key of E

[Bill_Brown]

Hello Ursula, my dear friend @campfire , the answer to your questions is about understanding <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>where the root note of any chord lies along the fretboard. The root note is usually considered the lowest toned note played within a specific chord (equivalent to the lowest string fretted for that chord). Before I go on, if I may, let me remind you of the naturally occurring half steps (1 fret) between B & C, and E & F (<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>B<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>ig <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>C<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>ats <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>E<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>at <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>F<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>ish – the metaphor that I use), because this is also an integral part of what I want to say. Let’s start with an E chord (and all of the E family chord shapes). So the root of the open E chord is the open LoE string. So what that means is that any E shaped barre chord has their root on the LoE string. Then for the root of an E shaped barre chord, we’re going follow the “MUSICAL ALPHABET” up the fretboard along that LoE string, starting with openE, then 1st fret F (naturally occurring half step), 3rd fret G, 5th fret A, and so on. That is how you can justify an E shaped barre chord (& E family shaped chords) with the index finger barring all strings along the 3rd fret as a G chord, and so on up the fretboard, following the musical alphabet . The same thing is true for the A family shaped chords, but their root is along the A string – where open = A, 2nd fret = B, 3rd fret =C and so on, following the musical alphabet along the A string.

I hope my way of answering your question was helpful for your journey👍

[HowardM]

Great explanation Bill_Brown. Ursula should benefit from your explanation. It amazes me that we all walk the same path.

[campfire]

Thanks Bill!

I’ve read your answer a few times. Need a while to digest. I do understand about the musical alphabet and one fret between BC & EF. It makes sense to barre E when playing chords in Key of E. I remember a bit about the root.

Going to think some more.

As always, thanks!!!!🙂

ursula

[Kitman]

Hi Ursula ( @campfire ) . I think the the chords that Tony used in last week’s challenges represent the 7 notes in the scale in the key of E.

A chord consists the 3 note: the root note (which provides us with the chord name) plus the 3rd note in the scale plus the 5th in the scale. For the A chord these are : A, C# and E.

Because of the way the guitar is designed these notes repeat themselves at numerous places on the fretboard. This allows is to play the A chord at different positions in the neck. Hence the A chord may be played at the second fret and then using a a barre chord at the 5th fret. Fingering these notes on the fretboard requires us to make different chord shapes with your fingers on different strings to produce the chord. The barre chords use the index finger to simulate the nut and then the remaining fingers are placed in the strings and fret positions to play the three notes necessary to make the chord.

Hang in there! I encourage you to return to Fretboard Wizard when you feel you are ready. It helps explain quite a bit.