What Are Some Advanced Chord Shapes For Experienced Players?

You’ve mastered the basics and now you’re ready to take your guitar playing to the next level. If you’re an experienced player looking to expand your chord vocabulary and create unique sounds, you may be wondering what advanced chord shapes are out there for you to explore. In this article, we will explore a variety of advanced chord shapes that can add depth and complexity to your playing. Whether you’re looking to spice up your solos or create rich and complex harmonies, these advanced chord shapes will definitely take your guitar playing to new heights. So let’s dive in and discover the world of advanced chord shapes for experienced players!

Barre Chord Shapes

As an experienced player, you have likely already mastered the basic open chords and are looking to expand your chord vocabulary. Barre chords are essential in achieving a fuller and richer sound on the guitar. By barring your index finger across multiple strings, you can create movable chord shapes that can be played in any key.

Major Barre Chord Shapes

Major barre chord shapes are the foundation of many songs and are a staple in every guitarist’s toolkit. With just a few basic shapes, you can play major barre chords all over the fretboard. By sliding these shapes up and down the neck, you can easily transpose songs to different keys.

Minor Barre Chord Shapes

Minor barre chord shapes are closely related to their major counterparts and are used extensively in various genres of music. By modifying the finger placements of major barre chords, you can create the melancholic and introspective sounds associated with minor chords.

Dominant 7th Barre Chord Shapes

Dominant 7th barre chord shapes add a touch of blues and jazz flavor to your playing. These chords are commonly used in blues progressions and provide a distinctive sound that can deliver a sense of tension and resolution.

Major 7th Barre Chord Shapes

Major 7th barre chord shapes are renowned for their smooth and sophisticated sound. Often found in jazz and bossa nova styles, these chords add a touch of elegance and beauty to your playing. They are commonly used as substitutions for regular major chords.

Minor 7th Barre Chord Shapes

Minor 7th barre chord shapes are widely used in jazz, funk, and soul music. They bring a mellow and soulful vibe to your playing and are commonly used in chord progressions where a minor tonality is desired.

Extended Chord Shapes

As an experienced player, you may want to delve into more complex and nuanced chord shapes. Extended chords add additional notes to the basic triads, creating a more lush and colorful sound.

Major 9th Chord Shapes

Major 9th chord shapes are harmonically rich and commonly found in jazz and fusion genres. They create a sense of sophistication and can add depth to your chord progressions.

Minor 9th Chord Shapes

Minor 9th chord shapes have a similar character to major 9th chords but with a more melancholic and introspective quality. They offer a unique and expressive sound that can add emotion to your playing.

Dominant 9th Chord Shapes

Dominant 9th chord shapes, like their 7th chord counterparts, bring a bluesy and jazzy vibe to your playing. These chords are commonly found in blues and jazz progressions and offer a lot of room for improvisation.

Major 11th Chord Shapes

Major 11th chord shapes are lush and harmonically complex. They create a dreamy and ethereal sound that is often associated with jazz and fusion styles. The added 11th note brings a unique flavor to your playing.

Minor 11th Chord Shapes

Minor 11th chord shapes have a similar character to major 11th chords but with a more introspective and melancholic quality. They offer a rich and emotional sound that can add depth to your chord progressions.

Dominant 11th Chord Shapes

Dominant 11th chord shapes combine the bluesy quality of dominant chords with the sophistication of extended chords. They offer a wide range of possibilities for improvisation and are commonly used in jazz and funk genres.

Major 13th Chord Shapes

Major 13th chord shapes are incredibly versatile and can be used in various genres, including jazz, fusion, and R&B. These chords create a lush and expansive sound and add a touch of complexity to your playing.

Minor 13th Chord Shapes

Minor 13th chord shapes have a similar character to major 13th chords but with a more introspective and melancholic quality. They offer a rich and emotional sound that can add depth to your chord progressions.

Dominant 13th Chord Shapes

Dominant 13th chord shapes are commonly used in jazz and blues progressions. These chords provide a lot of room for improvisation and offer a rich and sophisticated sound that can elevate your playing.

Altered Chord Shapes

Altered chord shapes add unique and unexpected tones to your chord progressions. These chords create tension and can add a touch of complexity and dissonance to your playing.

Augmented Chord Shapes

Augmented chord shapes have an otherworldly and mysterious quality. These chords can add tension and drama to your playing and are often used as passing chords or in chord substitutions.

Diminished Chord Shapes

Diminished chord shapes have a dark and mysterious sound. These chords are often used to create tension and can be found in various genres, including jazz, classical, and metal.

