# Hardest chords?



## Maniacal (Feb 9, 2008)

In a piece of music you have actually seen. Not just some made up ones.

I ran into this one today

e 4
B 6
G 5
D 9
A
E

This is from Allan Holdsworth, obviously. Mr Octopus hands. 

Please add some more annoying shapes.


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## MattyCakes (Feb 9, 2008)

Ab C F 

simple triad, there are easier ways to play that. its all in the voicings, especially with him


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## Metal Ken (Feb 9, 2008)

All chords are made up chords 

In trying to incorperate the Low B into full chords, i came up with this monstrosity:

E-1-
B-3-
G-2-
D-0-
A-0-
E-1-
B-3-

use the ring finger for the low B, middle finger on the G, pinky on the high B string, and kinda arc your first finger to hit the low E and kinda only the high E on the first fret with this weird arched bar thing that hurts like a bitch


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## Maniacal (Feb 9, 2008)

Metal Ken said:


> All chords are made up chords
> 
> In trying to incorperate the Low B into full chords, i came up with this monstrosity:
> 
> ...



Of course all chords are made up. But I mean a chord that has been put to musical use in a song not just someone posting a chord shape thats physically impossible.

Any more chords?
There must be more than 2....



MattyCakes said:


> Ab C F
> 
> simple triad, there are easier ways to play that. its all in the voicings, especially with him



B Cb F Ab

I couldn't see any easier ways of playing it with the same affect.


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## Metal Ken (Feb 9, 2008)

Maniacal said:


> B Cb F Ab
> 
> I couldn't see any easier ways of playing it with the same affect.


How about:
E-
B-0
G-13
D-15
A-15
E-
??


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## Maniacal (Feb 9, 2008)

Open strings sound totally different.


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## Metal Ken (Feb 9, 2008)

indeed, however, it has all 4 notes in the original registers.

alternately:

E-
B-
G-13
D-15
A-15
E-19


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## Maniacal (Feb 9, 2008)

It is indeed.
The chord you came up with is very difficult. Is it followed by a bunch of other chords that change quickly?


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## Metal Ken (Feb 9, 2008)

I just came up with a small exercise based on the Major variation of it, with the open, moving the fretboard from
E-2--0--2--
B-3--1--3--
G-4--0--2--
D-4--2--0--
A-2--3--0--
E-2--0--2--
B-0--1--3--
And so and so forth.


the major version of the chord is actually significantly easier


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## Luan (Feb 9, 2008)

I will post all chords that I learnt from JP
I'm having trouble with this one:
F#-9
-2
-5
-2
-6
-4
-2

Another one that is hard at the beginning, but sounds awesome:
F#-7(11)
-0
-0
-2
-6
-4
-2

Also, Vai has created a voicing really difficult, I think that it includes tapping.


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## TimSE (Feb 9, 2008)

i always liked acrid placidity meshuggah chord

E-0--
B-8--
G-11-
D-7--
A-9--
E-0--

Tis very do-able tho

Also how would you play a "G7add13" i was asked it the other day and im yet to figure out a way to actaully play it? - in a way thats playable yaknow


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## Metal Ken (Feb 9, 2008)

Luan said:


> I
> F#-9
> -2
> -5
> ...



That bar is harder to get to ring out than a bitch


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## BrianCarroll (Feb 9, 2008)

This one from Shawn Lane is VERY hard but do-able

|-0---
|-6---
|-12--
|-10--
|-8---
|-5---

The hard part is not the stretch but the angled bar from the low A (E string) to the high f (b string) without touching the e string. Ouch...

Still by SL (easier):

|-6---
|-8---
|-10--
|-9---
|-6---
|-----

|-9---
|-9---
|-12--
|-15---
|-13---
|-9---

|-0---
|-4---
|-4--
|-6---
|-9---
|-0---


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## El Caco (Feb 9, 2008)

Some peoples hands are just too fucking big.

[/Jealousy mode]


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## Metal Ken (Feb 9, 2008)

BrianCarroll said:


> This one from Shawn Lane is VERY hard but do-able
> 
> |-0---
> |-6---
> ...




after trying the first one, the rest are really easy


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## Trespass (Feb 10, 2008)

s7eve said:


> Some peoples hands are just too fucking big.
> 
> [/Jealousy mode]



Shawn Lane actually had smaller hands...


