Change How You Play Rhythm Guitar

Learn how to play minor chords everywhere on the guitar neck, not only with open chords and bar chords, but with triads and other shapes. For example, learn how to play an Am chord in several different places, then learn how to switch to other chords using similar shapes on the fretboard.
This video is the minor-key compliment to the video "The Most Useful Chords I Ever Learned." Thanks to viewers for recommending a minor key version.
You will also learn how to connect minor pentatonic scales to some of the chord shapes and create short solo lines to use in between playing the chords. Soloing in this way can greatly increase the complexity of your rhythm guitar playing.
🎸 Join my Patreon group for loads more guitar lesson content, including practice tips, jam tracks and more!
/ guitarlessonsvancouver
Taught by guitar teacher and musician Blue Morris from Vancouver, Canada. You can find out more about Blue and his guitar instructional books like "Guitar Soloing Like a Pro" from www.bluemorris.com/shop

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching! More info about my book "Guitar Soloing Like a Pro" can be found here: www.bluemorris.com/shop 🎸😀

[@SeatedAtTheLeftHandOfTheFather]

I Apologize If I Hurt You. I Don’t Understand Everything. But It’s Clear You Have FRICTION. ✌️It’s Was A Positive 57 Minutes & Then🧂 … You Proud Of Yourself 🤏🏻🧠

[@saltstream]

This is some of the best material on KZbin. Brilliant guidance and direction which is easy to follow. Keep up the good work as it's very much appreciated.

[@wademarlar9616]

I agree 💯 percent an he gets right to the point very quickly an doesn’t drag you around. I like the way he plays it his way then breaks it down for everyone to understand it

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for the great feedback!

[@Morant61]

I have watched countless hours of guitar videos on KZbin and you are by far the best instructor I have seen. I love the way that you start simple and keep digging deeper into the subject. Keep up the great work!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thanks! Lots more coming to this channel and our Patreon www.patreon.com/guitarlessonsvancouver

[@tammywalla7259]

Yep, I ❤you’re lessons! You’re speakin my language!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Tammy!

[@r0bophonic]

Thanks for another great video! I love when you combine rhythm and lead playing in your lessons 👍

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thanks for watching!

[@gonicjon]

great lesson for us old beginners....thanks....if only you tube was available back in 72 to 78

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Jon, I too can't imagine growing up with KZbin either. Just had books and in person lessons when I was young. But somehow it worked.

[@rhettricks6641]

Blue, once again, very well thought out, useful lesson. Please keep it coming!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thanks Rhett!

[@blackfender100]

Very cool Love your simplicity you add to things.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Joe!!

[@timlexwcs6911]

Awesome as always! Hopefully we will see a lesson combining both videos! Popular progressions maybe?

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Good idea, I'll make a note to combine major and minor. Thanks!

[@freespeech-advocate]

clearly explained as always mate, love your lessons 🤟😎🎸

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Edward!

[@RBZ3]

Nice one...thanks Blue.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks RB!!

[@darkomtobia]

Man...there's just so much good I could say about this! 👏 The names for the shape/style of the chords is really pretty brilliant. As a guy learning via KZbin I can say that a lot of times I just see an ocean of monotonous dots when I look at chord diagrams, videos, etc. Thank you!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Great feedback thanks! Lots more coming

[@benjaminifraimov5190]

Great! once again!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Benjamin!

[@rafa_guitar]

I have a bunch of concepts and brilliant ideas to work on thanks to your channel, rock'em all!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Rock on!

[@marchallaert7372]

Great lesson! Thank you.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching Marc!

[@licksnkicks1166]

Eye opening! I can’t tell you how much I have learned from you in as little as 2 weeks. My guitar teachers weren’t great. You are my go to!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Awesome thanks again!!!

[@tammywalla7259]

Memorization by association! It works! I like you’re little memory tricks! ❤

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

That's the way that works for me 😀

[@thq4941]

Sitting here in the land down under learning more every time Blue posts. And doing so with my Strat into a Katana 100 MKII sounding magic thanks to this man's generously provided fender deluxe reverb patch. Thanks again sir! And the SRV patches are great also. Subscribed a while ago and always liked.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool! Nice you got the Fender Katana patch. I use it when teaching here and live shows.

