Index Bar chords Carey Chords explained Chords that are good to know Clocks El Condor Pasa Eleanor Rigby Finger picking First chords Give Peace a Chance Good Riddance Green Eyes Hey jude House of the Rising Sun I Hung My Head I.P.Ms. John B. Sails One Redemption Song Scarborough Fair Simple Twist of Fate Strums Teach Your Children Tom Dooley Tuning Wonderful Tonight Wonderwall 21 13 6 10 16 8 9 22 3 4 26 20 25 30 28 14 17 15 29 18 12 27 5 2 24 19 11 4 John Lennon - Give Peace A Chance (Two, one, two, three, four ): G Ev'rybody's talking about Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism This-ism, That-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m G D7 G All we are saying is give piece a chance, G D7 G All we are saying is give piece a chance G G C'mon : Ev'rybody's talking about ministers, Sinister, Banisters And canisters, Bishops, Fishops, Rabbis, and Pop eyes, Bye, bye, bye byes G D7 G All we are saying is give peace a chance, G D7 G All we are saying is give peace a chance D7 Let me tell you now: Ev'rybody's talking about Revoluton, evolution, masturbation, Flagellation, regulation, integrations, Meditations, United Nations, Congratulations G D7 G All we are saying is give peace a chance, G D7 G All we are saying is give peace a chance Ev'rybody's talking about John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary, Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan, Tommy Cooper, Derek Taylor, Norman Mailer, Allen Ginsberg, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna G D7 G All we are saying is give peace a chance, G D7 G All we are saying is give peace a chance keep repeating Strum D D D D or D D D U D U Chord structure ( theory) How does all this hang together, chords and melodies? G A basic chord consists of three notes. This is called a “Triad”. Mostly when you strum a chord on the guitar there are more notes , one per string, but thats because you have more than one of some. In a basic G chord there are , from bass to treble, the note G on the 6th string, third fret. Then you will get a B on the 5th, a D on the 4th, another G on the 3rd, a B again on the 2nd and yet another G on the 1st string. Fact is when you think of notes it often helps to thing of the piano keyboard layout to give you a visual aid. #= sharp, b= ﬂat The notes in our western scale are these: C C# ( or Db, depending on the scale , more on this soon), D , D# or Eb, E, F ( notice on the keyboard how there isnt a black key here. ), F# or Gb, G, G# or Ab, A, A# or Bb, and B. No black key (half step) between B and C either. Something that helps immensely is to ﬁgure out how to express the scale in half and whole steps. This will give you the template to a major scale , or minor. The C major scale looks like this: C D E F G A B C If you take away the C scale you end up with this: Only 7 of these make a scale. But it is which ones you use that determine the scale. A C-scale looks like this: C D E F G A B C and so on. All the white keys, in fact. Expressed in words then the Major scale template consists of : whole step, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. A whole step is the distance between C and D, a half step between C and C# Try to make your own scales by starting on any random note and follow the template. Heavy Stuff! Chord construction. The scale is what makes up a key. All the chords in a key contains only notes from the scale that make up that key. So the chords in the key of C are made up of notes from the C scale only. Each key has three Major chords and three minor chords. There is also a half diminished chord. This makes seven different chords, one for each of the notes in the scale. The note that gives the chord its name is called “the Root” . A C chord has C for a root. Each chord also contain a 3rd and a 5th. The 3rd determines whether its a Major or minor chord. ( In a Major chord there is a Major 3rd and in a minor a minor 3rd). If you add the third note from C in the scale you get the 3rd. This is the note E. ( C D E - one, two, three ). To ﬁgure out if its a Major or minor 3rd we have to count half steps; 1 for C, 2 for C#, 3 for D, 4 for D#, and 5 for E. This is a Major third, so the C being built is a Major chord. We add the 5th for a fuller sound- and that is it. The 5th is the G. ( CDEFG, 12345). No half steps needed here. To ﬁnd a chord with a minor 3rd we start on note 2 in the C scale, D. So the root is D and three up for the 3rd is F. Counting half steps between D and F goes like this; D is 1, D# is 2, E is 3, F is 4. So only four steps to the 3rd here. D is therefore a minor chord. We add the 5th, A and we have a Dm ( D minor). Going through the scale like this will yield C, Dm, Em, F, G ,Am, and Bmb5. Bmb5 is the mystery chord called a half diminished chord. The way it works is that usually the 5th is the eight half step from the root, but in this case it is the seventh. So we end up with a diminished 5th. Hence Bmb5. Chord “template”: C = Major Dm = minor Em = minor F = Major G = Major Am = minor Bmb5= minor ﬂat 5 So substitute another scale for the C scale and you will get an entirely different list of chords; Major minor minor Major Major minor minor ﬂat 5 Now you also might notice where the famous expression ”three chord song” comes from. You get this by using only the Major chords in any key, known as I, IV, V. ( one four ﬁve) El Condor Pasa ( If I could) |Em | |G | I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail. | | | | Yes I would. If I could, | Em | I surely would. |Em | |G | I'd rather be