I guess I'm just not really satisfied with the stuff I have written so far. I always end up thinking my chord progressions are garbage. I guess I might just not be trying long enough before I abandon an idea and move on. That's usually how my songwriting goes - partially written songs and then abandonment. As I stated earlier, one of my biggest problems has been strumming patterns. I always tend to use the same pattern on each chord of the progression and it gets really boring.

To understand the connection between chords and scales I recommend Mel Bay "Guitar Fringerboard Harmony" (or a similar book) I think that is a good place to start.

Each genre has its own style of playing rhythm so I wouldn't know where to begin. But if you want a good example on how to voice chords differently using the same chord progression and vary the way chords played check out Jimi Hendrix - Wind Cries Mary.

good luck!

I know how to play the wind cries Mary. It's a beautiful song. But what exactly do you mean? Voice chords? I think I know what youre saying but I'm not sure.


Anyone ever read this? I'm thinking about investing in it

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/082584..._d_detail?pd=1


Or what about this one?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/095954...=aw_cr_d_books

Lets see that ****.

If i had a way to record I would post it. I'm sure you can play it. It's pretty easy but it sounds really great.

I am a HUGE fan of chord voicings. It's a way to play the shape of one chord to create the sound of another. It's a slight return to barre chord theory.

I'm assuming you're familiar with the traditional E and A shaped barre chords and how they move up the neck. The intervals are always the same 2 frets between A and B, one fret between B and C, 2 more to get to D, etc.

Now if you change the chord shape you form with your left hand moving backwards through the alphabetical chord shapes and their respective intervals while moving up the neck you end up with a bunch of different voices for the same chord. Here are 5 Emajor chord voices starting with the traditional open E shape and moving backwards.

e-0--4--4--7---12--
B-0--5--5--9---9---
G-1--4--4--9---9---
D-2--2--6--9---9---
A-2-----7--7---11--
E-0------------12--

I only show 5 because traditionally there are only 5 shapes to major chords (A, C, D, E, G) B and F simply being their previous chords moved up a fret. So from the start you have E, the E hidden in the shape of D, then C, then A, then G.

Something else a lot of guitarists who use alternate voicings seem to enjoy doing is including open strings into the chords to accentuate the particular voice even more. You could most definitely still sound the open low E on all of those shapes and have it sound 'right'.

Also, just because you feel like you're struggling with the guitar and think you might prefer a bass doesn't mean you necessarily have to abandon one for the other. If anything learning a different instrument and band role helped me better understand and approach all instruments.

I'm definitely not going to abandon anything. I enjoy playing bass too, so I want to get one.

And I think I get what you're saying. It's pretty much like a chord variation? That's what I've called it at least. When I started learning some piano I realized there were a lot of uses of chord variations. I'm pretty sure the Lennon song "imagine" uses a few variations. It's like you're playing the same notes of the chord, just changing the shape up a bit.

If you're jamming with someone, you can play the same chords as them and spice things up by doing some variations, or voicings.

Is that what you mean by voicings? It seems Like that's what you're saying, I've just always referred to it as variations.

EXACTLY! :thumb:

Ive used voicings before. They're a great way to fill some holes I'm your songwriting. But now that I really think about it, it is a awesome technique adds a lot to your playing.

You cannot be creative if you're afraid of being wrong.