Multiple ways to play a chord - which?

[wifiabc]

Many chords have multiple ways to form. So when you look at a song book and you see for eg A7, how do you decide which of the A7 to use? They don't sound the same.

http://jguitar.com/chordsearch/A7

[Some Bozo]

Depends what you're going for... open chords for a strummy singalong, maybe higher voicings up the neck for something a bit funkier, or you need to fit into mix that's already bottom-heavy. Just taste and whatever works for your fingers or whatever sounds like the record...

Be aware that most "piano and voice + guitar chords" songbooks are written by piano players who don't necessarily know or care exactly which guitar voicing. Tab books will usually have an attempt at getting the right chord shape. Also quite often there's no one on the record actually playing the whole chord, the chord might just implied by a bunch of other parts.

[Slowy]

.....how do you decide which of the A7 to use?

Trust your ears.

[The Scarecrow]

.....how do you decide which of the A7 to use?

Trust your ears.

+1.

I taught guitar to a kid last year who'd only jammed with some mates before and being young teens, they wanted to do everything the easy way and taught themselves how to play songs with power chords only. He found a lot of chords that I played around the first three frets particularly difficult to form , but latter admitted that they sounded better for a lot of the songs he wanted to play.

I've predominantly play in Drop D or even Drop C tunings lately, and have to get a bit more creative about certain chords due to the shifting of my low E string. I see it as a good thing as it forces me to get out of the 'box' in terms of chords I'd used and start using some more interesting fingering (IB;JB) techniques.

[Scooter13]

I use the fingers on my left hand. Some people use their right hand to play chords with, but I like the left.

[capt abaham]

you can use the root as the lowest note in the chord
you can use the seventh as the lowest note in the chord
you can use the third as the lowest note in the chord.

[El Chris]

you can use the root as the lowest note in the chord
you can use the seventh as the lowest note in the chord
you can use the third as the lowest note in the chord.

^ Experimenting with inversions is a good way to extend your chord vocab. You can use the 5th in the bass too!

In terms of actual voicing of for example A7, it can depend on the band. The bigger the band, generally, the smaller voicing you would want to play so as to leave more room for the other instruments. In a big band eg. a Soul band with horns/piano/bass/drums and possible multiple vocalists, you might want to just play a small voicing eg the 7th and the 3rd. If you're in a trio playing blues or are backing a harmonica player in a four piece you can experiment with chord voicings depending on what sound you want. Playing an inversion with a 3rd/5th/7th on the bass instead of the root is one option.. You could omit the blocky sound of a phat barre A7 chord and use a root/7th/3rd/5th voicing around the 5th fret.. or a root/3rd/7th voicing with the root on the 7th fret of the D string for a smaller voicing a bit higher.

Any chord embellishments/adds should usually be complementary to the bass line and vocal/lead melody (unless you are going for a specific dissonant kind of sound..)

Chord voicings are all pretty dependent on genre..

[capt abaham]

nice Post El Chris, well said.

[Capt. Black]

nice Post El Chris, well said.

+1

[borge]

I think some examples might be in order..
(eadgbe = X,X,X,X,X,X)
all A7 chords (or fragments of..) (A7 = A C# E G = root 3rd 5th b7th)

small voicing (7th and 3rd)

7th in the bass:
X,10,11,XXX
XXX,5,6,XX
XXXX,0,2,X
(identical pitches on different string pairs..)

3rd in the bass:
XXXX,2,3
XXX,6,8X
XX,11,12,XX
(identical pitches as before..)


voicings with more notes:

3rd in the bass:
XX,11,12,10,12 (3rd, 7th, Root, 5th)*
XX,11,12,10,9 (3rd, 7th, R, 3rd)*
X,4,5,6,5,X (3, 7, 3, 5)
XX,11,12,14,15 (3, 7, 3, 7)
XX,11,9,8,9 (3, 5, 7, 3)
XX,11,9,8,12 (3, 5, 7, 5)
X,4,2,0,2,0 (3, 5, 7, 3, 5)
9,X,11,9,8,X (3, 3, 5, 7)

And many others...

5th in the bass:
X,7,5,6,XX (5, 7, 3)
X,7,X,6,8,X (5, 3, 7)
XX,14,12,14,15 (5, 7, 3, 7)
XX,14,12,14,12 (5, 7, 3, 5)
12,X,11,9,8 (5, 3, 5, 7)*
and many others...

7th in the bass:
XX,5,6,5,X (7, 3, 5)
XX,5,6,5,3 (7,3,5,7)
X,10,11,12,X,12 (7,3,7,5)*
X,10,11,9,8,X (7,3,5,7)
X,10,X,9,8,9 (7,5,7,3)*

I've deliberately included some not so great sounding voicings to illustrate not all A7 chords are created equal.
For the most part I avoided the stock voicings you find in your average '1001guitar chords!' book.
* particularly interesting ones

[Zaulkin]

There are many different ways in which you can voice a single chord on the guitar. You may choose one voicing over another because:

It's technically easier to play or change to
You prefer the sound
The sound of that voicing suits a certain style (e.g. pop vs jazz)
You are playing in a trio so need the chords to sound more 'full'.
You are playing in an ensemble and so need to choose less invasive voicings

So.... Just learn a bunch!

[Daza152]

easiest one.

[alf]

What the others have said re voicings. I also (generally) try for economy of movement, playing chords that are close to each other rather than jumping up and down the neck for each change

[capt abaham]

this thread is full of theory love

Borge, you are my new hero thanks for taking the time to post those voicings.
hey,on the other thread, did you look at the link i posted?

[El Chris]

TBH i think what is probably more important than any of this is a working knowledge of chord construction so that you have the tools to construct what ever voicing you made need in any particular situation

who can be bothered explaining that? certainly not me