a hammer than a nail. | | | | Yes I would. If I only could, |Em | I surely would. Simon and Garfunkel Em G CHORUS |C | | | Away, I'd rather sail away |G | | | Like a swan that's here and gone |C | | | A man gets tied up to the ground |G | | | He gives the world Its saddest sound, |Em | | | || Its saddest sound. A- a- a- ah… 2 I'd rather be a forest than a street. Yes I would. If I could, I surely would. I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet, Yes I would. If I only could, I surely would. CHORUS C A couple of strums! The rule is to strum in the direction of the beat. The down beat ( which is when a tapping foot hits the ﬂoor) should be strummed downwards. You will hit the bass strings ﬁrst on a downbeat. The up beat ( which is when a tapping foot is at its furthest from the ﬂoor) is then strummed as an up strum, where you will hit the treble strings ﬁrst. When one is using a pick this is fairly simple, just touch the pick to the strings and move your hand up and down. With some small wrist adjustments this should come fairly easily. Without a pick the choices arent as obvious. One can strum down on the back of ones ﬁngers, mostly with the nails, and then up just using the back of the thumb. This works ﬁne as well. Its simplest to strum on the beats. But strumming just on the down beats, down down down down etc... gets boring so using the up beat is the way to ﬁx that. You can strum on all the upbeats too and that is fairly interesting. Even more interesting is when you leave a few up strums out here and there. This pattern; D DUDUDU leaves the ﬁrst up beat out. That way you can really hear beat one in every bar quite well. Strum: D D U D U D U There are many other combinations you can strum that are similar by taking out other up strums. D D D DU is one that is quite simple, but if you do it fast it is nevertheless exciting. Combine different versions to make two bar patterns too! A way that is a little more difﬁcult, it turns out , is to leave out a down strum. This following example leaves out the strum on the third beat. You have to keep your right hand moving though because next is an up strum. If you need to, tap the guitar lightly below the strings on the third beat to bring your hand down wards. By the way: Ive called the strum D D U U D U strumming hand the right and fretting hand left, which would be all wrong if youre left handed. I know this is probably bad, but it makes the point more quickly than having to interject every time something like; “or the left hand if youre a left handed player”. My apologies. The chord in the ﬁrst strum is a Dm, the second a G. A word on I.P.Ms I.P.M. stands for “intense practice moments”. Ive completely made this up for the beneﬁt of ﬁnding time and space to practice. When one is learning the guitar, or just about anything, there are things that have to be practiced over and over to seem to get better. This is problematic and sometimes quite boring. You know, to play a song you have to be able to get from the chord G to the chord C relatively quickly as not to break the momentum and maybe sing on top of it all. This isnt just going to happen without some hard work. But if you spent and I.P.M. doing this every day for a week , or twice a day or whatever you can muster, then , yes, you can swap back and forth between G and C very well thank you. An I.P.M. should be 2 minutes by the way. Or whatever you decide. A commercial break when youre watching T.V. Make a list of things you need to practice, say: 1) G change to C 2) strum D D U U D U 3) learn A minor (Am) There , you have 3 I.P.Ms. Do them every day and youll see that you get better. Another tool is to use “ﬂash cards” for chords. Write the name of the chord on one side and then draw the ﬁngering ( chord diagram) on the other side. When you have a few you can just randomly select two or three and then spend an I.P.M. practicing your new chord progression. Mostly though; HAVE FUN! Redemption song Bob Marley |G | Em | G Em Old pirates yes they rob I C | Am | Sold I to the merchant ships G | Em | Minutes after they took I C |D Am from the bottomless pit |G | Em | But my hand was made strong C | Am | By the hand of the almighty G | Em | We forward in this generation C |D | triumphantly |G |C D |G Won't you help to sing these songs of freedom | C D | Em |C D |G |C D |G | Cause all I ever had redemption songs, redemption songs Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery None but ourselves can free our minds Have no fear for atomic energy Cause none of them can stop the time How long shall they kill our prophets While we stand aside and look Some say it's just a part of it We've got to fulfill the book* strum D D U U D U C D Clocks Coldplay Em D Am (2) Lights go out and I can't be saved, tides that I tried to swim against Em D Am (2) Brought me down upon my knees, oh I beg I beg and plead -singing Em D Am (2) Come out of the things unsaid, shoot an apple off my head - and a Em D Am (2) trouble that can't be named, tigers waiting to be tamed - singing w/Piano Riff: D Am (2) ye hooooooooh Em aahh D Am (2) ye hooooooooh D Em aahh w/Piano Riff: / D - - - / Am - - - / - - - - / Em - - - / (x2) D Am (2) Em Confusion never stops, closing walls and ticking clocks - gonna Em D Am (2) come back and take you home, I could not stop the tune now known - singing Em D Am (2) Come out upon my seas, curse missed opportunities - am I Em D Am (2) a part of the cure, or am I a part of the disease? - singing w/Piano Riff: D Am (2) ye hooooooooh Em aahh D Am (2) ye