tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13692765558717388192024-02-24T10:01:48.512+08:00Learning The Basics of GuitarThis is a site I created to complement my brother's blog, which is about learning Christian songs on the guitar. This blog is perfect for you if you are a total beginner.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-15047301888476014002013-06-26T10:33:00.000+08:002013-06-26T10:34:18.907+08:00Send in your questions that you might have...Hello to all who view and read this blog. This is a post to ask for suggestions on other topics about learning the guitar that I could help to answer.<br />
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At the moment, I have attempted to answer all the more common questions on the basics of playing the guitar. If I have missed out any topics that you might want to know, feel free to either post a reply to this, or even to send me an email using the link on the top right hand corner of the screen (below my picture).<br />
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Send in your questions and if I am able to, I will attempt to answer them through the blog.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-29907555695708707212013-06-26T10:32:00.000+08:002013-06-26T10:38:39.591+08:00HOW TO keep in / maintain tempo when playing songsI received a question on keeping in tempo when playing songs. So, for this post, I will suggest a few ways that you can do so. First off, I need to state that there is a difference between <b>beats </b>and <b>tempo</b>.<br />
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Beats - Every song is played in some sort of beat. The more common one nowadays would be the 4/4 beat. What this means is that there are 4 beats in 1 bar. So, if you were to count, it would be something like "1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4" and so on.<br />
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Tempo - The tempo of the song, determines how fast you count the beat. In music, it is called "beats per minute" or in short bpm. So, for a slow song, you would expect a low bpm count (eg. 50?) and for a fast song, you could expect a high bpm count (eg. 150?).<br />
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With that background, here are some ways you can achieve maintaining the right tempo throughout a song.<br />
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Use a Metronome<br />
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I think most pianists would be familiar with this. What is a metronome? Well, here's an example of what a metronome looks like. <br />
<a href="http://www.goughanddavy.co.uk/admin1/image/7335chord_metronome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.goughanddavy.co.uk/admin1/image/7335chord_metronome.jpg" width="200" /></a>The metronome is a device that basically gives you a beat. <br />
From the little that I know, the metal strip in the middle swings left and right and each time the metal strip reaches each end, a "tick" sound is produced.<br />
How fast or how slow the "tick" sound occurs would depend on where you place the thick metal piece (I have no idea what it is called) that is on the metal strip.<br />
Notice the numbers on the metronome? Placing the "thick metal piece" over the desired number will give you the desired "beats per minute".<br />
So, with the metronome, you can now achieve a constant beat effect which will hopefully help you to maintain the beat and tempo of the song, throughout the song.<br />
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Use an Online Metronome<br />
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With the wonders of technology, you can now achieve this metronome effect on your computer, and on your handphone too! Please <a href="http://bestmetronome.com/" target="_blank">click here</a> for an example of an online metronome.<br />
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So, now that you are equipped with the right tools, the only question that remains is finding out the bpm of the song you are playing.<br />
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I guess the easiest way to do so would be to buy the scores of the song. This is because the score will probably mention the bpm. However, the free alternative would just be to play the song over Youtube, and to play the metronome, and find the right bpm that matches the song.<br />
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So there you go, the secret of maintaining the tempo and beat of a song!danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-82294392351912619002012-06-25T11:33:00.001+08:002012-06-25T11:36:35.039+08:00What does it mean if my guitar makes a buzzing sound?I recently received a question on guitar buzzing sounds.
Basically, the person mentioned that when she plays her guitar, there is a buzzing sound when she plays one of the strings. So, she was asking on how to get rid of this buzzing sound.<br />
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From what I know, the reason why the guitar produces a buzzing sound when playing it is because the strings touch the fretboard once it is plucked/strummed.<br />
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Each string vibrates when you pluck it. If the string is too close to the fretboard (can be due to low action), this string will touch the fretboard while vibrating and hence cause this buzzing sound. You can read this <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.sg/2009/01/how-to-decide-which-guitar-to-buy.html">post</a> to find out more about what action is.<br />
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The same thing can happen when you play a specific fret. For example, if you press the 2nd fret of the 1st string and pluck it, and it gives a buzzing sound. The reason is the same - the string is vibrating and hitting the fretboard, which then produces the buzzing sound.<br />
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So, what is the solution to getting rid of this buzzing sound? Well, the solution would be to increase the action of the guitar, or to adjust the truss rod in the neck of the guitar so that the strings will not touch the fretboard once it is plucked/strummed. For both these solutions, it would be best to bring the guitar down to a guitar shop to get them to do it for you.<br />
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I hope this post has helped!danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-57865341186381153152012-02-28T17:41:00.003+08:002012-02-28T18:01:44.576+08:00Just Thought I Would Like To Share This...It's been a while since I've last posted on this blog. The truth is, I have been quite busy with my own involvement in Church activities, work, as well as wedding preparations. However, I would like to just take this time to share with all of you something that I recently read.<br /><br />Contemporary Christian Music. I am sure you have heard this term before. I'm not sure what are your views on this, but I recently came across this PDF on the internet that talks about how most Contemporary Christian Music (the ones that you hear on mainstream radio) is not glorifying to God at all.<br /><br />I read the contents in the PDF, and I have to say that I agree with it (This is also part of the reason why I do not cover ALL songs over Youtube that people have asked me to do covers of). If you have the time, why not read it too and let me know what you think. It's 325 slides long, so it might take you some time.<br /><br />My conclusion: Christian songs should glorify God, not man.<br /><br />Read the article/PDF here:<br /><a href="http://data.bereanwife.com/CCM_pdf.pdf" target="_blank">http://data.bereanwife.com/CCM_pdf.pdf</a>danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-20299280260621402962011-09-05T12:21:00.013+08:002011-09-11T17:28:38.339+08:00List of Split Chords / Slash ChordsIn this post, I will write down the various split chords that I have been using over the years. This page can be used as a library to go to, in case you want to find out about certain split chords.<br /><br />Remember, when you <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-to-play-special-chords.html" target="_blank">read the split / slash chords</a>, the note on the <span style="font-weight: bold;">left</span> is the <span style="font-weight: bold;">root note</span> and the note on the <span style="font-weight: bold;">right</span> is the <span style="font-weight: bold;">bass note</span>.<span style="color:red;"><br /><br />Note:</span> This list is not exhaustive and I will probably be updating it as and when I learn more split / slash chords.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Split Chords</span><br />---------------<br /><br />A/F# - 2x2200<br />A/C# - x42200<br />A7/Bb - x12020<br />Am/F# - 2x2210<br /><br />B/Eb - x64400<br />B/G# - 4x4400<br /><br />C/B - x20010<br />C/E - 032010<br /><br />D/B - x20230<br />D/F# - 2x0230<br />D/G - 3x0230<br />D7/F# - 2x0213<br /><br />E/G# - 422400<br /><br />G/B - x20033<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-54252585286973171572011-08-23T23:28:00.000+08:002011-08-23T23:28:01.667+08:00List of Major and Minor 7 ChordsIn this post, I will write down the common ways of playing major and minor 7 chords. This page can be used as a library to go to, in case you forget how to play any major and minor 7 chords.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
