CHORD PATTERNS APPENDIX

There are two main chord construction patterns. I'll call them the E major and the A major patterns or simply "E" and "A", because these are the chords in the first position.

Triads on the fretboard

"E"-pattern

The E major chord (E) consists of root E, major third G# and perfect fifth B. The following six-string chord is a way to play E:

        e  R|----|----|----|... E
        B p5|----|----|----|... B
        G | |-M3-|----|----|... G#
        D | |----|--R-|----|... E
        A | |----|-p5-|----|... B
        E  R|----|----|----|... E
             1st       3rd   fret

On the right of each string we write the note. On the fret we write the interval. Try to learn which interval you have on each string. This will help when you build complicated chords. If you leave the 3rd string unfretted then you get a G natural instead of a G#. That will make a minor third and consequently the E minor (Em) chord:

        e  R|----|----|----|... E
        B p5|----|----|----|... B
        G m3(----|----|----|... G (==
        D  ||----|--R-|----|... E
        A  ||----|-p5-|----|... B
        E  R|----|----|----|... E
             1st       3rd   fret

The signs "(" or ")" in the place of a fret indicate which note should be lowered or raised from the original major pattern to obtain the desired chord. To get the augmented E (E+) you should begin with the E major and raise the fifth a fret. The fifth is B and it appears on two strings: the open second and the fretted fifth. You should raise both of them:

        e  R|----|----|----|... E
        B  |)-#5-|----|----|... B# (==
        G  ||-M3-|----|----|... G#
        D  ||----|--R-|----|... E
        A  ||----|----)-#5-|... B# (==
        E  R|----|----|----|... E
     1st       3rd   fret

That's really difficult and impracticable to play as a six-string chord. You should either play only the 4 notes starting from bass, or the four higher strings starting from the D-string.

To get the diminished triad E (Eb5) you should begin with the E minor and lower the fifth a fret. It is impossible to lower an open string so this will only work on the 4 top strings (B should not sound!):

        e  R|----|----|----|... E
        B  X|----|----|----|... 
        G m3(----|----|----|... G
        D  ||----|--R-|----|... E
        A  ||-b5-(----|----|... Bb (==
        E  R|----|----|----|... E
             1st       3rd   fret

Well if you transpose these patterns and use your first finger as a barre you can play the F chords (barre on 1st fret), the G chords (barre on 3rd fret) and so on... That's why I call it a pattern.

"A"-pattern

The A major chord consists of A, C# and E. (Note that we leave the first string because be strumming all the strings, three fifths (Es) in the chord will give it an E chord character. In fingerpicking however one can play it)

        e p5|----|----|----|... E
        B  ||----|-M3-|----|... C#
        G  ||----|--R-|----|... A
        D  ||----|-p5-|----|... E
        A  R|----|----|----|... A
        E  X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

Well now you know how it goes... Fret C instead of C# to get the minor chord (Am):

        e p5|----|----|----|... E
        B  ||-m3-(----|----|... C (==
        G  ||----|--R-|----|... A
        D  ||----|-p5-|----|... E
        A  R|----|----|----|... A
        E  X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

Take the major and raise the fifth to get the augmented A (A+):

        e  ||-#5-|----|----|... E# (==
        B  ||----|-M3-|----|... C#
        G  ||----|--R-|----|... A
        D  ||----|----|-#5-|... E# (==
        A  R|----|----|----|... A
        E  X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

Take the minor and lower the fifth to get the diminished triad A (Ab5). Notice the X's!:

        e  X|----|----|----|...  
        B  ||-m3-(----|----|... C
        G  ||----|--R-|----|... A
        D  ||-b5-|----|----|... Eb (==
        A  R|----|----|----|... A
        E  X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

Transpose these patterns and get all the chords you need...

More patterns

There are two more useful patterns. These are not so easily transposed with a barre finger, but I will list them:

"C"-pattern

C major (C E G):

        e 0|----|----|----|... M3
        B ||--C-|----|----|... R
        G 0|----|----|----|... p5
        D ||----|--E-|----|... M3
        A ||----|----|--C-|... R
        E X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

C minor (C Eb G):

        e X|----|----|----|...
        B ||--C-|----|----|... R
        G 0|----|----|----|... p5
        D ||-Eb-(----|----|... m3 (==
        A ||----|----|--C-|... R
        E X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

C augmented (C E G#):

        e 0|----|----|----|... M3
        B ||--C-|----|----|... R
        G |)-G#-|----|----|... #5 (==
        D ||----|--E-|----|... M3
        A ||----|----|--C-|... R
        E X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

C diminished cannot be played with this pattern.

