How To Make The WORST Chords....Sound GREAT!

[@samuraiguitarist]

Last day of the sale! Use promo code "BACKTOSCHOOL21" at www.samuraiguitartheory.com

[@Sangreezy]

Midwest Emo crash course: American Football - “Never Meant”.

[@ThePeachBitBack]

btw, the Periphery chord screenshot is from this video I'm pretty sure: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp2qnalmZsiUiaM (I believe the shape comes it at about 4 mins in) Periphery normally plays in Drop C or uses 7 strings, they're an amazing (progressive metal) band and I'd highly recommend looking at them if you're ever in the mood for metal.

[@po-tay-toe7920]

I once tried to write a song with no key and no rhythm. At one point I used the chords 030303, 404040, 060606, 606060 Search for Gustav Kreuter Abstract Flat

[@ThePeachBitBack]

@@po-tay-toe7920 yo, this was really interesting, I liked it, but it was also weird (ofc)

[@GabrielVelasco]

That was some of the best mid-western Emo I've ever heard.

[@HelloHello-vk5ob]

Yeah just put some groovy drums over it

[@lighterless528]

That is pretty midwest ngl

[@ericzmusic]

I was hearing more of a mid north western vibe

[@Expooo1379]

FUCKING WORD! i feel like good mid west emo is the best music, both complex and calming, and that's a weird combination

[@MikoSquiz]

It's kind of an odd hybrid of midwest emo and.. I don't know, bluegrass?

[@RC32Smiths01]

Worst Chords? But that is full-blown jazz chords Sammy!

[@brianspenst1374]

Can we please get Dollar Store Pink Floyd as a full song?

[@kylevandeusen]

I'd listen to that.

[@MinBlick]

Dolar Store Pink Floyd should replace all elevator music in the world.

[@frigginjerk]

Ponk Fleed.

[@daemonspudguy]

A friend of mine had a grandparent name Floyd, so came up with the name Purple Cleaston, based on the name of one of my grandparents.

[@beandon24]

The Mark Holcomb chord is this video is meant to played in drop tuning (specifically drop C). In this case it's from the song Pale Aura by Periphery -very first chord in the song. (7-7-9-5-8-5). But, he plays it like a maniac. Much, much, easier to play if you bar the 7s with your middle finger, pinky on 9, bar 5s on the top 3 strings, and grab the 8 with your ring finger. Here's the video its from: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp2qnalmZsiUiaM

[@beandon24]

Also sounds really great to leave the top string (D in this case) open (7-7-9-5-8-0). Really nice as an arpeggio too

[@wadsmitter511]

0:02 Fun fact: This exact chord is used in an incredibly musical way by Lage Lund in his tune, "Hard Eights"!

[@Badosureinhardt]

Buckethead uses it a lot, in a very pronounced way

[@aPheonixRises]

I like the periphery chord music you made. Definitely has the hopeless romantic sound to it.

[@alejandroochoa559]

The progression you played with the diminished chords sound very classical folk guitar. Spanish/Hispanic sounding. Serene and calm but complex and deep.

[@TheLowest]

The EEBEBE chord just makes me immediately think of ocean by john butler

[@scottydkeith]

And the opening chords of Torn by Natalia Imbruglia.

[@colinvitale2264]

Paul's Chord is the backbone of Modest Mouse's "Talking Sh*t About a Pretty Sunset." Didn't think I'd be going to war over a chord today but lock your doors Paul

[@happymaui]

Awesome video. Reminds me of the guitar playing in the song "Belinda" made popular by Harry Belafonte.

[@_adg_0]

How fitting to play some Yvette style tapping harmonies over Mark's chord

[@thomascorin7816]

2:38 the bro just summed up my life. I am that E.

[@7thString84]

You are just brilliant, man!

[@WhoWatchesVideos]

I was hoping you'd go grunge with the 404040 but dollar store Pink Floyd was a good choice, too.

[@royfablooo2810]

I think you should do the best chord people have used and make it even more better.

[@rb240tuner]

Sammy G, you make the guitar look so effortless.

[@123Ir0nman]

9:43 that's what she said Sorry, not sorry

[@hdsncbb]

9:44 pause

[@screamoneo]

"if i'm using midwest emo wrong.... just ignore it." me: "oh ok he's gonna play some broken chords" **american football starts suing**

[@shaneharrington3655]

I’ve been using mostly diminished chords recently because I love the atonality and how it makes it less like a guitar.

[@backlom]

You too have a custom Paulette! Nice 👍🏼

[@needlegunn]

hell yea I love hockey

[@AshtonRob]

DeftGiraffe here, I love what u did with my abomination of a chord, sounds sick as hell!

[@Krullmatic]

Yeah, he definitely did it justice! It sounded killer!

[@silverXnoise]

Have you ever heard the music of “Giraffes? Giraffes!”?

