Lesson 1: Flatpicking
Rhythm
“Playing Open Chords, Strumming and Keeping
Rhythm.”
Prelude
Playing “Rhythm Guitar” is an art form.
The rhythm guitar keeps the timing, drive and mood of each song. I don’t think that there is a more important
role in a band than a great rhythm guitarist.
Listen to Jean-Baptiste "Django"
Reinhardt’s back up rhythm
guitarists, The
Flat picks (Plectrum)
Dunlap,
as well as other manufacturers of fine guitar picks can be purchased at your
local music store. I strongly suggest
that you use a Dunlap ULTEX 1.0 or something similar size and thickness for
playing the acoustic guitar.
Introduction
In the first lesson, you will learn how to play the open chords properly. We will be working with the following chords: A, B7, C, D, E, F and G. You can get a quick visual picture of how to play these chords by clicking here: Chord Chart Diagrams. Open chords are chords that are not barred (use Google if you do not understand what a barre chord is and how it is played on the guitar). You may have been playing the guitar for a long time never realizing that some chords are fingered different ways. Please play them the way that I suggest so that you can follow my instructions in the future.
Tablature
I have created tablature for each chord. This tablature will show
you how to play each chord and what strings to play for each chord. That is, picking an individual note/string followed by struming down on the last 4 strings (4, 3, 2, 1). If you have not had any experience working with
tablature, it is a method using numbers and letters to play music. Hopefully, I can make this method enjoyable and easy for you to learn.
Exercises:
I have created individual exercises for each chord that I want you to learn. I want
you to spend time with each individual chord and learn how to play patterns
that are unique to each chord. Work with each of the chords until you are
comfortable playing the chord’s bass and rhythm. Don't rush. It's critical
that you spend as much time as you need getting comfortable with the patterns
for playing each chord.
As you begin keep in mind the following things:
1. Each and every exercise begins with the bass notes for each chord. These
bass notes are played using your pick (plectrum) and all of the notes and
strums are on the down stroke.
2. Your fingers will be playing the chord position while the left hand are playing these exercises (pick a note/string and strum down on the last 4 strings).
Now it's time to have some fun and start practicing! Go through each chord, and
spend as much time as you need to get comfortable playing the patterns. This is
not a race! For some players, learning the patterns might take 10 minutes, and
for others this might take weeks. Just
take your time, learn the patterns, and have fun.
Note: *** To play the F chord, "T" is the symbol for thumb. This is a difficult chord to play
and it will take awhile for you to master it.
Please Be Patient!
Note: *** To play the G chord, please play it exactly the way it is listed on
the “Chord Chart” diagram…very important!
CHORD FINGERING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ON EACH CHORD. Finger numbers begining with your thumb are T, 1, 2, 3, 4
A. 1, 2, 3
B7. 1, 2, 3, 4
C. 3, 2, 1
D. 1, 3, 2
E. 2, 3, 1
F. T, leave the 5th string open, 3, 2, 1
G. 3, 2, 4
The tablature and exercises for each chord:
A CHORD ... Pluck the 5th string and strum down, pluck the 6th string and strum down.
B7 CHORD... Pluck the 5th string and strum down, pluck the 6th string 2nd fret and strum down.
C CHORD ... Pluck the 5th string and strum down, pluck the 6th string 3rd fret and strum down.
D CHORD ... Pluck the 4th string and strum down, pluck the 5th string and strum down.
E CHORD ... Pluck the 5th string and strum down, pluck the 6th string and strum down.
F CHORD ... Pluck the 6th string and strum down, pluck the 4th string and strum down.
G CHORD ... Pluck the 6th string and strum down, pluck the 4th string and strum down.
*** After you have accomplished these excercises proficiently, try to change chords without losing a beat between the changes. Not easy is it? Keep going until you can accomplish this feat, then try to play a simple song all the way through.