Guitar chords. Please help.

Question

Can't figure them out.

It's her original song

Help

10 points.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruoHOXo2PRQ&feature=user

Answer 1

First, I made sure that my guitar was tuned to hers.  I did this by finding her bass notes.  It first seemed like she was starting with a C (8th fret E string), but it's actually a B (7th fret E string).  

The bass progression on the E string (what's probably the root of the chords) is...  

B (7th fret), A (5th fret), F# (2nd fret), G (3rd fret)

Then, I listened for the higher notes I'm hearing (not the really high ones) and used my knowledge of theory and chord building to find them on the guitar...  

It's the 3rd interval of the chords, the interval which decides whether the chord is major or minor...  They are found on the G string.

Bmi   (G string 7th fret)

A   (G string 6th fret)

F#mi   (G string 2nd fret)

G   (G string 4th fret)

It seems like the rest of the strings are just ringing out open, except for the A string.  I used my bass note finger to keep the A string muted.

I'm also hearing a B note (7th fret high E string) that stays constant throughout the progression, but she's not playing it.  It's probably just some resonance in the harmonics and guitar, or maybe just my ears ringing.  I love it when instruments do that, although, it can cause problems if the sound system isn't set up properly and not all people actually enjoy that.  I remember a time when harmonic xylophone like notes were ringing out from a bass player's progression.  I think they were 4th and 5th intervals.  We were never able to get that to happen again.  It was just one of those things where the stars lined up just right.  At least we recorded it...  Everyone could hear it.  The harmonics would switch between the 2 intervals on one of the notes in the progression.