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Major 7 Chords</span> <br />
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Amaj7 - x02120 / 576655 <br />
A#maj7 or Bbmaj7 - x13231 / 687766<br />
Bmaj7 - x24342 <br />
Cmaj7 - x32000 / x35453 <br />
C#maj7 or Dbmaj7 - x46564 <br />
Dmaj7 - xx0222 / x57675 <br />
D#maj7 or Ebmaj7 - x68786 <br />
Emaj7 - 021100 / 079897 <br />
Fmaj7 - 132211 <br />
F#maj7 or Gbmaj7 - 243322 <br />
Gmaj7- 3x0032 / 354433 <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Minor 7 Chords</span> <br />
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Am7 - x02010 / 577555 <br />
A#m7 or Bbm7 - x13121 <br />
Bm7 - x24232 / 797777 <br />
Cm7 - x35343 <br />
C#m7 or Dbm7 - x46454 <br />
Dm7 - xx0211 / x57567 <br />
D#m7 or Ebm7 - x68676 <br />
Em7 - 020000 / 022030 / 079787 <br />
Fm7 - 131111 <br />
F#m7 or Gbm7 - 242222 <br />
Gm7 - 353333 Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-25855408484388199882011-08-15T18:00:00.004+08:002011-08-23T23:29:26.325+08:00List of Major and Minor Chords<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>In this post, I will write down the common ways of playing major and minor chords. This page can be used as a library to go to, in case you forget how to play any of the major or minor chords.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> <br />
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Major Chords</span> <br />
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A - x02220 / 577655 <br />
A# or Bb - x13331 <br />
B - x24442 <br />
C - x32010 / x35553 <br />
C# or Db - x46664 <br />
D - xx0232 / x57775 <br />
D# or Eb - x68886 <br />
E - 022100 / 079997 <br />
F - 133211 <br />
F# or Gb - 244322 <br />
G - 320033 / 355433 <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Minor Chords</span> <br />
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Am - x02210 / 577555 <br />
A#m or Bbm - x13321 <br />
Bm - x24432 / 799777 <br />
Cm - x35543 <br />
C#m or Dbm - x46654 <br />
Dm - xx0231 / x57767 <br />
D#m or Ebm - x68876 <br />
Em - 022000 / 079987 <br />
Fm - 133111 <br />
F#m or Gbm - 244222 <br />
Gm - 355333 danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-59704896757024071742011-07-27T14:48:00.001+08:002011-07-27T14:58:05.584+08:00HOW TO change/transpose the key of a song (Method 2)In this post, I will be writing about another method that you can use to help to transpose the songs that you play. However, in order to use this method to transpose your songs, you will need a good knowledge and understanding of the guitar.<br />
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Not to worry, all that you need can be found on various posts on this blog. All you need to do is to follow what I'll write here step-by-step, and if you apply these steps correctly, you should be on your way to transposing your songs!<br />
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Step 1 - Write out the major scale of the key of the song that you are currently playing your song in.<br />
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Step 2 - Write out the major scale of the key of the song that you would like your song to be transposed to. For steps on how to write out major scales, please <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-figure-out-notes-for-major-scale.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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Step 3 - After you have written the 2 major scales (the major scale of the song you're playing, and the major scale of the song you want to transpose to), <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-know-which-chords-belong-to.html" target="_blank">add a minor to the 2nd, 3rd and 6th note</a>.<br />
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Step 4 - Add the number 1 - 7 on top on each chord of the major scale. <br />
<b>1 2 3 4 5 6 7 </b><br />
Eg. <b>C Dm Em F G Am B </b><br />
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Step 5 - Now, you are going to "convert" the chords of the song you're playing into numbers. For example, let's assume your song is in the key C, and the chords you are using to play it are: <b>C F Am G</b>. If we were to convert it into numbers, it would be <b>1 4 6 5</b>.<br />
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Step 6 - Take a look at the key that you want to transpose the song into, and find out what is <b>1 4 6 5</b>. ! Eg. Let's assume you want to transpose the above example to the key of G:<b> </b><br />
<b>1 2 3 4 5 6 7 </b><b> </b><br />
<b>G Am Bm C D Em F# </b><br />
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So, <b>1 4 6 5</b> would = <b>G C Em D</b><br />
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There you go, you have just transposed the song! I hope I have managed to explain this method clearly. In any case, if you find that you are having trouble applying this method, feel free to drop a message and I will try to explain it better.<br />
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Hope it helps!danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-9237098703896377672011-07-11T17:32:00.003+08:002011-07-11T17:45:50.652+08:00HOW TO... Read ChordsThis post is sort of an add-on to one of my previous posts entitled "<a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/01/h.html">HOW TO...Read Guitar Tabs</a>". In particular, I will post about how to read the kind of chords that looks like this - xx0232.<br /><br />So, how do you read xx0232? Well I will write it down step by step.<br /><br />1. The 6 numbers (for this case, "x" is also a number) represents the 6 strings on the guitar.<br />2. The left number represents the 6th string (lowest sounding string) and the right number represents the 1st string (highest sounding string).<br />3. The numbers represents the fret which you are supposed to press.<br />4. "x" means you do not play that string<br /><br />So, based on the above description, this is how you read xx0232. In words, it means:<br /><br />Don't strum the 6th and 5th string. Put your fingers on the 3rd string 2nd fret, 2nd string 3rd fret and 1st string 2nd fret. Then, strum it from the 4th string down. You will realise that this is actually a D chord.<br /><br />So, to practice if you have fully understood this explanation, you could try writing these chords out (highlight to see the answers) :<br /><br />A - <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">x02220</span><br />C - <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">x32010</span><br />E - <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">022100</span><br /><br />Hope you passed the practice!danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-77743708114828012212010-10-11T10:57:00.003+08:002010-10-11T11:49:51.094+08:00Importance of God's Word, Prayer, and the ChurchI just wanted to write this post to talk about what I have found to help in my walk with God. This thought came about because I asked myself the question "What good is it if we use our talents God has blessed us with to play for Him in worship services or cell groups, when we ourselves are not grounded firm in His Word?" How can we know God more?<br /><br />To me, the answer is quite simple. In order to grow in a deeper relationship with God, we need to read His Word. What better way is there to know God more than to read His Word which He has so graciously revealed to man? Through reading the bible, we get to see God's characteristics, His nature, His justice, His love, His mercy, His grace, and the list goes on. We also see in the New Testament that Jesus himself was grounded in the Word. He would regularly go to the synagogues to teach the Word and to correct the Pharisees and Sadducees from their erronous teachings. This would only be possible if we are grounded in the Word.<br /><br />The other aspect which we should have is prayer. Prayer is something which helps us to communicate with God. We read in the bible that people would regularly pray through their sufferings, pray for thanksgiving, pray as a form of worship etc. Jesus himself would even pray to his Havenly Father. If Jesus found prayer important, I think we should take it seriously as well. Another good example would be King David. We read in Psalms of all his feelings and how he relied on God for his strength and support.<br /><br />The Church is also important. When I refer to the church, I am not referring to the physical building, but the people. God knows that we are not meant to live like a hermit on a remote mountain without any human contact. In fact, Jesus even chose his 12 disciples to help him in his ministry on earth. Furthermore, we read in Acts that the church community was very closely knit and they all shared whatever they had, so that no one was found lacking. This is why I believe the church is important. In life, we go through trials and temptations, and without the support that the church can provide, we would find ourselves going through the ordeal alone.<br /><br />So in conclusion, I believe we need three things in life: God's Word, Prayer, and the Church. How does this tie in with our worship to God? Well, I believe if we have these 3 in increasing amounts, our worship to God will be that much sweeter as well. How can we worship God if we do not know him intimately?danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-30656955918191796782010-07-22T20:29:00.007+08:002011-03-07T11:55:26.971+08:00My fingers are not strong enoughThis question was asked a while back ago. Esentially, the asker was trying to look for a way to strengthen his fingers so that the chords that he plays will sound clearer.