Why Some Guitarists Sound Like Pros (and Others Don’t)
I was working with a student last week who said something that I’ve heard a million times:
“Ben, I can play all these chords, but when I put them together, something just sounds… wrong.”
Yep. I get that.
You’ve got your open chords down, maybe even some barre chords, but when you try to write or jam with other people, things feel a bit… disconnected.
Here’s what’s happening:
You’re playing chords. But you’re not building harmony.
Let me break that down, because I know “harmony” can sound a bit intimidating or abstract (and that’s totally fair).
But it’s easier than you think. I’m hoping to be the voice of reason here because once it clicks, it clicks.And when it does, you won’t just feel like a better guitarist… you’ll feel like a whole new one. Like an expert.
The “Stack” Most Guitarists Never Learn
Most players can rattle off a handful of chords.. C, F, G.. no problem!
But when they put them together, it sounds more like blocks being stacked than music being made.
That’s because they were missing the most fundamental concept in guitar:
Chords aren’t random. They’re built from scales.
Let’s take that C major chord you know.
It’s not just three fingers on three frets. It’s actually…
- C (1st note of the C major scale)
- E (3rd note)
- G (5th note)
Every chord works this way! They’re just stacks of specific scale notes.
Grab Your Guitar & Try This Right Now…
Grab that open C chord. Now, instead of just playing it, think about what you’re actually hearing:
Play just the C note (5th string, 3rd fret)… then add the E (4th string, 2nd fret)… then the G (3rd string open).
Hear how each note changes the sound? That’s harmony building in real time.
Now try lifting your finger off that E and sliding it down one fret to make it an Eb.
Boom. You just turned C major into C minor using theory, not memorization.
Why This Is So Important
When you start thinking in terms of scale notes instead of finger positions, everything opens up.
You stop asking “What chord comes next?” and start asking “What note do I want to hear next?”
That’s when your playing starts sounding intentional instead of accidental.
If You’re A Visual Learner…
I can show you this concept easier through video.. I recorded an easy-to-follow tutorial that’ll teach you to build any chord from scratch.
Check it out here:
The goal isn’t to become a theory expert overnight. It’s to understand why the chords you already know sound the way they do.
Once you get that, everything else starts making sense.
If You Haven’t Yet…
Come share what you discover in our Intermediate Guitar – Leveling Up Facebook group. It’s completely free, and I go live there every week breaking down concepts like this with real examples you can play along with.
→ Join the Facebook Group Here
Rock on,
Ben
Intermediate Guitar
P.S. Got a friend who’s stuck playing the same old chord progressions? Tell them to sign up for our newsletter here!
