Harmony Level 1 (part 1/3) Learning the C-major scale, it's degrees and note names building the basic C-major triad ..and play it in different voicings ‘Whole-step: two half-steps or two semi-tones (2 frets on the guitar) Half-Step: I semi-tone (1 fret on the guitar) Here is the first octave we will play the C-major scale in. Starting on C, itis built by going 1 whole step up to D 2nd degree) another whole step to E (3rd degree) a half-step to F (4th degree) whole step to G (Sth degree), whole step to A (6th degree) whole-step to B (7th degree) and a half-step back to C (8th degree, or Octave or simply the Ist degree) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1(8) ‘Whole-siep AA basic C-major triad is built with the first degree (C) the third degree (E) and fifth degree (G) of the C-major scale. An issue here is thatthe third degree (¢) and fifth degree (g) is on the same string inthis particular fingering of the scale, so in order to play these exact notes together you would have to play the G note on the third open string 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1(8)Which would then look like this: A major triad concists of the following This is called a closed-voicing intervals: (CE: Major third (M3) two whole-steps 5 . E-G: Minor third on3) whole-sep then half tep are stacked close together eo pore renee) in thirds of the C-major triad since the notes Here is the same C-major scale starting one octave higher: A C-major triad in closed position would then look like this in this octave: so 2 4 5 6 7 1(8) (Once you have mastered those two octaves of the C-major scale (and you are fluent with the degrees and note names) It is 1 good idea to combine them and play the C-major scale in two octaves like this: This will allow us to do new chord voicings by placing the degrees of the chord in different octaves, not 2 3 4 5 6 7 18) 2 3 4 5 6 7 18)‘We can place for example the E (in red) one octave higher, and/or place the G (fifth degree )in another position ws 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 18) 2 3 4 5 6 7 1B) Here are two new open chord voicings: C-major open voicing 2 (Sth degree placed an octave higher) (C-major open voicing 1 (3rd degree placed an octave higher) To get fuller chords, we can double the different degrees (1 and 5 are mostly doubled, not the 3rd degree) (C-major root (1) doubled: (C-major root (1) and Sth degree doubled:A challenging thing on guitar is that the same note in the same octave ean be found on different strings, For exampole, we could start the C-major scale on the 6th string instead and get the following: (Look at TAB section) a 1 2 3 4 5S 6 7 WW) 2 3 4 5S 6 F 1) And we could also finger the scale like this a 1(8) no 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 18) 2 3 5 6 Or like this. You get the point. Your work here is to learn as many patterns of the C-major scale (degrees and notenames) as, ‘you can and then figure out the basic ¢-major triad in different voicings in different places on the fretboard. This isa lot of work, but itis very important work that will gain you @ lot of freedom and understanding of the fretboard. Your work is not only to learn chord shapes but to actually understand how to build them on your own. 6 7 1) 2 3 4 5 6 7 18) 0