Hey Friend,

Wow! It's Friday and we've already knocked off the first week of the year. This is going too fast already!

This new year started with a new key to study (E major), and because we saw the root triad E major as the V chord in the key of A major, we're in review mode.

The basic E major triad has a number of positions you can use up the neck. All these triad shapes give you the notes over three consecutive strings, which keeps them relatively simple. Refer to the exercise files for the positions and shapes.

As I mentioned yesterday, though, chord shapes don't always fall nicely on three consecutive strings. For instance, play an open C major chord (index finger on the second string, first fret (C note); open third string (G note); middle finger, fourth string, second fret (E note); ring finger, fifth string, third fret (C note)).

Now slide that entire shape up the neck until your ring finger is on the seventh fret of the fifth string (E note). Your middle finger handles the G# note on the fourth string, but the third string (G) pitch doesn't really work with an E major chord - so you have to mute it.

Your index finger repeats the E note on the fifth fret of the second string. Add your pinky finger to the first string, seventh fret (B note) and you now have the necessary notes for E major.

That's just one example of the many ways you can play an E major chord without using little three-note clustered triads. In fact, there are dozens of other possibilities.

Why would you consider using a chord form like this with muted strings? Maybe you're playing a song in a fingerprinting style and the progression calls for another chord in that location, or that next chord uses one of the notes you're already fingering.

Or maybe the pitch and tone of the notes in the chord really fit the mood you're going for. 

There's all sorts of creative situations you can find yourself in, and a lot of it is experimentation. You just have to open your awareness to the possibilities. 

Alright, let's knock this Friday off and get to 5 o'clock! Rock on!

Peace~

Dave