Question by Austin: what does it mean when you refer to guitar chords as numbers?
Like, when you say something like. “It’s the progression 1, 3, 5, 3.” Why not just call them the chord letters and what does it mean?
You guys are getting me wrong, I’m talking about when someone says something like “Play the 1, the 3, the 8, and the 5.” Or “It’s another simply progression of 1, 3, 5.”
Best answer:
Answer by softballbabe
i think your thinking of Tablature..it’s just a different way of learning guitar
Add your own answer in the comments!
The different progressions of chords have different sounds to them, and are all played differently. They also allow the usage of harmonies in playing. They usually have the chord letters integrated into the name e.g. E7 chord progression
It’s harmonic analysis. Each chord in the key has a numeric value, usually represented in Roman numerals.
C major has the chords C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, and B°. Their Roman numeral values are I ii iii IV V vi and vii°. Using the Roman numerals, you can express the chord progression in a more meaningful way. Instead of just rattling off a bunch of chord names, you’re telling people how they actually relate to each other.
For example, you can tell somebody “It’s I vi ii V in A.” The other player would then know the chords are A F#m Bm E. Let’s say a vocalist shows up next, and they can’t sing that song in A, so they ask you to play it in F instead. Well, since you already know the progression, you just plug in the I vi ii and V chords from F, which gives you F Dm Am C.
I know it may seem like extra work, and just calling out the actual chord names would be easier, but when you actually understand how music is put together and how everything works, you won’t think in such specific terms any more, you’ll think about the big picture.
Any basic music theory book can teach you about Roman numeral analysis and harmonic functions. Check your local bookstore… or get lessons.
it is all to do with different chord sequences and cadences do some research on it and you will understand more
Here’s the simplest explanation I can give you.,..
Blues is often called a one-four-five (I-IV-V)
If we’re playing blues in E, then counting up, E is the root note I (one)
F is II
G is III
A is IV
B is V
C is VI
D is VII
Which brings us back to E…the 8, or octave. Notice we didn’t count sharps or flats.
So, blues in E, or a I-IV-V means the chords will be E-A and B
An E7th chord means you must play an E chord with a 7 (VII) in there someplace, meaning a D note.
An E6th chord means an E chord with a C note in there someplace…used on a lot of pedal steel, country stuff.
“i, 3, 5″ in the key of E would be E-G- and A.
This is all it really means…you just have to work it out in your head for each particular key.
Best of luck!