Cowboy chords sometimes get a bad rap from experienced guitarists, but if you learn two key things about just five of them, you'll instantly know how to play hundreds of chords all over the fretboard. They're also the surprising secret to AC/DC's massive rhythm guitar sound, the key to using a capo effectively, and a shortcut to learning your triads across the entire fretboard.

This lesson complements the Fret Science method for efficiently learning scales across the entire fretboard. If you're new to the channel, definitely check out the "Big Picture" video and recommended video viewing order in this playlist:
Full playlist:    • Guitar scales made easy (Recommended ...  
You'll save yourself hundreds of hours of practice and find yourself asking, "Why wasn't it always taught this way?"

► Keywords: guitar lesson, music theory, CAGED system, cowboy chords, 7th chords, suspended chords, using a capo

► For PDF "cheat sheets" for this video and others, visit: https://fretscience.myshopify.com/ or get them for free by joining my Patreon:   / fretscience  
For a limited time, you can get a $5 discount on the 12-PDF bundle with the code "COWBOY", or just follow this link: https://fretscience.myshopify.com/dis...

► You can learn more, sign up for my email newsletter, or contact me at: https://fretscience.com

► Gear used or discussed in this video
G7th Performance 3 Capo - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Vm7N9J
PRS Fiore (insanely awesome guitar!) - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/AW7jeJ
Wampler Tumnus Overdrive - https://imp.i114863.net/9W43V0
Kernom Ridge overdrive pedal - https://amzn.to/3RdNm0N
MXR Six Band EQ Pedal - https://imp.i114863.net/QOZgYM
DSM Humboldt Simplifier MKII - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/QyXLWP
TC Electronic Plethora X5 - https://imp.i114863.net/VyzWOa
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/eKJ5Xj
World's Best Cables 15' (Mogami/Neutrik) - https://amzn.to/3YqxCZY

► Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:46 - The 5 key chords and a touch of theory
03:51 - Finding the roots and thirds and why it matters
05:50 - Chord chemistry
06:38 - Minor triad (m)
07:33 - Minor 7 (m7)
08:26 - Major 7 (maj7)
09:20 - Dominant 7 (7)
10:09 - Sususpended 4 (sus4)
10:41 - Suspended 2 (sus2)
11:03 - Power chords (5)
13:19 - Using a capo
15:37 - Barre chords and their variants
17:08 - Closed-form triads

Individual videos:
1. The Big Picture of mastering the fretboard:    • A new and faster way to unlock the fr...  
2. Use "the warp" to reduce memorization:    • HOW TO VISUALIZE CHORDS & SCALES: A s...  
3. Master the pentatonic scale with the rectangle and stack:    • Two Simple Shapes UNLOCK the Pentaton...  
4. Learn the notes!:    • Memorize the fretboard: 3 reasons why...  
5. Intervals: Guitar's secret decoder ring:    • Intervals: guitar's secret decoder ring  
6. Understand the modes:    • Demystifying the modes on guitar: it ...  
7. The best way to learn/play the modes:    • This hack makes learning the modes on...  
8. Another easy way to play the modes:    • Learn ALL the Modes on Guitar in Just...  
9. The CAGED system and triads:    • Demystifying Triads and CAGED: Unlock...  
10. The 3nps system:    • Unlock the fretboard with three notes...  
11. Instant harmony:    • Easy Double-Stop Harmonies: From The ...  

► Thank you to Dave DiCenso (drums), Jeff Gilman (bass), and Jake Shapiro (guitar, cello) for providing the theme music "Sea Horses".