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Guitar World
Guitar World
Entertainment
Richard Barrett

5 dissonant guitar chords that hold unexpected delights – including one of Alex Lifeson's favorite shapes

Close-up of guitar playing.

When we combine harmonious intervals to create chords, there are various conventions we follow (consciously or otherwise) to avoid unpleasant dissonances. Here, we’re going to do no such thing! We will head boldly into a world of discord with our eyes wide open and see what unexpected delights can be found.

The most discordant interval is arguably the minor 2nd (semitone), so we'll find chord shapes/voicings that incorporate it. Generally, the lower the interval is in a chord, the more profound its effect. So none of our featured chords has a minor 2nd in the bass.

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