<br /><br />Well, I do have a simple exercise that will help you to achieve just that. In particular, this finger exercise that you will watch in the video below will help you to:<br /><ol><li>Strengthen your fingers - your chords will eventually become clearer and clearer. No more buzzing sounds due to weak fingers!<br /><br /></li><li>Finger control - you will be able to find it easier to control each finger. Have you ever felt like your fingers sometimes won't move according to how you want them to? Eg. "I can't move the ring finger without my middle finger moving out of position" etc.<br /><br /></li><li>Precision picking - With this exercise, you will be able to control your pick better to hit the desired string.<br /><br /></li><li>Picking technique - The "down up" motion on your pick will help you to be able to pick faster than just doing a "down" motion alone.</li></ol>Alright, now that I've explained the benefits of doing this finger exercise, let me show it to you (this is not my video but it would be similar to what I would have put up. I was just trying to make use of what is already up on Youtube instead of posting a new video on it):<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oJ0jr-mZ7kQ&hl=en_GB&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oJ0jr-mZ7kQ&hl=en_GB&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />There you go. Take a listen to it and practice hard.danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12846575519735337886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-13655814203374102082010-06-03T09:22:00.007+08:002010-06-03T10:07:32.851+08:00What's the difference between a C7, Cm7 and Cmaj7 chord?In this post, I will be covering the differences between a C7, Cm7 and Cmaj7 chord. Iwill choose the C chord because it has the easiest scale with no sharps or flats. Of course, you can apply the technique that I will be explaining to other chords as well.<br /><br />First of all, we need to take a look at what the chords are called. As you would have guessed, a Cmaj7 is called "C major seven" and the Cm7 is called "C minor 7". How about C7? Well, the proper name to give it is actually "C dominant 7".<br /><br />Now each of these 3 chords are played differently and I will attempt to explain how to play each of them.<br /><br />In my previous posts about constructing a <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-do-i-construct-major-chord.html">major</a> and <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-to-construct-minor-chord.html">minor</a> chord, we saw that the formula to take for a major chord is the 1st note, 3rd note, and the 5th note (1, 3 ,5). And, we saw that the formula to take for a minor chord is the 1st note, flat the 3rd note, and the 5th note (1, b3, 5).<br /><br />Now, the formula for the major 7 is (1, 3, 5, 7) and the formula for the minor 7 is (1, b3, 5, b7). The formula for the dominant 7 is (1, 3, 5, b7). Remember these formula because you will use it when constructing a major 7, minor 7 and dominant 7 chord.<br /><br />Now, let's take the C chord as the title of this post suggests. To play a Cmaj7 we would need 1, 3, 5, 7. The C major scale is C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Now we just have to simply count the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th note on the scale. That would give us <span style="font-weight: bold;">C</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">E</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">G</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">B</span>. Now, find these notes on your guitar. You will eventually find that one way to play a Cmaj7 chord would be like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7M-oidmRwZz0CMsaZwpqxatUkut38ZZyaQ9A6RnkxXnXPABDRnkQA3WAmmDl5Ar2upGDDffckHgnkZdnZZod_RJDKKsh3IXI2uWRhMluzIhj7BJ1uW2s-iL7mJ9wpjQvmpiNKXj6tlWg/s1600/ChordCmaj7.bmp"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7M-oidmRwZz0CMsaZwpqxatUkut38ZZyaQ9A6RnkxXnXPABDRnkQA3WAmmDl5Ar2upGDDffckHgnkZdnZZod_RJDKKsh3IXI2uWRhMluzIhj7BJ1uW2s-iL7mJ9wpjQvmpiNKXj6tlWg/s320/ChordCmaj7.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478358031732429698" border="0" /></a><br />From the diagram above, we can see that the chord satisfies all the notes that would make it a Cmaj7 chord.<br /><br />Now, let's try the Cm7 chord. Applying the formula (1, b3, 5, b7), the notes needed for a Cm7 chord would be <span style="font-weight: bold;">C</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eb</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">G</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bb</span>. Try to find these notes on your guitar. You will find that one possible way of playing a Cm7 chord would be like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUTakWo3IxX4GNo01M9LnLnaCfHh6FO-4RoHWTolg55uHAZJzySy8aUnXq3zRKHdkrc7CzsoXSxKjj0gzQoz1MQq7gtyCLY00z7fMESsnZc9Ex2pNYZb6FagJvRSZ3KqHmhTV3Cw1UmEr/s1600/ChordCm7.bmp"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUTakWo3IxX4GNo01M9LnLnaCfHh6FO-4RoHWTolg55uHAZJzySy8aUnXq3zRKHdkrc7CzsoXSxKjj0gzQoz1MQq7gtyCLY00z7fMESsnZc9Ex2pNYZb6FagJvRSZ3KqHmhTV3Cw1UmEr/s320/ChordCm7.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478358996775988754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >( </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >A# = Bb / D# = Eb)</span><br /><br />Notice the notes in the diagram above? They contain the notes needed for a Cm7. Therefore, this is one way of playing a Cm7 chord.<br /><br />Lastly, the C7 chord. Let's apply the formula (1, 3, 5, b7) and see what we get. It would give you <span style="font-weight: bold;">C</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">E</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">G</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bb</span>. Likewise, let's find these notes on the guitar. You will find that a possible way to play C7 would be like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxB_H_K6iqpBdqDUTXGgbvpjgLNhD0QEr6fs3baasreWadmJDCeB-zWsOgfDyH0ZVBzFjsbKEn-QfuXiwORPd_is0ZKn-dDioYD87ELpRB8KeIffC_Kkr1iuknbG6EYdKvIhnYvVWsKR1m/s1600/ChordC7.bmp"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxB_H_K6iqpBdqDUTXGgbvpjgLNhD0QEr6fs3baasreWadmJDCeB-zWsOgfDyH0ZVBzFjsbKEn-QfuXiwORPd_is0ZKn-dDioYD87ELpRB8KeIffC_Kkr1iuknbG6EYdKvIhnYvVWsKR1m/s320/ChordC7.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478360806296833122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="font-style: italic;">(A# = Bb)</span></span><br /><br />So, there you go, now you know the difference between a major 7, minor 7 and dominant 7 chord. Remember, you can apply the formula to other chords as well. Have fun figuring out how to play these chords. What I showed above was only one way of playing a Cmaj7, Cm7 and C7 chord. There are many other ways to play those chords mentioned. If you have the time, try finding them out too.<br /><br />So next time, when you see a song sheet which has major 7, minor 7 or dominant 7 chords in it, don't be afraid. You know exactly how to play them.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-60705137438168509182010-05-27T10:45:00.003+08:002010-05-27T11:21:04.417+08:00HOW TO construct a minor chord?This post will somewhat go hand-in-hand with my other post about <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-do-i-construct-major-chord.html">constructing a major chord</a>.<br /><br />In the post about constructing a major chord, I mentioned that all you need to do is take the 1st, 3rd and 5th note to achieve it. For a <span style="font-weight: bold;">minor</span> chord, all you have to do is to take the <span style="font-weight: bold;">1st</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">flat the 3rd</span>, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">5th note</span>.<br /><br />So, let's take an example to see what this means. We know in our previous posts that the C major scale is probably the easiest example to use because it does not have any sharps or flats in it. The C major scale is C D E F G A B C.<br /><br />If we were to take the 1st, flat the 3rd, and the 5th note, the notes would be: <span style="font-weight: bold;">C</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eb</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">G</span>. So, to play a C minor chord, you will need these 3 notes. Let's look at a C minor chord to see if it fits the criteria that we have determined.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPQY-5cPH0A031EgeOXCQtGREiGpvzE7S2h_OlXtBEutIGS0N_7gTjBzIaOLMZ-WwzVWsdf35pqSf_yFv4isJZjbtPDZPcr9IhCO_Blx0vkvj6bsI3eNRdTsNu0Dt9lheR7O4t2fnnwac/s1600/ChordCm.bmp"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPQY-5cPH0A031EgeOXCQtGREiGpvzE7S2h_OlXtBEutIGS0N_7gTjBzIaOLMZ-WwzVWsdf35pqSf_yFv4isJZjbtPDZPcr9IhCO_Blx0vkvj6bsI3eNRdTsNu0Dt9lheR7O4t2fnnwac/s320/ChordCm.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475783557910507826" border="0" /></a><br />Notice the notes that are played in a C minor chord? C, G and D#(same as Eb). So, as with any other minor chords, as long as you use the rule of 1, flat 3, 5, you will be able to construct a minor chord.