[@martinheath5947]

@@silverXnoise It's hard getting a mic stand for giraffes

[@nicolasavezou7345]

There's no such thing as a bad chord. It's all about context :-) Great example with the 404040

[@dane6689]

I 100% agree with the statement, but it wasn't a good example at all. I have very limited knowledge of music theory and that would have been my first intuitive "context".

[@nicolasavezou7345]

@@dane6689 Just because it is intuitive doesn't make it a bad example. I think you proved my point, it is a great example because even someone without music theory knowledge could understand it.

[@dane6689]

@@nicolasavezou7345 That was just my opinion. He usually has better ideas. What I meant was - this is a "trick" that everyone knows, and it is a very "artificial" use of the chords. Everyone knows that, in a certain way, every chords shape can "make sense". The same goes for breaking down a chord into separated notes and "using" it that way. So yeah, maybe I m not value myself and I thought that everyone already knows such methods when that is not the case, but I really think it is very basic.

[@gado__]

There's no such thing as a bad drug. It's the circumstances

[@brodyh2895]

in punk and hardcore we call that a "panic chord" when you play 2 adjacent notes at the same time and I genuinely don’t know what id do without it

[@jeffdefazio6502]

“Imagine this chord is a hockey player” is potentially the most Canadian thing ever

[@djvoid1]

My friend in high school was once trying to play 'Happy Birthday' on guitar. On the final chord, he landed one fret above where you're supposed to land and accidentally created the most ass sounding resolution of all time.

[@GH-dq3mx]

That Paul David’s chord, and your subsequent progression, are the foundation of a large percentage of early 2000s worship music. Find a Spotify playlist for that genre and let it torture your ears, Mr. David’s.

[@BrickMan3022]

all who are thirstyyyyyy

[@GH-dq3mx]

@@BrickMan3022 🤣🤣🤣

[@gwalla]

Henceforth it shall forevermore be known as Paul Davids' Chord.

[@lithominium9955]

also the verse of The Spirit of Radio by rush-

[@caseyseangray]

It is definitely the "friendly white mega church" chord. Especially for youth worship stuff.

[@robbirose7032]

A video on diminished chords please. I'd love to see your take on it mate.

[@Rhababerschorle]

+1

[@sahbiah]

yessss

[@rjwusher]

I second that request.

[@tleuven]

Yeeees!

[@billymayo3640]

For someone who doesn’t know what Midwest emo is, that was pretty spot on

[@Selrisitai]

FROM someone who doesn't know what Midwest emo is, I think he nailed it.

[@Orodrethxvx]

Sounded like a new Snowing song

[@fudgesauce]

On Alan's chord (3:44) you missed a trick -- there is a massive bend going on the low E string too.

[@xjesusxchristx]

I'm a Paul here to tell you that Paul is wrong on his least favorite chord. I absolutely love the "E octave power chord", and actually use it quite a bit. Paul will hate knowing that I often layer it on top of another guitar playing either an open E chord, or an open position standard E power chord. But I feel it has a lot of depth - just a different kind of depth. It's that wide, ethereal, drone sound that I love(sorta like a 12 string, with added chorus).

[@jaydenwhitlen1489]

Exactly it's so rich

[@dualityofsoul3841]

I agree too

[@maynardtrendle820]

Agreed. I don't know why it was even included. 🐢

[@apothecurio]

Giraffe Chord was incredible. I love using those ultra dissonant open chords that you can slide and make pretty.

[@TallicaMan1986]

That E,B, E chord sounds cool when you take the E played on the 9th fret with your pinky and turn it into a D# played with the middle finger. It's a Nice major sound. So it's E, B, D# with the open strings still played.

[@seanoreilly2949]

So an Emaj7?

[@TallicaMan1986]

@@seanoreilly2949 I guess? I dont now the names, just the notes and chord shapes and how they play on a guitar. If EBD# is Emaj7 what's EBEG#? Is that also an Emaj7?

[@andrerimoli3593]

@@TallicaMan1986 its like an Emaj7 but without its third, it still sounds like major bc of the overtones (which features the G#) and stuff

[@TallicaMan1986]

@@andrerimoli3593 ah, thanks. Here's a another chord in continuation of the EBD# it's C#G#D#. You know what scale this by any chance? I've just been doing it by ear.

[@andrerimoli3593]

@@TallicaMan1986 these notes in this order it might be a C#sus2, so its not major or minor...i guess it could be from the key of E major, but you also could fit these two chords in the key of B major an (and its relative minor ofc), it just comes to preference. If it were me I would use the key of E since you're playing guitar and there are a lot of open strings that favor E major. I think I extended myself a bit here, sorry sjsiwhw

[@maasymoo]

I quite enjoyed the last composition. Its like a mix between Midwest Emo and Blue Grass. Cool stuff.