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 10, 2008)

Trespass said:


> Shawn Lane actually had smaller hands...



 He used to execute those insane stretches by positioning his thumb right in the middle of the neck and tilting the guitar up 'til the neck was almost vertical.


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## Kotex (Feb 10, 2008)

Yeah, don't be afraid to use your thumb.lol


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## MattyCakes (Feb 10, 2008)

TimSE said:


> Also how would you play a "G7add13" i was asked it the other day and im yet to figure out a way to actaully play it? - in a way thats playable yaknow



g7 with a 13


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## All_¥our_Bass (Feb 12, 2008)

G7 add 13
e|
b|-3
G|-0 (optional note)
D|-3
A|-2
E|-3
B|-3

Not really useable if your playing with a pick. So I'd probably use this version (which omits the fifth)



e|
b|
G|-4
D|-4
A|-3
E|-2
B|-3


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## Maniacal (Feb 12, 2008)

E 13
B 
G
D 15
A 10
E
B 0


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## dream-thief (Feb 15, 2008)

i always found B#add9 pretty damn difficult 

(I'm waiting for the theory gods to tell me how easy it actually is)

so I'll add this note - i find it hard when i'm using it as a passing chord in the key of C major.

Can anyone help me find a way round this?


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## Luan (Feb 15, 2008)

Cadd9, but we should see the voicing to confirm


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## Unknown Doodl3.2 (Feb 15, 2008)

BrianCarroll said:


> This one from Shawn Lane is VERY hard but do-able
> 
> |-0---
> |-6---
> ...



/thread  

Maybe its just me, but I didn;t have much of a hard time with Metal Ken's 7 string chord. I guess its the overlapping fingers that make it hard.


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## oompa (Mar 11, 2008)

petrucci uses this chord somewhere i dont remember 
chordbook says its a Gsus2(Maj7) and i am in no position to disagree 
not that hard to grab, but a little nifty to get it to ring out clean, fast.

e --3----
b --7----
g --7----
d --7----
a --5----
E --3----

all notes should ring out clean, so you are supposed to barr the 7-7-7 with the pinky and still leave the clean g (3rd on e). the stupid thing is that if i remeber correct he just spanks the chord out in the middle of a medium tempo progression like its nothing and then moving on. bastard.


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## Trespass (Mar 11, 2008)

I hate jazz chords, and chords that require your joints to invert to bar parts down. My hands aren't built to do that


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## SymmetricScars (Mar 12, 2008)

oompa said:


> petrucci uses this chord somewhere i dont remember
> chordbook says its a Gsus2(Maj7) and i am in no position to disagree
> not that hard to grab, but a little nifty to get it to ring out clean, fast.
> 
> ...





I can do the shawn lane chord, surprisingly. ^That JP chord, however, is physically impossible for me.


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## oompa (Mar 12, 2008)

SymmetricScars said:


> I can do the shawn lane chord, surprisingly. ^That JP chord, however, is physically impossible for me.



i have a hard time with both  the sad thing with the JP grip is that it is a beautiful chord but it doesn't really help that much to move it up or down, its a bitch anywhere  

in fact, its almost harder to grab at say..10-12-14-14-14-10 for me  it is as if a shorter stretch means you need to invert the pinky joint even more.


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## MattyCakes (Mar 14, 2008)

oompa said:


> petrucci uses this chord somewhere i dont remember
> chordbook says its a Gsus2(Maj7) and i am in no position to disagree
> not that hard to grab, but a little nifty to get it to ring out clean, fast.
> 
> ...



it is a sus2 but it can be played without the notes on the gb and e strings


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## distressed_romeo (Mar 23, 2008)

MattyCakes said:


> it is a sus2 but it can be played without the notes on the gb and e strings



If you mean ommitting the notes on the top three strings altogether, I totally disagree; leaving out that major seventh note on the B string would totally alter the flavour of the chord.


