Melodic Chord Changes

In this article, I will describe how to use simple three-note, three-string triads on your three skinniest strings. We will add one note to that to make a melody line. We're going to change the chords we're playing, or the triads we're playing, which we're going to apply a chord change to, but in a melodic way. We will first use a major triad shape, and I'll tell you which finger you will add to have an additional note to play occasionally. Then you will use the minor triad shapes and do the same thing. We're going to develop a whole chord progression that sounds melodic, but you still get to hear the chord progression being played.

We will use two basic triad shapes that happen or occur on your skinniest three strings. The first one will be a minor triad shape; all you will do is take one finger and put it across three strings. If your finger is across the 5th fret, it makes an A minor chord. If we used the same shape but put our finger on the 12th fret it would be an E minor chord. For the next shape, the B and high E strings have your first finger across the same fret, and your second finger is one fret higher on the G string. If you made that shape on the 8th and 9th fret it would be a C major chord. 

We will take a chord progression: A minor, C major, E minor. We're going to take those two basic shapes, and we're going to add one finger to them. For our A minor shape on the 5th fret, you will occasionally add your pinky three frets away onto the 8th fret. Then, when you're making that C major shape, you're going to add a finger onto the 10th fret or 12th fret of the high E string periodically. 

When it comes to doing the E minor, we will take the same shape that we had on the 5th fret and move it up to the 12th fret. You will do the same thing and add your pinky on the 15th fret, three frets higher than your first finger on the 12 fret. 

Play the E minor twice as long when playing the whole chord progression. 

Now we will take our triads and follow the same chord progression. Start with A minor, then C major, then E minor twice. You can either strum or arpeggiate, adding those fingers and removing them, making it sound melodic. You still hear the chord progression going on. This is an excellent thing to do if you're playing with more than one guitar player and somebody's just sitting there holding down and playing regular chords. You could add a melodic chord melody to that simple chord progression and make it sound super complex. 

To recap: we can take these simple three-note, three-string triad chords, add a finger and take a finger away to the two shapes, the major shape and the minor shape. If we add and remove the correct notes, we can create these melodic lines using chords. You can use that in combination with another rhythm player, or you can use these in another location of the song instead of just playing the simple strumming pattern you may typically do.

Remember to always have fun with your guitar, and I'll see you next time…

If you are looking to learn another excellent rhythm guitar skill, you can check out my FREE lesson on how to weave lead guitar melody lines to your rhythm guitar playing here: https://rhythmguitarlessons.net/Pro

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About Mark Turko: Mark Turko is a professional guitar player and instructor with over 30 years of experience and teaches guitar lessons online.