[@timsopinion]

"Dollar Store Pink Floyd" absolutely love that. This was a really cool video, it's amazing how well you were able to incorporate ugly sounding chords into miniature songs that actually sounded great.

[@solidlight8464]

I found the video the screenshot is from. (kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp2qnalmZsiUiaM) I’m pretty sure he’s playing the beginning of Pale Aura.

[@yigithenden126]

That pink floyd solo was so on point !

[@robbirose7032]

True!!!

[@Cthulu1985]

I would really like to see Paul and CigarGiraffe's "chord fixing" as full songs. Those were awesome!

[@tima6044]

I really hate that first chord. Gives me the E-B jeebies.

[@highernoon]

#1 dad

[@guavasmoothie5516]

Sammy g pin this fucking comment

[@SilentAttackTV]

I really want to like the augmented chord, but I just can't seem to find an example where it's used in such a way that it doesn't sound weird. Diminished chords, on the other hand, used right can be incredibly beautiful. I guess the best use augmented chords is in line cliche progressions, such as Life on Mars, but that seems like cheating a bit. I want to hear an example where an augmented chord can be called beautiful because it's used in a really great way, but it seems to be only used as a gimmick from what I've heard.

[@AntonioZL]

Cigar Giraffe's chord sounds like something straight out of a dark aRPG soundtrack, like Tristam's theme. Also, that midwest emo DID sound like midwest emo. A bit of distortion with some strumming between the licks and a 18 yo dude singing like he's about cry and vòi là, you got a midwest emo hit.

[@dontfeedthemilkshake]

That Paul Davids chord is fucking awesome, I don't care. A lot of artists I follow use it because of all the E's to create a super jangly and open sound. R.E.M.'s Peter Buck has that E chord as well as a Dsus2 as his most used chords of all time, and so many tracks make it sound amazing. Gotta disagree.

[@r3alfish]

The start of deaf giraffe (w/ spinning speaker) reminds me of Gov't Mules-Monday Morning Meltdown 🛫

[@imalmostbatman]

I don’t know what Pauly’s talking about, that sounds like a beautiful chord with all the open strings ringing out.

[@tutorialeshtmlprod]

It sounds pretty but I feel that it's way too bland, as he said it lacks colour.

[@Benry1]

Toss an F# in there and it’s pretty nice

[@vismayreddy138]

Yeah, I think it is a normal chord.

[@alpardal]

I think he was just being a little snobbish - that chord can sound great: the repeated notes give it a full, resonant sound that works pretty well w/ acoustic guitar. It's goal is not harmonic "complexity"

[@lamecasuelas2]

Well i'm on the oppossite end of the Spectrum, i can make even the Best chords sound like shit

[@groggyfroggyfpv6868]

Dollar store Pink Floyd. Hahaha. Great video Sammy!

[@R41__]

I'm really f** sorry but that's some Djenty proggy tunning right there at 9:51

[@belowcelcius5406]

God the chord cigargirrafe came up with when you put it in that context was literally perfect

[@stexjy1302]

As soon as I heard the first one in the intro I loved it, anyway... I mean ye ofc you gotta resolve it

[@esteban.r11]

That Midwest emo sounded a bit country ;) yeehaw!

[@cheezts8976]

For the damaged coda is a great example of a song that uses a bunch of diminished chords

[@beyshore_]

sammy g, here's the periphery chord: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp2qnalmZsiUiaM

[@danmar007]

Great video. That Chordinero is not cheap. :-)

[@apeapeape999]

guys don't skip ahead to 11:15, i'm serious. you'll regret it.

[@samtheman123]

8:50 He seriously made that chord sound awesome

[@C0urne]

Dollar store Pink Floyd! 🤣🤣🤣

[@waveyan]

Damn! Your mixes sound great! You should make another fiverr video offering people to mix their tracks.

[@leftyguitarist8989]

You forgot the open G chord with the open B string.

[@greggoso600]

please do dedicate a video on the diminuished chord!

[@removemental2873]

Fucking washboard?

[@Yourname942]

12:08 sounds like Ichika Nito

[@WhozWolfgang]

Have you ever played a chord and said to yourself "man, I hate this chord" Me literally every time I play an open D chord after using a tuner..

[@Hicky33]

Robotic Sammy really can entertain 😀

[@cisco4143]

Your midwest emo was very midwest emo

[@ADHDandD]

Excited to see the paoletti in another video

[@johnwallace2319]

i always liked the D major, it was something that used so few strings, I could start to add and take away fingers and notes and learn the intricacies of making a riff or melody and harmony, so it has always been something so simple that I could either learn, or something so constricting that I had to be creative with what to do next.

