Week 2: New Chord Challenge

A big thanks to our participants from last week's chord, dim7:
thatguitarguy, MoshZilla1016, and telecrater!

You can still post updates to week 1 if you are working on it.

Every week for the next 8 weeks, we will choose a chord. In that given week, we will have to find someway to use that chord in a song, whether in be part of a progression, arpeggiated, fingerpicked, etc. Though we must write something that will use this chord shape in one week. I figured, why not let the rest of this board benefit from our undertaking.

So here's the deal:

1. Somewhere at the beginning of the week, I will select a chord for us to all learn about.
2. I will post a little bit of background on the chord, how it could be used or where it is being used.
3. You will all noodle around on your guitar with it.
4. Record your favorite riff, progression, lick, etc.
5. Post here and explain to us your mentality when you approached this problem (MOST IMPORTANT PART!!!)


This week's chord: half-diminished! (aka m7b5)

Last week we studied the diminished7 chord, which in music theory is also labeled as "full diminished." I figured this week would be a good chance to get a comparison of use with Full Diminished vs. Half Diminished.

Once again, here's some background information:
The Half-Diminished Chord (m7b5)

Background and Use of m7b5 Chords

Chord Diagrams

Good luck!

I wish I could sticky these. Great job man.

I could not agree more. These little lessons/sessions/challenge are fun. I've leaned a lot in the last one and this one seems ever better.

Too bad I can't double Karma ya'

So here's what I've worked out. I couldn't wait to get it done.

Gm7, Am7b5, D7b5 (no 3rd)

So basing off the jazz progression 2, 5, 1 - I decided to change it to 1, 2, 5 in the minor key. So i7, ii7b5, V7b5. Your basic progression.

Gm7    Am7b5  D7b5

|-3-|  |-x-|  |-x-|

|-3-|  |-4-|  |-4-|

|-3-|  |-5-|  |-5-|

|-3-|  |-5-|  |-4-|

|-x-|  |-x-|  |-5-|

|-3-|  |-5-|  |-x-|

I definitely hear a latin groove going on. I feel like I stole the melody from a 90's latin song too.. but I guess that's what happens in music right?

sorry I cant do this one. I have to get ready for my SAT's on saturday.

BTW that sounds awesome dude. great stuff.

Ok fellers here is mine for this week, I may end up re-recording it and posting making changes to it. .

I use a I ii iv progression and added some passing bass notes and chords cmaj7 and c#dim7 to resolve back to the root (and i love using those chords together after last week.

In building this progression I tossed what i know about theory out the window in the name of learning new chords and messing around. Also why i might revisit and re-record. That and I buzz a lot in the recording. I've had fun playing with these chords though.



Dm7 Em7b5 A7#5 Cmaj7 C#dim7
----5---------------------------------------
----6------8---------6------5-----5---------
----5------7---------6------4-----3---------
----7------8---------5------5-----5---------
----5------7----------------3-----4---------
---------------------5----------------------

Telecrater, you definitely got something in there! Combining the half diminished and the full diminished in that progression really opens up the possibilities of chord choice and phrasing. Definite thumbs up :)

And dont' worry, I think there is only one type of diminished we haven't looked at, and I don't think I will. Half/Full diminished chords are used quite often in classical music, so i figured to chime in on that.

Next week I think we'll look into some 6 chords, or maybe some funky suspended chords :)

Awesome progressions guys.

Sorry this is late. My PC got infected so I had to dump everything.

This lick is like the one from the previous chord challenge. It runs an Abm7b5 arpeggio and ends with chords (Abm7b5-Am7b5-AMaj7).

e----------------10-14-10------------------------12---12---------

B--------------12--------12--------------12--13--14-----14-------

G---------11-13------------13-11---------11--12--13-------13-----

D-------12----------------------12-------12--13--14---------14---

A--11-14--------------------------14-11--11--12--12-----------12-

E----------------------------------------------------------------

After recording I noticed I was tuned down a little. SORRY :(

Great stuff Mosh! The chords at the end make this lick great! Good work :)