<br /><br />When you do have the time, feel free to try out other chords as well. Eg. D minor, B minor, A minor etc. Just remember the steps:<br /><ol><li>Write out the major scale for the chord you are figuring out.</li><li>Apply the rule of taking the 1st, flat the 3rd, and the 5th note.</li><li>With these 3 notes, find them on the guitar and play them together. This will give you the minor chord.<br /></li></ol>Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-89653927835572694322010-05-14T09:09:00.000+08:002010-05-14T12:20:22.096+08:00How do I learn / figure out a song on the guitar?I was asked this question a while ago. Actually, I think the person wanted to know how to figure out to play a song. But I'll be writing about how <span style="font-weight: bold;">I</span> figure out a song. So here goes, this is how I do it.<br /><br />Listen to the song and take note of a few things:<br /><ol><li>The beat of the song (is it played in 4/4, 3/4, 6/8 etc.)<br /><br /></li><li>The strumming pattern of the song (for some songs, the guitar is really clear. Listen to the rhythm guitar and see if you can get the strumming pattern. If the strumming pattern is not clear, or if the song uses a piano, you can choose your own strumming pattern, as long as it fits the beat of the song)<br /><br /></li><li>The bass guitar (most of the time, the bass guitar will play the root notes of the song. If you know what notes the bass guitar is playing, you can know the basic chords for the song)</li></ol>That is basically it. Particularly, I find listening to the bass notes that the bass guitar plays effective in figuring out the chords for a song. To illustrate to you what I mean, I will use a song as an example.<br /><br />The song I will use is "With Or Without You" by U2. If you are my age or older, you should definitely know this song. If you are younger, I guess this song is worth listening to. Here's the video. Take a listen to it.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XmSdTa9kaiQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XmSdTa9kaiQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The beat of the song <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">- </span></span></span>After listening to the song, you should be able to find out that it is a 4/4 song.<br /><br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The strumming pattern for the song - </span>You will realise that this song is basically bass guitar driven, so you can come up with a strumming pattern that suits a 4/4 beat. In this case, I would just choose 8 downstrokes per 4 beats, and even mute the strings for a more driving/rock effect.<br /><br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The bass guitar - </span>Take note of the bass guitar (it's really obvious in this song). Listen to these bass notes and find them out on the guitar. You will eventually figure out that these 4 notes are D A B G.</li></ol>Ok, before I go any further, I should also mention that you need to find out the <span style="font-weight: bold;">key</span> the song is played in. Why is the key important? Well, because depending on the key, certain chords will be a minor instead of major. The good thing is that <span style="font-weight: bold;">most</span> songs like to start off with the key of the song. This means, the first note you hear is probably the key of the song. But if you come across one that doesn't start with the key of the song, then try the first note of the chorus as the key.<br /><br />I don't really know how to explain about figuring out the key of the song. But if you follow the rule of thumb I mentioned above, you should be right most of the time. Anyway, for this song, it is played in the key of D (what do you know, it's the first note of the song).<br /><br />So now that you know the song is played in the key of D, you can look at the <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-know-which-chords-belong-to.html">family of chords</a> that belong to the the D family, and you will find out that you need to play D, A, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bm</span>, G. Take note that the B is now a Bm.<br /><br />So you have the beat of the song, you've chosen the strumming pattern for the song, and you know the chords for the song. There you go, you have just figured out a song.<br /><br />I hope I've managed to explain it quite simply, but if you have any further questions or need to clarify something, please feel free to let me know.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-76043469403848547142010-05-03T13:50:00.001+08:002011-08-25T21:26:43.709+08:00HOW TO know if your guitar is warpedFirst of all, what does it mean when someone says a guitar is warped? Well, it is actually referring to the neck of the guitar. The acoustic guitar is made of wood, and wood can be warped due to humidity and weather. Imagine what would happen if you leave your guitar in the baking sun? Not only will the strings expand, but the wood will start to bend too. When this happens, we say that the guitar is warped.<br />
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So, how do you know if your guitar is warped? Well, have you ever experienced tuning your guitar correctly, only to find that it sounds terribly out-of-tune when you play a chord? This is a tell-tale sign that your guitar could possibly be warped.<br />
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Another way to check if your guitar is warped is to play the first string for example, and then play the 12th fret of the first string. This should give you a sound that is one octave higher. So, they should sound the same (only that the sound on the 12th fret is one octave higher). If the 2 notes do not sound the same, then your guitar is probably warped.<br />
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So, how do you "de-warp" or rather, fix a guitar that is warped? I would suggest to bring it to the guitar shop and have them fix it for you. However, if you are feeling confident enough, you could attempt to fix it yourself (not recommended unless you know how to do it).<br />
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From what I know, you will have to adjust the truss rod of your guitar with a type of allen key. (Here's a picture of how a truss rod looks like. It is in your guitar.)<a href="http://luthierssupplies.com.au/images/Gotoh-truss-rod.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://luthierssupplies.com.au/images/Gotoh-truss-rod.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 309px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Then, you have to locate the truss rod and use the allen key to straighten it. Some guitars have it at the neck, and some have it in the body. Here are pictures on where the truss rod can be located:<br />
<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3368070468_f542e5b2fe.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3368070468_f542e5b2fe.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 375px; width: 500px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.stewmac.com/product_images/1lg/6099/Gripper_Truss_Rod_Wrenches_Detail.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.stewmac.com/product_images/1lg/6099/Gripper_Truss_Rod_Wrenches_Detail.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 375px; width: 440px;" /></a><br />
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Yup, so after you have located the truss rod, you have to attempt to straighten it by inserting the allen key and rotating it till it's straight.<br />
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I have not done this before, so I wouldn't recommend to try this unless you really know what you are doing.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-64441503485834364002010-04-26T13:00:00.000+08:002010-04-26T14:58:05.531+08:00How can I make my strings last longer?I know I've asked myself that question before. I think it's really irritating when strings burst, or when I need to change my strings after using it for few times only. I mean, strings cost money, and sometimes, I do not want to spend so much on strings.<br /><br />I must say it did take me a bit of trial and error to find out how to "make my strings last longer". But yes, I'm here to tell you that you can prolong the lifespan of you strings. Here are some ways you can achieve that:<br /><br />What brand of strings do you buy?<br />----------------------------------<br />This is actually quite an important question, or at least that's what I have realised through my years of playing the guitar. When I started out playing the guitar, my mindset was to just get the cheapest strings possible. So, I used to find those unbranded strings which only cost a dollar for each string. Trust me, a dollar per string is cheap. Because of that, I found myself having to change strings quite often because they got rusty pretty fast. I guess I should have expected it - you get what you pay for.<br /><br />I'm here to tell you that there are strings out there which are designed to last longer. Yes, they do cost a little more expensive, but in the end, if they last longer, you'd ultimately be saving on strings. So, look out for strings which are specially coated, or extended play strings etc. these might be strings worth buying. In fact, you could try some of the brands out there, and when you've found one that you like, stick to that brand.