Shell Chords (aka guide tone chords) are the most basic jazz guitar chords and are essential knowledge for every jazz guitarist. Having a good understanding of shell chords will make it easier for you to learn more complex chords later on.
Shell chords only contain 3 notes:
- The 1, also known as the root.
- The third: 3 in major and dominant chords, b3 in minor chords.
- The seventh: 7 in major chords, b7 in dominant and minor chords.
The third and seventh are the most important notes of a chord because they define if a chord is major, dominant or minor.
THE JAZZ GUITAR CHORD DICTIONARY (FREE eBOOK)
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How To Use Shell Chords?
Shell chords are often used in a walking bass accompaniment. Here is an example on the standard All The Things You Are:
Also check out this other chord chart for beginners: 17 Essential Jazz Guitar Chords
Dirk, Thanks for your great lessons. May be a stupid question, but on the C7 shell section about adding an extra note you show #11, 5, and Bb13. Why is the 5th not an 11th making the chord a C11? The first 5th of that C7 chord is string 5 fret 9. Your depicted 5th is in a higher octave. Isn’t it?
Disregard. It was a stupid question. The C11 extends the 4th (4+7=11), not 5th. A keyboard often helps to answer questions.
4 on 6 lee ritenours version.
Can you transcribed his version?
Nice walking bass accompaniment…thanks
I like it!!
Much less wandering required to find a subject and study it
Great chord info here Dirk, thank you so much for this material. I’m glad I finally found this site. I’ve been away from guitar for a few years, and this site will help immeasurably!
Thanks for the feedback, Dave! Let me know if you have questions…
What are you using for software to make the chord/scale diagrams?
Hi Mike, we’re using http://www.neckdiagrams.com/, great stuff…
Right hand needs some licks or anything that will give enough movement with my thumb and index finger to become smoother. Thanks donn
I am brand new to the jazz guitar, but not new to jazz. With this course, I can already see that I have the tools I need to get underway!! THANK YOU!!
Jeff
Sir, the lesson was great, easy to understand and to get started with jazz.
Thanks for the feedback, Clement!
I think you want four flats in “all the things you are” (Ab). Thanks for doing this!
Very, Very helpful,simplier impossible, this is very clear.
thanks a lot
please i’m anxious to see this book. When will it be ready ?
I am studying your intro to jazz blues course and I’m trying to learn chord voicings.
Can you tell me if your ebook is available. At the end of the above exercise you stated: A note about printing: I realise these big chord charts are hard to print, that’s why I’m compiling them in an ebook for easy printing. I’ll let you know when the ebook is finished
Thanks,
Vince
I like the two note power chords. Improvising do we play chords or notes first?
I am very grateful to you for showing these basic Jazz Chords shapes for beginners, which I did not know. It is indeed powerful stuff. Thank you. This is where I need to begin personally. Learn new chords shapes which I believe will be a good start and also for any individual who wish to learn to play Jazz style. Thank you again.
Powerful stuff. Wow. Thank you
Great stuff! I just bought three note voicings and beyond, based on your recommendation here, and this lesson is the perfect accompaniment, if you will excuse the pun, to that book. Thank you so much for sharing all this!
This is my starter, after finger exercises, along with the scale that goes with each shell chord. As a beginning jazz player, this has helped with my understanding of musical structure and also has increased my “feeling” for my fret board. I have also found that it helps with my understanding of what is going on as I learn/practice some of the licks.
Thanks guys!!!
Thanks for the shell jazz guitar chords.I am a beginner and this will help me.
great effort
you are a saint Dirk, thank you so much!
Thanks for sharing your knwoledge for free. it really helps me and God bless you
This was exactly what I was looking for! Thank you man!
Fantastic Dirk!
Shell chords are exceedingly important in any type of rhythm section for lots of reasons. One, eliminates mush and competition. Three books: George Van Eps, Ted Greene and Carlton Johnson (Freddie Green type).
cool stuff man!
As always very interesting and explained in a clear and simple way! tnx
Thanks for all the things 😉
Hi DIRK,many thanks for the shell chords…i like the simplicity of your lessons,already applying them in my playing,aspecially with chord-melody arrangements….many,many thanks Dirk……..KENNY East London.South Africa…
Appreciate your efforts on this subject. Great for me, I can make changes pretty quickly of these simpler shapes. I have hope of actually keeping up with most arrangements.