Augmented Major 7th Chord Shapes

Augmented major 7th chord shapes combine the unique qualities of augmented and major 7th chords. These chords offer a rich and complex sound and can be used to add tension and color to your playing.

Diminished 7th Chord Shapes

Diminished 7th chord shapes are commonly used in jazz and classical music. These chords have a tense and unstable sound and can add an element of surprise to your chord progressions.

Half-Diminished 7th Chord Shapes

Half-diminished 7th chord shapes, also known as minor 7 flat 5 chords, have a dark and moody sound. These chords are often used in jazz and provide a melancholic and introspective quality to your playing.

Open Chord Shapes

Open chord shapes are fundamental to the guitar and are commonly used in various styles of music. These chords are played using open strings, which provide a ringing and resonant sound.

Open Major Chord Shapes

Open major chord shapes are essential for beginners and experienced players alike. These chords are played using open strings and are commonly found in folk, country, and rock music.

Open Minor Chord Shapes

Open minor chord shapes are closely related to open major chords but with a more introspective and melancholic sound. These chords are used in various genres and can add depth to your chord progressions.

Open Dominant 7th Chord Shapes

Open dominant 7th chord shapes have a bluesy and soulful sound. These chords are commonly used in blues and rock music and can add a touch of grit to your playing.

Open Major 7th Chord Shapes

Open major 7th chord shapes have a smooth and dreamy quality. These chords are often found in jazz and provide a sense of sophistication and elegance to your playing.

Open Minor 7th Chord Shapes

Open minor 7th chord shapes combine the melancholic sound of open minor chords with the richness of 7th chords. These chords are used in various genres and can add complexity to your chord progressions.

Slash Chord Shapes

Slash chord shapes, also known as chords with a bass note other than the root, offer interesting and unique voicings. These chords can add a surprising and unexpected element to your playing.

Major Slash Chord Shapes

Major slash chord shapes feature a bass note other than the root, creating a distinct and colorful sound. These chords can be used to create walking bass lines and add interesting harmonic progressions to your playing.

Minor Slash Chord Shapes

Minor slash chord shapes combine the emotional quality of minor chords with the unique voicing of slash chords. These chords offer a wide range of possibilities for creating interesting and unexpected progressions.

Dominant 7th Slash Chord Shapes

Dominant 7th slash chord shapes bring together the bluesy quality of dominant chords with the intriguing voicings of slash chords. These chords can add tension and complexity to your playing.

Major 7th Slash Chord Shapes

Major 7th slash chord shapes combine the smooth sound of major 7th chords with the unexpected bass notes of slash chords. These chords provide a sense of elegance and sophistication to your playing.

Minor 7th Slash Chord Shapes

Minor 7th slash chord shapes offer a unique and unexpected twist on minor 7th chords. These chords can create a rich and harmonically complex sound that engages both the listener and the player.

Drop 2 Chord Shapes

Drop 2 chord shapes are commonly used in jazz and offer a wider range for voicing chords on the guitar. These shapes provide a smooth and balanced sound.

Major Drop 2 Chord Shapes

Major drop 2 chord shapes are commonly used in jazz and provide a rich and full sound. These chords offer a smooth and balanced voicing that allows for melodic movement within the chord structure.

Minor Drop 2 Chord Shapes

Minor drop 2 chord shapes bring a melancholic and introspective quality to your playing. These chords are often found in jazz and provide a unique voicing that allows for melodic exploration.

Dominant 7th Drop 2 Chord Shapes

Dominant 7th drop 2 chord shapes are commonly used in blues and jazz. These chords provide a bluesy and gritty sound that can add depth and complexity to your playing.

Major 7th Drop 2 Chord Shapes

Major 7th drop 2 chord shapes offer a smooth and sophisticated sound. These chords are often found in jazz and can add a touch of elegance and beauty to your playing.

Minor 7th Drop 2 Chord Shapes

Minor 7th drop 2 chord shapes are widely used in jazz and provide a mellow and soulful sound. These chords allow for melodic movement and are essential for achieving the desired tonality in chord progressions.

Drop 3 Chord Shapes

Drop 3 chord shapes are also commonly used in jazz and offer a unique and distinct voicing. These shapes provide a rich and full sound that can elevate your playing.

Major Drop 3 Chord Shapes

Major drop 3 chord shapes offer a lush and harmonically rich sound. These chords are used extensively in jazz and provide a distinctive voicing that allows for melodic exploration within the chord structure.

