord's fifth. It has already been pointed out that the fifth degree is a more popular heavy metal chord tone. Example 28 c an also be broken up into sma ller c hord forms. Holding down the first and second strings with one finger, played together with the third and fou rth strings open, is one variation. Example 8 played open, as di5Cus5ed ear lier, and Example J6 are both 5maller pieces of Example 28. Example 29, E major, is voiced root, fifth , root, th ird, fifth, root. Thi5 c hord i5 a lmost a lways applied to heavy metal in the smaHer fo rm oC Example 7 c ombined with the sixth string open, a s discussed earlier, or in the further reduc ed form oí Example 19. Example 16 played open, also previously mentioned, c onsists of the first two strings of this E major chord .

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Example 31

Example 30

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Minor

Example 33

Example 36

Major

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Mlnor

Example 34

Example 35

Minor

Major

Major

x x x

Example 32 ~,

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Example 37

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, Another type 01 two note chord that is used in heavy metal is the combination 01 the root plus the third, or f1atted third tor minor chords. Thi s c ombinatíon isn ' t as popular as the root plus fifth, but is used more than occasionally by the heavy metal guitari5t. Example 5 30 through 39 are aH voiced root, third (or flatted third). lt is indic ated unde r each example whether the chord i5 major or minoro

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Minor

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Major

Example 38

Example 39

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Minor 18

19

Note that a lthough Examples 31, 33, 35, 36, and 39 are indicated to be played with the fi rst and second fingers, it is not unusual fo r these c hords to be played using the second and third fingers, respec tively. Again, it depends upon the chords preceding and foJlowing them. Example 37 is usually held down with one finger. Example 33 seems to be used a bit more often than the other examples that are Jocated on the bass strings (the E, A, and O st rings). Example 35 is probably more popular than its minor version, Example 34, and Examples 36 and 37 find their way into a few more metal rhythms than Examples 3& and 39. Example 40

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Once you've played it on your guitar, you may not be very pleased with the sound of Example 40. In most cases, this strang~ sound ing chord is used to pass from ane c hord to another, and usually lasts only momentarily. Th is two note c hord consist s of the root plus f1att ed fifth. There are other voicings for this chord, but this cam bination of notes usually appears in the form of Example 40. When used in proper context, this chord can create a very interesting effect.

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AH of the chords discussed in this lesson are the meat and patatoes of heavy metal rhythm guitar. In conclu sion, the formulas for additional chord types have been indicated. Learn Examples 1 through 40 , then expand your horizons. Any c hord can be applied to heavy metal, as long as it is applied tastefully . Listen to the intro to "Oiary of a Madman" pe rformed by the late Randy Rhoads. There is some very interesting, yet unconventional c hord work going on. Once you have gained a com plete understanding of the major scale, you can use the following c hord formu las to construc t c hords in any key. For now, use the A majar scale to construct different c hord t ypes in the key of A. Find the notes contained in any type of A c hord by applying the c hord's formula to the A major scale¡ then use the diagram on page 24 to he lp you locate the chord on your guitar. Oon't forget that there are a number of voicings far any given c hord. When interpreting chord formulas, please be advised that any number consisting of a higher digit than 7 (Jike 9, 11, or 13) indicates a higher octave. The 9th degree is one octave higher than the 2nd degree, the 11 th degree is one octave higher than the 4th degree, and the 13th degree is one octave highe r than the 6th degree. However, because chord finge rings containing these higher octaves a re oiten unobtainable on the guitar, the 9th, 11th, and 13th degrees may be treated as the 2nd, 4th, and 6th degrees, respec tively.

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Majar Chord Types

Dominant Chord Types

Chord

Formula

Symbol

Majar triad Majar 6 Majar 7 Majar 9 Majar 11 Majar 13 Majar add 9 Majar 6 add 9 Majar 7 ~5 Suspended 2 Suspended 4

1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,

mal 6 mal ma; mal mal add 6/9 maj sus

3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3,

5 5, 6 5, 7 5, 7, 5, 7, 5, 7, 5, 9 5, 6, 15, 7 1, 2, 5 1, 4, 5

9 9, 11 9, 13

9

7 9 11 13 9

715 2 sus 4

Chord

Formula

7 9 11 13 lb5 Dominant 715 Dominant 719 Dominant 7119 Dominant 7 suspended 4 Diminished triad

1, J, 5, b7 1, 3, 5, 17, 1, 3, 5, 17, 1, J, 5, ~7, 1, 3, 15, 17 1, 3, 15, b7 1, 3, 5, 17, 1, 3, 5, 17,

Dominant Dominant Dominant Dominant Dominant

Diminished 7 Augmented triad

1, 1, 1, 1,

Formula

Minar Minar Minar Minar Minar Minar

triad

6 7 9 11 13 Minar add 9 Minar 6 add 9 Minar 715 Minar majar 7

1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,

b3, b3, 13, b3, b3, 13, b3, b3, b3, 13,

22

5 5, 6 5, 17 5, b7, 9 5, b7, 9, 11 5, b7, 9, 13 5, 9 5, 6, 9 15, 17 5, 7

9 9, 11 9, 13 19 19

4, 5, b7

b3, b5 b3, b5, bIo7 3, 15

Minar Chord Types

Chord

Symbol

5ymbo1 m m6 m7 m9 mIl m13 m add 9

m 6/9 m 7 b5 m/maj 7

23

7 9 11 13 lb5 715 719 719 7 sus 4 dim or o dim 7 or "7

aug or

+

Names oí the Notes on AH Six Strings

AH the notes on the guitar fingerboard repeat one octave higher in pitc h, starting at the twelfth fret. 24