<br /><br />Wipe down your strings after you play<br />---------------------------------------<br />This is another way you can extend the lifespan of your strings. Each time you play the guitar, your fingers produce some sweat and this will cause your strings to rust. So, make it a habit to wipe your strings after you play. You can purchase special treated cloth at most guitar shops. I'm not really sure why these cloth have to be specially treated, but I think it's still worth getting one.<br /><br />I have even heard of people using some kind of liquid to coat their strings each time after they play the guitar. I'm not too sure what brands are out there, but I do know that guitar shops do sell them. I have not personally used these liquids, but if they help you extend the lifespan of your strings, you might want to check it out too.<br /><br />What string gauge do you use?<br />-------------------------------<br />I think this is probably quite a controversial suggestion because different guitarists prefer different kinds of sound. And, the string gauge can play a part in achieving that sound. I think it is no secret that the thinner your string gauge, the more susceptible your strings are to bursting. So, you could consider using heavier gauges (if you find that your strings are bursting too easily too often).<br /><br />If you perform often, you could use another guitar for practicing<br />-----------------------------------------------------------------<br />This is only applicable if you have more than one guitar. You can practice more on the guitar that you won't be using for performances.<br /><br />If you have any other ways of making your strings last longer, feel free to drop a comment. I would like to know as well =)Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-71605808907192328022010-04-19T16:27:00.000+08:002010-04-19T16:47:55.489+08:00How often should I change my guitar strings?I was recently asked this question and I think there are a few factors which determine when you should change your guitar strings. Let me share with you three factors which you could use to decide if you should change your strings.<br /><br />Are your strings rusted?<br />------------------------<br />I think this is probably one of the most obvious signs that you should change your strings. I know I've felt a rusty string before, and the feeling is horrible. You can feel the rust collecting on your fingertips when you play the strings. Not only that, but the rust will even leave marks on your fingertips after you have played it. When this happens, it's time to get new strings.<br /><br />Is your guitar starting to sound dull?<br />-------------------------------------<br />Have you played a guitar with brand new strings before? What is the first thing that you notice when you strum it? Well, the most obvious thing you will notice is how much the strings ring and how bright it sounds. Now, strum that same guitar a few months down the road, and you might notice that this ring and brightness is lost and now your guitar just sounds dull and boring. This is another sign that it's probably time you change your strings (unless you're fine with your guitar sounding like that).<br /><br />When your strings start to burst<br />---------------------------------<br />When this happens, I think you're left with 2 choices. 1. Should I just change the string that burst, or 2. should I change all six strings? Most people would choose to change the string which burst because it's cheaper to change one string than all six. However, I'll leave this decision to you. But as a rule of thumb, if your strings are still fairly new, then it would make sense to just replace the string that burst. However, if your strings are months old, then it might be better to just change all six strings. There is a reason why I say this. The problem with mixing new strings with used strings is that they might not blend well together. This might just make your guitar end up sounding weird.<br /><br />There you go, three factors you could use to determine whether you should change your strings.<br /><br />I foresee that another question one could ask is on how to extend the lifespan of your strings. I mean, changing strings cost money, and if you could spend less on strings, wouldn't you? So, a practical solution would be to get your strings to "last longer". How can this be achieved? Well, I'll share with you some ways to do so in the next post.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-84988345674353701792010-04-14T11:38:00.008+08:002014-04-16T11:44:13.101+08:00How do I construct a major chord?As you have read in my previous post on "<a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-figure-out-notes-for-major-scale.html">How to figure out the notes for a major scale</a>", this post will now talk about constructing a major chord.<br />
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What are major chords? They are chords that you would have definitely come across when learning to play the guitar. Examples of major chords are A, A#, B, C, C#, D etc... Of course besides the major chord, there are other chords out there like the minor chord, diminish chord, dominant chord etc. But for this post, I will be focusing on the <span style="font-weight: bold;">major chord</span>.<br />
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Remember in my last post how I was differentiating between a note and a chord? Well, a major chord is made up of 3 notes. The notes are the 1st note, the 3rd note, and the 5th note. So, put these 3 notes together and you would have constructed a major chord.<br />
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Let's take the C chord for example. We know that the C major scale is C D E F G A B C. So, just simply count the 1st, 3rd and 5th note from the scale. This will give you the notes C, E and G. These 3 notes give you the C chord. Now, let's look at the C major chord pictorially (you will soon understand why it is played the way it is played) :<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qSPQ2AoourdYsHROOGlXg1VAc2GWQANgiUFn9-syPH0pH17H9OJTL0rrV-TVl4yw-Hb6BsQtH4KS2koYChwvMzLgb0CpEYb8KKXsVCjPNnnlmzSx0FrOrsqPdBBvvlrV7M075pwJH8c8/s1600/C+chord.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qSPQ2AoourdYsHROOGlXg1VAc2GWQANgiUFn9-syPH0pH17H9OJTL0rrV-TVl4yw-Hb6BsQtH4KS2koYChwvMzLgb0CpEYb8KKXsVCjPNnnlmzSx0FrOrsqPdBBvvlrV7M075pwJH8c8/s320/C+chord.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459838522598260802" style="cursor: pointer; height: 178px; width: 160px;" /></a><br />
The picture above shows the standard C chord that most of you will know how to play. Notice the 3 notes C, E and G? That is why this chord you're playing is a C. Isn't that interesting? It's really fun to finally understand why a C is played the way it is played.<br />
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What this also means is that you can probably find many other ways to play a C major chord on the guitar. So, when you have the time, play around with the guitar and find out different ways to play a C major chord.<br />
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Let's take the E chord now to see if you understood what I was explaining. The first step is to find out what the E major scale is (read my post "<a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-figure-out-notes-for-major-scale.html">How to figure out the notes for a major scale</a>"). The E major scale is E F# G# A B C# D E. Now, look for the 1st, 3rd and 5th note. They are E, G# and B. Let's look at the E major chord that we all have used so commonly:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNaJQo-qqw9g86Q5mX6CPUIBW7-cSZN0m7D2a7dnT7Owa8-vgdBfsrMrXi4iTE7MoOEY2eQbXpHH2monkbW7aFWBZ4d4zMk0mu4VnTHVhTwLF4H3WdnYigq1WlM-0fuhFNftvX8FhwdSr/s1600/E+chord.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNaJQo-qqw9g86Q5mX6CPUIBW7-cSZN0m7D2a7dnT7Owa8-vgdBfsrMrXi4iTE7MoOEY2eQbXpHH2monkbW7aFWBZ4d4zMk0mu4VnTHVhTwLF4H3WdnYigq1WlM-0fuhFNftvX8FhwdSr/s320/E+chord.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459842222641140706" style="cursor: pointer; height: 178px; width: 160px;" /></a><br />
Notice the 3 notes that are in the E chord above?<br />
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So, if ever you are faced with a situation where you do not know how to play a major chord, just apply the steps I showed you. You will be able to construct a major chord this way.<br />
