Tetrad Harmony for Guitar – by Mike Overly

In music, a triad is harmony of 3 different letters. In major scale harmony, the I (one) chord is a major triad. And in the key of C major, the I major chord is C major. The C major triad is spelled in letters: C E G, and in scale degree tone numbers: 1 3 5.

A tetrad is harmony of 4 different letters. In major scale harmony, the I chord is a major seven tetrad. And in the key of C major, the I major seven chord is C major seven. The C major seven tetrad is spelled in letters: C E G B, and in scale degree tone numbers: 1 3 5 7.

For this lesson, Holistic will be defined as Forms that Overlap. The following illustrates the Holistic Overlap of 5 major seven chord forms in 1st Octave scale degree tone numbers on the guitar fretboard.

We’ll end this lesson with a song from Guitar EncycloMedia that applies the I major seven chord to 15 tonal centers.

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Image by Alex Grey

Tonal Center Modulation – by Mike Overly

Tonal Center may be defined as: the scale from which the letters and scale degree tone numbers of the harmony originate. Modulation simply means: to change. The tonal center may be any type of scale. For example: major, natural minor, whole tone, etc. In this lesson you will learn to identify the tonal center scale by just knowing the harmony symbol.

http://www.12tonemusic.com/bass/lessons/TonalCenter.pdf

If you like this type of music knowledge, then be sure to check out Bass EncycloMedia written by GRAMMY® Nominated Music Educator Mike Overly.

Now, let me ask you a question: What do Bootsy, Marshall and author Mike Overly Want You to Know?

“Bass EncycloMedia is a most profound revelation! I am certain that this book, written with cool analysis and prophetic vision, will have a most significant effect on any player who studies it. It is an important contribution to those thinking bass.” – Marshall Jones, Mega Bass Master for the Ohio Players.

Let Bass EncycloMedia show you how to dramatically improve your playing by learning 7 Forms on the holistic fretboard so that you can easily play all the chord, scale and arpeggio fragments. With over 300 pages of total fretboard knowledge in one book, Bass EncycloMedia thoroughly explains how to play something uniquely different ~ every time with every song!

Bass EncycloMedia ~ as essential as your instrument! www.12tonemusic.com/bass/encyclomedia

Order now through midnight February 11, 2016 and receive FREE SHIPPING on any order in the 12 Tone Music store. Use code 6VXYESTP at checkout. Domestic orders only.

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All the Chords I Needed to Know I Learned at My First Lesson – by Mike Overly

At a recent Homeschool Convention someone asked me: How many chords are there on the guitar? That’s a very good question, I replied. Is the answer, six, ten thousand, a million, who knows? What we do know is that there are only five simple open shapes from which all chords originate!

Let’s begin by imagining the picture on the cover of a puzzle box. Visualize the picture on the box and see it as a whole picture. See this whole picture as the seven letter of music on your fretboard. When these seven letters of music: A, B, C, D, E, F, G are horizontally connected on the 6 strings and 12 frets of your guitar, the following picture is revealed.

Now, imagine taking a pair of scissors and cutting this whole fretboard picture into five pieces, which we will call fractions. How hard would it be to put together a puzzle if it only had five pieces – Playskool® right? Well, the five puzzle pieces are the five open major chords: E, D, C, A, G which like an anagram can be rearranged into the word: CAGED. You probably know these five open shapes already.

Next, let’s see how these five shapes become movable forms on the holistic fretboard. Simply stated, the definition of holistic is forms interlocked. To see this holistic connection, we need to know that a chord contains at least three different letters that are played at the same time. For example, an F major chord is spelled with these three different letters: F A C. However, unlike English, these 3 letters may be arranged in any combination, for example: F A C, A C F, C F A, F C A and the chord will still be F major. These different letter orders are called inversions. In the following example, we’ll group the three F major chord letters vertically as we move up the fretboard, and like magic, the five F major chord forms appear!

Perhaps you’re having a little trouble seeing them? The following animated gif image we help you visualize these five shapes more clearly, by highlighting the three F major chord letters, FAC, into the five movable major chord forms.

Congratulations! You can now see all five F major chord forms on your holistic fretboard.

Now, here’s the important part, no one knows any more F major chords than you do… there are only five! And by simply moving these five major chord barre forms to a different letter location the fretboard, all major chords can easily be played – but that’s another lesson…

So, till next time, have some fun interlocking your five form holistic puzzle pieces ~ I’ll be listening . . .

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