[@reforma720]

Great video! You are a very good teacher!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Glad it was helpful! New video every Saturday

[@doubletaper1453]

Great lesson, thank you for sharing.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Double Taper! New video every Saturday

[@grooutube]

I really like the way you teach. thanks!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Groov, new lesson every Saturday!

[@jockster5525]

Awesome thanks for your efforts and sharing your knowledge with us

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you for watching and commenting Lots more lessons like this on the channel and our Patreon group https:www.patreon.com/guitarlessonsvancouver

[@keovongvilaykeo4799]

Great lessons thanks you 😊

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Keovong! New lesson every Saturday

[@michaelcraig9449]

Finally a way to put the various pieces I learned over the years, together!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool, glad it helped. Lots more on this channel and our Patreon lessons group!

[@dennisk5082]

Nicely done once again. Received the soloing book as well. Lots of good stuff in there for those who are interested. Keep at it. I always watch the video and say to myself I got this and go and bastardize it !! Practise makes perfect I’m hoping😊

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thanks Dennis! Let me know if you have any questions about the book.

[@mraggrovator]

Great lesson

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thanks for watching 😎

[@kevinnewitt2563]

Best teacher on the planet

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Kevin!

[@tonybulmer6365]

Very cool! Re the “triangle” shape, the root notes of the common D shape are a good way to figure this all the way up the neck.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Good point,, that's also a good way to find it, thanks for the comment!

[@kokoboss6312]

Thanks.. This is very usefull..

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching!

[@lrparrish227]

Love your videos. you are a very good instructor. :)

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you very much!

[@garygregg4597]

Thanks!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching!

[@QBRX]

Good lesson, thanks.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks again for watching!

[@guylaurent8138]

Awesome lesson...

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Guy! 😃

[@edward5522]

This practice helps me get over some humps. Thanks!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Great thanks Edward!

[@99vkh]

Very nice 👍

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you 👍

[@noahtenshen]

I find that using the pinky as the reference for the "triangle" shape E (as well as others up the fretboard) to be easiest. Nice lesson.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

That's how I see it, too. Root on the B string.

[@dougsmith8430]

Really cool lesson! Heading over to the Major lesson now! There’s nothing better than finding a lesson that takes information on how to play something that we can pretty much incorporate in our playing right away… This is awesome! Thanks!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Great to hear thanks! Lots more coming, every Saturday

[@dougsmith8430]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver Hello, and thank you for your awesome lessons…was wondering if you could send a link here to the accompanying major Rhythm Chords lesson,I can’t seem to find it…?

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

@@dougsmith8430 Hi Doug, it might be this one you're thinking of, It has Major chords up and down the neck. I do plan on covering this in greater detail in the future. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIGbaYFurN-kg68

[@dougsmith8430]

Blue, this is the lesson… Thank you! This can help me not only with my playing by mixing major and minors through these cord shapes, but it is a Tremendous Way to accompany other players, and not step on them, thank you so much! I have subscribed and I look forward to any of your lessons, and I’m glad that you will be having more lessons pertaining to this subject! Thank you!

[@garymacrae5778]

Bravo !! You are a great , great teacher and have great taste in fine scotch too I’m sure .

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Cheers! 🥃

[@TroyTurnerHifi]

Thanks Blue, I'm going to try using the "triangle" shape more often... i keep forgetting about it.

[@michaelcimmino6462]

I've just discovered your videos. You're an excellent teacher. Thank you. How far is Vancouver from New Jersey USA? LOL!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Haha thanks Michael, that's a bit of a commute 😄

[@SKOVDEPETE]

Ireally enjoyed your approach. Great lesson. Major chords next :-)

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks! Already made one for major chord shapes, it's here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIGbaYFurN-kg68

[@kip_san]

nice one blue, greetings from England, really enjoying the lessons from you. so much so that I ordered your book yesterday, just waiting for it to arrive tommorow. Looking forward to getting going with it. Are you going to do a subscription service at some point with more content, I would defiantly sign up to that.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Awesome, thank you! Let me know if you have any questions about the book.