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## GuitarG2 (Mar 23, 2008)

E--
B-3
G-4
D-7
A-4
E-3

From 'Home' by Allan Holdsworth

E-11
B-8
G-5
D-9
A--
E--

Another Holdsworth chord, but can't remember the song

Just off the top of my head, definitely harder chords out there but not many


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## theshred201 (Mar 26, 2008)

Here's a chord that I use in one of my songs that's tough to play (uses tapping)


|--8
|--5
|--7
|--5
|--7
|--3
|--5


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## CaptainD00M (Mar 27, 2008)

Wow some of these chords sound mental.
I dig that.
I was wondering if anyone knew of a webiste with intresting printable chord progressions, or formula for intresting Chord progressions... esp ones i can use fo Metal and Progressive stuff?

Chur


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## MattyCakes (Mar 27, 2008)

in most of these chords you really dont need to even play the bass note if you are accompanied


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## 7 Dying Trees (Mar 28, 2008)

Awesome! This thread gets the seal of approval!


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## CaptainD00M (Mar 29, 2008)

Any advice on the question i posted above?
or am i just left hanging?


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## guitarplayerone (Mar 29, 2008)

CaptainD00M said:


> Any advice on the question i posted above?
> or am i just left hanging?



just use normal chord progressions with some extra tones added, ie add9's and suspended chords, do something modal, or use some jazz progressions with distortion.

there is no shortcut to learning the theory behind how to sound proggy.


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## CaptainD00M (Mar 30, 2008)

^^
Cheers dude.
I know there are no shortcust other than practice and experimentation. Been playing long enough to know that, its just ive been on a big chord learning rampage with my teacher, just wondered if there were any resources out there that I and my beginner students etc...

Chur anyways


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## MattyCakes (Mar 30, 2008)

CaptainD00M said:


> ^^
> Cheers dude.
> I know there are no shortcust other than practice and experimentation. Been playing long enough to know that, its just ive been on a big chord learning rampage with my teacher, just wondered if there were any resources out there that I and my beginner students etc...
> 
> Chur anyways



personally i think that once you know your major triads/7th in almost every voicing on all string sets, it will become much easier to experiment with other voicings as long as you know what note will do what to each chord


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## Chal (Apr 7, 2008)

This one sounds pretty sweet but the stretch is hard to nail on the fly 


```
0
0
3
6
9
0
```


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## distressed_romeo (Apr 8, 2008)

e---12---
b---12---
G---18---
D---16---
A---14---
E---12---

Another Holdsworth one...this time from 'Road Games'. Not the hardest example in this thread, but it can be deceptively tricky to get the notes on the top two strings to ring.


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## Emiliano (Apr 13, 2008)

hi there!
i used a very stretched chord in one of my song

e-0
b-0
g-8
d-6
a-4
E-2
B-0


alternated with a Bm7

it's a hell of a stretch!


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## GuitarG2 (Apr 14, 2008)

distressed_romeo said:


> e---12---
> b---12---
> G---18---
> D---16---
> ...


 
Pretty cool, but I believe on the song, it's played 1 fret up


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## distressed_romeo (May 10, 2008)

e---6---
b---1---
G---1---
D---1---
A-------
E---1---
B-------

Courtesy of Ron Eschete...


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## telecaster90 (May 10, 2008)

TimSE said:


> Also how would you play a "G7add13" i was asked it the other day and im yet to figure out a way to actaully play it? - in a way thats playable yaknow



Here's what I would use for that

-
5
4
3
x
3

It's R-7-3-13


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## All_¥our_Bass (May 14, 2008)

I bet I could make some of you guys cringe at some of the things I've come up with on my fifths tuned guitar. If you try to play them on a mainly fourths tuned instrument and in their original configurations. They have some truly torturous stretches.


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## MattyCakes (May 14, 2008)

telecaster90 said:


> Here's what I would use for that
> 
> -
> 5
> ...



adding the 9th on the high e string sounds very fusiony too. the good thing about that shape is the fact that the 13 and 9 are adjacent on the two highest strings


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## HellMinor (Jul 21, 2008)

-
-
2
3
7
-

Not too challenging, but the particular piece was incredibly slow and featured several more similar shapes.

Also playing in a jazz setting (big band / combo) does wonders for learning chords and the theory behind them.


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## TonalArchitect (Jul 24, 2008)

Dmadd2
e--1
B--5
G--7
D--7
A--
E--

I found this horror on the www.guitarmasterclasses.com website. Just search "Holdsworth" (honestly, who else), and you'll find a gentleman who listed a lesson called "Strechminator." 

