A common area of study for all guitarists is the understanding and musical

application of chord forms, which is essential to the development of rhythm guitar

parts, arrangements and accompaniments.

Chord forms can also provide useful templates of fretboard shapes for improvising
melodic lines. This focus of study becomes even more interesting and varied when
one expands it to a chord progression and the sequence of specific chord shapes,
which may be used as navigational tools for crafting single-note melodies.     

An effective way to get attuned to this concept is to apply specific chord types and
the movement from shape to shape (including the technique of voice-leading) to a
standard 12-bar blues form. In the examples presented in this lesson, we’re
working within the context of a 12-bar blues in E, moving between the one chord,
E, the four chord, A, and the five chord, B.

For the purposes of this column, we’ll focus on three-note dominant seven shapes,
played on the top three strings. FIGURE 1 illustrates the full six-string form of a
standard first-position E7 chord, as well as the shape that falls on the top three
strings. In FIGURE 2, we move from E7 to A7 to B7, and then back to E7, played
in a higher positions, using voice-leading technique.

When moving from E7 to A7, the G# note on the third string moves up one fret to
A while the D on the second string moves down one fret to C#; the open E note on
top moves up a step and a half to G. This A7 shape then moves up two frets to B7.
Voice-leading is employed again when moving from B7 to the final E7 shape, as
the D# note on the B string’s fourth fret moves down one fret to D and the A note
on the first string moves down one fret to G#.

Let’s now use these shapes as a template for creating solo lines, as demonstrated in
FIGURE 3. I begin by picking the notes of the E7 chord shape individually (a
technique known as arpeggiation) and then play a descending line based on the E
minor pentatonic scale (E G A B D) while adding the major third, G#. In bar 2, I
again begin by arpeggiating, picking the notes of A7 in succession before
switching to a line based on the E blues scale (E G A Bb B D). I continue with this
approach until bar 9 and the arrival at B7, at which point that chord’s shape
becomes the template for the remainder of the solo.
The next step is to move to the next higher set of dominant-seven shapes on the top
three strings, as shown in FIGURE 4, followed by a soloing example with the
same principles applied (see FIGURE 5).
Blues Shapes, Part 2-More on Using Triadic Forms as Soloing Templates

Last month, we explored using triadic (three-note) chord shapes as a means to

fortify a deeper understanding of chord “grips” and intervallic relationships on the
fretboard, as well as how one can use these shapes as a springboard for
improvising single-note solo melodies.

An essential element in this investigation involved connecting these triadic shapes

when applying them to a standard “one-four-five” blues progression. This month,
we’ll continue with a look at four more triadic shapes, as well as a handful of
melodic phrases that are based on them.

Using the key of E again, the three chords that make up the progression are E (the
one chord), A (the four chord) and B (the five chord). As is customary in blues,
dominant seven chords—in this case, E7, A7 and B7—are used instead of straight
major triads. FIGURE 1 illustrates three-note voicings for these three chords
played on the D, G and B strings.

I begin in second position and play E7, A7 and B7, then shift up to fifth position
and resolve back to E7, this time using a first-inversion voicing, with the third of
the chord, G#, sounded as the lowest note. Notice that when moving from the
initial E7 to A7, the lowest note, E, remains the same, while the two higher notes,
G# and D, both move down one fret to G and C#, respectively.

This A7 shape then moves up two frets (one whole step) to B7, and then all three
notes move up the fretboard to the next available chord tones of E7, sounded in
ascending order as G#, B and E. The idea with this lesson is to utilize each of these
dominant seven voicings and shapes as “guideposts” for soloing. In bars 1 and 2 of
FIGURE 2, simple melodic phrases are presented that use the E7 chord tones E,
G# and D as points of focus. In bars 3 and 4, I take the same approach with A7,
and then, in bars 5 and 6, with B7. I then round out the exercise by moving up the
fretboard to play lines that revolve around the higher E7 voicing.

Now let’s apply this approach to the 12-bar blues progression, as demonstrated in
FIGURE 3. In bar 1, all of the notes played are part of the E7 chord. In bar 2, I
expand the approach by incorporating some notes from the E blues scale (E G A
Bb B D) while accentuating the triadic tones of A7.

This approach is carried through the entire example, so as you play through the
progression, keep in mind which of the notes are chord tones and which are
passing tones that connect the chord tones, as well as how I sometimes anticipate
the next chord in the progression via the contour of the melodic phrase, playing a
couple of the next chord’s notes “early” (before the chord officially changes).