How Guitars Work

The third shape we’ll be looking at in this lesson series is the G shape. The full range of notes in the G shape are almost impossible to play because of the stretching involved, so we need to break it down into two smaller parts to make it practical to play. In this lesson you'll learn how to: create and move chords using the G shape(s) join the A shape and the G shape on the fretboard play major chords with the G shape(s) change major chords into minor chords with the G shape(s) If you have some knowledge of guitar as a beginner, and I asked you to play a G chord, you would probably play this shape: This is a G chord, played using the G shape. The root note (G) is played on the first and sixth strings.  The third interval note (B) is played on the fifth string, and the fifth interval note (D) is played on the open fourth string, and the fretted second string. You might also see a G played with an additional note played on the second string. This adds another fifth interval note

  In this lesson, we’ll be looking at the A shape.   You’ll learn how to: create and move the A shape join the C shape and the A shape on the fretboard play major chords with the A shape change major chords played with the A shape, into minor chords Spelling the A chord If we want to play an A chord, using an A shape, we’ll play the notes A, C#, and E (the one note, the third interval and the fifth interval note in the A scale) - that’s how you spell the A chord. 1. A 2. B 3. C# 4. D 5. E 6. F# 7. G You're probably already familiar with this form of the A chord  played across strings two, three, and four, on the second fret.  The A shape is moveable Just like other shapes, the A chord shape this is fully moveable up and down the neck of the guitar, to create other chords. And just like before, it’s the root note of the shape that determines the chord name. Building the A chord  Our root note in this A chord is placed on the third string, second fret. So if this is our one note, we