Holdsworth did use the same chord in the same voicing in the song "White Line," although that was an Amadd2 in the 8th position, i.e.:

e--8
B--12
G--14
D--14
A--
E--

Even this, seven frets up, is just vile. 

Two things make the concept of this chord structure even more maddening 1.) they are quite beautiful, especially when arpeggiated. 2.) Because of the close intervals (the minor second in the upper register) they are extremely easy on the piano by comparison.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Jul 29, 2008)

e-3
B-4
G-5
D-6
A-x
E-6

Bb13sus, courtesy of Ted Greene's "Jazz Guitar: Single Note Soloing Vol. 1". The footnote reads, "This *is* possible and practical, with a little practice. The tip of your first finger goes on the Eb note and the side of your finger gets the G note."

Not that difficult, but the idea of curving the finger to meet different frets is highly practical. The Bb/6sus/17 is a bit harder to go to while playing, I think:

e-10
B-8
G-8
D-6
A-x
E-6


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## Guitar_Freak7 (Aug 10, 2008)

i seen a vid of shawn lane playing this jazzy chord. i forget the name but someone tabed it out on youtube in the comments. i played it only one time and my hand locked up.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 14, 2008)

My hand locks up just trying to find bar chords on my 7.

Can somebody help name a chord? I use it in a composition, and I'm not sure of what I have.
0
0
0
3
1
0

Not a difficult chord, but it's elusive. By itself, it's an Emi#4addb9, or something like that. Harmonically, I'm moving from the tonic of E minor, then that chord, then to a Bmi, Dmi (I don't think those are diatonic) and finally a iv-i cadence back into E minor before spiting the gods of four part harmony with chromatic parallel fifths.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 14, 2008)

Well, good sir, I am not sure what to tell you. You have given it its correct name, and there are only two alternatives. The first is pretty much the exact same thing, written differently: an Em11b9#11. The other would be a G13#9/E without the fifth or fourth degrees. 

So, I guess if you want its roman numeral number, it would be a (grotilated) i or an III, depending on if you consider it an E minor thing or a G major thing. I guess I would say nasty-fied (altered) E minor.

EDIT Guh! I mean b9, not sharp, grahr. . . .


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 15, 2008)

Thanks for the input. You do seem to know your stuff, TonalArchitect. My knowledge of harmony is not as great as I'd like it to be. Hopefully, I'll get some of this key changing business down next semester.


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## Luan (Aug 15, 2008)

TonalArchitect said:


> Em11#9#11. The other would be a G13#9/E without the fifth or fourth degrees.





It's a weird chord, the stupid name I will give it's "E-#4/b9", or if you think of it with the G as the root, it's a polychord, a weird one.
Since you have a b9 between the Bb and the B, and the E and F, I don't think that it will sound nice, it must have the "weird" function used in metal like in other styles.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 15, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> Thanks for the input. You do seem to know your stuff, TonalArchitect. My knowledge of harmony is not as great as I'd like it to be. Hopefully, I'll get some of this key changing business down next semester.



Nah, the first name is almost exactly the same as what you came up with, which is no less correct, and, in fact, is probably better. As for the G13 monstrosity, I punched the chord into Guitar Pro and looked at alternative names and that came up. I mean, I know the intervals and scale degrees, but that would never have occurred to me (because it is lacking in two degrees, which messes with my thinking). But glad I could help, if help I did. 




Luan said:


> It's a weird chord, the stupid name I will give it's "E-#4/b9", or if you think of it with the G as the root, it's a polychord, a weird one.
> Since you have a b9 between the Bb and the B, and the E and F, I don't think that it will sound nice, it must have the "weird" function used in metal like in other styles.



Yep, it's definitely a mutant chord of doom, just as many of the other chords in this thread. These things just defy being named sometimes. 


Oh, and to add another foul chord, here's a purty one. 

e----7---
B----1---
G----4---
D----5---
A--------
E--------

It implies a Cmaj7, but it lacks the third (E).


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## Luan (Aug 15, 2008)

Or it could be a Gadd11


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## Xtremevillan (Aug 15, 2008)

X32336


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 16, 2008)

Luan said:


> Or it could be a Gadd11



Indeed, just as easily. I tend to jump to Cmaj7 when I see a c and b together in a chord. 

