Michael Hughes - Posted - 08/29/2012:  08:14:54

Just posted an update to Tao of Dobro  about how to play color chords. Get out your cardboard-eaux and your ascots and play the cooler, more laid-back chords on the Dobro

Oboe Cadobro - Posted - 08/29/2012:  09:10:15

Thanks Michael.

Never thought about a Sus2 before, since it's really just an inverted Sus4 of the V chord...but I'm just a little bit smarter now because of it!

DaveInAL - Posted - 08/29/2012:  10:41:47

Good stuff Michael!

RobA - Posted - 08/30/2012:  04:24:42

What, no mention of the add9 chord? That's one of my favorites!

Michael Hughes - Posted - 08/30/2012:  04:37:21

quote:

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Originally posted by RobA



What, no mention of the add9 chord? That's one of my favorites!

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So share with us!

Dean Upson - Posted - 08/30/2012:  05:01:14

Thanks again, Michael, for this interesting and informative series!  

Edited by - Dean Upson on 08/30/2012 05:02:04

orbod - Posted - 08/30/2012:  06:42:01

The sus2 is the 125, while the add9 is the 1359. Of course, the 9 is just the 2 an octave up, so effectively the same. Basically, depending on the inversion, say for C, the Csus2 is CDG, while the Cadd9 is CEGD...or what you get when you bar the 5th fret, leaving the first string open. 

Edited by - orbod on 08/30/2012 06:44:30

Michael Hughes - Posted - 08/30/2012:  06:50:26

quote:

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Originally posted by orbod

The sus2 is the 125, while the add9 is the 1359. Of course, the 9 is just the 2 an octave up, so effectively the same. Basically, depending on the inversion, say for C, the Csus2 is CDG, while the Cadd9 is CEGD...or what you get when you bar the 5th fret, leaving the first string open. 

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So the Add9 is the dominant 9 without the flatted 7. Makes sense. Thanks!!

RobA - Posted - 08/30/2012:  07:09:25

Hey Micheal:

I was just razzing you a little bit! I really appreciate the work you've put in to your Tao of Dobro blog and I love the topic of looking for ways to expand one's encyclopedia of sounds through the use of color chords and inversions.

Anyway, the first time I heard Jerry Douglas tune Grants Corner I was kind of mesmerized by the tune. When I started playing dobro I quickly figured out that the opening chord is a G add9. Now it's true that sus2 and add9 may be the same except for those notes being an octave apart, but that octave can make all the difference in the world!

Another related example would be playing the same chord but sliding up to the A note on the 10th fret of the 2nd string. Jerry does this to great effect at the close of his tune The Hymn of Ordinary Motion.

James Taylor makes pretty extensive use of add9 chords in his music and I grew up listening to him and playing his tunes on guitar before I took up the dobro so I guess thats the connection for me.

Again, thanks for your contributions to the dobro community.

Regards,
Rob