| In
this installment: The key of C
This is the first installment of what I
hope will be a series of useful articles, designed to help those at the beginner/intermediate
level learn
mandolin chords, as they would apply to
each given key. We start with the key of C in this article. In
music theory, the key of C is basically the center of the tonal
universe, and therefore, a good place to start. Let’s start with the basic chords in the key of C.
The Basic chords in the key of
C
Chart 1
Now let me explain the
chord charts in case you don’t understand them. They represent the
mandolin's neck, as you would look at it sideways. From right to left
are the four (pairs of) strings of the mandolin and the horizontal lines
represent the frets. Got it? Good. Each finger is represented by a
number from 1-4, with 1 being the index finger, 2 being the middle
finger, 3 being the ring finger and 4 being the pinky. The "0" means
that the string isn’t fretted, just plucked. Whenever you see a line
connecting the dots, it means that all of the dots are pressed down by
the same finger. Which is called "barring" the chord. Simplified: one
finger lays across the strings. Above, I’ve shown the basic chords for
the key of C. Below are some additional chords that I refer to as
substitute chords.
Some substitute chords for the key of
C
Chart 2
In chart 2, I have listed what are called substitute chords. Let’s say
you played the first chords listed in chart 1, in the order that they
were listed. For the C major chord, you can substitute a C major 7th
chord. The D minor chord can be replaced by the D minor 7th
chord. The same is true for each of the remaining. Play them. Has a
jazzy ring to it, doesn’t it? Some people refer to substitute chords
as orchestral chords but it doesn’t matter. A rose by any other name
still has a thorn. I’ve included additional substitute chords so that
you can improve your chordal vocabulary. You’ll be the life of the
party and the envy of all your peers. You will be on your way to
achieving greatness. The sky is the limit. Let’s move on to some more
substitute chords.
Chart 3
You may have noticed that one of the chord diagrams in chart 3 has a
number to the left of it. The 5 to the left of the C Augmented diagram means that the first fret
displayed is to be regarded as the fifth fret on your mandolin. Okay? So
now we’ll close by saying that we hope you will find this article
useful in the process of learning mandolin chords. If there is
something you think we should add, just send a letter or E-mail and we’ll
be happy to give your suggestions some consideration. We covered 20
chords in this lesson and in each future installment we’ll cover 20 more. So keep on
playing and we’ll see you next time.
Bob Craypoe
Next installment: The key of G
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To
Download The Printable PDF File With The Chord Charts For This Key
