Stupid Guitar Question

Subject: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Darren Raleigh
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 09:48 AM

Hi,
I'm starting up an arrangement of a tune that I know, and I've found a series of chords with the lyrics...and it's even in a key that I sing in. Hurrah! But some of the chords appear in parentheses. I don't play guitar (as you probably suspected). What is the meaning of these parentheses?

Thanks,
Darren

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Folk Form # 1
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 09:54 AM

Why do guitars have 6 strings and not 7..or 5?

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Darren Raleigh
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 09:57 AM

Uhh...sorry. Maybe I should have been more specific with my title. I was posting a stupid guitar question - not soliciting them.

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: GUEST,Captain Colin
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 09:58 AM

You don't often see this and I suspect it means they're optional Darren- sometimes known as "passing" chords- they add a bit of extra flavour and variety if you play them but the piece is still correct without them. Good luck with it.

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Mr Happy
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 10:00 AM

'The guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four, seven, eight, ten, and twelve string guitars also exist.'

See here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Big Mick
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 10:01 AM

Darren, occasionally there is mention at the top of the arrangement that the guitar has a capo on it. This is a device that clamps on the neck and raises all the string tones a uniform amount. We use it when we want to play certain chord shapes but change the key. I have seen arrangements that show the chord shapes, with the chord sound due to raising the tones in the paretheses. You might have that, as well.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: john f weldon
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 10:03 AM

Or... ...if the parenthesis is really close to the chord, it may indicate the bass note to be played, as in C(G)... ...using another note as the "root"....

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: john f weldon
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 10:05 AM

Big Mick came up with another possibility as I was writing mine; by now, you will see, that musical notation is highly ambiguous....

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Midchuck
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 10:30 AM

Guest captain colin, Big Mick, and Mr. weldon all have answers that could be right. So you're gonna have to guess and fool with it until it sounds right.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Darren Raleigh
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 11:01 AM

Thanks folks...It looks like the "passing chords" idea is most likely, given the way it's working out this mornin. It's always a challenge arranging harp from guitar...but I"m getting better at it! Thanks again!

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 12:20 PM

Best wishes for your efforts, Darren. I'm sure you will soon get the hang of what you are trying to do. (I have a friend who plays harp, and she uses chords all the time.)

Anytime I've seen a chord in parentheses, it simply means that the chord change is optional. In my experience, what the accompanist depends mostly on how fast the others are playing. If they are really ripping along, there not be time to make the change. (In that case, it may be best to let the accompaniment die out for the mo.) If the tune is going slowly, the dissonance will grate on the nerves, and the change should be made.

(Sometimes dissonance may be desired to add a note of sadness or anger, but that's just a matter of taste.)

Anytime someone wants the main note to be special, it's been indicated with a slash, like this Bm/F#. Suppose I have a measure which is almost all in Bm, but the first note is an A. By calling for an F#, which harmonizes with the note A, the arranger gets the Bm chord he wants without introducing an irrelevant dissonance.

Keep in mind that chords are not guitar chords, they are music theory. Chords can be played on many instruments - guitar, harp, piano, banjo...

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 02:37 PM

The parenthesis can mean any number of things--besides the possibilities mentioned above,in some cases, the parenthesis can mean th chord is a substitution or alternate voicing for the chord before--

The only thing to do is to try different possibilities until you've found something that works--Most chord charts require some work before they are actually playable. That's why you should memorize the melody first, then trust your ears--

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: GUEST,Tom Hamlyn
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 06:55 PM

Sorry Mr Happy. This message is not about guitar. Please can you send me the complete lyrics for 'Tiddly Wink Woo' if you have them.

I have provided what I know of the lyrics to another address - I saw your contribution there.

Thanks,

Tom

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Artful Codger
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 07:28 PM

Context usually disambiguates the use of parentheses:

If parenthese indicate the chord sounded when a capo is used, as Big Mick explained, most chords should appear appear that way, in pairs--especially at the beginning of the piece.

If parentheses indicate passing chords, the chord should appear alone. Only spacing constraints would push it against another chord.

If only some chords occur in parentheses, directly following other chords, they are probably alternative chords. In other words, you'd play one or the other, but not both.

Bass notes are usually indicated by "/" notation: C7/G. So consider other possible meanings of parentheses first. If there's anything within any parentheses but letters, sharps and flats, you're clearly dealing with separate chords, not bass notes.

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 07:34 PM

Hi Darren,

I'm sitting next to my computer looking at an old song book for a Magnus Chord organ. IT has songs with the minimal chords needed to play the song. And some additional chords in ()'s to show additional chords to fill out the song.

Just another possibility

Don

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: john f weldon
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 09:12 PM

Hardy a stupid question, Darren! Hoo-boy, lotsa different opines....
I agree with Artful that C7/G is more correct than C7(g), for a bass note, but I've seen everything, and lotsa folks use "/" for a strum...
Anyway, ambiguity leads to creativity...

...this should sound mighty schmaltzy on a harp....
(C//)... ..(Aflat/C)//... ...C........

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 09:22 PM

"Context disambiguates....." That really cracks me up, Artful Codger;-)

In other words, Darren, we need to see it to know what you're talking about--Like, what song is it? Where did you get the chords from? A book? A website? A napkin? Til we know what you're looking at, we is just shootin' in de dark--so give us some context, and we'll disambiguate--

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Artful Codger
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 04:28 PM

I meant that you can usually figure out the meaning of parentheses by looking at the pattern of use within the notation. Most of the time, it doesn't matter whether you're getting the chords from a book, a website, a napkin or a Ouija board channelling your great-aunt Vidalia. Nor does it matter much what type of song it is. You shouldn't even have to consult a book's tablature legend, unless you're a newbie. Chord notation is surprisingly consistent, and though there are a number of variations, differing systems seldom conflict enough to produce ambiguous readings.

It's just that some symbols denote different things, depending on placement and neighboring symbols. But if you need even more information to divine the meaning, chances are whoever created the notation did so without regard to existing conventions--they should be flogged and banished from the village--, because several hundred years of usage have sufficed to resolve all the common notation problems.

Note that I'm talking specifically about chord notation, not tablature or the notation of rhythm or special playing effects (bends, slides, damping...) There is still a disappointing lack of consistency in these areas.

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: goatfell
Date: 04 Aug 07 - 05:04 AM

can you explain that in English please i don't undertand what you are talking about

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: GUEST,Captain Colin
Date: 04 Aug 07 - 01:57 PM

To disambiguate it- he means that it should be obvious what's intended when you see it actually written down. And if it's not then it was probably written down by an idiot. I think.

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Cluin
Date: 04 Aug 07 - 03:33 PM

On my own lead sheats I use the parentheses to indicate both passing and optional chords, but usually optional. Like, if i can fit them in comfortably, or, if I'm playing the song solo and it needs some filling-out, or I want to change the melody line or harmonics a bit for a different verse or chorus. For polychords and chords with altered bass notes, I use a slash (/).

And Penguin Egg, there ARE 5 and 7 string guitars. I've seen them. Don Ross plays a 7 string he had custom built. And then there's Linda Manzer's Pikasso, built for Pat Metheny.

There are no stupid guitar questions. But you can get stupid answers.

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Stringsinger
Date: 05 Aug 07 - 02:46 PM

The parenthesis usually refers to altered chords. ie: G7(b9) or it may include additional information that is not suggested by the chord label such as G major (add 9).

In "charts" I prefer not to see ( ) for a chord but go for an accurate label. Sometimes it's unavoidable.

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: Stupid Guitar Question
From: Artful Codger
Date: 05 Aug 07 - 05:37 PM

It was English. Crack a book sometime.