BS: Gm(no3rd), Am(no3rd) ??

Subject: Gm(no3rd), Am(no3rd) ??
From: GUEST,Jimmy Crackorn
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 07:18 PM

Does anyone have any idea, how to form the two chords mentioned above? Any help much appreciated. Jimmy

Subject: RE: BS: Gm(no3rd), Am(no3rd) ??
From: ddw
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 07:28 PM

Jimmy — What makes a chord a minor is that you flat the 3rd ‚ i.e., instead of playing G, B, D, the G-major, you play G, Bb, D and for Am you play A, C (instead of C#) E.

Presuming y ou're talking about guitar, the Gm is most easily played by barring an Em up three frets. Lay your index finger across all six strings at the 3rd fret and the 5th and 4th strings at the 5th fret.

The Am is easier — just 2nd string, first fret and 3rd and 4th strings, 2nd fret. Only play five strings unless you want an alternating bass E (which rarely sounds very good in this configuration) below your bass note.

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: BS: Gm(no3rd), Am(no3rd) ??
From: ddw
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 07:31 PM

That description of the Gm isn't very clear, is it? What I meant to say is that you bar six strings at the 3rd fret and use other fingers (your choice) to play the 4th and 5th strings at the 5th fret.

david

Subject: RE: BS: Gm(no3rd), Am(no3rd) ??
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 05:51 PM

I wonder if Jimmy is talking about accompanying Irish or Scottish or old-time tunes, where the mode may be other than a standard major or minor. Some guitarists (better than I) will play a chord without the 3rd, giving a somewhat indeterminate feel to the chord and fitting in better with the tune. I once heard such a chord, in A, for example, referred to as "A-neutral". (It might have been Jere Canote of the Small Wonder String Band.) I'm sure Rick Fielding could give a much better explanation than this, including how to play the thing.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: BS: Gm(no3rd), Am(no3rd) ??
From: Mooh
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 07:27 PM

I suppose this is another description of the A5 chord, X02255, low to high. No third means it's neither major or minor and usually then contains only the root and fifth intervals in various numbers. I would play the G5 as 3X0033. The A5 form is movable up and down the fretboard for other "5" chords too. A nice D5 is X00235. There are of course, the other "5" chords commonly known as "power chords" eg, G5 (355xxx), A5 (577xxx), B5 (X244XX), etc.

Clear as Mud, Cat?

Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Gm(no3rd), Am(no3rd) ??
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 08:38 PM

Mark, I'm with you. The first thing I thought when I saw it was Mixolydian....which can be sort of minor sounding sometimes.

Subject: RE: BS: Gm(no3rd), Am(no3rd) ??
From: Bedubya
Date: 17 Mar 01 - 12:02 PM

Jimmy,

I play a neutered G or G5 as (low to hi) 355033. This is similar to G minor except that instead of doing a full barre at the 3rd fret, you do a "mini-barre" on the first two strings and catch (or just mute) the 6th string with your thumb, leaving the third string open.

You can play an A by sliding the same fingering pattern up two frets and catching the 3rd string at the second fret, but it helps to have Michael Jordan's fingers to do so. Mere mortals use a capo.

bwl