Guitar Chord Trick: Unlock 7th Chords From Triads! (Easy Method)

Unlocking Seventh Chords from Triads

This lesson focuses on building a strong foundation in seventh chord construction by leveraging your existing knowledge of triads. We'll explore how triad shapes are the building blocks for seventh chords, enabling you to quickly and efficiently construct various voicings.

Understanding Triad Shapes

We begin by reviewing the fundamental shapes of major and minor triads on the guitar fretboard. Understanding these shapes is crucial, as they form the basis for our seventh chord voicings. We'll cover common triad inversions and their positions across the neck.

Adding the Seventh: From Triad to Seventh

The core of this lesson lies in understanding how to add a seventh to a triad to create a seventh chord. We'll explore the different types of seventh chords (major seventh, minor seventh, dominant seventh, half-diminished, diminished) and how to construct them by adding the appropriate seventh interval to the root of the triad. We'll demonstrate this process using the triad shapes we've already learned.

Exploring Seventh Chord Voicings

Once you understand the basic construction, we'll delve into various voicings for seventh chords. We'll show you how to move these voicings around the fretboard, creating smooth transitions and interesting chord progressions. This will involve exploring different inversions and utilizing open strings for a fuller sound.

Putting it all Together: Chord Progressions

Finally, we'll apply our knowledge to construct and play common chord progressions using the seventh chords we've learned. This will help solidify your understanding and allow you to experiment with creating your own musical phrases.