Minor Drop 3 Chord Shapes

Minor drop 3 chord shapes have a similar character to major drop 3 chords but with a more melancholic and introspective quality. These chords offer a rich and emotional sound that can add depth to your playing.

Dominant 7th Drop 3 Chord Shapes

Dominant 7th drop 3 chord shapes are widely used in blues and jazz. These chords offer a bluesy and soulful sound that can bring a sense of grit and intensity to your playing.

Major 7th Drop 3 Chord Shapes

Major 7th drop 3 chord shapes provide a smooth and sophisticated sound. These chords are commonly used in jazz and can add a touch of elegance and beauty to your playing.

Minor 7th Drop 3 Chord Shapes

Minor 7th drop 3 chord shapes are essential for achieving a mellow and soulful sound. These chords are widely used in jazz and can add a sense of depth and emotion to your playing.

Drop 2 & 4 Chord Shapes

Drop 2 & 4 chord shapes provide a unique and interesting voicing on the guitar. By dropping the second and fourth voices within the chord, you can achieve a rich and full sound.

Major Drop 2 & 4 Chord Shapes

Major drop 2 & 4 chord shapes are commonly used in jazz and fusion genres. These chords offer a lush and complex sound that can add depth and richness to your playing.

Minor Drop 2 & 4 Chord Shapes

Minor drop 2 & 4 chord shapes have a similar character to major drop 2 & 4 chords but with a more introspective and melancholic quality. These chords offer a unique and expressive sound that can add emotion to your playing.

Dominant 7th Drop 2 & 4 Chord Shapes

Dominant 7th drop 2 & 4 chord shapes bring together the bluesy quality of dominant 7th chords with the interesting voicing of drop 2 & 4 chords. These chords can add a touch of grit and intensity to your playing.

Major 7th Drop 2 & 4 Chord Shapes

Major 7th drop 2 & 4 chord shapes provide a smooth and sophisticated sound. These chords are commonly used in jazz and can add a sense of elegance and beauty to your playing.

Minor 7th Drop 2 & 4 Chord Shapes

Minor 7th drop 2 & 4 chord shapes combine the mellow and soulful sound of minor 7th chords with the unique voicing of drop 2 & 4 chords. These chords can add complexity and emotion to your playing.

Chord Inversions

Chord inversions offer different voicings of the same chord by changing the order or placement of the chord tones. This can provide a fresh and unique sound to your playing and allow for smooth and voice-leading movement in your progressions.

Root Position Inversions

Root position inversions keep the root note as the lowest note of the chord, creating a stable and grounded sound. These inversions allow for easy transition between chords and provide a foundation for building more complex voicings.

1st Inversion Chord Shapes

1st inversion chord shapes move the root note of the chord to a higher position. This creates a brighter and more open sound and allows for smooth voice leading and melodic movement within the chord progression.

2nd Inversion Chord Shapes

2nd inversion chord shapes move both the root note and the 3rd of the chord to higher positions. This inversion provides a unique and distinctive sound, often used in classical and jazz music. The 2nd inversion adds complexity and richness to your chord progressions.

Unique Voicings

Sometimes, you may want to experiment with unconventional voicings to create a distinct and original sound. These unique voicings offer a fresh perspective and can inspire creativity in your playing.

Stretch Voicings

Stretch voicings require extending your fingers across a larger span of frets. These voicings can create a unique and beautiful sound that takes advantage of the guitar’s range. While they may be more challenging to play, they offer a rewarding and impressive sound.

Cluster Voicings

Cluster voicings involve grouping notes close together to create a dense and dissonant sound. These voicings can add tension and dissonance to your playing, creating an interesting and captivating texture.

Polychord Voicings

Polychord voicings combine two or more chords to create a complex and harmonically rich sound. By layering different chords on top of each other, you can create unique and unexpected voicings that add depth and complexity to your progressions.

Quartal Voicings

Quartal voicings are built using intervals of a perfect fourth. These voicings create a modern and open sound that is often associated with jazz and fusion genres. They can add a sense of sophistication and uniqueness to your playing.

By exploring and incorporating these advanced chord shapes into your playing, you can expand your musical vocabulary and create a more varied and nuanced sound. While some of these chord shapes may be more challenging to play initially, with practice and patience, you can unlock new possibilities and elevate your guitar playing to new heights. So grab your guitar, start experimenting with these chord shapes, and enjoy the journey of musical exploration and self-expression.