Again, it's been many year since then but it's something I still do today with just about every tune I want to learn like the back of my hand. Below are some thoughts on the a ton of ways to slice the chords up, then some basic idea of how to apply them.
The progression we played was this (again it's a variation):
| I7 | IV7 | I7 bII7 | I7 |
| IV7 | IV7 | I7 IIm | IIIm bIIIm |
| V7 | IV7 | I7 IV7 | I7 V7 |
If we are "in G" we get this...
| G7 | C7 | G7 Ab7 | G7 |
| C7 | C7 | G7 Am | Bm Bbm |
| D7 | C7 | G7 C7 | G7 D7 |
In the real version the Ab7 can also be considered a G7aug/G7alt, Ab7 is how we played it. When you dig into this tunes you'll find there are number of variations of this tune, other than the ones I've already spelled out.
Let look at a couple of common, movable, chord forms (actually, more fragments than full chords) that I naturally go for when playing. I'll do them all from G7 and from Gm, then you can move them to the correct Roots:
- Code: Select all
G7
E-------1-------------------3--7---------------13------13-----------------------------
B----0--0--0-------3-----3--6--6---6--8----12--12--12--12--0--3--5--8--12--15--17--20----
G----0--0--0----4--4--4--4--4--7---4--10---10--12--10--10--------------------------------
D----3--3--3----3--3-----3---------5--9----12--12--12--12--0--3--5--9--12--15--17--21----
A----------2----------5------------------------------------------------------------
E----------1----3--3-----------------------------------------------------------
G9 or G13
E--------5--5----------------------------10--10------13---------------
B--0--3--3--3--5-----8---10--8-------10--10--10--10--12--12--12--12---
G--2--2--2--4--4--4--10--10--9---10--10--10--10--10--12--14--12--14---
D--3--3--3--3--3--7--9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---12--12--15--15---
A-----2-----------5--8---8---8---10--10--10----------12--14--14-------
E--------------3------------------------------------------------------
Gm, Gm7, Gm9, Gm11
E----------3-----3-----3--------6--6--5--5-----5--6------------------------10------------------
B----3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--8--8--8--6--6--6--6--8--8--8--8---10--11--11--11--13--13--13--13--
G----0--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--10--10--10--10--10--10------14--12--
D----0--3--3--3--3--3-----5--8--5-----5--8--8-----8--8--8--8---8---8---------------12--12--12--
A----1--1--------------------5-----------------------------10--10--10--10--10--10----------13--
E----------3--3-----------------------------------------6--------------------------------------
Of course you can add in any other strings lower or higher than the forms shown to further build the fragments out into fuller chords.
Those examples are about 50% of the chords I might grab on the fly. The other 50% are combinations of them spread out a little more, or simultaneously borrowing from multiple forms, similar to the Ted Greene way of approaching the fretboard (it depends on where I'm at and where I'm going to decide what the next voicing will be).
For instance (this is not a Ted Greens chord but) take a look at this G6 chord/voicing in two octaves that I might use if needed:
- Code: Select all
G6
E---3---15-
B---5---17-
G---7---19-
D---9---12-
A----------
E----------
So, how do you apply all this??? A could way to start is two way, one is to keep all your chord changes in a common area on the fretboard, and two is to move things linearly on the fretboard (up or down). Like so...
In one area (using the progression I used above):
- Code: Select all
G7 C7 G7 Ab7 G7 C9 G9 Am7 Bm7 Bbm7 D7 C7 G7 C7 G7 D7
E-----------------------------------------4----------------------------
B--6---5---3---4----3---3---3---5-----3---2-----3---5---6---5---6---3--
G--4---3---4---5----4---3---2---5-----2---3-----5---3---4---3---4---5--
D--5---5---3---4----3---2---3---5-----4---3-----4---5---5---5---5---4--
A---------------------------2------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------
The more linear method (up and down when needed):
- Code: Select all
G7 C7 G7 Ab7 G7 C7 G7 Am7 Bm Bbm7 D7 C7 G7 C7 G9 D7
E----------------------------------------------------------------------
B--3---5---6---7----8---8---8----10----7---9----7----8--8---11--10--7--
G--4---3---4---5----10--9---10---9-----7---6----5----7--10--9---10--7--
D--3---5---5---6----9---8---9----10----9---8----7----8--9---10--9---10-
A----------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------
Those give you an idea of how to see them and become familiar with them (in this case I'm only dealing with three string forms). If you have a bass playing you can use these cover the harmony while the other guy covers the bass. This D, G, and B string range is a nice compliment to just about any other instrument that might be playing to (keys, horns, vocals, etc...) and it will help your part stand out in the mix of these several other instruments playing at the same time without getting in the way. IOW, it's a good register to play in for most cases...but it's not the only one of course.
There's PLENTY more than just this but if you can become familiar with the way a few of the forms connect to each other you'll find them to be VERY usable in building your fretboard knowledge, creating lines with them, and finding some deep movements within the tune.
