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First-Position
5 Chord
Q I’m confused when I
read music that calls for chords such as A5, D5, C5, and so forth.
Don’t most chords have the fifth in them already, as in root, third,
and fifth? Is there an easy way to play the most common 5 chords
in first position?
Judith Antonelli
Brookline, Massachusetts
A The 5 in a 5 chord
refers to the fifth of the chord. The distinction between a 5 chord
and a regular chord (triad) is that the 5 chord has no third--only
roots and fifths. The open, ambiguous (it’s neither major nor minor),
and powerful sound of this chord has made it popular in rock music,
where it’s commonly called a power chord. These chords are
also popular for accompanying fiddle tunes and folk songs with melodies
that shift between a major and minor feel.
Here are seven common first-position 5 chords with easy fingerings
to get you started.
The F5 and B5 forms can be slid up and down the neck to give you
power chords in any position. The low note is always the root of
the chord, so it’s easy to keep track of what chord you’re playing
as you move up and down the fingerboard.
—Andrew DuBrock
TENDER
FINGERS
Q I’m
finding it harder to keep my fingertips tough as I get older. Even
though I play every day, my fretting fingers hurt as much now as
when I was first learning as a kid. Are there ways to maintain calluses?
Ken Soltesz
South Salem, New York
A I wish there was an easy answer for your
problem, but it could be a number of things. First of all, you should
consult a physician to rule out any serious medical condition that
might be causing your fingertips pain. Once you’ve eliminated that,
I’d start by asking yourself a few questions about your instrument.
How’s the action on your guitar? Could your neck be gradually warping—causing
the action to get higher over time so that all you notice is that
your fingers hurt? What kind of strings are you using? Light or extra-light
strings can make a world of difference. You should make sure that
your guitar is set up for the easiest possible playing. A local luthier
will be able to optimize your action, and you can read some guitar
setup tips online at www.acousticguitar.com/shoptalk.
Another cause of finger strain and callous pain is overplaying
your guitar. I’m talking finger pressure here--not time on the strings.
When we are first learning, our fingers are really soft, so to get
the string to make contact with the fret we have to push incredibly
hard while the string sinks deep into our tender flesh. As calluses
develop and harden, the pressure we need to make a nice tone decreases,
but it’s common to keep using the same pressure, which can cause
pain. Pushing too hard also makes us slow on the fingerboard. If
you are pushing down really hard and you go to move your finger
to another fret, it’s like putting the brakes on at 60 mph instead
of 10 mph. Overplaying not only slows the left hand down, it also
puts extra stress on your muscles, tendons, and fingertips, and
this can increase the stress on your left hand. Try playing a piece
of music where you let every fretted note buzz. Then play those
notes again but this time with just enough pressure to let the notes
ring clear. Notice how much less pressure it takes than you usually
use. If you are like me, the difference is remarkable. Even if this
is not the source of your problem, it will probably alleviate the
symptoms to some extent.
Finally, your problem might be callus maintenance. I notice that
my calluses go through a six-week cycle as the skin sloughs off
and new calluses form. For a while they are lovely and hard and
smooth, then they get rough and scaly and begin to flake off, then
they get softer as new skin comes in. When they have new skin on
them, I notice that they are a bit more tender then usual. To keep
your fingertips at their best, try using rubber gloves when your
hands are exposed to water for long periods, and avoid skin contact
with solvents, cleaners, and other chemicals. Keep your calluses
nice and smooth. When the tips are rough, use a bit of 400-grit
sandpaper to smooth them out so they don’t catch on the strings.
This should help keep them serviceable for a bit longer.
—Kristina Olsen
MECHANICAL
LICENSES
Q How do I go
about obtaining permission from an artist or publishing company
to include a cover of their song on my own CD?
Bill Garvin
Apache Junction, Arizona
A If the song
you want to record has never been recorded or published, you will
need to contact the writer or the writer’s representative directly
and make an arrangement for use of the material. You do not need
to obtain specific permission to record a cover version of a song
that has previously been recorded or published. You must, however,
pay what are called mechanical royalties for each piece that is
not your own music and not in the public domain. Many traditional
folk songs and dance tunes are in the public domain and are free
for use without paying royalties, but check carefully before making
any assumptions.
For every song you wish to cover, you must obtain a mechanical
license and pay a fee for each unit—CD, cassette, or LP—manufactured.
The license agreement states that you will pay the statutory minimum
rate for the piece used. At the moment, that rate is 7.55 cents
for songs up to five minutes, with a surcharge of 1.55 cents for
each additional minute. It may be possible to negotiate a lower
rate depending on the artist, publisher, and so forth.
Sometimes the publishing rights are held by the songwriter, but
most popular songs are handled by publishing outfits. That information
should be listed in the liner notes of the original recording. Finding
the publishing company’s contact information might require a little
sleuthing. The Harry Fox Agency represents more than 22,000 American
music publishers and handles licensing chores for a large percentage
of the music recorded in the United States. This is a good place
to start your research. The agency has a very comprehensive Web
site (www.nmpa.org/hfa) with a huge song database, publishing information,
and online mechanical licensing. If you do not have Web access,
you can try calling them in New York at (212) 370-5330 for more
information.
To learn more about the intricacies of obtaining and paying mechanical
royalties, refer to This Business of Music Marketing and Promotion,
by Tad Lathrop and Jim Pettigrew, Jr., Billboard Books, (800) 278-8477,
or Diane Sward Rapaport’s How to Make and Sell Your Own Recordings,
available from Jerome Headlands Press, (520) 634-8894, jhpress@sedona.net.
Additional information can be obtained from the United States Copyright
Office, Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress, (202) 707-3000,
www.loc.gov/copyright.
—Paul Kotapish
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