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Chord Inversion site

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I just came across this site called Chordinversion.com that provides you with inversions of chords to compliment the main one that you are playing in a certain song or just for jammin’.

It’s very simple to use and gives you a general overview on how to play your favorite chord in a very unique position on your fretboard. It will make your favorite chord or song a little more exciting trust me.

While figuring out cover songs or working on chord progressions, I’ve always tried playing chords that are normally played at the top of the guitar (or first position) in different locations of the fretboard. These new chord breaths new life into the chord or song. The new chords that I am searching for are known as inversions.

First, I take apart the chord that I am using one note at a time. I then try to figure out where else can I play this one single note at a time in the old chord, in another position. I take that one note and find it an active above it and remember where it is on the fretboard. I then repeat this process to all the other notes in that chord. This is the easiest way to find out another way or inversion to play this chord that I want to use.

Doing so I am finding not only a different way to play the chord but also discovering a more colourful way to play it. I am always striving to find a chord that sounds a little bit more distinctive then the original one. Some of the newer inversions of chords that I have found over the years have produced either more warmer, or sonically different tone to them with overtones that can bring some new perspective to an old chord/song.

Most listeners will be aware of this change. The song that you will be performing will sound the same but you are creating a different way of digesting a song. This new inversion of a familiar chord in a song will make them sit back and take notice of how you play a certain song. It almost forces them to become more aware of what you are playing in front of them while your playing live at a show or just in front of friends.

I’m sure that there are tons of other sites out there more graphic or appealing then Chordinversion.com. If you know of any can you put your two cents worth in here to help others find the best site to meet their chord inversion needs?

Keep on Jammin’





Open Guitar Tuning

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Open (Alternative) guitar tuning opens up a whole new world of possibilities for old and new inspiring guitar players. Some of the best songs I’ve ever played are in alternate tuning. Suite Judy blue eyes from CSNY, Penny for your thoughts by Peter Frampton and Never going back again from Fleetwood Mac are just a few examples of what you can do with this innovative choice of tunings.

Joni Mitchell was the first guitarist that I encountered using this technique. I never tried this form of playing for a couple of years after playing. When I ventured on this coarse, I found that it opened up a whole new world of guitar playing for me. It certainly took a while to get use to it.

After a while through trial and error, I found that i could expand my chord progressions and better yet, develop that full sound that I have been looking for. Stepping out of your comfort zone is a must for all guitar players. Remember, it’s better to goof up while practicing in the comfort of your own home first before jumping in!

Open Tuning is very frustrating to master at first glance. Check out this link and give it a whirl!

Do you use alternative or open tuning? If so, what are you favorite ones?

Keep on Jammin’

Jamplay is a great educational tool

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Jamplay is a fabulous site for any level of guitarists. The video tutorials are simple and easy to use. If your looking for some songs that you’ve always wanted to play or just looking to add a little extra something to your own musical style then this site might be for you.

While reading my latest version of Acoustic Guitar I found one of those annoying flyers that come inside most magazine. You know the ones. They put them on the same page of an article that you are interested in and you always have to push it aside in order to read it. Man do I most of them … except for this one.

I was just about to rip it out when I started to quickly glance over it. It looked like most irritating flyers but something made me think twice before discarding it. I then got up, turned on my computer and went to the website. It came with a password so I decided to investigate a little bit further.

After signing up as a member of Jamplay and inputting the free password that I found on the flyer, I came across a number of interesting topics on this site. On some level the Product Reviews and Forums categories got me intrigued. Then I went to another area of interest, it was the Live Q & A Instructor Schedule. I’ve never ever used a service like this before and with time dwindling away fast, I then proceeded to checkout the tunes that they had in their View Archived News video lesson’s area at the bottom of the page.

I was very impressed at what they had there. They have split most of the lessons onto 3 screens for easy viewing. If you pick a certain video to watch, go down below it and look at the breakdown of the video. It’s a smart way to get a quick overview on what is actually on the video in a text format.

This is very important if you have only a limited amount bandwidth to use from your ISP(Internet Service Provider) package. There’s nothing more frustrating then having to pay for going over your allotted download levels. The video teachers on Jamplay were breaking down songs into small sections in such a straight forward way that would make it perfect for any guitar player.

Jamplay has this other area of the site called Jam Tracks. Jam Tracks provide background music so you can practice your soloing or chord progressions all in one place. The play list has 199 styles/genres to choose from so take your time. Near the bottom there are tabs, scales to use for practicing with it and a discussion section to explore. You can even download the songs, very nice.

So if you want to see what I’m talking about, go to Jamplay.com and register for membership. In the password column put in puffyshirt and go crazy. It allows you limited area’s of the site to go and it’s only a free membership for 7 days but it’s worth it. If you do get a full membership, come on back and tell us what you think about it.

Keep on Jammin’

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