"D"-pattern

D major (D F# A):

        e ||----|-F#-|----|... M3
        B ||----|----|--D-|... R
        G ||----|--A-|----|... p5
        D 0|----|----|----|... R
        A 0|----|----|----|... p5
        E X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

D minor (D F A):

        e ||--F-(----|----|... m3 (==
        B ||----|----|--D-|... R
        G ||----|--A-|----|... p5
        D 0|----|----|----|... R
        A 0|----|----|----|... p5
        E X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

D augmented (D F# A#):

        e ||----|-F#-|----|... M3
        B ||----|----|--D-|... R
        G ||----|----)-A#-|... #5 (==
        D 0|----|----|----|... R
        A X|----|----|----|...
        E X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

D diminished (D F Ab):

        e ||--F-(----|----|... m3
        B ||----|----|--D-|... R
        G ||-Ab-(----|----|... b5 (==
        D 0|----|----|----|... R
        A X|----|----|----|...
        E X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

The last pattern. OK! There is one more. It is only a major chord pattern.

"G"-pattern

G major (G B D):

        e ||----|----|--G-|... R
        B 0|----|----|----|... M3
        G 0|----|----|----|... R
        D 0|----|----|----|... p5
        A ||----|--B-|----|... M3
        E ||----|----|--G-|... R
             1st       3rd   fret
        or

        e ||----|----|--G-|... R
        B ||----|----|--D-|... p5
        G 0|----|----|----|... R
        D 0|----|----|----|... p5
        A ||----|--B-|----|... M3
        E ||----|----|--G-|... R
             1st       3rd   fret

It is rather difficult to finger the minor or the diminished from this pattern. You can try the augmented: G+ (G B D#)

        e ||----|----|--G-|... R
        B 0|----|----|----|... M3
        G 0|----|----|----|... R
        D |)-D#-|----|----|... #5
        A ||----|--B-|----|... M3
        E ||----|----|--G-|... R
             1st       3rd   fret

Sevenths on the fretboard

We won't give all the patterns for all the sevenths. It is easy and good practice to find them out alone by alternating thirds, fifths and sevenths. In each pattern we will give the dominant seventh and the most important alterations.

"E"-pattern

        E7  

        e  R|----|----|----|... E           e  R|----|----|----|... E
        B  ||----|----|-m7-|... D           B p5|----|----|----|... B
        G  ||-M3-|----|----|... G#          G  ||-M3-|----|----|... G#
        D  ||----|--R-|----|... E     OR    D m7|----|----|----|... D           
        A  ||----|-p5-|----|... B           A  ||----|-p5-|----|... B
        E  R|----|----|----|... E           E  R|----|----|----|... E
             1st       3rd   fret

        Em7 

        e  R|----|----|----|... E           e  R|----|----|----|... E
        B  ||----|----|-m7-|... D           B p5|----|----|----|... B
        G m3(----|----|----|... G           G m3(----|----|----|... G
        D  ||----|--R-|----|... E     OR    D m7|----|----|----|... D           
        A  ||----|-p5-|----|... B           A  ||----|-p5-|----|... B
        E  R|----|----|----|... E           E  R|----|----|----|... E
             1st       3rd   fret
   
        Edim

        e  R|----|----|----|... E   
        B  ||----|-b7-(----|... Db 
        G m3(----|----|----|... G  
        D  ||----|--R-|----|... E               
        A  ||-b5-(----|----|... Bb     
        E  R|----|----|----|... E       
             1st       3rd   fret

"A"-pattern

        A7

        e p5|----|----|----|... E             e  ||----|----|-m7-|... G
        B  ||----|-M3-|----|... C#            B  ||----|-M3-|----|... C#
        G m7|----|----|----|... G             G  ||----|--R-|----|... A
        D  ||----|-p5-|----|... E     OR      D  ||----|-p5-|----|... E
        A  R|----|----|----|... A             A  R|----|----|----|... A
        E  X|----|----|----|...               E  X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret
        Am7

        e p5|----|----|----|... E             e  ||----|----|-m7-|... G
        B  ||-m3-(----|----|... C             B  ||-m3-(----|----|... C
        G m7|----|----|----|... G             G  ||----|--R-|----|... A
        D  ||----|-p5-|----|... E     OR      D  ||----|-p5-|----|... E
        A  R|----|----|----|... A             A  R|----|----|----|... A
        E  X|----|----|----|...               E  X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

        Amaj7
             
        e p5|----|----|----|... E             e  ||----|----|----|-M7-|.G#
        B  ||----|-M3-|----|... C#            B  ||----|-M3-|----|...   C#
        G  ||-M7-|----|----|... G#            G  ||----|--R-|----|...   A
        D  ||----|-p5-|----|... E     OR      D  ||----|-p5-|----|...   E
        A  R|----|----|----|... A             A  R|----|----|----|...   A
        E  X|----|----|----|...               E  X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

        Adim

        e  ||----|-b7-(----|... Gb
        B  ||-m3-(----|----|... C
        G  ||----|--R-|----|... A
        D  ||-b5-(----|----|... Eb
        A  R|----|----|----|... A
        E  X|----|----|----|...
             1st       3rd   fret

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