FRETBOARD WIZARD Minor Key of G Barre Chord Matrix – completed

[Bill_Brown]

Did you notice a pattern @Cadgirl with the locations along the neck with the Em shapes used for the Am & Bm (barre) chords and the Am shape used for the Em (barre) chord? The family of E & A shaped barre chords in use again😱

[Cadgirl]

@Bill_Brown ,I first used the “A shape” to construct the Em chord (Root on A string, 7th fret). To make the Am, I moved the same shape 2 frets toward the headstock and moved the shape 1 string toward the Low E (5th fret). This puts the root of A on the Low E string. To make the Bm, I just had to move the Am chord (E shape) toward the body 2 frets (7th fret). I hope that I writing this down somewhat intelligible.

[Bill_Brown]

Hi @Cadgirl , remember that the (Am) shape you used to make the Em barre chord (root at the 7th fret A string), when moving it to the 5th fret (root on the loE string), to “shoot the bird” (lift the middle finger – lol) to make the Am & Bm barre chords because they’re made from an Em shape, not the full E shape. The full E shape would result in those chords being major, not minor.

Did you notice that 2 of the chords were barred along the same fret (7th fret) and 1 of the chords was 2 frets towards the head stock?

These 3 chords are the minor chords in the key of G major (occupying the 6-2-3 positions), where Em is the “relative” minor (the minor chord that occupies the 6th position of a major scale). In terms of the key of Em, the chords we played are the 1 minor, 4 & 5 minors respectively where Em is the 1(minor), Am is the 4(minor) and Bm is the 5(minor).

So we used an Am shape barred at the 7th fret to play the Em barre chord (the 1 minor). Then we used an Em shape, also barred at the 7th fret to play the Bm barre chord (the 5 minor). Then we moved that Em shape toward the headstock 2 frets and barred along the 5th fret to play the Am barre chord.

This is the same pattern that was happening when we played the Major 1-4-5 barre chords using an A shape as the 1 chord and the E shape to play the 5 and 4 chords.

I hope you can follow what I’m saying Cadgirl, take a close look at our conversations from your post last week and maybe this will make a little more sense.

[Cadgirl]

@Bill_Brown , Thanks for getting back with me.

Yes, your right, not a full E or full A shape, they are both modified to be minor. For Em I used an A shape but because it was a minor I moved the note on the 2<sup style=”background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color); font-family: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>nd</sup> string one fret up toward the headstock. Making it an Em. Did the same thing with the Am which used the E shape, because it was a minor chord I lifted the 2<sup style=”background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color); font-family: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>nd</sup> string note up one fret toward the headstock making it an open string.

Yes, I did notice that the Em & Bm were using the same 7^th fret. Also Am and Bm use the same shape of Em just a couple frets away from each other.

Ok, this gets me a little confused over the meaning of ‘relative’. I understand that the key of G has minor chords in the 6-2-3 positions. I’m a little fuzzy on why Em is called a ‘relative’ minor thou? Is it because the same notes are in it as the Key of G? That’s what I’m assuming. Wait…. So if the key of Em is a ‘relative’ minor of the Key of G. THEN the relative major of E minor would be the Key of G Major. Does this make sense?

Yes, I am pretty sure I have a grasp on everything else. It’s just what the part about Em being called ‘relative’ minor.

I’m getting this. I just have to keep reinforcing it to make it 2^nd nature to me.

[Bill_Brown]

Yes @Cadgirl , in the key of G major, Em is called the “relative” minor because their scales/keys share the same notes/chords. And so conversely, in the key of Em, G major is the “relative” major.

Extra credit:

1) What is the relative minor in the key of D? 2)What is the relative minor in the key of A? What is the relative major in the key of Am?

[Cadgirl]

This is my understanding of finding the relative minor of a major scale is by using the 6 scale degree. So 1) The relative minor to the Key of D would be the Key of Bm. 2) The relative minor to the Key of A would be the key of F#m.

3) To find the relative Major to a Minor Key I would use the 3 scale degree. So the relative Major to the Key of Am would be the Key of C

[Bill_Brown]

Excellent work @Cadgirl !!😘 You have received FULL CREDIT for the extra credit (LOL)👍🎸🥂🍾

So to turn back full circle, my original comments to you were that 1)the E family and A family of chord shapes are used in the lions share of barre chord playing. 2)There is a simple (condensed) pattern along the neck when using the E & A families of barre chord shapes for the locations of the 1-4-5 chords of any key (major or minor).

In hind site, I may not have been clear enough about the “type” of pattern itself. The pattern that I was trying to get you to see is about the close proximity along the neck of the 1-4-5 chords in any key (major or minor) when using the E & A families of barre chord shapes. This pattern has nothing to do with the CAGED system, other than the use of E & A families of barre chord shapes, and I should have been more clear about that earlier on.

With all that being said, can you see the “pattern” that I’ve described?

[Cadgirl]

@Bill_Brown When I use the E & A barre chord shapes in the location of 1-4-5. The scale patterns E and A are the same. They just change location. Starting with the pattern, ‘1’ location would start on the Low E string. The ‘4’ location would drop toward the floor one string, then play the same pattern. For ‘5’ location, move down the fretboard 2 frets. This would hold true for any Key up and down the fretboard. They are easy to play, because they are right next to each other. Is this what you’re looking for? or am I off base?

[Bill_Brown]

Yes @Cadgirl , that is what I want you to see👏🤩👏 Now to add a little more detail;

When the 1 chord is made from an E shape, the 4 & 5 chords will be made from an A shape where the 4 chord will be barred at the same fret as the 1 chord and the 5 chord will be barred 2 frets toward the body of the guitar (up the neck). Let’s call this pattern 1, just to give it a name.

When the 1 chord is made from an A shape, the 5 & 4 chords will be made from an E shape where the 5 chord will be barred at the same fret as the 1 chord and the 4 chord will be barred 2 frets toward the headstock (down the neck). Let’s call this pattern 2, just for the hell of it.

These 2 patterns will remain constant no matter what key you are playing (major or minor) when using the E Family & A Family of barre chord shapes. As a nice way to tie this into the CAGED system as taught in FW2, the scale patterns for the E shaped chords and A shaped chords are the same except the E scale shape is rooted on the lo E string and the A scale shape is rooted on the A string.

Saying all this stuff about scale patterns has reminded me that I need to go back to the CAGED system section in FW2 and go over those scale patterns for myself!

[Cadgirl]

@Bill_Brown Thank you for all the help. I am going to keep up on applying the fretboard wizard with the daily challenges. I can absolutely see where this is going to make me stronger in my guitar journey. Again thanks for taking the time to push me in the right direction.

[Kitman]

Great win @Cadgirl ! I like the way you are digging into the lessons and challenges to learn and apply the CAGED system!!!

[Cadgirl]

@Kitman , Thanks a lot for noticing. I swear, I walk away from this with a head ache. It is confusing and I totally understand when someone says they don’t get it. But, it was easier this time, then when I did it the week before. I am going to keep reinforcing my FBW knowledge with the daily challenges. Right now, watching the Week 4 Day 2 of Fretboard Wizard. Almost down with it.