For some more major-seventh goodness try this:

e-------
B-------
G----9--
D----5--
A----3--
E----7--

This is properly a Cmaj7, with the 7th in the bass. I adapted this from Vernon Reid's lesson in Guitar One, though he had the figure in the fifth position as a Dmaj7, but why not make it worse, right? 

(Yes, I know this could be moved down to the first position, but I can actually attempt this voicing in third position.)


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 16, 2008)

'And the LORD said unto the guitarists " Ye shall have big hands for thine job skills doth lacketh" and it was so. And bestowed unto the guitarists was the shredditude, for to herald the name of the LORD who is KROM.'

Those are a stretch. I can do 'em, but it's not pretty. Out of curiosity, how far can youse guys stretch your hand from the first fret on your lowest string and still fret the top note properly? And what is your scale length? I can do six frets, seven if I want my hand to ache, and I'm 26.5.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 17, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> 'And the LORD said unto the guitarists " Ye shall have big hands for thine job skills doth lacketh" and it was so. And bestowed unto the guitarists was the shredditude, for to herald the name of the LORD who is KROM.'
> 
> Those are a stretch. I can do 'em, but it's not pretty. Out of curiosity, how far can youse guys stretch your hand from the first fret on your lowest string and still fret the top note properly? And what is your scale length? I can do six frets, seven if I want my hand to ache, and I'm 26.5.






Well, first to seventh, I guess. 'Tis nae pretty, though! But keep in mind, I only have a six-string thus far. My scale is 25.5. 

More difficult still is not a first to seventh stretch, but such a stretch with notes in between, such as 

E--------
B--------
G----7---
D----5---
A----3---
E----1---

Adapted from a similar chord in the second position earlier in this thread.

Also, just like the poster (I am indeed too lazy to look back a little to find out who) of the "Acrid Placidity" chord reminded me. Just because one _can_ fret them doesn't mean that one can do it quickly enough to use it (i.e. the chord isn't mastered when first fretted, it takes time [read: practice], in my opinion).

Also, 

E---18--------------
B---12----------13--
G---15----------7---
D---------------10--
A---14--------------
E----------------9--


Sounds hideous perhaps? Well, they are actually an arrangement of a Final Fantasy 7 keyboard melody I did for All You Bass's fifth's tuned guitar. (I rearranged the intervals to be stupidly wide.) 

E---18-------
A---12---13--
D---15---7---
G--------10--
C---14-------
F---------9--

Play them as descending arpeggios. Quite pretty when they are the actual notes intended. Here's a version of which Holdsworth would approve:

e----6----------
B----10---------
G----10-----8---
D----12-----12--
A-----------13--
E-----------15--

Dmaddb13

(The intervals are not rearranged here.)


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 17, 2008)

Kind of like sweeping a sus2add6 shape or something. Hmm...

e---------4-6
B-----2-4
G----3
D---6
A--6
E-9


I don't know if that's right, but if anyone wants to sweep that and find out, be my guest.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 17, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> Kind of like sweeping a sus2add6 shape or something. Hmm...
> 
> e---------4-6
> B-----2-4
> ...



I don't know what the hell that is (read: "I'm a lazy wretch who shan't work it out"), but here is a more finger-friendly shape:

e--------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------11----------------------
G--------------------8-13-----13-8----------------
D----------------11-----------------11-------------
A---------11-13------------------------13-11------
E---9--11-------------------------------------11--9

But real men would arpeggiate it like this:

e-----------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------9--11--9----------------------
G-----------------------------------------------------
D-----------8--11--13------------13--11--8-----------
A------------------------------------------------------
E---9-11-16----------------------------------16-11-9-

Legato ala Holdsworth... 


...or picking ala Gilbert. . . .


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 18, 2008)

Here's my shape for a seven string major bar chord, for difficulty's sake, on third position:

e-10
B-7
G-7
D-7
A-5
E-5
B-3

I can hardly use this shape below the eighth fret, so it's completely useless so far as that extended range goes (unless you're playing an open B), but it sounds nice and full if used in the higher positions. If anyone has a better shape, please do tell.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 18, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> Here's my shape for a seven string major bar chord, for difficulty's sake, on third position:
> 
> e-10
> B-7
> ...



