The unique sound created when playing the Major or Minor Add 2 Chord produces a melancholy effect that is perfect for many styles of music. Layering this sound has given us some of the coolest music in history. From Pink Floyd, to Supertramp, and the Eagles the Add 2 stands as one of music's "Go To" staples for creating pensive wistful sound-scapes...




There are a lot of guitarists out there who are not familiar with using “Add 2” chords. And, that’s not great, because these chords have a sound that's very cool.

The "add2" can be especially wonderful when a musician wants to dream up some interesting fretting variations and apply these chords along with open strings.

If you are one of those musicians who does not know about “add 2 chords” these are chords that are built off of either the Major or Minor triad and they include the 2nd degree of the scale along with the original triad. Let's get started by learning a few shapes on the neck.

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CHORD PATTERN SHAPES:
Below are examples of two moveable (horizontally) patterns for a 6th and a 5th string root shape for the "Major add 2" chord on the guitar…

Major Add 2 Chords:




The add 2 chord patterns aren’t locked down to Major quality, they can also be performed as Minor chord quality variations.

So, before we put these Major add 2 chords to work in a couple of progressions I’ve got for you to practice, let’s also learn how to play a 6th and 5th string root Minor version of these add 2 chord types.





Below are examples of two moveable (horizontally) patterns for a 6th and a 5th string root shape for the "Minor add 2" chord on the guitar…

Minor Add 2 Chords:




CHORD PROGRESSION EXAMPLES:
Now that you’ve got a collection of 6th and 5th string root Major and Minor add 2 chords, let’s take things to the next level and create some music with them.





Coming up next, I’m going to introduce two chord progressions... The first progression will use a collection of chords from the key of “C Major.” But, it will include the use of the Major add 2 off of the root chord of “C” and the 4th chord of the key signature, (which is “F”).

Example 1). Major key progression using the "Major Add 2."



The second chord progression will be within the Minor key center. It uses “D Minor” as the key, and it only applies two chords. The root chord of, “Dm” and the 4th chord of the key, “Gm.”

To spice things up a little bit, both of these chords will be performed as the, “Minor add 2” chord type. Here’s how this progression sounds...

Example 2). Minor key progression using the "Minor Add 2."






CONCLUSION:
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