Beginner Guitar Lesson #5 - Minor Chords

Hey! Today, we're gonna learn some minor chords. Minor chords lend a sad or melancholy feeling to music, and major chords are more "happy". That is the major difference between them. So if you're trying to play some ballads, expect more minor than major chords. Major and minor chords are constructed in the same way, except that in minor chords third or middle note of the chord is flattened.

I will now give tab for the A minor chord.

E||------0-------|
B||------1-------|
G||------2-------|
D||------2-------|
A||------0-------|
E||------x-------|

The A minor chord is constructed of the notes A, C and E.
Now try first to play A major, than A minor chord. Feel the difference between the two chords.

Exercise for the A minor chord.

E||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
B||--1---1---1---1--|--1---1---1---1--|
G||--2---2---2---2--|--2---2---2---2--|
D||--2---2---2---2--|--2---2---2---2--|
A||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
E||--x---x---x---x--|--x---x---x---x--|

I will now give you tab for the E minor chord. This is the easiest one to play it and it sounds beautiful.

E||------0-------|
B||------0-------|
G||------0-------|
D||------2-------|
A||------2-------|
E||------0-------|

The E minor chord contains notes E, G and B. Now try first to play E major, than E minor chord. Feel the difference between these the two chords.

Exercise for the E minor chord.

E||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
B||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
G||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
D||--2---2---2---2--|--2---2---2---2--|
A||--2---2---2---2--|--2---2---2---2--|
E||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|

Now, it is time for you to get on the next step. You will now try the following turnaround progression. A turnaround progression is a sequence of chords that can be continually repeated due to "strong" sounding chord movement between the ending and starting chords. Try it!

     D                 G
E||--2---2---2---2--|--3---3---3---3--|
B||--3---3---3---3--|--0---0---0---0--|
G||--2---2---2---2--|--0---0---0---0--|
D||--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
A||--x---x---x---x--|--2---2---2---2--|
E||--x---x---x---x--|--3---3---3---3--|

     Em                A
 |--0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
 |--0---0---0---0--|--2---2---2---2--|
 |--0---0---0---0--|--2---2---2---2--|
 |--2---2---2---2--|--2---2---2---2--|
 |--2---2---2---2--|--0---0---0---0--|
 |--0---0---0---0--|--x---x---x---x--|

Another strong sounding chord change (D to G) resolves the progression back to its starting point.

     G                 Am
E||--3---3---3---3--|--0---0---0---0--|
B||--0---0---0---0--|--1---1---1---1--|
G||--0---0---0---0--|--2---2---2---2--|
D||--0---0---0---0--|--2---2---2---2--|
A||--2---2---2---2--|--0---0---0---0--|
E||--3---3---3---3--|--x---x---x---x--|

     C                 D
 |--0---0---0---0--|--2---2---2---2--|
 |--1---1---1---1--|--3---3---3---3--|
 |--0---0---0---0--|--2---2---2---2--|
 |--2---2---2---2--|--0---0---0---0--|
 |--3---3---3---3--|--x---x---x---x--|
 |--x---x---x---x--|--x---x---x---x--|

Now, play these fifth string notes with a down / up picking motion.

Down / up picking:  ▼    ▲     ▼    ▲
Down  Up   Down  Up

    E||--------------|--------------|
    B||--------------|--------------|
    G||--------------|--------------|
    D||--------------|--------------|
    A||--0--0--2--2--|--3--3--2--2--|
    E||--------------|--------------|

Count     1  3  2  4     1  3  2  4
Fingering none  2  2     3  3  2  2

Make sure to visit Jamorama, they have great jam tracks for this exercises.

Keep rockin',
Mike

Beginner Guitar Lesson #2 - Guitar Tablature

Happy New Year! This is the year of your guitar success, so lets do some work here. I'm glad that you're still reading my blog. It's gonna worth it for sure. Today I'm gonna learn you about the thing called tablature. Ok, lets do it!
Guitar tablature consists of a series of a horizontal lines forming a staff (or stave) similar to standard notation. Each line represents one of the instrument's strings. Therefore standard guitar tab has six-line staff. Top line of the tablature represents the highest-pitched string (e) of the guitar. You can find many guitar tab notation on internet for any song that you want to learn to play. Tablature is much easier way to figure what should you play, because it indicates where your fingers should be placed. Traditional music notation is much harder to learn. Even if its easier to learn guitar tab, it still has its sticky points. For example, you can't easily indicate rhythm on tablature. You have to learn strum from the song itself.
Here is guitar tab example for 2 chords.

E||----0---------2----|
B||----2---------3----|
G||----2---------2----|
D||----2---------0----|
A||----0---------x----|
E||----x---------x----|

First row is A major, and second is D major chord.

You need to practice strumming the A major and the D major chords to the following down stroke pattern. Strum 4 down strokes over the A major chord, and then 4 down strokes over the D major chord. Then you have to repeat it all over again. This exercise should make you getting a smooth change between the 2 chords, so that whole piece flows and is in time.
I recommend you to check out Jamorama. They have great jam tracks for exercise.

Chord  A       D       A       D
Stroke ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
Count  1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 

Remember it will not sound so good at the first time, that is why you need to practice and to be patient. Always have that on your mind, P&P (Practice & Patience). :)

Keep rockin',
Mike

Welcome to Beginner Guitar Lessons!

This blog is created for every guitar enthusiast who wants to learn how to play the guitar easily and with fun. My name is Mike Nax, and I have been playing guitar for over 15 years and teaching for more than 7. This has been my hobby and my passion and the time has come to pass on knowledge I have gained and give back to this beautiful world of music.

On "Beginner Guitar Lessons" you will learn everything from tunning your guitar, to playing like Jimi Hendrix. I will give you more than 10 lessons which will be useful for every beginner. These lessons will be simple and easy to understand for anyone. Feel free to leave a comment, and come back every week for new lessons, tips and powerful tricks - and in no time you can be a superstar in your neighbourhood and I'll even teach you how to start your own band.

Keep rockin',
Mike