Why open drop tunings spell 11 chords, and how to use add9, quartal, and spread voicings without losing weight.
In Drop C the open strings are C G C F A D. That is not a mistake and it is not 'just power chords.' It is C, G, C, F (the 11th), A (the 13th/6th), D (the 9th). An open strum is a C11. Prog metal is what happens when you notice.
Keep the root, move the color
The sixth string can pedal while the left hand paints on strings 4–1. That is the whole trick. The ear holds the dropped root; the upper notes tell it major, minor, sus, or 'expensive.'
- add9 (0-0-0-2-3-0) — the default pretty chord. Works dirty or clean.
- m (0-0-3-x-x-x) — one finger, instant minor.
- maj7 spread (0-7-0-6-0-0) — skip strings, let opens drone.
- quartal (0-5-5-5-x-x) — barre at 5, root ringing. Move the barre, keep the pedal.
- 7sus4 (0-0-0-0-1-0) — a question mark. Do not resolve it every time.
A four-chord prog verse
Pedal the open root, change only the color
Bar 1 {R}add9 0-0-0-2-3-0
Bar 2 {R}m 0-0-3-x-x-x (or add the high open)
Bar 3 {R} quartal 0-5-5-5-x-x
Bar 4 {R}11 0-0-0-0-0-0 (release)Play it with delay and a clean-ish gain, then with a tight rhythm sound. Same shapes, two sections. That is a song.
Same shapes, every drop tuning
These grips do not change in Drop D, C, B, or A. Only the letter names move. Learn them as shapes. The Chords section of this site transposes the names for you.