Open Position G Major and Its Movable Form

 

Open Position G Major and Its Movable Form (4_G.shtml) | Updated: 23-Sep-2008 - 14:54

Chord of the week (G Major) - “C” Tuning click to show or hide section

 

G Tuning (dGBE and DGBE)

  • "G" Tuning

    The "G" tuning with a low "D" is the same as the higher four strings of a standard tuned guitar. Ukulele Chords, "G" Tuning coming at a later date.

    See the related books below for a good source of "G" tuning chords.

Movable Form Chords

Movable chord forms are chords containing no open strings. These chords are transposable to different keys by moving each note of the chord the same number of frets up and down the neck.

Each movable form is based on a common open position chord. These movable forms allow you to play chords not found in the open position.

Movable form chords allow you to play in any key and transpose chords and chord progressions to any key. From these basic movable form chords more advanced chords can be created.

G Major Movable Chord Form - “C” Tuning

 

Open Position Chord

Movable Form Chord

Movable Form
Chord - Alternate Voicing

This alternate voicing is the chord from week 3 and might be a bit easier to finger when first learing the ukulele.

Two Roots?

In the open position and movable forms of this chord there are two possible locations for the roots or the one (1) of the chord.

String four and two both can be the root of the chord and used for transposition purposes. Here I've elected to use the root on string two.


This movable form chord, based on the open position chord and can be transposed up and down the fingerboard using the root of the chord and the transposition chart to the right.

The functional range of a chord up the fingerboard of your ukulele depends on the ukulele's size (soprano, concert or tenor), the number of frets to the body (10, 12, 14, etc) and whether you have a cut-away for access to higher frets. Not all chords can be transposed a complete octave (12 frets).

Movable form chords can be used along with open position chords. As you learn more movable form chords you'll have a variety of alternate voicings for any given chord.

Transposing Movable Form Chords

roots(2_blkandGray).png These Ukulele Chord of the Week lessons use the roots of a chord to transpose to different keys. Note what string the root is on or would be on if not present in the chord's voicing.

Alternate Chord Voicings

An alternate voicing is just a different arrangement of the chord tones of a chord. In the case of the first voicing the G chord tone is duplicated on string foour and two. In the second voicing the B is duplication on string four and one.

This alternate voicing is the same voicing created from week three's open position F chord.

This Ukulele Chord of the Week shows an alternate voicing for the movable form. The same transposition chart can be used for both versions.

Chord Tones

stringNUM_4.png
stringNUM_4.png
stringNUM_4.png
stringNUM_4.png

1

5

1

3

  • 1 - Root or letter name of the chord
  • 3 - the third (major third) of the chord
  • 5 - the fifth (perfect fifth) of the chord

The chord tones come from the scale degrees of a major scale based on the root of the chord. Generically a major chord's chord tones are the 1, 3, 5 scale degrees of a major scale and in the case of the above G major chord the chord tones are: G B D.

Knowing the notes or chord tones of the chord can lead to deriving other chords from known chords. This is what we have been doing when creating the additional chords each week.

Transposing Chart

This transposition chart can be used for any chord with the root, or letter name of the chord on string 3.

Highslide JS
Root on String 3, C

Use the Roots (1) of chords to transpose to different keys.

A larger sized transposition chart is available in my book Ukulele Chords. This is the book that these lessons are based on.

Related Books

Exploring "Jazz" Chords on Ukulele

Exploring "Jazz" Chords takes the core chords from A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele and shows their use over a variety of common chord progressions based on songs from the standard jazz repertoire.

More info and samples...

A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele

If your goal is to expand your chord vocabulary, The Advanced Guide to Ukelele Chords Series is your answer. Commonly referred to as "jazz" chords. A Guide to Advanced Ukulele Chords Volume I provides detailed information on voicing 4-part chords.

More info and samples...

Related Ukulele Lessons

See the UkuleleLesson on Chord Spelling.