That is at least three or four kinds of awesome. Now were giving pianists a run for their money; that chord spans three octaves! 

Well, here's something, not the most difficult shape, but it takes some getting used to.

e--------
B--------
G----7---
D----5---
A----2---
E----3---


I think I saw Shawn Lane do it when he was explaining the chords to "Not Again," I think. Anyway, he said "G major" and contorted his hand like this, so I either transcribed it or made up a new voicing by mistake. Hurray!


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 18, 2008)

Sounds rather folky, TA. 1-3-1-5, cool voicing for a triad.

e-(5)
B-(5)
G-(5)
D-(9)
A-(7)
E-x

(Emi/add9, courtesy of natural harmonics.) The trick is to have only one finger touching each string, so that they don't mute the harmonic, and be perpendicular to the strings. Of course, the practicality of this chord is questionable, as the shape cannot be easily transposed, and the weaker harmonics are flushed out by the other tones. If one had an e-bow that spanned five strings, then it might sound good.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 18, 2008)

Awesome! We must now post all manner of harmonic chords and any derivations thereof! (And by we I mean you, because I haven't encountered many and don't feel like making them up today [maybe tomorrow].) 

This isn't difficult in the "dear lord, I must struggle to fret it," but it's a cool shape, and sounds just spiffy! 

e-----0---
B-----5---
G-----9---
D-----7---
A-----8---
E---------

Try fingerpicking it from the A to e strings and back, the unison sounds sexy.

Switch between these chords

e----0----0----0----
B----5----5----5----
G----9----9----9----
D----7----7----7----
A----8----5----7----
E--------------------

It's um... ambiguous. Could be a Fmaj7 [no5]. The others are Dsus2 and A5/E (not even a chord!)


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 18, 2008)

I can't do the second shape for the life of me, but I like that progression, Fmaj7-Dsus2-A5/E. I'm gonna go whip out my recording thingy, I think I've got an idea.

Update: chromaticism works quite well over that if used tastefully, and mindfully of the changes, especially with that A5, seeing as the possible scales that have an A and an E are damn near infinite.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 18, 2008)

Aye, well if that tickled yer fancy, then dig this (yes, I'm a jive pirate):

e----12----13----10-----12----
B----10----10----10-----10----
G----9-----7-----9------7-----
D----7-----7-----7------7-----
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

A5 Dm Asus4 Dsus2

Yea, though Asus4 and Dsus2 are the same thing!


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 18, 2008)

Hm, I never noticed that. Could be useful in the future, ambiguous chords and whatnot.

An ominous one:
e-12
B-9
G-10
D-12
A-15
E

Use your picking hand index finger to fret the C on the A string and arpeggiate with your thumb.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 18, 2008)

mmm.... taste's like impressionism. . . .

And now for some not so chords.

Power Chord of Doom:

e---12
B---12
G---9
D---9
A---7
E---7


If you're feeling really crazy, and have an eight-string, there is this:

Epic Power Chord of Doom:

e-----15----
B-----15----
G-----12---
D-----12---
A-----10---
E-----10---
B------8----
F#----8----


Hurray for fifths!

Any lower than that and it becomes about impossible. I don't have an eight, or a seven, but my index finger just refuses to angle itself such that I can see that I couldn't do it. In fact, this might have to be moved a couple positions higher, especially taking into account the extended scale most 8's have.


Oh, and if you were having trouble with the Dsus2 a couple posts back, don't worry. It actually took me about two or three days of trying in 15 minute bursts before I was able to fret that Shawn Lane chord.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 19, 2008)

I can't imagine what doing this kind of stuff on an eight would be like. Okay, another. This time, I'm doing something a bit polytonal.

e-12
B-9
G-9
D-9
A-10
E-12

Voila, E minor major, if that's the name for it. Here it is with the major in the bass:

e-12
B-8
G-9
D-9
A-11
E-12

I bend my first finger on the B G and D strings so that I can get that second inversion minor triad with one finger.

An easier version of the second one:

e-12
B-12
G-12
D-9
A-11
E-12


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 19, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> Voila, E minor major, if that's the name for it. Here it is with the major in the bass:
> 
> e-12
> B-8
> ...



