Chord Inversions, Part 1: Three Chord Shapes

from: Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin with Sharon Gilchrist

This lesson is part of the course Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin with Sharon Gilchrist.

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Learn to play solos on classic bluegrass songs and instrumentals using bluegrass mandolin techniques like tremolo, double stops, two-string melodies, and more.

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I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky

In this lesson you’ll learn the bluegrass standard “I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky” using a common technique in bluegrass mandolin: playing melodies on two pairs of strings. Sharon starts this lesson by talking about the basic right-hand technique for playing two pairs of strings at a time. She shows you how to keep the pick out on the edge of the strings and not let the pick dig in past the strings as well as how to slightly rotate your wrist so you can play all four strings (both pairs) at once. Sharon also gives you advice on practicing this technique with a metronome, with some ideas for exercises you can do.

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CHORD INVERSIONS

Chord Inversions, Part 1: Three Chord Shapes

Chord Inversions, Part 2: Chord “Neighborhoods”

Chord Inversions, Part 3: Combining Inversions

Chord Inversions, Part 1: Three Chord Shapes

Learning chord inversions can help add variety to your backup playing, providing an alternative to Monroe chords that can create harmonic motion and allow you to be more interactive and creative in whatever ensemble you’re playing in. You’ll learn three voicings of a major chord in this lesson, and learn to find those voicings for the I, IV, and V chords in three “neighborhoods” on the fingerboard. Sharon starts by showing you the root position, first inversion, and second inversion voicings for an A major chord.

Chord Inversions (Available to subscribers)

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Chord Inversions, Part 2: Chord “Neighborhoods” →

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Chord Inversions, Part 2: Chord “Neighborhoods” →

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