Additional Chords

 

The Chord Tones are shown below each additional chord form. This chord tone is based on the scale degree of the chord's corresponding major scale starting on the root of the chord.

Additional Chords

Here are a couple of additional chords to get you started:

Suspended or Supension Chords

A sus chord implies the suspension of the third of a chord. The most common and historical use of this supension has been by raising the third of a chord to the fourth (sus4). In some contemporary music the suspension in done by lowering the third to the second (sus2).

Sus 4

Raise the third (3) of the chord one fret.

Add 2 ADD 9 Chords

Technically the add 2 and add 9 are different chords. Both the 2 and the 9 are the same letters but in different octaves. For all practical purposes on the ukulele you can treat both chords as the same.

Depending on whether you are using a low "G" or high "G" C tuning the added ninth might be a second. Whether you call it an add9 or add2 depends on it the added note is in the same pcate as the root of the chord.

Power Five Chord

Raise the third third a major chord of the chord three frets. Or the third of a minor chords four frets.

Technically not a chord that fits the three notes or more chord definition. A power five chord is really an interval or dyad. A power five chord does not contain a third, So there is no such thing as a Am5.

Add 9

Raise the 1 or root of the chord two frets.

Add 2

Raise the 1 or root of the chord two frets.

4-part chords a.k.a "Jazz" Chords

With this voicing we can introduce creating a 4-part chord from a triad.

With one of the voicings of this chord containing two roots, one on string four and one on string two we can create 4-part chords by lowering the root on string two. The number of frets to lower this note depends on the type of chord being created (see below).

These 4-part voicings will show up again in later Ukulele Chord of the Week lessons with even more additional voicings possible. Voicings such as 9#5, b9#5, 13, 7#11, etc...

7th

Or Dominant Seventh chord as it is called at times is created by lowering the 1 of a major chord two frets.

maj 7th

A major 7 chord is created by raising the flat seven of a seventh chord one fret.

6 or maj 6

A major 6 chord is created by lowering the b7 of a seventh chord one fret.

9

Raise the root (1) of a chord two frets. This applies to a 7th, maj7, m7, 6, m6, etc.. Most all 4-part chords can be turned into ninths.

[ Back to Chord of the Week Club ]

Practice Progression - “C” Tuning

 

If you ukulele does not allow you access to the higher frets for the a particular chords then substitute another movable form chords or an open position chords.

PRACTICE NOTE: To gain to most from these chord of the Week lesson and the practice progressions. Memorize the location of each chord and the name of the chord. If you can not name a chord that you are playing it it locked in to the situation that you are using the chord in and can not be used elsewhere.

I've pulled this trick question on students after they have played a chord. Typically this happens at the beginning of a lesson before we actually get into the lesson. I'll ask tjem to play a chord that they just played. I'll say play me a D chord. Some will say they don't know chord so and so and it is the chord they just played it.

Practice Progression 1

Random chord sequence to get you moving around the neck.

If you ukulele does not allow you access to the higher frets for the a particular chords then substitute another movable form chords or an open position chords.

PRACTICE NOTE: To gain to most from these chord of the Week lesson and the practice progressions. Memorize the location of each chord and the name of the chord. If you can not name a chord that you are playing it it locked in to the situation that you are using the chord in and can not be used elsewhere.

I've pulled this trick question on students after they have played a chord. Typically this happens at the beginning of a lesson before we actually get into the lesson. I'll ask tjem to play a chord that they just played. I'll say play me a D chord. Some will say they don't know chord so and so and it is the chord they just played it.

12 Bar Blues in Key of "G" Major

Random chord sequence to get you moving around the neck.

[ Back to Chord of the Week Club ]


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Curt Sheller is the author of over 30 books on guitar, ukulele and music. A jazz guitarist and educator with over 40 years playing experience and 20 years teaching. Curt's JazzGuitarResources.com and UkuleleResources.com web sites are considered the top resource for jazz guitarists and ukulele players. Get a FREE subscription to Curt's newsletter.

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