A second inversion minor triad with one finger in the middle of another chord... that is just damn ridiculous... I love it! E-rep for you!

Here's a cool one with open strings. With all the seconds in it I defy anyone to name it!

e----0----
B----6----
G----0----
D----3----
A----5----
E----1----


(Without leaving out one or three chord tones in a big-assed voicing)


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 19, 2008)

Well, let's see... You've got F, D, F, G, E, and F. Emi/maj7/no5/add2/F, perhaps?


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 20, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> Well, let's see... You've got F, D, F, G, E, and F. Emi/maj7/no5/add2/F, perhaps?



 

See? It's not even worth naming. You could go G7add13/F, but it lacks the third. 

This one's purdy:

e----7---
B----5---
G----2---
D----2---
A----3---
E--------


Amadd9.

I think it's difficult. I don't know anymore; I've spent so much time with these awful shapes since first seeing this thread that I'm becoming numb to them.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 20, 2008)

I think that one of the criteria for this thread was that the chord has to be an example from a song, but it's not like anybody cares at this point.

Okay, now for something that has even less of an application than anything else here.
e4
B6
G1
D1
A4
E1

Yes, I am doing that with one hand. Yes, if you saw me doing it, you would call it cheating. I can't bar it with my index, so I use the pad of my thumb as the bar, my index finger on the A string, my middle finger on the B, and my ring finger on the E.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 20, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> I think that one of the criteria for this thread was that the chord has to be an example from a song, but it's not like anybody cares at this point.



I think that was a criterion because Maniacal didn't want people to randomly create a physically impossible chord, like stretching from the first to fifth to ninth to thirteenth frets. 




SchecterWhore said:


> Okay, now for something that has even less of an application than anything else here.
> e4
> B6
> G1
> ...



You know, I can almost see barring that with the index finger, but my scale is shorter. I can't do it perfectly, but I also need to clip my fingernails (the little bastards keep getting in the way). Maybe with practice. Difficult, but also beautiful.

And I don't think that using your thumb is cheating. I mean, no more than tapping is; it's just a different way of approaching the guitar. Hell, Dave Mustaine uses it (for super stretched legato).


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## HellMinor (Aug 20, 2008)

TonalArchitect said:


> If you're feeling really crazy, and have an eight-string, there is this:
> 
> Epic Power Chord of Doom:
> 
> ...




Wow that chord is pretty much impossible for me on a 27" scale. I can only get it with the root moved up to the 12th fret like so:

19
19
16
16
14
14
12
12


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## kung_fu (Aug 20, 2008)

Here is a cool chord i've been messing with. I think of it as a Dm7 with an added second. I like the way the notes ring together when arpeggiated. Obviously, this is a moveable shape, so move it wherever you want, depending on how "hard" you want the chord to be  Or you could finger the low D on the tenth fret of the E string, but that would defeat the purpuse of this thread. Plus i think this fingering sounds better.

e-----10--
B-----13--
G-----10--
D-----14--
A-----17--
E---------

Here's another. I have to use my thumb on the high e. I put a more orthadox fingerring next to it, but is it just me or does anybody else like to finger chords so that they sound cooler when strummed downward? unfortunately in most cases they become harder to fret in standard tuning

e-----12--14
B-----19--17
G-----17--17
D-----16--16
A-----14--14
E---------

I just gotta say it, i love sus chords. I also love chords with neighboring notes. This + standard tuning + small hands =


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 20, 2008)

kung_fu said:


> e-----12--14
> B-----19--17
> G-----17--17
> D-----16--16
> ...



Reminds me of Mahavishnu Orchestra, that first chord in particular.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 20, 2008)

The other chords on this thread could be accused of uselessness due to their impracticality. But this... oh, ho, ho, this is useless because it's. . . A CLUSTER!

e----------
B----------
G----------
D----8-----
A----12----
E----16----


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 20, 2008)

It's a viable chord in some scales, technically.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 21, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> It's a viable chord in some scales, technically.



Yeah, I have a strong opinion that virtually nothing is actually useless. Many composers (modern dissonant ones) use stuff like this. I just said useless to show off it's general unattractiveness. Try fretting it and attacking it forte fortississimo. But yeah, I can see places for that even. 

But 'tain't no purdy maj7 chord!


