The Complete Guitar Chord Masterclass - Intermediate Chords

Identify the major–minor difference as the three, lower it by one fret to turn any major chord into minor, a one-note change seen across D, A, and others.

Explore intervals from second to octave to break down notes in a chord and map melodies across the guitar neck.

Explore major thirds and two third intervals forming chords, using four‑fret relationships—first and third, and third and fifth—to build and locate chords across the neck.

Learn to build major chords on the guitar using root, major third, and minor third intervals. Apply to C major (C, E, G) and E major (E, G sharp, B).

Build minor chords from a minor third with a major third on top, using three- and four-fret gaps to form chords anywhere on the neck, focusing on notes and modes.

Explore suspended chords by swapping the third for a two or a four on the guitar, and learn how these chords keep progressions interesting and provide a compelling ending.

Master sus2 chords by lowering the third to the second in major and minor triads, with D and A examples, and understand why sus chords lack major or minor quality.

Learn to form sus4 chords from major and minor shapes by raising the third by a half step (major) or whole step (minor), with D and A minor examples.

Discover how slash chords change the root by playing a chord over a different bass note, like d over g, and practice fingerings to create new progressions.

Discover how the flat five (b5) chord is built by lowering the fifth. See why it fits in keys and seventh chords, and drop the five by a fret.

Explore seventh chords, including major seven, minor seven, and dominant seven, and learn to extend one–three–five to one–three–five–seven for four-note chords.

Discover how a major seventh chord combines a major triad with a major seventh on top, and master a movable shape on the sixth and fifth strings from any root.

Master movable major seven chord shapes starting on the sixth string, muting the fifth string, and forming major seven voicings on a and d with root and seventh.

Master movable minor seven chord shapes by placing a minor seven on top of a minor chord on the sixth and fifth strings, using the fifth fret and barre fingerings.

Explore dominant seven chord shapes that blend major triads (1–3–5) with a flat seven, and learn fingerings, bar the fifth fret, and a pinky to the seventh fret.

Explore the m7(b5) minor seven flat five chord, learn its fingerings from the fifth string by playing one, five, seven, and three, and adapt the shape for comfort.

Explore the diminished seven chord and its tight intervals, including the minor seven flat five and double flat seven on guitar, and how its tension resolves as a passing chord.

Relate major seven, minor seven, dominant seven, and diminished seven chords to their intervals. Learn how to replace regular chords with seven chords in songs.

Fit seventh chords into a key by substituting major with major sevens and minor with minor sevens, using dominant seven in fifth and minor seven flat five in seventh.

Explore chromatic motion across chords by using in-between notes as stepping stones to add a jazzy feel. Apply it to chords and melodies, including blues.

Discover fingerpicking fundamentals and simple patterns you can start today, using the thumb on bass strings and fingers on treble strings to play broken chords with the beat.

Master the easiest fingerpicking pattern by breaking chords with the thumb and three fingers on strings four to two, while root moves on five or six for C and G.

Master an intermediate fingerpicking pattern that keeps the thumb on root notes while plucking the second, third, and fourth strings, then returns to the root, shifting to the G chord.

Explore advanced finger picking patterns by breaking patterns into two three-note sections, using thumb on root notes, and alternating between strings to fit beats and measures.

Explore inversions by reordering three notes of a chord (1, 3, 5) to form root, first, and second inversions across string sets one to three for minor and major chords.

Explore movable major chord shapes on the first string set, using a D shape to illustrate second inversion, root position, and first inversion, with fret-shift patterns of five then four.

Identify minor shapes for the first string set and move the three down one fret to form second and first inversions. Observe the three moving across strings to switch shapes.

Explore second string set inversions on strings two through four, showing second-inversion a, root-position c sharp and e, and first-inversion shapes around frets 9 to 11, with up-and-down practice.

Master minor shapes for the second set of strings by locating the third and moving it down a fret. Learn inversions—second inversion, first inversion, and root position—via the major shape.

Explore major shapes on the third string set, identical to the fourth set, starting with the E shape in second inversion (5-1-3), then root and first inversion across frets.

Master third string minor shapes in root position and first inversion, moving the middle note down one fret to yield E major and E minor on higher strings.

Explore horizontal movement across inversion shapes to play the same chord in multiple positions. Find overlaps on different string sets to achieve chord fluency across twelve fretboard positions.

Share your learning progress as the final project by recording video or audio practice or writing what you found interesting or struggled with, and continue to the advanced chords course.