hooooooooh Em aahh Em w/High Piano Riff: / D - - - / Am - - - / - - - - / Em - - - / (x2) w/High Piano Riff: Em D Am (2) ye hooooooooh aahh D Am (2) ye hooooooooh Em aahh Bridge: Fmaj7 (2) C G and nothing else compares C G Fmaj7 (2) oh nothing else compares C G Fmaj7 (2) and nothing else compares Fmaj7 F (4) Piano Riff x2 F w/High Piano Riff: / D - - - / Am - - - / - - - - / Em - - - / (x2) w/High Piano Riff: D Am (2) ye hooooooooh Em aahh D Am (2) ye hooooooooh w/High Piano Riff: D Home, D Home, D Home, D Home, Am (2) home, where Am (2) home, where Am (2) home, where Am (2) home, where High Piano Riff x2 Em I wanted to go Em I wanted to go Em I wanted to go Em I wanted to go End on D Am Em aahh Bob Dylan 18 SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE |D | They sat together in the park |Dmaj7 | As the evening sky grew dark |D7 | She looked at him and he felt a spark |G/B | Tingle to his bones |Gm | 'Twas then he felt alone |D | G/B | And wished that he'd gone straight D |Asus4 |D | And watched out for a simple twist of fate 4 He woke up, the room was bare He didn't see her anywhere He told himself he didn't care Pushed the window open wide Felt an emptiness inside To which he just could not relate Brought on by his simple twist of fate | 2 They walked along the old canal A little confused, I remember well And stopped into a strange hotel With the neon burning bright He felt the heat of the night Hit him like a freight Train moving with a simple twist of fate 6 People tell me its a sin To know and feel too much within I still believe she was my twin But I lost the ring She was born in spring But I was born too late Blame it on a simple twist of fate 3 A saxaphone someplace far off played As she was walking down by the arcade As the light burst through a beat up shade Where he was waking up She dropped a coin into the cup Of a blind man at the gate And forgot about a simple twist of fate D Dmaj7 Strum: D D U D U D U D7 5 He hears the ticking of the clocks And walks along with a parrot that talks Hunts her down by the waterfront docks Were the saliors all come in Maybe she'll pick him out again How long must he wait? One more time for his simple twist of fate G/B Gm A7 Green Eyes Coldplay verse A E Bm change mid measure: A E Bm Honey you are a rock Upon which I stand A E Bm And I come here to talk Bm The green eyes Bm And how could A E Bm I hope you understand D A E Yeah the spotlight Shines upon you D A E Anybody Deny you Bm D I came here with a load A G And it feels so much lighhhh..ter D Now I met you Bm D A G Honey you should know That I could never go .... on D Bm Without you Green eyes verse Honey you are the sea And I came here to talk Upon which I float I think you should know Bm D A E That green eyes You're the one that I wanted to fi.......nd Bm D A E And anyone who tried to deny you, Must be out of their mi......nd Bm D Because I came here with a load D since I met you A G And it feels so much lighhhh..ter Bm D A G And Honey you should know That I could never go .... on Bm A Bm Green eyes, green eyes, ohohoh... ohohoh... ohohoh... A E Bm Honey you are a rock A E Bm Upon which I stand. Strum : D DU UDU (with “swing” feel) A E Bm D D Without you Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton pick; T, i, m, a G D Its late in the evening C D Shes wondering what clothes to wear G D She puts on her make up C D And brushes her long blonde hair C D G Em And then she asks me Do I look alright C D G And I say yes, you look wonderful tonight 2 We go a party And everyone turns to see This beautiful lady Thats walking around with me And then she asks me Do you feel alright And I say yes, I feel wonderful tonight C I feel wonderful D G Em Because I see the love light in your eyes C D And the wonder of it all C D Is that you just dont realize G How much I love you Melody riff: G D C Em 3 Its time to go home now And Ive got an aching head So I give her the car keys She helps me to bed And then I tell her As I turn out the light I say my darling, you were wonderful tonight Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight Hey Jude 4/4 : strum down 8 times per bar |G | |D | | | |G Hey Jude, don't make it bad Take a sad song and make it better |C | |G | |D | |G Remember to let her into your heart Then you can start to make it better | | |D | | | |G | Hey Jude, don't be afraid You were made to go out and get her |C | |G | |D | |G | The minute you let her under your skin Then you begin to make it better | | |C | / | And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain | |D | |G | Don't carry the world upon your shoulders | |C | / | For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool | |D | |G | By making his world a little colder | | D | | Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah | | | G etc…. Hey Jude, don't let me down You have found her, now go and get her Remember to let her into your heart Then you can start to make it better So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin You're waiting for someone to perform with And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do The movement you need is on your shoulder Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah yeah Hey Jude, don't make it bad Take a sad song and make it better Remember to let her under your skin Then you'll begin to make it Better better better better better better, oh | |_ Nah nah nah nah nah nah, G D C | _ |G nah nah nah, hey Jude G7 C/B Am7 | (repeat and fade) F Dsus4 The Circle of 5ths C F G Bb D A Eb Ab E Db B F# Major scale template