Essentially you could build chords from any tablature of a scale that you already know…or have! This is so cool because you can come up with shapes that you would never otherwise have come up with.

Take a look at the example below. Ive circled 7 diads (2 note chords) or implications of chords) that are part of the melodic minor scale in A Minor.

The first diad is an A note and an F# note. This can both be looked at as an Aadd6 chord or an inverted F#m7b5 chord without the 5 or 7. Basically you are implying an F#m7b5. You can always imply chords, you DONT always have to have all the chord tones being played, you can simply imply them and play them in the lead or play them with another instrument to get the full color of the chords.

The 2nd chord is a B note and a D note implying a Bm chord. The 3rd chord on the first measure is an A note and a B note which gives you tension. This chord can act as an E7 (E G# B A) or an Aadd9 chord.

Sidenote: you can lower the chords on the neck so that you will have good voice leading and your chord progression will sound smoother. Its really up to you though.

In measure 2 we have an 8 and a 7 on the 5th string giving us the first 2 notes of a C+ (C Augmented chord). The 2nd chord in measure 2 is an A and a D. This could mean an Asus4 chord or an inverted D5 power chord.

The 3rd chord in measure 2 is F# and G#. This is tricky due to the nature of the melodic minor scale. You could go either way with this using an F#m7b5 chord or a G#m7b5 chord as both are in the scale.

Finally we have a B and a C. Massive tension here. I like to think of this one as E7#5 chord without the root. Again, use these as you see fit. The point of this lesson is for you to have another way of coming up with chords for improvising, riffing or songwriting.

The A Melodic Minor scale is A B C D E F# G#

The basic triads (3 note chords) are Am Bm C+ D E F#m7b5 F#m7b5

Ive already got a riff I want to nail down in odd meter using the last two chords. Creating a riff with these chords implies that I am in the 5th mode of melodic minor. E and F#m7b5 back and forth!

The best way to master the guitar is to KNOW YOUR NECK! There is no substitute for knowing the neck up and down and being able to go to a certain note, chord, scale or arpeggio anywhere on the neck. Learn the neck and you will be glad you did. Start with a single string and move on from there. The internet is full of ways to learn the neck.

Heres the bottom line though…you can scour the internet for a good method and waste your time or you can pick up your guitar consistently and get to know her better. The rest is bullshit if you ask me. Pick it up consistently and you will be on your way to understanding your fretboard. Its that simple. Just pick it up and start on a single string.

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