It took me a minute to orient myself – I think standard chord charts are rotated 90 degrees clockwise (so the strings go north/south and low e is left-most).
Other than that brief confusion on my part, it was really cool! Thank you!
Excellent…how come when I learned “Guitar” guitar, no one told me these things. But with Jazz Guitar, you gottta know it ALL! Very cool – very intimidating! Someday I’ll attempt Jazz, for now I’m trying to figure out the CAGED system!
Thanks a lot Dirk for this awesome lesson.
I have a question: If we build 3 note jazz chords (1,3,7),how can we construct the beautiful diminished (m7b5) chords?
Warm regards and thanks again.
raulz
The walking bass guitar example could benefit from being played much more slowly. It’s beautiful but rushed?
Very very useful info…thanks!!!
As always Dirk, great lesson, lessons like this help so much.
Dirk, yours is the first online Jazz tutorial that not only tells but SHOWS you how. Starting with your free Jazz Guitar Cord Book and now this shell cords all I can say is a big THANK YOU to you for your generosity in sharing your knowledge. I am an intermediate player (average) who mostly plays by ear who, until three weeks ago did not know what a ll V l meant. But now when I play a cord progression I am delighted to KNOW what I am playing. It is very satisfying and empowering. Also your Jazz Guitar Gazette- Premium is excellent because they’re in bite size pieces and I would recommend this tutorial to anyone out there who’s been looking for a good teacher. The material I have so for will last me for a very long time. Once again thank you.
David
Thanks a lot! Nice stuff!!!!
Brilliant lesson Dirk. Just what my 76 year old fingers need, none of those nasty stretches. I appreciate all of your lessons, but for me this is the most useful.
this is really cool stuff. cause i am from china, and in my country, we don’t have this kind information, thanks for your sharing. cheer up…
Very useful information. Thanks a lot!
Hi Dirk
What’s the chance you can show the chords orientated for left handed players also?
Thanks for the great work and inspiration to all us beginners . Cheers mate
Nick
I love these things – use them often. Many of what I’ve been calling “shell chords” are inversions other than 1-3-7, though. _Many_ of them, for example, are 5-3-7. A form that Freddie Green used, and Django and many others, is 3x23xx = C7. The 5th is in the bass, w/no root. Similarly, 5x35xx functions as Dm7, no root, 5th in bass (or F major, 3rd in bass, no root.) And so on.
I’m just wondering whether a “shell chord,” as you define it, is going to have the 1-7-3 chord tones, in that order…. I realize that this is what you say, but was this intentional?
L.
Hi Dirk
Thank you for another useful lesson. I like
the sample on my wife’s favourite song
“All the Things you are “
simply superb!!!!!
Excellent lesson!
Juicy jazz gems !
Valuable information. Thanks.
AMAZING ! You continue to provide exemplary tutorials, especially for beginners. Clear, and concise. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the e-book.
Very nice. Very valuable. I look forward to purchasing the ebook.
Dirk- Fantastic lesson! Really great…You are treasure and I hope Belgium appreciates you as much as the Jazz Guitar community does!
As a beginner, so often jazz lessons are presented, for example: Here is a scale/arpeggio/ solo,or whatever.. and learn it in all keys until you can play it in your sleep, up and down the fretboard and then come back and we’ll go to the next step….
Ah… um… that might take quite a while…. and who really does this?
That is why your lesson is effective… its not like this…
Thanks
Thank you so much! Wish you were around decades ago. I’ve spent so much money on other books and dvd’s, you are one of the best. There are not many. Keep up the great work.
Art
Dirk love your lessons and all thanks man ! Rob!
Wow, very nice lesson.
This lesson is very ok, i really love it its really gonna help my jazzy touches
Again very clear lesson. Done for a working musician easy to understand, and usefull to apply to the next gig.
Love your hints.
Armando
I would like to purchase a jazz chords and licks on a DVD where how can I buy them on the lead guitar.please contact me back to let me know how.
Obviously a labor of love on your part. KUDOS!
Thanks for the shell jazz guitar chords.I am a beginner and this will help me.
Awesome Thanks. I use the major chord voicings over m7 ie Ab over Fm7 and minor chord voicings over the maj 7,ie Gm over Ebmaj7 and also the 3 9 & b7 triads over the dominant chords. I like your use of G#o7 vice C+7. Thanks again Dirk. Larry