“The name can be distracting – what’s important is the sound. Jimmy Page thought so”: How recycling chord shapes can unlock new and surprising sounds

Jimmy Page performing on stage at Oakland Coliseum 1977.

As guitar players, we rely on shapes and patterns – consciously or not. This includes both scales and chords. Some chord shapes are described as ‘movable’, meaning they can be relocated to anywhere on the fretboard with predictable results.

Conversely, others – usually shapes including open strings – are not described in this way, implying that they only work in one position.