The BEST C Chord on Guitar

[@BenLevin]

I reuploaded this because it had mistakes in it. Now it's beautiful! Have fun with the chords!

[@MackerelSkyLtd]

The “Eleven” makes me think of the Scottish show where they get stuck in a voice-activated lift/elevator that can’t understand their accent.

[@markovcd]

Stain Ben was a nice touch

[@NathanWood23]

Love it! Thanks for that C shaped journey!

[@therealmorganofficial]

Love it. I think playing better versions of chords is something everyone needs to prioritize. And the weird chords in this sound really cool too, they're definitely up your alley!

[@FullMetalDMZ]

3:25 nice flamenco chord!

[@Michael_Dominic]

i like the open C add 9 (3rd fret on b instead of 1st) 3:35 ya, you do amazing stuff, love your music.

[@conorkruegerguitar]

This is me when i ben levin

[@roberttower8059]

I've always called this the "Lola" open C chord as that's the version played on the Kinks song. Once I learned this version I never went back to the standard style with the non-fretted E string. Cheers!

[@jonsible]

Being conscious of how the drone notes change function depending on the context is really interesting. Lots to take away here even after I forget the music theory parts. Thanks!

[@DaveDurango]

that F#7(b9) is going to take some stretching practice...

[@GentrifiedGin]

Very cool, I like

[@mjdbruyn]

Best. Dot. Inlays. Ever.

[@michaeldmytriw]

Beautiful chords and melodic ideas! I need to go mess around with some other open chord shapes now too! What is that cool looking guitar you are playing, Ben? Thanks!

[@ladywilhelminabass]

It doesn't sound bad on guitar, but let's review some classic theory. 3, 5, 6 and 8 are consonant. 2, 4, 7 are dissonant. (We're excluding augmented and diminished intervals). When We're learning harmony in school, 4 part harmony especially or analysis, we learn C/G is not a C chord. That 4 destabilizes the chord with a dissonance. It's a Gsus4 chord in a way. That's why C goes to B, E to D and G to G or F. Its a cadenza, is that how you call it? I don't believe in conservativism in music, but I was taught a chord with the 5 on the bottom is never the chord. And same for a note that's not in the chord. Gsus4, Gsus2, Gsus7, F/G and C/G are all sus chord. That's my point of view. But anyway my favorite C guitar chord is a maj9 or maj#11. They're not that hard to play if your student mastered that F chord, and you can show how sometimes chords have more than 4 notes

[@ladywilhelminabass]

I do believe the CAGED system should be applied to all possible digitations, any intermediate student should know it

[@ladywilhelminabass]

Just to add to conversation, I've never learned how to play hurt by nine inch or cash properly. I decided I play C, I move the shape but only my three fingers so it's a D add4 chord, and I play an Am6. I don't know if that's how the original song goes but I play it like that

[@mr.person555]

I think you may be focusing on the guitar chords alone a bit without giving it the right context. The 4th is a considered consonant or dissonant depending on context within the chord, and yes putting the 5th on the bottom and forming a fourth does fit into this category, but there is still a bit more to it than that alone. Notice in the examples he is playing along to, the guitar is not the only texture, but there are synth chords playing behind it which do stick the root on the bottom. In a typical band setting, if the guitarist plays a voicing like this, there will be a bass guitar or something else covering the lower notes, effectively making the notes on the guitar the "upper harmony" notes and categorizing the fourth on the bottom notes on the guitar as consonant. Another thing to consider is what may happen with a little distortion on guitar. Because of the way harmonics interact with each other, playing a fourth (in the context of actually being an inverted 5th) on the low strings on a guitar can actually give the illusion of a lower "ghost" root note below it. Try putting on some distortion and playing two note power chords going down 3 2 0, and then try it again but instead of the last powerchord being played as 0 2----, play it as 7 7----. It doesn't sound exactly the same, but it gives the illusion of the notes descending. With that said, if I were playing solo acoustic, I would likely just play a regular C chord without the G on the bottom unless I'm doing alternate bass or something, but in a full band arrangement, this is still perfectly fine because other instruments can help stabilize the harmony. Other quick note - I think the word you were looking for was "cadence", not cadenza ;) A cadenza is an improvised section in classical music - unfortunately a kind of lost art in the classical world as performers now tend to learn cadenzas that the composer may have played and had notated in the past note for note rather than improvise. Classical performers can have some of the most incredible ability in the world and I think it's a shame that they are s o discouraged from deviating in any way from how something may have been played 200 years ago. /tangent

[@alilbird]

nice little melodies in there. I always liked that shape.

[@connordavis4766]

Damn those open position chords move up 1 fret and then you just get punched in the face with the diablo 2 soundtrack. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYCQp3pupLWbnq8