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Excerpt from: Watt About Guitar, Chords 1
Order online at: www.wattaboutguitar.com
CONTENTS : Chord Book 1
2
page
Introduction, Using a Capo
Fingering Terminology, Diagram of Hands, Fingerstyle, Holding a Plectrum
Useful Gadgets: Metronome, Capo, Electronic guitar tuner
1
4
4
Chapter 1
Reading Chord Diagrams
Diagram of Guitar Fretboard and E major chord
5
Chapter 2
Playing Rhythm Guitar : Strumming and Picking
1a
STRUMMING
4 beats per bar
↓↓↓↓
1b-d Brother John
chord symbols above words ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ low-high-low-high
2a-d London’s Burning
3 beats per bar
↓ ↓ ↓ low-high-high
3a-d PICKING
Diagram of Right Hand Position
p i m a and p i m am i
6
6
7
8
Chapter 3
Chords in the key of E : E E7 A B7
4a-d Changing chords
Common Chord progressions in the key of E
5
Amazing Grace
↓ ↓ ↓ or p i m a m i
6a
Camp-Fire Song
Two chords sharing a bar
123
1+2+3+
6b
Happy Birthday
7
The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wim-o-weh)
↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓ up-down-up-down-up…
8
Silent Night
↓ ↓↑↓
down-down-up-down
Oh When the Saints
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓ down-down-up–up-down
9
10
Old McDonald had a Bike
strum: ↓ ↓ or: ↓↑↓
a
11a
For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,
strum: ↓ ↓ ↓
or: p i m
11b
The Bear Went Over the Mountain
123
↓↑↓
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
13
13
13
Chapter 4
Chords in the key of A : A A7 D E7
13
Amazing Grace
Chord Progressions in the key of A
14
Silent Night
↓ ↓↑ ↓
a
15
Joy to the World
pimi
16a,b Jolly Good Fellow, The Bear Went over the Mountain (story continued)
17
Waltzing Matilda
strum: ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ 1 + 2 +
18
Oh When the Saints
19
Hansie Slim
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑ or ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
20
Banks of the Ohio
1 2+ +4+ or for chord change
14
14
15
15
16
17
17
17
Chapter 5
Chords in the key of D : D G A7
22
Amazing Grace
Chord Progressions in the key of D
Joy to the World
23
Oh When the Saints
24
25
Jingle Bells
26
Banks of the Ohio
27a,b Jolly Good Fellow, The Bear Went over the Mountain (story continued)
28
Old McDonald had a Farm
29
Away in a Manger
pimami
3 beats
Hansie Slim
30
31a,b Ode to Joy
in D and A
p i m i a i m i 4 beats
18
18
19
19
19
20
20
21
21
21
Copyright © Rhona Watts, 2006. All rights reserved
3
Chapter 6
Chords in the key of G : G C D7
33
2 Bar Riff in G
Chord Progressions in the key of G
34
Gotta Travel On
35
Ode to Joy
36
Watch out for that Car
37
We Wish you a Merry Christmas
38
The Star Spangled Banner
22
22
23
23
23
23
Chapter 7
Chords in the key of Am : Am Dm E7
39
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
a a
40
Scarborough Fair
pick: p i m i m i
24
24
Chapter 8
Chords in the key of Em : Em Am B7
41
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Scarborough Fair
42
43
House of the Rising Sun
6/8 time
44
Greensleeves
45a,b What shall we do with a Drunken Sailor? In Em and Dm
25
25
26
27
27
Chapter 9
Chords in the key of C : C F G7
46
Auld Lang Syne
47
Aura Lee
28
28
pimapima
pimiaimi
Chapter 10 Chords Using only 4 Strings: Fm F♯m F♯7 G♯m Bm C♯m B♭
48
National Anthem of South Africa (Nkosi Sikeleli and Die Stem)
29
Appendix:
Reading Music (from Lesson Book 1, Chapter 2)
Reading the Pitch of a Note E G B D F; F A C E.
We Wish you a Merry Christmas
30
30
Basic Strums and Picks
Basic Strums and Picks in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time
31
Common Chord Progressions
Common Chord Progressions in the keys of G, D, A, E, Am, Em and C
32
Chart of Guitar Chords
33
Chart of Notes on the Guitar to 5th fret and Simple Guitar Chords
34
Note to Pupils Speed only comes with practice, perseverance and patience! Take it slowly;
practice regularly; and speed will come.” Initially only play for ten to fifteen minutes at a time
or you will get very sore fingers. As your finger muscles develop you can increase this to half an
hour, and later to longer periods – as long as you feel comfortable. When your hand is sore, stop
and rest it for a bit before continuing.
Watt About Guitar, Lesson Books teach you to read music and play lead, rhythm and bass,
plectrum and fingerstyle, blues, country, modern, classical and Spanish Guitar. They include
songs to play, CD’s, written exercises and music theory, covering scales, transposition, chord
construction, etc… in fact everything to do with guitar playing, organized into a systematic
syllabus to take you from absolute beginner to guitar master!
Copyright © Rhona Watts, 2006. All rights reserved