Eminor and A7 Chord Inversions

[neiko]

Hi Guys,

This is my first post and already im asking a question

Ive been trying to work out Chord Inversions inspired by this old series on YouTube.

YouTube - Rock School Vol 3 - Part 2 of 8 - Funk Guitar & Bass

At 02:35 she uses only the top 3 strings (GBE) and does a run of Eminor Inversions, then another run of A7 inversions.

I have been reading all day and night and I think I have worked them out. Can you tell me if there are right?

Em
|--15-------------12-------------7-----------3-----------|
|--------17----------12------------8-------------5-------|
|-----16----------------12-----------9---------4---------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|

A7
|--3-----------9-----------12-------------15-------------|
|----5-----------8------------14-------------17----------|
|------6-----------9-------------12-------------18-------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|


Also, I cant seem to find the shapes for the 7th Inversions (which helps me work out the chords). Does anyone have a chart by any chance?

Ive attached the chart I stole from a website for Eminor.

I hope other beginners get as inspired as I have to learn all the Inversions! They are so good!

Thank you

[ejwhite09]

I don't have my experience in funk to be honest, but when I learned inversions I just learned them R, 1, 2, 3, so on. Which it looks like you did and did correctly.
If you've worked out the inversions of a major triad and you plan on using the same strings then changing the chord is as simple as shifting up/down the number of steps.
Perhaps the question should be asked which inversions should you learn first: major, minor, sevenths?

[Banksia]

That chart you've got there seems pretty comprehensive. That video is quite good. She's got a good funk sound. I didn't realise there was a video series on funk.

Most of funk playing is in the right hand. The bass tends to be the star and the guitar is often just a filler instrument - probably because it's cheaper to have one guitarist than the 3 or 4 horn players they used to have.

[neiko]

Originally Posted by ejwhite09

Perhaps the question should be asked which inversions should you learn first: major, minor, sevenths?

Thanks EJ, yeah I understand what you mean. That would be a smarter question to ask. I'm a little over my head with this at the moment, but my soloing is so boring old simple blues that having a go at Intervals (and chord substitution) seems like its going to be good to take my solo's to a bearable level!

Thanks for checking my chords

[neiko]

Originally Posted by Banksia

That chart you've got there seems pretty comprehensive. That video is quite good. She's got a good funk sound. I didn't realise there was a video series on funk.

Most of funk playing is in the right hand. The bass tends to be the star and the guitar is often just a filler instrument - probably because it's cheaper to have one guitarist than the 3 or 4 horn players they used to have.

Thanks. The chart definitely helped work out her chords, but i have another question.. These shapes are for minor inversions, I also want to learn the A7 inversions. Does this mean I use the Major Inversion shapes? (see attached from same website blackbeltguitar).

Im glad you liked the video. Make sure you watch it from the start, there are several videos split up. Bootsy stars in it on the 1st or 2nd video of Volume 3 and he is so cool in it. Actually i'll post the bit... hang on...

Go to 03:18.
YouTube - Rock School Vol 3 - Part 1 of 8 - How To Play Funk

Also, just before the Bootsy part, Larry Graham (from Chic I think) says exactly what you just said, about the bass and the downbeat bring so important. And yeah
Yeah Horns are hard to come by.

I'll say this much about funk, it bloody hurts your hand and wrists! on both hands! That int so funky

[neiko]

Just in case anyone else likes a bit of funk guitar, and is a newby like me... I learned these chords for Good Times (which Nile Rogers at 08:30 of the same Youtube video plays).

Good Times tab by Chic @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

For the verse (the famous bit) you dont have to move you hard from the one shape if you do it correctly. Just remove and add your fingers to hit the notes keeping your index barring across the 7th fret all the time.

By the way... Am I allowed to be talking about funk in a jazz forum?? I love Jazz too but waaaaaay to hard for me yet. One day though. My teacher was a jazz player. He was amazing

[vac4873]

Here's an easy, fun little funk trick with versions of Em and A7: Finger Em7 as 0-x-5-7-0-0 and A7 as x-0-5-6-0-0 (actually A9 with the B note on the open 2nd string). Variations: make it Em11 by leaving the open A string on the first chord (0-0-5-7-0-0) or make the first chord E7 by fingering 0-x-6-7-0-0 and x-0-5-6-0-0. You can slide this up and/or down (or both) for a "shout" at appropriate times in the groove. You can also vary this by excluding all but the 2 fingered strings, or the open string and the fingered strings, a very versatile and easy little trick.

[voelker]

the Em triads are correct, but i think you should know that your A7 chords are actually C#diminished triads, which is the 3,5 and b7 of A7. this is fine as you can leave out the root when you have a bass player, but you should still understand the chord interval structures. there is a section on chord building on the lessons page, its toward the bottom(should be at the top) its very informative and starts with the basics. then, if you can find that same diagram for major triads (1,3,5). learn those inversions then flat the 3rd to get all your minor triads (1,b3,5), (this would reveal the diagram you already posted). then flat the 5th to get diminished triads (1,b3,b5). augmented triads are (1,3,#5)

[vac4873]

The A7 chord has an open 5th string A in the bass. The spelling is A(root) - G(b7th) - C# (3rd), B (9th) and E (5th).

[vac4873]

@ Voelker - sorry, I didn't realize you were speaking to the chords (triads) in the original posting.

[neiko]

Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in reply and thanks a lot for your tips, Im going to try them now. I'll let you know how I go.

thanks again all!