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You can try the other major chords as practice. The really fun part comes when you find other ways of playing a major chord. You will soon realise that there are many different ways you can play a C etc. Have fun figuring out other ways to play a major chord.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-81589231284472301252010-04-08T17:40:00.006+08:002010-04-09T11:13:06.852+08:00HOW TO figure out the notes for a major scaleIn this post, I will attempt to explain how to figure out the notes you can use when you play a song. Do not mix up the difference between a note and a chord. A note is simply just one note (you know, when you put a finger on a fret on the fretboard and play it). A chord on the other hand, is made up of various notes. So, if you put a group of notes together, it can give you a chord. For this post, I will be talking about notes, and not chords.<br /><br />In this post, I am particularly referring to a major scale, which most songs are played in. You know when you hear someone saying "This song is played in G", it kind of means that it is using a G major scale. Before I start explaining, bear in mind that this has to do with music theory (which I am currently trying to improve on), so it might be a little dry. However, I'll try to explain it the best I can.<br /><br />I'm pretty sure you have heard people singing "Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do" before right? Believe it or not, that is actually a major scale. So, if you want to play a C major scale, you start with a C note (that will be your "Do"). The next step is to just play the rest of the "Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do" sounds, and you would have played a C major scale.<br /><br />That is my attempt of explaining what a major scale is in lay-man terms. However, there is music theory behind this. The formula for a major scale is : 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½. What does the 1s and ½s mean? Well, they refer to tones and semi-tones. "1" is a tone, and "½" is a semi-tone. 1 tone is 2 notes apart, and ½ tone is 1 note apart. So, a C to D is a tone because there is a C# in-between. From B to C is a semi-tone because there is no B# in between etc.<br /><br />I will write out the C major scale (notice the letters in bold, they are the notes that are in the C major scale):<br /><br /><pre> 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½</pre><span style="font-weight: bold;">C</span> C# <span style="font-weight: bold;">D</span> D# <span style="font-weight: bold;">E</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">F</span> F# <span style="font-weight: bold;">G</span> G# <span style="font-weight: bold;">A</span> A# <span style="font-weight: bold;">B</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">C</span> = <span style="font-weight: bold;">C D E F G A B C</span><br /><br />Notice how the formula 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ is applied? So, technically, if I play a song in C and use any of the notes in bold from above, the song will sound pretty alright because those notes lie within the C major scale. This is especially good for guitarists who want to play melodies to a song, or even guitar solos etc.<br /><br />Anyway, let me try to explain step by step how you can figure out the major scale. Let's try a D major scale.<br /><br />First step is to just write out all the notes in order starting from the note that you are writing your scale in. In this case, it is a D.<br /><br />D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D<br /><br />Second step is to apply the formula "1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½" to the notes that you have written out<br /><br /><pre> 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½</pre><span style="font-weight: bold;">D</span> D# <span style="font-weight: bold;">E</span> F <span style="font-weight: bold;">F#</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">G</span> G# <span style="font-weight: bold;">A</span> A# <span style="font-weight: bold;">B</span> C <span style="font-weight: bold;">C#</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">D</span> = <span style="font-weight: bold;">D E F# G A B C# D</span><br /><br />There you go. So, the D major scale is D,E,F#,G,A,B,C#, D. Try hitting those notes on your guitar (in the order above), it will give you the "Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do" sound. I hope this is pretty interesting to you.<br /><br />Let's try one more example to see if you understood what I was saying. Let's try an E major scale.<br /><br />Apply the first step (write out all the notes, starting with the E note)<br /><br />E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# E<br /><br />Apply the second step (apply the formula)<br /><br /><pre> 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½</pre> <span style="font-weight: bold;">E</span> F <span style="font-weight: bold;">F#</span> G <span style="font-weight: bold;">G#</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">A</span> A# <span style="font-weight: bold;">B</span> C <span style="font-weight: bold;">C#</span> D <span style="font-weight: bold;">D#</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">E</span> = <span style="font-weight: bold;">E F# G# A B C# D# E</span><br /><br />Are you getting the hang of it? You can now try for other keys. Like F, G and A. If you want to challenge yourself a little, try with the harder keys like C#, D#, F#, G# and A#.<br /><br />If you have any problems, do let me know. I hope you have fun practicing your theory =) Perhaps in my next post, I'll attempt to explain how chords are formed (it is really just playing certain notes together). Till then, please try to write out the major scales for C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A# and B<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span>Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-37612611210839054302010-03-22T15:59:00.007+08:002010-03-22T16:21:21.339+08:00Different Plucking PatternsI received a question asking about various plucking patterns that can be used for songs. Personally, I do not pluck much on the guitar. However, I did find some videos which I thought could be quite useful. So, here are some videos of various plucking patterns that you can use on the guitar.<br /><br />(I personally use Pattern 1 most often whenever I pluck songs)<br /><br />Pattern 1<br />----------<br /><object width="400" height="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yJjWcGzdhBA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yJjWcGzdhBA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="320"></embed></object><br /><br />Pattern 2<br />---------<br /><object width="400" height="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CfXBgsynrI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CfXBgsynrI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="320"></embed></object><br /><br />Pattern 3<br />----------<br /><object width="400" height="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dqAtGwwKlTY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dqAtGwwKlTY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="320"></embed></object><br /><br />Pattern 4<br />----------<br /><object width="400" height="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MPRUaBCWq_0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MPRUaBCWq_0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="320"></embed></object><br /><br />Pattern 5<br />----------<br /><object width="400" height="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gVQr-JB-VU8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gVQr-JB-VU8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="320"></embed></object>Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-70561882994872212312010-03-16T14:00:00.003+08:002010-03-18T11:33:00.374+08:00A Plucking ExerciseIn this post, I will be showing you and exercise you can use to improve on your plucking. In one of my earlier post entitled "<a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-pluck-guitar-with-your-fingers.html">HOW TO pluck the guitar with your fingers</a>", I showed how to place your fingers on each string, and also how important it is to use your other fingers when plucking, as opposed to what I see most beginners doing - using only their thumb to pluck.<br /><br />It would be good if you read that post on plucking with your fingers because it is one of the basic things to know about plucking. So, please get into the habit of placing your fingers correctly and also using each finger to pluck the correct string.<br /><br />Just like strumming, there are certain basic patterns you can use for plucking as well. I will just cover one plucking pattern that I use. The main aim of this post is to provide you with an exercise you can use to help improve on your plucking. Here's what you can do as part of the exercise:<br /><ol><li>Repeat the plucking pattern over and over with that same chord.</li><li>When you are more confident with the plucking pattern, you can move on to plucking other chords with the same plucking pattern.<br /></li></ol>So, this is the plucking pattern that you can use. Assuming you're playing a D chord in 4/4 beat timing (<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">the numbers represents which string to pluck, NOT the frets</span>):<br />4 3 2 3 1 3 2 3<br /><br />If you're playing an A chord in 4/4 beat timing:<br />5 3 2 3 1 3 2 3<br /><br />Notice the difference? Your bass note has to change depending on which chord you are playing. If you're playing an E chord, you will have to use the 6th string for your bass note etc. If you need to know the reason why, you can read my post on "<a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-know-which-strings-to-strum-for.html">HOW TO know which strings to strum for which chords</a>".