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 21, 2008)

Stacked minor sevenths, if you invert it.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 21, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> Stacked minor sevenths, if you invert it.





Not what I meant.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 21, 2008)

Just checked it on piano, and it sounds terrible any way you do it. Abort! Abort!


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## HammerAndSickle (Aug 21, 2008)

I like the one that he started doing but just scribbled out XD


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 21, 2008)

Cool. Vai right? Pretty sweet, though I'm not much of a fan of using my right hand to fret chords (not that it's relevant).


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 21, 2008)

If God meant for us to use our right hand to fret chords, he woulda given 'em fingers!

Wait, they both have them? Well, there goes that theory. Now then, somebody should inlay a pickup at the nut, before the first fret. Or, at the very least, take a hint from Glenn Branca:


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 21, 2008)

SchecterWhore said:


> If God meant for us to use our right hand to fret chords, he woulda given 'em fingers!
> 
> Wait, they both have them? Well, there goes that theory.



I'm not saying it's wrong, I just personally don't like doing it, so go eat some CABBAGE! 




SchecterWhore said:


> Now then, somebody should inlay a pickup at the nut, before the first fret. Or, at the very least, take a hint from Glenn Branca:



Holy crap! 

These city-folk and their newfangled ideas. . . .


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 22, 2008)

I wish I could play well with two hands. Those guys that play Chapman sticks would probably kick my ass if they picked up a guitar for a couple months. Of course, they're stick players, so nobody cares.

You should check out Glenn Branca. He composed a piece for 100 electric guitars and (I think) 50 electric basses called Hallucination City. It made my ears hemmorage the only time I have ever heard it


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 22, 2008)

Oh god, what's happening? This is hideous! 

(I'm listening to [being assaulted by] it on youtube)



SchecterWhore said:


> I wish I could play well with two hands. Those guys that play Chapman sticks would probably kick my ass if they picked up a guitar for a couple months. Of course, they're stick players, so nobody cares.



I used to think so to. I thought eight-finger tapping and touch technique was the best goal ever. Now, it really doesn't appeal to me or impress me as much. And about kicking your ass on guitar... maybe. I mean if you both tried to do "let's be pianists" then probably, but in terms of doing something advanced with the picking hand? You'd destroy them. It's not like playing a stick suddenly makes you a musical savant. 

God, so I'm listening to excerpts from that "Symphony" for 100 guitars, 50 basses, and, I don't know, 16 drummers. And it might be the 4-and-2/3-bit audio quality, but it sounds like a bunch of raunchy cluster chords. No theme, melody, pleasing timbres, just harsh grating noise, and the audience goes ape shit over it. 

I'm not a total tonality whore, but I'm not sure if I'd applaud that.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 22, 2008)

As I understand, he's into microtonality, bending a single pitch up during the course of a long composition.

I hear what you're saying about fancy fingerwork. Guitar has not historically been a single-note melodic instrument. The entire purpose of having a (relatively) flat fretboard is to enable the fretting of chords, as opposed to a violin, which has small scale length and no frets for fast play and expressive inflection, in addition to the fact that but two notes can be played at once with a bow.

The instrument is quickly evolving to meet melodic requirements, no doubt because of the small ensemble environment of rock 'n' roll. Baroque music is so wanky for the same reason: little groups have to compensate for numbers and amplitude in technical virtuosity.


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## TonalArchitect (Aug 22, 2008)

I'm not really sure what I actually said about virtuosity there. But I mean that all-out tapping has become less interesting to me because I'm realizing that one's stretch can be developed, so tapping's not as necessary as it would be without stretching. And I've been focusing much more on the staccato elements. In other words, I don't want to approach the guitar like a piano, playing one part with each hand. I've become much more interested in conventional playing and developing expressive dynamics. 

But, on the original topic of the thread: 

e---12
B---16
G---19
D---15
A---15
E---12

The first finger bars the E's, the third finger grabs the D#, the fourth finger gets the D, and the second finger bars the C and F.



SchecterWhore said:


> Just checked it on piano, and it sounds terrible any way you do it. Abort! Abort!


 

Just saw this. See, I told ye 'twas all for naught! 

It can be used in very specialized circumstances (horror soundtracks and such), but it's still scary.


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