Guitar/Chord changes G-C-D

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= C major chord or G major cadence = All you need is a new chord and you're already in a new key. This time it's the key of G major. We're leaving the A major chord behind. A major is not part of the key of G major and only occurs there as an exception at most. On the other hand, the chord C major regularly belongs to the key of G major. The three major chords of the key of G major are G C and D.

Comparison using the circle of fifths

In the new key of G major, G is now the calm tonic, C is the connecting subdominant and D is the tense dominant. In the key of G major, the dominant often appears as D7, although we can simply ignore the 7 at the beginning. Go through again and replace the tonic D major with the new tonic G major. The old subdominant G is replaced by C and the dominant A by D. This is also how you proceed if you want to transpose a song into a higher or lower key.
 * the exercise with the major cadence

From G major to C major and back again
Even if it is not yet necessary for the current playing, I would like to point out the "black" notes. These notes have the same name as the chord. They are the basic notes of the chord. Later on, we will use these notes for plucking and for special touch exercises in which the bass note is to be emphasized. For the moment, however, you don't need to concern yourself with this. The Roman numeral 3 (III) only refers to the 3rd fret. Since people like to work with numbers in chords, you can avoid some confusion by indicating the frets with Roman numerals.

For me C major is somewhere in the 'c'enter.

It is best to practice changing the chords several times in a row.
 * Audio example: C-G-Dur.ogg

From C to D and back
You should also practice the following grip change a few times in isolation. But in principle you shouldn't have any difficulties with it.

Audio example:

The three notes at the beginning are an upbeat and give you the cue to get into the strumming pattern.

Animated chord change

 * The fingering change is like an elevator: top (G major) middle (C major) bottom (D major) middle (C major) top (G major).


 * G glides up
 * C in the center
 * D drops down

Audio sample
This is what the western beat looks like in a tablature. How this is read will be covered at a later date.

But pay attention to the notes. Every note that has only one beat (i.e. if you count a number without a following "and") also has only one note stem. There is no additional flag or bar. If a double beat is played down and up, the note stems are usually connected by a bar. The first note is usually the downbeat, and the second, which is connected to the bar, is the upbeat, or the "and".

What is a major cadence?
The G major cadence G C D G is a special chord progression. So tonic, subdominant, dominant, tonic. Play it once. The chords have a certain auditory impression and therefore a certain function: G = start, C = continuation, D = tension, G = resolution.

This chord sequence is called the G major cadence and helps your ear to find its way around the key.

Names of the strings
If you don't already know or haven't read it somewhere else:
 * To memorize the order of the strings from top to bottom, remember either the following saying: