Around The Neck

7th chords give everyone trouble, but they don’t have to. I like to break them down on a theory of mutation. Let’s start with the key of C major:

As you can see the key of C major has no sharps or flats. It is the equivalent of playing all the “white” keys on the piano. However, this can be deceiving because the notes are not equidistant apart. The distance between C and D is known as a whole-step. The distance between E and F is known as a half-step. On a guitar the frets are measure in half-steps. This means that two frets equal a whole-step as you move up on one string. You should already be familiar with this. If not, then you need to review your basic understanding of a scale before learning about 7th chords. I only place this reminder to allow you to see this relationship:

w = whole-step
h = half-step

With this information we can determine the major and minor 3rd relationships that give us our seventh chords. A major 3rd equals two consecutive whole-steps and a minor 3rd equals a whole-step followed by a half-step or a half-step followed by a whole-step. In the chart below, you will see how each of these relationships determines the type of chord being played. For instance, an order of major 3rd – minor 3rd – major 3rd equals a major 7th chord. An order of major 3rd – minor 3rd – minor 3rd equals a dominant 7th chord. These patterns stay the same no matter where your starting point. That is why I have included two charts illustrating two different reference notes. Also remember that even though you will see a double-flat (bb), it needs to retain the same name as previously identified. If you call the B double-flat an A it will change the name of the chord in Chart 1 to include a 6th instead of a 7th. It is the “legal-eze” of chord structure.

You can also download a pdf file of this post: Breakdown of 7th Chords.

From Abel Carlevaro Cuaderon 1:

Correct guitar playing is inconceivable without correct fingering. This may seem easy, but it can only be attained after several years of serious and intense study….Speed must be based on a series of reposes (state of lying at rest) of varying duration during which the finger lays on a determined note, giving the sensation of rest even in a minimum fraction of time. In the change of position, the left hand must slide with absolute smoothness and the thumb must maintain its flexibility. The change of position must be unnoticed; it obeys purely technical reasons, not musical ones, and therefore must not interfere with the normal development of the scales. The left hand must be in perfect relation with the wrist and the arm with reference to the flexibility of movements. Perfect harmony must exist, since abandoning arm or wrist will harm the full action of the hand. All movement must comprehend the simultaneous work of the three parts. When perfect control of the wrist and the arm are achieved, it is much easier to control the movement of the hand.

Translator unknown.

As you progress through pieces as a fingerstyle guitarist, your right hand position becomes very important. Depending on the difficutly of the piece, you will begin to choose specific fingerings for passages to make them easier to execute. When chosing a fingering pattern it is important to keep in mind how often you change zones.

As illustrated below, I have classified three basic zones for finger choice. Zone 1 has the thumb (p) and index (i) finger adjacent on string 6 & 5 respectively. The middle (m) and anular (a) follow suit on 4 & 3. Zone 2 moves each finger up a string to 5, 4, 3, & 2 and Zone 3 to strings 4, 3, 2, & 1.

When fingering a piece of music it is desirable to stay in one zone as long as possible. This allows the fingers to move very economically without waste. For instance, imagine playing in Zone 3 and suddenly moving your “a” finger up to Zone 1 and then back to Zone 3. This might be acceptable in certain circumstances, but it is usually not the case. The point I am trying to make is keep your finger movements as economical as possible. The less you have to move from zone to zone, the easier the chosen fingering will be to execute.

The battle persists. Rockers say there is no use for notes and classical players say rockers are ignorant. So what’s the big deal anyway?

Tab lets you play a piece with no prior knowledege of music notation. It shows you which frets to play and what order to play them in. However, most tabs (especially those on the internet) fail to give fingering of any kind and most lack any sort of defined rhythm. You must know the song and listen to it over and over to define the rhythm. But, most songs you are going to be lookin up are already in your aural memory or you would not be looking them up in the first place.

Notation solves most of the problems above but does not allow easy access to the instrument through “picture” type illustrations. You must first learn and understand music and its symbols in order to use it. This is, of course, the prefered way of classical musicians where understanding what is happening theoretically in the music and not just playing it becomes a priority. Notation shows rhythms, string numbers, proper fingering of both the left and right hand. Tab on the other hand fails miserably (I have to add that some of the new software that writes tab now allows for fingering and rhythm to be displayed).

So, is one better than the other? It depends on your desired goal. To understand the music theoretically or to play without first having a recording, then notation is the way to go. But, you will have to go through the learning process of notes. If you are just trying to play something and learn it as quickly as possible, then tab is your best bet. Either way the ultimate goal is to enjoy making music. Anything that allows you to do that is fine in my book.

As you can tell, there is no strap attached to my guitar. I loaned it and the suction cups to a student to try. I know I probably should have waited to get the pictures with the strap, but oh well. In these pictures, I am holding the guitar in the position that I have my strap set. You can see that the guitar is at an advantageous position for the left hand to maneuver and the right hand is equally pleased. I use suction cups because I hesitate to put anything on the guitar that has adhesives or has to be drilled into the guitar (i.e. the strap by Aaron Shearer- though Aaron came up with the idea, I like to keep my guitar without blemish). The strap gives the guitarist the greatest mobility and freedom to move with his/her instrument. I find myself just walking around the house and playing. On stage, I feel more akin to my steel string or electric. It can be very liberating.

