10. All the above exercises can and should be played on top of the C major scale PAD. You know now how chords are build. It is easy with musical notation. Each triad and tetrad across all octaves can take many shapes on the fret board. Since they are so important, there are special diagrams to help practicing. These are PAD chord charts where notes of particular tetrads and triads in every octave are presented without other notes. Here we can come outside of "white keys" and introduce notes with sharps and flats. Take these PADs and practice notes in any order. You will find familiar chord patterns as well as some surprises, no doubt. It is important to know what note of a triad is the first, second ( "third"), and third ("fifth"). It is marked. Here is the PAD of Am:
And here is the PAD of a tetrad C7:
Here, on the website you can work with some other triads and tetrads:
| Notes of C major scale | Name (with a link to available diagram) (Note that numbers on chord charts do not match the scale. 1 there represents the chord root not C !) |
| 1, 3, 5 | C |
| 2, 4, 6 | Dm |
| 3, 5, 7 | Em |
| 4, 6, 1 | F |
| 5, 7, 2 | G |
| 6, 1, 3 | Am |
| 7, 2, 4 | Bdim |
| 1, 3, 5, 7 | Cmaj7 |
| 2, 4, 6, 1 | Dm7 |
| 3, 5, 7, 2 | Em7 |
| 4, 6, 1, 3 | Fmaj7 |
| 5, 7, 2, 4 | G7 |
| 6, 1, 3, 5 | Am7 |
| 7, 2, 4, 6 | Bm7b5 |
Other triads like E and tetrads like C6, Cmaj7 and Dm6 are available in the book.
Here is a suggestion how to practice with the chord PADs:
- Familiarize yourself intimately with major and minor fingering patterns using the chord diagrams. For example, C major, A minor. You can work on diminished one later since it is less important. Memorize these two complete patterns over the whole fretboard: since it is cyclic, it starts over again from 12th fret. The pattern is the same for every chord in any key, only it is shifted. Do not pay attention yet what note is what. Check it with other chords: F, G and Dm, Em. Play notes on diagrams in any random order, as triads, as inverted triads, as arpeggio, as chords getting used to the patterns.
- Once you memorized chord patterns completely, memorize all its notes all over the fretboard for each diagram. Again, play notes on diagrams in any random order, as triads, as inverted triads, as arpeggio, as chords, scales, modes, but now visualizing every note symbol you play! You should be able to find any note from any other note.
- Now looking at C major scale diagram, play the C major, A minor, and other patterns. Find them among other notes.
- Now take C major chord, A minor and other chord diagrams and recall and play all other notes of C major scale. Visualize each note symbol you play. Take notes in descending, ascending, and in any other musical order. Here is a helping diagram for A minor over C major scale, you can find other PADs there. These are special helpful marked diagrams with chords over scales and scales over chords, but ultimately, you should be able to play chords over scale on the unmarked diagram.
These PADs are available in the Addendum 1 of the book.
Chords over C major scale: C, G, F, Em, Am, Dm, Bdim Chords over A minor scale: Am, Dm, E, G, C, F, Bdim