<br /><br />When you are confident with the plucking pattern. Try to pluck these chords in sequence:<br /><pre><span style="font-size:85%;"> D Dmaj7 D7 G <br />e|--------2----------------2-----------------2----------------3---------|<br />B|-----3------3---------2-------2---------1------2---------3-----3------|<br />G|---2--2---2--2------2--2----2--2------2--2---2--2------0--0--0--0-----|<br />D|-0----------------0-----------------0---------------------------------|<br />A|----------------------------------------------------------------------|<br />E|------------------------------------------------------3---------------|<o:p></o:p><br /><br /> G? D Em A <br />e|--------3----------------2----------------0-----------------0---------|<br />B|-----3------3---------3------3---------0------0----------2------2-----|<br />G|---3--3---3--3------2--2---2--2------0--0---0--0-------2--2---2--2----|<br />D|------------------0---------------------------------------------------|<br />A|-----------------------------------------------------0----------------|<br />E|-3---------------------------------0----------------------------------|</span><o:p></o:p><br /></pre>This will help you to:<br /><ol><li>Practice the plucking pattern over and over till it becomes natural.</li><li>Pluck the correct bass notes based on which chord you are playing.</li><li>Make use of the correct fingers to pluck the required strings.</li></ol>I hope you will find this practice useful. Happy plucking =)Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-50246193346305084822010-03-03T09:30:00.002+08:002010-03-03T09:59:09.318+08:00HOW TO palm muteI was recently asked this question on how to palm mute. So, let me attempt to explain how to do so and what palm muting can be used for.<br /><br />In terms of strumming the guitar while palm muting, it can be used to achieve a more driving feel to the song, hence you will hear it being used more often than not in a Rock concert etc.<br /><br />In my opinion, there are more than enough sites out there attempting to explain how to achieve palm muting. Therefore, I'll be using a picture I found from one of these sites to illustrate how palm muting can be achieved.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2VWEIJ8L0wj9ZfL_u8Tzz6MjXB1ZaXiL5S9w46NwgYdUOhXnKBDwhkhU-FmG7-dvGq6hCF22yRPvJjaFrKlkZ1MnUs6LNkbzdBs5JqQqZ-ODrjkcD75vu-UjeVcMKPNyX55zGeiJsyN1/s400/bluesproblem2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2VWEIJ8L0wj9ZfL_u8Tzz6MjXB1ZaXiL5S9w46NwgYdUOhXnKBDwhkhU-FmG7-dvGq6hCF22yRPvJjaFrKlkZ1MnUs6LNkbzdBs5JqQqZ-ODrjkcD75vu-UjeVcMKPNyX55zGeiJsyN1/s400/bluesproblem2.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The steps you can take to achieve palm muting are:<br /><ol><li>Place your hand across the 6 strings as seen in the picture above.</li><li>Focus on the strings that you want to strum (most people won't strum all 6 strings when palm muting). Therefore, it is common to see people using barre/power chords while palm muting. That way, you only have to focus on the bass strings on the guitar to palm mute.</li><li>You can enhance the muted sound by applying pressure on your left hand when hitting the notes, and releasing pressure when you're not hitting the notes.</li><li>As for what angle your pick should be when strumming while palm muting, my general rule is to use it at a 45 degree angle upwards when strumming down, and a 45 degree angle downwards when strumming up. The reason is explain in my "<a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-hold-pickplectrum-when-strumming.html">HOW TO hold a pick/plectrum when strumming</a>" post.<br /></li></ol><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5xXzA7jLX_iNSMzZTjqmSfjYEnIeQ4wOf-MPm4QaQCXRCI_RpIasgrFCFuqkKDMbDt2nY271oM6OTxyEarBmwPLxWN7LT0h1Bd-RarxXSh9MEf7Y6RCLwxSKKvraP4UtjJ2I-spUXtj-/s1600/P1040527.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5xXzA7jLX_iNSMzZTjqmSfjYEnIeQ4wOf-MPm4QaQCXRCI_RpIasgrFCFuqkKDMbDt2nY271oM6OTxyEarBmwPLxWN7LT0h1Bd-RarxXSh9MEf7Y6RCLwxSKKvraP4UtjJ2I-spUXtj-/s1600/P1040527.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I hope this post has answered your questions on how to palm mute. Enjoy.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-44778084685043887112010-03-01T10:48:00.005+08:002010-03-01T12:22:25.601+08:00What is CAGED System?Have you ever come across the term CAGED System. I know I have. I used to think it meant barre chords because to me, the shape of the barre chord kind of looks like a cage-like shape. However, I realise that that is not what the CAGED system is.<br /><br />Recently, I have been taking some guitar lessons (particularly on theory) to further improve my guitar theory because I am really weak at it. So, here's my attempt to explain what the CAGED system is:<br /><br />CAGED is not a noun or verb etc. In fact, CAGED represents the open chords, C, A, G, E and D. These are the chords that most beginners would have learned first because they are pretty easy to play. In a nutshell, the CAGED system is all about movable chord patterns. So, what this CAGED system is trying to say is that you can use the chord patterns of C, A, G, E and D, to play all major chords.<br /><br />I know it sounds kind of confusing, but perhaps some diagrams will help. Let us take the C major chord as an example. The diagrams you will see will show you how to play the C major chord using the CAGED system:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3B9FEh0a18ZF7q53duQ7hg-erK4o3S2BftiWvTDtPQC1VZre5ld_3mxTNOvixypb8daU-ze_CtsRy6opB5TGn2UQR-1ivOlRmOhGofYDEljHeCstE11AiA5XZBH-8z52syydfgCOKtlZo/s1600-h/C+%28C%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3B9FEh0a18ZF7q53duQ7hg-erK4o3S2BftiWvTDtPQC1VZre5ld_3mxTNOvixypb8daU-ze_CtsRy6opB5TGn2UQR-1ivOlRmOhGofYDEljHeCstE11AiA5XZBH-8z52syydfgCOKtlZo/s320/C+%28C%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443508036587748962" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUQ_OOa1FabDn1xQMtDOluFiM6_B6ad1aN_z1DepJ9PxWwCDVe_tXY5uVk6WA3jFYyx3dFTlerlmt7i-qht0TJZNDjimTxOc1R3LeAQckI8JDvDdWxhlEKny3AWQQ62itkWKtpub23dxr/s1600-h/C+%28A%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUQ_OOa1FabDn1xQMtDOluFiM6_B6ad1aN_z1DepJ9PxWwCDVe_tXY5uVk6WA3jFYyx3dFTlerlmt7i-qht0TJZNDjimTxOc1R3LeAQckI8JDvDdWxhlEKny3AWQQ62itkWKtpub23dxr/s320/C+%28A%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443508044387148786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQwVeK9Oe7cz-YXNRoduqx9ZdDNWw5Z4xebRKnEAuwHadr8ErpFntIokuVO59Rn7-8PfyFs8WulRKX9qOJgP0H1FkDZYHpemeb24rCNZlUUPHzDm7pJTgNk2a5JgFcM05v10HovKwokpx/s1600-h/C+%28G%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQwVeK9Oe7cz-YXNRoduqx9ZdDNWw5Z4xebRKnEAuwHadr8ErpFntIokuVO59Rn7-8PfyFs8WulRKX9qOJgP0H1FkDZYHpemeb24rCNZlUUPHzDm7pJTgNk2a5JgFcM05v10HovKwokpx/s320/C+%28G%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443508049297107250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMSTsrgZDWXs1JeFSjLv7OMilLFCzuv2YA-F-ZNzElFWn1tlrfpDRy4cz3WcwubuKteBFbWecw2Sk546JZ3vLLlZVa8jDoODfXGLailLITXLINFeUGEHPV02HluFBoIN591FGH4ujdaHk/s1600-h/C+%28E%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMSTsrgZDWXs1JeFSjLv7OMilLFCzuv2YA-F-ZNzElFWn1tlrfpDRy4cz3WcwubuKteBFbWecw2Sk546JZ3vLLlZVa8jDoODfXGLailLITXLINFeUGEHPV02HluFBoIN591FGH4ujdaHk/s320/C+%28E%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443508051963661586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6BUopfPngIeHpKjh8nmqyIfiv5g_CB5WN3jTLbsxtwyxHvo_AVXdiOI9j6ivhgE3xiMjsb0UPh0AfBn5cvQ8tx1wP4HJU3et2_XbhivazcX_VgWTWSUPsYQB3UijEk0jGiAj77uH_zCq/s1600-h/C+%28D%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6BUopfPngIeHpKjh8nmqyIfiv5g_CB5WN3jTLbsxtwyxHvo_AVXdiOI9j6ivhgE3xiMjsb0UPh0AfBn5cvQ8tx1wP4HJU3et2_XbhivazcX_VgWTWSUPsYQB3UijEk0jGiAj77uH_zCq/s320/C+%28D%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443508059297163234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />All the chords shown above are different ways you can play a C major chord using the CAGED system. Notice the red squares? These are the basic C, A, G, E and D chords that you probably already know how to play. The only difference is that you have to play them on different frets, and barre an extra fret.<br /><br />So the next question to ask is, "How do we know which frets to play these patterns on?" This is again where you will need to know your fretboard well.<br /><ul><li>Diagram 1 - Ring finger is on the 3rd fret 5th string because it is a C note (C)<br /></li><li>Diagram 2 - Index finger barres the 3rd fret 5th string because it is a C note (A)<br /></li><li>Diagram 3 - Ring finger is on the 8th fret 6th string because it is a C note (G)<br /></li><li>Diagram 4 - Index finger is on the 8th fret 6th string because it is a C note (E)<br /></li><li>Diagram 5 - Index finger is on the 10th fret 4th string because it is a C note (D)<br /></li></ul>If it's still confusing, think of it as though you're using a capo. But this time, the capo is your index finger. You can read my post on "<a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-use-capo.html">How to use a capo</a>" to perhaps help you understand about the CAGED system.<br /><br />I hope this post has helped. If it's still confusing, perhaps it's because my explanations are not clear. Do bear with me, I know my theory is not strong at all, therefore I'm trying my best to learn. I hope you all will take time to learn too =)Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-44207298476737994052010-02-24T09:19:00.003+08:002014-04-17T16:53:56.767+08:00How to switch between chords smoothlyA question was recently asked by someone on how to switch between chords smoothly. At first, I thought I had already answered the question on one of my older posts called "HOW TO change chords first" <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-change-chords-fast-part-1.html">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-change-chords-fast-part-2.html">Part 2</a>. In those posts, I talked about looking out for ways to change faster between each chord like looking for shortcuts and of course, practicing.<br />
<br />
