This second volume of studies expands your chord vocabulary with chord progressions featuring major 9, sus 4, major 7th, add 9, minor 7th, 6/9 and sus 2 chords, all of which will add color and texture to your favorite songs.
About The Chord Studies Series
If Forest Gump’s shrimp-loving Bubba played guitar, his take on chords might go something like this, ”You can strum ‘em, fingerpick ‘em, arpeggiate ‘em, mute ‘em, alternate tune ‘em, voice lead ‘em. Dey’s uh, barre chords, altered chords, extended chords, moveable chords, cluster chords, slash chords, inversions, triads, diads. There’s jazz chords, power chords, blues chords, cowboy chords, block chords, open chords…”
Bubba would be right — there’s a wide and wonderful world of chords for we guitarists to explore. But what’s the best way to do that? Chord dictionaries might be handy references but there’s no context (and really, when’s the last time you looked at one of those?).
Theory and harmony instructionals are filled with chord construction strategies and applications and we highly recommend digging as deep into the science of chords as your left brain will allow you.
However, learning new chords, progressions, applications and right-hand techniques in a musical context (songs, etudes, jamming with other players, etc.) is the most popular approach and that is the educational premise behind Brad’s Carlton’s Chord Studies course seres.
Each edition of Chord Studies features 15 play-along and jammable chord studies, which are focused on a particular chord type, chord progression or chord application. While Brad does touch on rhythmic qualities, this is not a rhythm guitar course — these studies are specifically designed to significantly expand your chord know-how and vocabulary.
Brad covers a range of styles, levels , chord types and progressions across 10 editions: CAGED Chords, Jazz Blues Progressions, Open String Chords, Rock and Pop Progressions, Slow Blues Progressions, Evolving Blues, Evolving Triads, Slash Chords, Power Chords and Beginner Chords.
Each of the 15 Studies within an edition includes an overview from Brad followed by a performance and play-along of the chord study over a rhythm track. Chord grid charts and a chord lead sheet accompanies each study. Plus, you’ll get all of the practice rhythm tracks to work with on your own.
Reference the chord charts to become familiar with the voicings and their fingerings, and then use the lead sheet to play-along with Brad’s video performance. Try different rhythmic patterns over the supplied rhythm tracks and then take it all to your own playlist of songs and jam tracks.
What you'll learn
Master upright finger positioning for complex chord voicings
Use pivot fingers to create smooth chord transitions
Apply pivot finger technique to other progressions
This second volume of studies expands your chord vocabulary with chord progressions featuring major 9, sus 4, major 7th, add 9, minor 7th, 6/9 and sus 2 chords, all of which will add color and texture to your favorite songs.
2Beginner Chords Vol. 2
This second volume of studies expands your chord vocabulary with chord progressions featuring major 9, sus 4, major 7th, add 9, minor 7th, 6/9 and sus 2 chords, all of which will add color and texture to your favorite songs.
3Minimizing Motion
In this D minor progression you will be playing four different chords, two of which have different bass notes. Your second finger will act as a guide finger when you go to the F/C chord, and then your third finger will act as pivot when going to the C chord. Work on minimizing your hand motion and you should have no trouble with this one.
4Minimizing Motion
In this D minor progression you will be playing four different chords, two of which have different bass notes. Your second finger will act as a guide finger when you go to the F/C chord, and then your third finger will act as pivot when going to the C chord. Work on minimizing your hand motion and you should have no trouble with this one.
5Runnin' On E
This E major progression will start you off with an E chord using the C form out of the CAGED system. Try extending the barre on the first chord, and deadening the sixth string with your first finger to make moving to the G♯7 easier. When returning back to your E chord, your second and third fingers will act as pivots. This is a great progression to work on keeping unwanted open strings deadened.
6Runnin' On E
This E major progression will start you off with an E chord using the C form out of the CAGED system. Try extending the barre on the first chord, and deadening the sixth string with your first finger to make moving to the G♯7 easier. When returning back to your E chord, your second and third fingers will act as pivots. This is a great progression to work on keeping unwanted open strings deadened.
7Top Of The Pops
This is a very common progression in pop music; it is a I - vi - V - IV in the key of D. Your second and fourth fingers will act as pivot fingers throughout all four chords, making this one easy to get under your fingers.
Was a pro rock bassist for years. But COVID killed the gigs. Thought I’d fool around with a Strat I had. I can say it’s better to go back and review rather than learn new mistakes. I needed to walk before running agai. Good stuff.
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darren m.
11/15/19
Very Awesome!!
I really love this course, as it helps me to stay sharp with my chords!
