When is a 3 Chord Song Not
In the first octave of a guitar, there are 12 major fret positions on the fretboard for each of the 12 notes: E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#. The second octave of these same notes begins again with the note E, after the 12th fret.
There are 7 major “open chords” in guitar music: E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. These chords can be played in different fret positions across the fretboard (using a capo) to create higher-pitched variations of the same chord.
In practice, it is rarely beneficial to use a capo beyond the 5th fret because you lose so much bass sound that your guitar starts to sound more like a ukulele.
For my continued discussion, I will only be referring to the 7 major open chords.
The vast majority of North American and European-style songs can be considered three-chord songs, with the most popular guitar chord groupings being (A, D, E), (C, F, G), or (E, A, B).
The groups (A, D, E) and, to a lesser degree, (E, A, B) are often used in fast-paced songs, such as “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” because these chords use “tight” finger groupings that allow them to be played more easily and quickly. The (C, F, G) group is more often used in slower pop and country songs. The finger positions of these chords tend to be more open (with stretched fingers) and are more difficult to play rapidly. (Of course, this is just a general observation.)
Here’s the interesting part.
Although a song might be identified as a 3-chord or 4-chord song, when you look at the sheet music—containing the chords and lyrics—you will often see more than three chords, and sometimes many more.
Here’s a common scenario: When a guitarist writes a new song, they typically only use three chords. However, if the song becomes popular and is recorded, professional sheet music companies will create arrangements for it. These companies, following classical music conventions, interpret the melody into notes and decide if and where additional chords should be added. As a result, classical musicians—such as those playing piano or in orchestral settings—who want to perform the song in the future will have a proper score and notation to follow.
Most experienced guitar players can usually identify the song’s primary chords and ignore most of the additional chords in sheet music. However, these extra chords can sometimes enhance the music.