The Chair - G. Strait chord question
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The Chair - G. Strait chord question
At rehearsal last night, we were working on "The Chair" by George Strait.
When playing the line "Oh I like you too and to tell you the truth...", I was taught that the chords played are D, C#m, Bm, F#. The guitar player was adamant that it is not an F# chord, but rather a Bbm. He says this because the bass player is playing a Bb note at the spot that the chord in questioned is played. The Bbm doesn't sound right to me.
What chord ig s correct?
When playing the line "Oh I like you too and to tell you the truth...", I was taught that the chords played are D, C#m, Bm, F#. The guitar player was adamant that it is not an F# chord, but rather a Bbm. He says this because the bass player is playing a Bb note at the spot that the chord in questioned is played. The Bbm doesn't sound right to me.
What chord ig s correct?
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It was the guitar player who thought it was a Bbm. The bass player (who also plays guitar) also thought it was an F# major.Craig A Davidson wrote:It's an F#. Have your bass player learn to play guitar and he will see it. There is also a Bb in an F# chord.
Thanks
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Considering how much time guitarists spend playing chords, they don't seem to understand them. There is a difference between "sub" and "wrong".
On the other hand, bass players (who generally don't play chords) understand them perfectly because they know their function.
And anyway, Bbm contains not a single note that's in the key of A. The chord in question is a 1st inversion of F# major. Of course with the chords either side being minors, the guitarist would rather just slide around than think or move any fingers.
On the other hand, bass players (who generally don't play chords) understand them perfectly because they know their function.
And anyway, Bbm contains not a single note that's in the key of A. The chord in question is a 1st inversion of F# major. Of course with the chords either side being minors, the guitarist would rather just slide around than think or move any fingers.
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I see what you did there and I’m a guitar player. Sneaky 😄
Except no flats.
Except no flats.
Last edited by Tom Wilson on 14 Nov 2019 4:27 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Spelling police here. There are no flats anywhere in this song, as it's in three sharps. Yes, A#dim would work very nicely.
And yes, F#/A# is a common way to write that inversion.
And yes, F#/A# is a common way to write that inversion.
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Bbdim = Bb Db Fb equivalent to A# C# E is just the 3, 5, b7 of the F#7 chord, which works well here and lays/voices nicely on guitar running down from the 10th fret D6, 9th fret C#m7, 7th fret Bm7, and finally 6th fret A#dim = Bbdim (A# in the bass).One time I heard a band, at the end of the song, play a Bb diminished chord at that spot. It sounded nice. It added a bit of tension.
And btw, that descending line is basically the descending line at the end of Patsy Cline's Crazy (but in A instead B). [edited to correct typo]
Last edited by Dave Mudgett on 14 Nov 2019 10:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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One more affirmation here that it’s an F#7 chord with A# (not Bb) on bass.
I guess the next question is how do you break the news to your slightly misguided guitarist. “You’re WRONG, idiot!†probably won’t go over too well. Maybe just show him this thread, and keep in mind that many of us here, if not most, are also guitar players, so it’s not just a bunch of snooty steel players spouting off with their obviously superior knowledge of music theory that are making this claim.
I guess the next question is how do you break the news to your slightly misguided guitarist. “You’re WRONG, idiot!†probably won’t go over too well. Maybe just show him this thread, and keep in mind that many of us here, if not most, are also guitar players, so it’s not just a bunch of snooty steel players spouting off with their obviously superior knowledge of music theory that are making this claim.
I think it has to do with the nature of the instruments. I play steel and bass, and I am used to listening, analysing and copying (or deliberately varying) what I hear.
My impression of guitarists (without wishing to offend) is that they are more inclined to use trial and error rather than thinking from the bottom up.
My impression of guitarists (without wishing to offend) is that they are more inclined to use trial and error rather than thinking from the bottom up.
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the chair
i suggest that the sequence is: D, Dbm, Bm, Bbdim7...
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An excellent idea. I tried to get any band I was playing in to use this change even though it was not, technically, "correct." I thought it added a bit more sophistication.One time I heard a band, at the end of the song, play a Bb diminished chord at that spot. It sounded nice. It added a bit of tension.