When I was somewhere around six years old, an elderly gentleman began to teach me how to play the ukulele. After I learned a few chords and made some “road trips” with my grandfather, a friend of his gave me my first guitar. My grandfather and uncle began to teach me chords on the guitar. It was like memorizing multiplication tables. Grandad would say, “This song is in the key of G. The chords are G, C, and D.” The next song might be in the key of D. “Boyd, that’s D, G and A.” So I memorized what three basic chords were supposed to be played in each “standard” key. BUT…some songs in a key I had memorized might have other chords in them. I was only told that they were “off chords”. I never knew what they might be…or why! Over the years, I come to learn which “off chords” might be played in each key, but my logical mind always wanted to know why!
Discussing Chord Theory. What is a chord? What is a power chord? How do I change the basic chord to an alternate form (minor, augmented, diminished, 7th, 9th, etc)? What is a passing chord? Why do some chords sound perfectly in tune and other don’t? If you’re asking these questions, contact Stringbender Music for answers!