Guitar Chord Voicings: Playing Up The Neck from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome to Guitar Chord Voicings: Playing Up The Neck!

Welcome to the course! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.

Triad Inversions

In this lesson, we'll learn how to rearrange the notes in a triad to create inversions. Inversions can be difficult to conceptualize on the guitar since the same pitch can be found on different frets and different strings. We'll work to make this concept as easy as possible by inverting triads from the high strings to low and from the lower range of the neck up to the higher frets. The more you know about chords on the guitar, the larger the number of options for you to use!

Barre and Power Chords

Power chords and barre chords represent a huge amount of the vocabulary used by guitarists in rock and pop music. Although they may be a bit tough on your fretting fingers at first, the many applications of these shapes make the effort worthwhile. In this lesson, we'll cover various exercises that will give you greater facility and command of these chords.

Seventh Chords: Drop-2

There are several ways to learn new voicing shapes on the guitar. Drop-2 is a term used at Berklee to describe a configuration of chord tones, pleasing to the ear, and, more importantly to guitarists, relatively easy to execute on the fretboard. It's the best way to play seventh chords on four consecutive strings. This lesson is going to give you plenty of practice in creating new voicing shapes on the fretboard and will help you develop the ability to play various seventh chords in all keys.

Chord Substitutions, Diatonic Chords, and Gospel Chords

We've learned many guitar voicings for triads and seventh chords. This lesson will help you to solidify your grasp of Drop-2 Seventh chords. We'll also explore some new ways of using what we've already learned. Finally, we'll look at how to substitute chords using a standard lead sheet.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores triads, inversions, barre, power chords, seventh chords, chord substitutions, diatonic chords, and gospel chords, providing a comprehensive study of guitar voicings

Develops chord knowledge by teaching how to construct and play triads and basic 7th chords on the guitar

Teaches how to create inversions and different chord voicings on the guitar, thus unlocking new ways of playing the guitar

Focuses on the notes that chords are made up of, rather than the shape of individual chords, allowing learners to understand the construction of chords

Suitable for beginning guitarists who have learned the basics and want to expand their chord knowledge

Reviews summary

Chord voicings up the neck: positive reviews

Learners say that this well-received course is packed with engaging assignments, useful information, and an excellent introduction to chord structure and inversions. Many positive reviews came from beginners and guitar learners who especially liked the minimalist approach, clear instruction, and fun lessons.

This course is especially helpful for beginners.

"Great course! For years I have played guitar and never really understood the fretboard. This course really helps you understand the fretboard and how to play different chords all up and down the neck of the guitar."

"I love the minimalist approach to this course. Just focus on the music and the lesson. Great instructor. Very clear and straightforward. I loved the course thanks!"

This course has many positive reviews.

"exceptionnal courses"

"Very usefull, require practice to approve"

"An excellent introduction to chord structure and inversions. Thanks!"

"I learned a bunch of things on this course and it was pretty fun too !"

"I recommend this course is a must for guitar learners."

"Excellent course. Good theoretical base and sensible practical application."

"Great practice for learning some new chord shapes!"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Guitar Chord Voicings: Playing Up The Neck with these activities:

Organize your guitar chords into a notebook

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Organizing your guitar chords into a notebook can help you keep track of what you have learned and make it easier to practice.

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Gather all of your guitar chord resources
Decide how you want to organize your notebook
Write down the chords in your notebook

Watch guitar chord tutorial videos

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Watching guitar chord tutorial videos can help you learn new chords and improve your technique.

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Find a guitar chord tutorial video that covers the chords you want to learn
Watch the video carefully and follow the instructions
Practice playing the chords shown in the video

Practice guitar chords

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Practicing guitar chords regularly will help you develop muscle memory and improve your dexterity on the guitar.

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Choose a chord progression
Practice playing the chord progression slowly
Gradually increase the speed at which you play the chord progression
Try playing the chord progression in different keys

Four other activities

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Create a guitar chord chart

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Creating a guitar chord chart can help you visualize and memorize the different chords.

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Gather a list of the chords you want to include on your chart
Draw a diagram of each chord on your chart
Write down the fingering for each chord

Attend a guitar workshop

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Attending a guitar workshop can help you learn new techniques and improve your playing.

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Find a guitar workshop that is relevant to your interests and skill level
Register for the workshop
Attend the workshop and participate in the activities

Teach guitar chords to a friend or family member

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Teaching guitar chords to someone else can help you solidify your own understanding of the material.

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Find someone who is interested in learning guitar
Plan your lessons and decide which chords you will teach
Be patient and supportive as your student learns

Write a song that uses the guitar chords you have learned

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Writing a song that uses the guitar chords you have learned can help you apply your knowledge in a creative way.