[@proletariatbourgeoisie9929]

"I don't really know what midwest emo is." *Literally plays midwest emo 10 seconds later*

[@ThePeachBitBack]

I don't know how he turned a Periphery chord shape into emo, but i applaud the man

[@SavageW4A]

7:30 "stay awhile and listen"

[@levih.2158]

Other chords in the Giraffe spirit: 606060, 060606 Demonstration: kzbin.info/www/bejne/raeWioqOpbF8n8U (Quite the coincidence)

[@mrmcsteezy]

I'm ashamed. You're Canadian and you didn't even shout "LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPHHHHHHH" when you played the first chord.

[@alexwebmch]

I'm with you in your campaign for justice for diminished chords. I think some people think of them as being ugly, but they can be stunningly beautiful when used in the right way (as you demonstrated). I actually find augmented chords to be more limited in their use.

[@tonybates7870]

There's a guy on the Signals Music Studio channel who describes diminished chords as portals, which is, I think, a great way of putting it.

[@alexwebmch]

@@tonybates7870 That's a great metaphor 🙂

[@hallongrotta9114]

I hate the open D major chord

[@beyshore_]

1:58 LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH

[@TheRealDealBobbySteele]

🤣 big juicy what🤣

[@londonalicante]

What NO AUGMENTED CHORD?! It's all consonant intervals but it sounds HIDEOUS. Diminished has a tritone in it which gives it the right to sound bad. Augmented has no such excuse. It's a great passing chord though.

[@GabrielVelasco]

Great vid! Really there is no "bad" chord on a guitar. You just have to find clever ways to use them like the Samurai Guitarist.

[@dulldusk]

You are an awesome player and teacher! But i unsubscribed your channel, downvoted and reported your video, because you kept calling the "cigar" giraffe guy as "death" giraffe, bad joke dude. Your opinion is your own, and if you want respect, you must respect others too.

[@Bacopa68]

That Dollar Store Pink Floyd was better than anything off The Wall except for "Comfortably Numb".

[@bonzhaigardenguy2316]

The Midwestern emo is something like Andy McKee or like Jimmy Wahlsteen would play or build a song around

[@KenderGuy]

yeah I'm not watching after "oomf" more of a clarinet, viola, piano, bagpipes, Greek bouzouki guy anyway

[@joestarr05]

The Paul chord is what John Lennon did on rhythm guitar in Day Tripper.

[@xjesusxchristx]

Lol your D chord example sounds like a countrified Guess Who song. I'm talking like Clap for the Wolfman.

[@boxheadboiii]

That first chord that Paul hates is the same chord used in 7 Things by Miley Cyrus, Stop and Stare by OneRepublic, Unsaid Emily from Julie & the Phantoms, and probably a lot more great stuff.... totally not butt hurt tho

[@skeeter197140]

The very first song I wrote, in my very first band, recorded a song in our first studio that was based off the "4 E's" chord moved around with the open B and E string. Back in 1986. Everything under the sun has already been done! Lol!

[@nategarland4413]

I've always kind of hated the open D and A. They sound...cheap...or something.

[@sharpphilip]

So so so how’s about a nice jam featuring ALL THE JANKY chords?

[@BritBluesMan]

8x E's - that cracked me up! And now Paul Davids will be forever known (to me at least) as Pauly 4Es.

[@samuelxavier2473]

Paul Davids' least favourite chord didn't do Suzanne Vega any harm. Small Blue Thing is basically that same chord moved around a bit.

[@Ledfndr]

I think of dominants as pungent condiments, they're not the main flavor, they are enhancers; and the funkier they are, the better it is to use them sparingly XD

[@danielbuhr4260]

Great episode.

[@Whistling_Goat]

That open D bit you threw together absolutely deserves to be made into something bigger!

[@ronnibjerregaard5194]

Guys. Play the last Periphery chord as an arpeggio followed by a regular cowboy E major. Damn.

[@mfm386]

I have relatively big hands but, if you're trying to play the periphery chord, what work for me was using my index to barre the two high strings, my middle to barre the two low strings, and ring and pinky for the rest. Didn't even need my thumb. Tricky and annoying but doable in a song if you practice it enough I guess.

[@chriswhite9218]

This will sound obvious but the standard g chord, for ages I was playin the g the 'oasis' way, adding the d note on the b string, till I realized it wasn't proper, the standard open g chord makes me feel sick!🤮😂

[@ethanh1268]

9:44 wdym by that?

[@RobertMaxRees]

okay but that first chord is the last one strummed at the end of Quicksilver Messenger Service's song Cobra - and it's perfect. great stuff as always.

[@riogrande163]

The EEBEBE chord can actually be heard in "Day Tripper" by The Beatles: kzbin.info/www/bejne/maCumKScnLKVmZY

[@HughJassill]

DOLLAR store Pink Floyd? Nah Sammy, that shit was fire.

[@NikoFrederiko.]

Your drumming is sounding great, especially the brush work.