[@AZ-FPV]

I kept thinking he will play Hotel California 😅

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

I wanted to, for sure 😀

[@pauldirac6243]

Seriously great channel. You are making me a rock star and I love it. Quick question, I'm moving from strictly acoustic guitar and wanting to branch out into electric. I love Eric Clapton and want to get a stratocaster. Is it ok to get a Squire Classic Vibe or should I hold out for the next paycheck to get real Fender Strat?

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

If you love playing guitar, I think you should have a guitar you love. You can play that thing the rest of your life. If you can afford the real thing without breaking your budget or waiting too long, I'd recommend that.

[@robmandel3413]

Amazing content as always. If you also learn the pentatonic shapes starting on the 5th string the shape is very similar to the full shape with the exception of the note on the B string being 1/2 step higher(F instead of an E). So you can play that shape over the Dm. It has most Am notes in it as well. And that note (F) is also in the A aeolian scale so it’s still diatonic to Am. And then the extension of that scale is the fourth shape, which is the tail end of the pentatonic run you did a few days ago. The triangle shape is an inversion chord. Perhaps a lesson on where the inversions and shapes are would be super helpful. That’s the one I’d love to see. Inversions sound so cool especially in context of a song because they imply other tones while still being the chord tone. Wish you were on YT much earlier!!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Rob, good points you make here. Inversions will be in many of my videos over time for sure 😀

[@StreetArtistsOfTheWorld]

Another good lesson, thanks man! Waiting for the blues turnarounds lesson till then dropping this comment and hitting that upvote :)

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Turnound video has been made, coming soon

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

... I filmed it last week, just need to edit it. 😎

[@StreetArtistsOfTheWorld]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver Yay! 🥳🥳 Looking forward to it!

[@StreetArtistsOfTheWorld]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver Hey again! Got a new suggestion for a lesson: 😋 I often see 6,9 and 13 chords thrown in a blues by some of the big names, adding a different color to the same sounds. I know how to construct them but not sure when to use them (*properly*) in a blues (or any other progression) . Cheers!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Sounds good! I'll put it on the list. Turnarounds should be coming this Saturday. Thanks again for the suggestions.

[@briandwi2504]

Really practical ideas. Your soloing book is excellent. Any plans for the next one?

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks! Hopefully I will have time this year to write book 2. It's just a lack of time that keeps me from doing it at this point

[@briandwi2504]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I will just have to get your rhythm guitar book while waiting for the next lead one!

[@blkleblanc]

Awesome video and a different prospective on triads. The "Stairway shape" is pictured to bar the 4 strings but I notice you just bar the top 3 strings; is it more comfortable that way? I feel playing the "Stairway shape" will set me up to also practice Hybrid picking and double stops because is also has that Jimmy vibe.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks Bruno! You can bar 4 or 3 stings on that. Not sure why I only hold 3 to be honest. Must just habit 😀

[@user-om7ij4jh1t]

I recently found your lesson videos. Thank you for those informative lessons. In this lesson video, I think that the chord shape you mentioned as hard to find its position is actually a simple transpostion from open Dm chord, right?

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

It is a Dm shape yes! That's a good way to think of it 😄

[@jeffro.]

Hey Blue, only a few minutes in, but i can't help but notice that the chord you're calling an Am is also a G7! At least i think it is, i don't have my guitar handy right now, so i can't compare the sound - just looking at the landmarks.... Isn't it interesting how there are chords inside other chords sometimes?!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Hi Jeff, there definitely are ambiguous chord shapes on guitar. I don't know about Am also fitting a G7, but for example, Am7 is easily a C chord. You can always spell them out to check: Am7 is A C E G and C major is C E G. Even better C6 is C E G A. Same notes as Am7, different order 😀

[@cyrilmoussoki3193]

Interesting

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

👍🎸

[@Jjj53214]

Combine them with power chords as well.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Sure, power chords always good

[@JPVanderbuilt]

Diagonal line? I'd call it incline ramp.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Haha nice! That works too.

[@daverobbe6560]

I call it the Dire Straits D minor.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Ahhh good name for it!

[@Sias0]

That cleared some stuff for me.😀 appreciate it

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Glad to hear it! Thanks Steve