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Choose a topic for your song
Write the lyrics for your song
Compose the music for your song
Record your song

Career center

Learners who complete Guitar Chord Voicings: Playing Up The Neck will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Guitarist

As a Guitarist, you perform music using the guitar, a stringed instrument with six strings. Using the knowledge you've gained in this course, you'll be able to use a range of techniques, from scales and chords to strumming and fingerpicking, to produce beautiful music. The facility with chord voicings up and down, and across the entire fretboard of the guitar, will be a major asset, and will help you excel in a range of musical genres.

See salaries and explore the career path for Guitarist

Orchestrator

As an Orchestrator, you adapt musical compositions for performance by an orchestra. This course will give you a strong foundation in music theory and the skills to create beautiful and effective orchestrations. Your knowledge of different guitar voicings will help you create orchestrations that are rich and complex, and that bring the composer's vision to life.

See salaries and explore the career path for Orchestrator

Songwriter

As a Songwriter, you create the lyrics and melodies for songs. In this course, you'll develop a strong foundation in music theory and gain the skills to create beautiful and meaningful songs. Your knowledge of chord voicings will help you create songs with rich and complex harmonies, which will make your songs stand out from the crowd.

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Composer

As a Composer, you create original music for a variety of purposes, such as film, television, and video games. Your knowledge of differenct guitar voicings will help you develop a strong foundation in music theory. This will give you the skills to create beautiful and moving compositions that will captivate your audience.

See salaries and explore the career path for Composer

Music Promoter

As a Music Promoter, you promote musical events and artists. This course will give you a strong foundation in music theory and the skills to create and execute successful music promotion campaigns. Your knowledge of different guitar voicings will help you to understand the music you are promoting and to create promotions that are effective and engaging.

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Music Producer

As a Music Producer, you oversee the recording and production of music. You need a strong understanding of music theory and technology. This course will help you develop your understanding of music theory and how to use it to create great-sounding recordings. The facility with chord voicings up and down, and across the entire fretboard of the guitar, will be a major asset, and will help give your productions a professional edge.

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Music Director

As a Music Director, you oversee the musical aspects of a production, such as a play, film, or television show. This course will teach you how to create and arrange music for different purposes, using a variety of instruments and styles. Your knowledge of different chord voicings will help bring depth and complexity to the music you create.

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Music Journalist

As a Music Journalist, you write about music for newspapers, magazines, and websites. This course will give you a strong foundation in music theory and the skills to write about music in a clear and engaging way. Your knowledge of different guitar voicings will help you to understand and appreciate the music you write about, and to write about it in a way that is accessible to your readers.

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Music Therapist

As a Music Therapist, you use music to help people improve their physical, emotional, and cognitive health. The course's focus on chord inversions, power chords, drop-2 voicings, and chord substitutions will give you a strong foundation in music theory. This will help you develop the skills to create and use music to help others achieve their therapeutic goals.

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Music Publisher

As a Music Publisher, you acquire, license, and distribute musical works. This course will give you a strong foundation in music theory and the skills to understand and negotiate music publishing agreements. Your knowledge of different guitar voicings will help you to evaluate the quality of musical works and to make decisions about which works to acquire and publish.

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Music Agent

As a Music Agent, you represent musicians and help them to book gigs, negotiate contracts, and manage their careers. This course will give you a strong foundation in music theory and the skills to understand and negotiate music industry contracts. Your knowledge of different guitar voicings will help you to evaluate the musical abilities of the musicians you represent and to negotiate the best possible deals for them.

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Session Musician

As a Session Musician, you provide musical accompaniment for other artists in recording sessions, live performances, and other musical productions. The ability to play a variety of chords and voicings is essential for session musicians, and you'll gain a strong foundation in this area through this course.

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Music Teacher

As a Music Teacher, you provide instruction in music theory, performance, and composition. You need a strong command of music theory and the guitar, which this course helps build. Additionally, the course will help you develop the skills to effectively teach students of all ages and levels.

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Music Librarian

As a Music Librarian, you catalog, organize, and preserve music materials. This course will give you a strong foundation in music theory and the skills to effectively manage music collections. Your knowledge of different guitar voicings will help you understand the structure and content of musical works, which will be essential for your work as a music librarian.

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Recording Engineer

As a Recording Engineer, you capture and mix audio signals to create recordings. The course's focus on different guitar voicings will give you a strong foundation in music theory. This will help you develop the skills to create high-quality recordings that accurately capture the artist's intent.

See salaries and explore the career path for Recording Engineer