However, I realised I misread what this person was asking. In essence, he was asking about how to connect the strumming pattern between chords so that it sounds smooth when changing from one chord to another.<br />
<br />
To answer this, we will have to take a look at the strumming patterns that I have previously posted in my post regarding <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-determine-strumming-pattern-for.html">strumming patterns</a>. They are:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">4/4 Songs</span><br />
-----------<br />
<pre> 1 2 3 4
Pattern 1 : D,D,D,D,<span style="font-weight: bold;">DU</span>
1 2 3 4
Pattern 2 : D,D,DU D,D,<span style="font-weight: bold;">DU</span>
1 2 3 4
Pattern 3 : D,D,UDU,DD,<span style="font-weight: bold;">DU</span>
1 2 3 4
Pattern 4 : D,UDUD,UDUD,<span style="font-weight: bold;">DU</span>
1 2 3 4
Pattern 5 : D,DU,U<span style="font-weight: bold;">DU</span></pre>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">3/4 Songs</span><br />
-----------<br />
<pre> 1 2 3
Pattern 1: D,D,D,<span style="font-weight: bold;">DU</span></pre>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">6 /8 Songs</span><br />
-----------<br />
<pre> 12 3 45 6
Pattern 1: D,UDUD,U<span style="font-weight: bold;">DU</span></pre>
<br />
What I failed to explain is that you should take note of how each strumming pattern ends with a "DU". This is in fact the connecting strum to the next chord. So, what I usually tell people is that at the last "DU" that you see, you can start changing to the next chord. Your right hand will just be strumming the DU while your left hand is changing to the next chord. So, you would have changed to the next chord by the time you start your strumming pattern again. This is how you achieve the smooth and connected sound when changing between chords.<br />
<br />
So, don't wait till you finish the whole strumming pattern, then change to the next chord. Instead, begin to change at the DU. <b>Also, you do not have to upstroke all 6 strings. In general, all the upstrokes should only hit the first few strings eg. 1st and 2nd string.</b><br />
<br />
Hope this has answered your question.Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369276555871738819.post-1687577881359851222010-02-05T11:46:00.010+08:002010-02-05T13:01:49.554+08:00HOW TO play dominant seventh chords (A7,B7, C7 etc...)<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >In this post, I will attempt to explain how you can play seventh chords such as A7 (A dominant 7), Am7 (A minor 7) and so on.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >As you should know by now, playing guitar chords is all about chord patterns. If you recall my earlier posts on how to play barre chords <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-play-barre-chords.html">part 1</a> and <a href="http://basicsofguitar.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-play-barre-chords-part-2.html"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">part 2</span></a></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >, you will realise that once you have the barre chord shape, all you need to do is to move the same shape up and down the fretboard to get the different chords.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Well, this post will talk about the chord shape you can use to play dominant seventh chords, ie. chords like A7 and Am7 etc. So, what is a dominant seventh chord? To technically explain it, it just means to minor the 7th note and add it into the chord. At this point, you must be wondering what the 7<sup>th</sup> note of a chord is. If you're a beginner, I'm sure this will make no sense to you at all. So, hopefully, I'll be able to explain some theory in my future posts (I'm really terrible at theory because I learned the guitar on my own)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">For now, the more important thing is to learn </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >how</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> to play these dominant seventh chords. Below is a pictorial view on playing dominant seventh chords:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Barre chord on the 6th string</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCZ73rbevd-3WllN2DZb4jWtZmPLdBP53wJw8pRtD12IrnLDG0uVeJVmqkAToQUg9TQVwBaSUIMUuCmWHrpTMX6snAoYyEyzJ5Lr9tAFNg27v4Q0AweSHzh-ubc0_JFgYwBu9yz8vav0i/s1600-h/Barre+Chord+F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCZ73rbevd-3WllN2DZb4jWtZmPLdBP53wJw8pRtD12IrnLDG0uVeJVmqkAToQUg9TQVwBaSUIMUuCmWHrpTMX6snAoYyEyzJ5Lr9tAFNg27v4Q0AweSHzh-ubc0_JFgYwBu9yz8vav0i/s320/Barre+Chord+F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434617166102713410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7HxqErYpRP24HIoku1MmdU4lVrP0zyykJVVYPeQjgywTGQ-QWJe3zJqSHS4RpfYlcHVHnBEmf2J8jQGlaSwo8jBedg7OrHKSXZtctUvdJ_wZSATuGQlLC4Wvnb7ke_aTAzK4h4Ngo5G0/s1600-h/Barre+Chord+F7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7HxqErYpRP24HIoku1MmdU4lVrP0zyykJVVYPeQjgywTGQ-QWJe3zJqSHS4RpfYlcHVHnBEmf2J8jQGlaSwo8jBedg7OrHKSXZtctUvdJ_wZSATuGQlLC4Wvnb7ke_aTAzK4h4Ngo5G0/s320/Barre+Chord+F7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434616597670289058" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-ViQX1nNbfmibguH5PeOoCidH6cMokBz3dJvWBBnUdaVxMKXDHFdoNEG789q0zR7og-Efit2PGO9BL98CS4tpkgusF6adxC6Fw_i9_jtIJsPZX43nDwlelVtwhBvKQCx8P0sTYUCqXoo/s1600-h/Barre+Chord+Fm.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-ViQX1nNbfmibguH5PeOoCidH6cMokBz3dJvWBBnUdaVxMKXDHFdoNEG789q0zR7og-Efit2PGO9BL98CS4tpkgusF6adxC6Fw_i9_jtIJsPZX43nDwlelVtwhBvKQCx8P0sTYUCqXoo/s320/Barre+Chord+Fm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434617172148760082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiPZI0WW7ZfURVBGKVah3HbJ2ykeHRefXJflng_gXc4QuCuA-RJPng0NCIaTHa98zTaavOe4_0XmQ0W7YKFRVl_K1idymtoNTz_vx-Ic8lc6ZYYw7eiz5JzmFr18R3zCVDwDkmTrHDMHr/s1600-h/Barre+Chord+Fm7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiPZI0WW7ZfURVBGKVah3HbJ2ykeHRefXJflng_gXc4QuCuA-RJPng0NCIaTHa98zTaavOe4_0XmQ0W7YKFRVl_K1idymtoNTz_vx-Ic8lc6ZYYw7eiz5JzmFr18R3zCVDwDkmTrHDMHr/s320/Barre+Chord+Fm7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434617169303122914" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Barre chord on the 5th string</span></span></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnQkntVmiXEs2dRXZQWNRPPDsvQJfiIixVWDjsSf5evE9PI202w8DvWcaNW_Ll5CETEw-WTFPzWL3XpcvZZpeKMbVSR-UD9DYsVxo_BCu0spT3E2YAxGyacyW4QP_l0gObmf-GVJK4h05/s1600-h/Barre+Chord+Bb.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnQkntVmiXEs2dRXZQWNRPPDsvQJfiIixVWDjsSf5evE9PI202w8DvWcaNW_Ll5CETEw-WTFPzWL3XpcvZZpeKMbVSR-UD9DYsVxo_BCu0spT3E2YAxGyacyW4QP_l0gObmf-GVJK4h05/s320/Barre+Chord+Bb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434616578098704258" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7eHCYJJ76F6zJEXRJmaCRe7vM2gNNbmj0fGQfZrxa3KgJnl5pI0n90h9OfTEzQeOjsQc1Vk2SamHxeC1AAgU7vNB1l-Jh876aj8jxkyI1W00ZkAb6EHPso_KCtSwJNT7Vre8WRtPhiT4/s1600-h/Barre+Chord+Bb7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7eHCYJJ76F6zJEXRJmaCRe7vM2gNNbmj0fGQfZrxa3KgJnl5pI0n90h9OfTEzQeOjsQc1Vk2SamHxeC1AAgU7vNB1l-Jh876aj8jxkyI1W00ZkAb6EHPso_KCtSwJNT7Vre8WRtPhiT4/s320/Barre+Chord+Bb7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434616570854199426" border="0" /></a></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMb4MghR1wAYZe50vVUoAVk1yc4_JY1-CE_txb-usOSFhHTFy_If2VrB4aez8iw6qpqDisxJO18fK6qGo1mp21bXoSWDiQj7HPr9HmId7ETe9UX167Te1vfaDUCr9TcBwpFGpfP1Hutsee/s1600-h/Barre+Chord+Bbm.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMb4MghR1wAYZe50vVUoAVk1yc4_JY1-CE_txb-usOSFhHTFy_If2VrB4aez8iw6qpqDisxJO18fK6qGo1mp21bXoSWDiQj7HPr9HmId7ETe9UX167Te1vfaDUCr9TcBwpFGpfP1Hutsee/s320/Barre+Chord+Bbm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434616587255706482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cN2ECVQPzjy1ZWbmGoGOM8hQJ6Qgd0ZceW9btJ87BJ4P3DpIQj9u4kDVpnA4hUdYA4b5f2uCp3EUGlp21UCmUcAmzJ4-P93bbjDIHbAWZRi4eqBS6nMY8TNyaSqbJwPzOQn4nUGR_3RQ/s1600-h/Barre+Chord+Bbm7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cN2ECVQPzjy1ZWbmGoGOM8hQJ6Qgd0ZceW9btJ87BJ4P3DpIQj9u4kDVpnA4hUdYA4b5f2uCp3EUGlp21UCmUcAmzJ4-P93bbjDIHbAWZRi4eqBS6nMY8TNyaSqbJwPzOQn4nUGR_3RQ/s320/Barre+Chord+Bbm7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434616582689335794" border="0" /></a></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Simply put, in order to play dominant 7th chord on the 6th string, you just have to take off your last finger. Yes, it’s that simple. So, take the F chord for example. To play a F7, you just have to play the F barre chord, minus the last finger. The same applies for all the other chords using the barre chord pattern.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">If you're using the barre chord on the 5th string, you play the standard barre chord and minus your ring finger. So the example above shows a Bb chord. To play the Bb7, just take off your ring finger. The same applies for all the other chords using the barre chord pattern.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Practically, you can use 7th chords to give the song a more jazzy feel (in my opinion). Go ahead, try to use some 7th chords in the songs you play. It will definitely add more flavour to your playing.<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p></span></p>Graham Choohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11529621308309696317noreply@blogger.com2