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Slim's Magic Mandolin Chords

by Slim Richey

One shape with a lot of unusual but useful properties When you analyze the F7 chord below you will find it has two Eb notes (flatted seventh) and one A (third). The Bb7 chord is the same shape at one fret (one half step) lower in pitch. Analyze it to find it has two thirds and one flatted seventh. A seventh chord is built on four tones: the 1st, 3rd, 5th and flatted 7th. Even without the 1st and 5th tones this shape functions as a dominant 7th very well. It also functions as a diminished, a minor 6, a seventh with a flatted fifth or other chords that have the same two common pitches (tones).