Basically, to play the guitar, you learn the scales and you derive the chords from the scales.  For example, the notes of the C major chord are CFG, which are the 1-4-5 notes of the scale.  To make it a minor chord, you flat the 3rd.  To make it a C7, you add the 7th note of the scale.  Not sure about the "add9" chords, augmented, and all the others.

So the scale will sound good with any of those chords--CFG.


Now, to play a song, the melody line will be contained within the notes of the chords and the scale of the key the song is in.


Is that right?

HI.........I'm REALLY new to the guitar; about 6 months.  these people here are great at answering Qs.  Sometimes it is good to try another source for the same information.  I found this site through another forum (Epiphone) recently and has a LOT of information you are looking for.  Give it a try.

http://12bar.de/index.php

I've been going through the sections on chords and along with the people's input here, I'm starting to get a better handle on the theory.

Hope this helps and KEEP IT FUN,

Dean

fretwoman wrote:

Basically, to play the guitar, you learn the scales and you derive the chords from the scales.  For example, the notes of the C major chord are CFG, which are the 1-4-5 notes of the scale.  To make it a minor chord, you flat the 3rd.  To make it a C7, you add the 7th note of the scale.  Not sure about the "add9" chords, augmented, and all the others.

So the scale will sound good with any of those chords--CFG.


Now, to play a song, the melody line will be contained within the notes of the chords and the scale of the key the song is in.


Is that right?

Not really, but it was a good try though! 
There are many different approaches to learning to play the guitar.
If you have a good ear you can teach yourself. That's how I learned how to play.
But in retrospect, the best advice I would give anyone who was serious about learning how to play well is to find a good teacher and take lessons.

P.S. I've been playing for 40+ years.

Chordman,

I agree. I to am self taught, but i would recomend lessons to anyone just starting out.
I also have been at it (on and off) for over 40 yrs.

Jim

fretwoman wrote:

...the notes of the C major chord are CFG, which are the 1-4-5 notes of the scale.

...close, but not quite, the notes are C(I), E(III) and G(V), while C(I), F(IV) and G(V) are the chords

fretwoman wrote:

To make it a minor chord, you flat the 3rd.  To make it a C7, you add the 7th note of the scale.

...correct, but you have to be careful about WHICH 7th you add...a Major 7th (jazz) note is different from a dominant 7th (rock-n-roll).

fretwoman wrote:

Not sure about the "add9" chords, augmented, and all the others.

...with "add9" you add a 9th note without including the dominant 7th...hence, it's an "added" note, not a "built" or "stacked" note.  The augmented chord means the 5th (or V) note of the chord has been raised or sharped a half-step, ie: Caug = C+ = C+5, they all mean the samething.

fretwoman wrote:

...Is that right?

...I'd say you got it pretty darn close. Keep strumming!