How can you tell which chord to play?

Question

The G major chord for example can be played different ways up and down the fret board. Why does one choose one G major chord over another? When you look at music tabs and it says G major chord, how do you know which G major it is?

PLUS: One more question: For example, G sharp and an A flat are the same note. I've noticed on songs sometimes they will say G sharp and other times A flat. Is there a "rule" as to naming notes in a situation like this?

Answer 1

When you are able to play the major chords as BAR CHORDS, it will become clear to you when it is easier to play a G with 3 fingers and 3 open strings, OR, your index finger presses all 6 strings behind the 3rd fret.. and 3 fingers make a Gmaj chord.
Also.. your ear will tell you if the higher notes of a G BAR CHORD or the lower notes of a G sound better.

When you make a G Bar chord, it is very easy to then move only 3 fingers downward... and make a Dminor chord.
Have someone teach you how to go from G bar chord... to C maj, just by flattening your ring finger over 3 strings.
Speed, and the ease of changing chords, and the melody rising or falling will help you chose the best chord.
Good Luck. I wish my kids had more interest in the guitar....

I don't know the rule; G # versus A b... but you and I aren't fooled.

Answer 2

ok, about the G major thing.

You should try every combonation in context and see what you like the most. I don't play guitar but I think I know what you are talking about.

Yah, G sharp and A flat sound the same. You should learn about scales. At least all of the major and minor scales. There are soooo many scales, but major and monor will most likely be the most beneficial. Whoa, tha's a hard word to spell.

Anyway. When someone tells me to play a D flat I think of it as a C sharp. In most cases it would technically be called "D flat" but thinking of it as a C sharp is easier for me. So I say forget the rules. I'm kidding, people will make fun of you for that. Because apperently knowlege is power.

OK, in a scale it's a b c d e f g back to a. Oh my gosh, it's like the abc's. I probably just confused you.

The A major scale looks like this:

A B Csharp D E Fsharp Gsharp.

Take out the sharps and it looks like A B C D E F G

Every scale looks like the abc's

F migor scale is

F G A Bflat C D E back to F

take uot the flat and it looks like:
F G A B C D E

G minor scale:

G A Bflat C D Eflat F back to G

w/ out the flats:
G A B C D E F

the alphabet.

B will always follow A
A will always follow G
G will always follwow F
AND SO ON

Remember the A major scale?
Lets rewrite it with flats instead of sharps:

A B Dflat D E Gflat Aflat back to A

With out flats it looks like this:
A B D D E G A back to A

That is one messed up alphabet.

What is a major scale but the way?
Well, start on a note. go up a hole step. go up a hole step.
go up a half step. go up a hole step. go up a hole step.
go up a hole step. Now go up a half step to the original note 8va

So hole hole ha hole hole hole ha

All those note you played, play them faster and faster.
Do this everyday with all the major scales and then you will be able to recognise what they sound like. Then do the same thing with the minor scales.

Hole Ha Hloe Hole Ha Hole then Hole to get back to the starting not 8va.

Yah, sorry I suck at teaching. I hope you kindof understand what I tried to say. I'de love to help you out if you ever have any more questions about music theory.

-Don

Answer 3

Really, the best answer is, watch other guitar players, and you pick up different variations of the same chord, and basically you use the one that suits you best, or sounds the closest of what they are playing on the recording!!

Answer 4

It depends on the music or song, Open major chords are used to fill in rythym. Major bar chords are used in rock, jazz, etc. Maj seventh chords are used in ballads, jazz, etc.