I find very few problems with the strap. Sometimes my right hand will begin to “fall asleep” because of the pressure put on the forearm. This can be remedied through slightly holding the hand/forearm loosely rather than resting it entirely on the guitar. The other problem I have with the strap is sitting. I cannot get the guitar in the same position sitting as I do standing while using the strap. My right leg gets in the way and I have to move the sound hole away from my body and the audience. Therefore, I have chosen to not use the strap when seated on stage or practising. The strap has great advantages but this one flaw keeps me from using it often because most situations cause me to be seated while playing. But the strap is in its infancy for the classic guitar and will probably be universally accepted at some time in the future.

Just looking at the pictures, do I really need to discuss the problems with this position? I will for the sake of argument. You have to remember that I teach a wide variety of players. From death metal to blues to classical, the focus on seating position falls most notable to the classic player. Why? In my opinion it is the style of playing that requires the most from its instrument. Tone and execution out weigh how we look. Any area of focus on the guitar would benefit by using better seating positions, but it is hard to get many students that see rockers hanging their guitars on their hips to do otherwise. This is the plight of a guitar teacher!

Back to the position. This position is bad for a number of reasons. You will notice that your back is hunched over when playing either the 1st or 19th fret checks. That in itself should send you running for a foot stool. However, if you have ever tried to play in this position for a while you will notice that sitting with crossed legs becomes very uncomfortable. You may even attempt to use the other leg. This puts the guitar farther to the left and makes it much more uncomfortable for the left hand. I will probably take some flack from flamenco players on my stand, but the physiology of the body does not lie when it comes to this position. Tradition does not trump truth. Remember you cannot stop genius. Just because you see a great player sitting in a specific position does not mean it is the most beneficial. They are going to get the music out with or without impediments.

Bottom line, this position is probably the worst one to use. For quick demonstration, it works. For serious playing, find something else.

P.S. For those of you interested in my thoughts on playing positions of electric and steel strings, I will be posting in the future on these positions.

[caption id="attachment_166" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Dynarette Seating Checking the Position at Fret 19"][/caption]

I first saw something similar to the Dynarette while participating in a master class with Ricardo Cobo. Tom Kikta, my former teacher, told me that Ricardo’s mother used to make these pads for him while he was in college. Then, a few years later I came across the Dynarette. It is the same idea as Ricardo’s but in a mass produced form. I am sure Ricardo was inspired by Aaron Shearer’s A-frame design.

Using the Dynarette is very similar to the A-frame and Ergoplay with one exception, it isn’t adjustable. However, it comes in a couple of sizes and if you like to carry around two or three of them, then you can make your choices depending on the chair height. I find that similar problems exist with this as with the A-frame. It sometimes feels less secure, but you can make all the adjustments mentioned in Classic Guitar Seating: Five Ways to Move very easily. It causes you to turn your torso to play certain passages which can cause strain on the back. I have found that using a footstool in tandem with the Dynarette greatly increases the comfort and makes using it more adjustable for chair height.

To download complete version click links below:

PDF | PS | MIDI

As you can see the Ergo play allows your seating position to be in the same relative position as using a footstool. Keeping both feet on the ground really helps relieve pressure off the back while having the left leg raised with a footstool. The A-Frame (not pictured) allows for the same movement pictured but lacks the ability to move the guitar bottom out by adjustment of the device. With the A-Frame one must move the guitar bottom out in the same way one would with a footstool. The problem lies in the suction cups releasing from the guitar at such an angle. With adjustment on the device rather than moving it on the leg, the Ergo play keeps the suction cups at an angle to maintain suction.

As both have very similar benefits, they also have very similar problems. The main problem falls to the suction cups themselves. They are small and lose suction after six months to a year due to stiffening of the suction cup material. You can temporarily fix this by soaking them shortly in warm water before you place them on your instrument (remember to dry them off). This gives them more pliability and creates a good suction again. However, if you are performing this goes out the window considering you may not have the benefit of being near a faucet of warm water. Another problem with the suction cups is French polish. If you have a French polish guitar, then you cannot place the suction cups directly on the wood because they won’t stick. You will have to use a product like Kling-on to create a non-porous surface for suction.

Finally, for those who have learned to play with footstool, the transition is easy and hard. It is easy to see the benefits of using these devices. Many make the switch and love the freedom from an aggravated back, others return to the footstool. Many say that they cannot feel the guitar like they used too. I know it is a psychological thing but having that guitar close to you really makes the music more personal. Others say they still cannot get it into a comfortable position. Adjusting your seating position is a lifelong process as our bodies and skills change. I would suggest trying a combination of footstool and A-Frame/Ergo. This allows the guitar to shift to the right a bit more and keeps the A-Frame at less of an angle to create a more solid platform.

In the end, you have to be comfortable. Use your best judgement and keep playing.