Hiya guys, and welcome to this lesson for my chord sequences for level 1 of my beginner's course, using the chords E and A.
And this is ideal just to do before you have a go at the songs, because the songs for this level...there's always gonna be something...
that is a little bit song-specific or new to you and these are perfect just to make sure we got the skills under your belt before you have a go....
at playing along to the record or having a go at full-length songs.
So, the first chord sequence we're going to go for is really similar, pretty much the same, as the first song we're going to go for....
but this is, as I say, just taking it out of the song context and getting the skills first.
So all this is, is a bar of E and a bar of A, along to the beat...just strumming '1...2....3....4'.
And that is very similar to Buffalo Springfield and 'For What It's Worth'.
So, here's our E Major chord and we're going to strum on the beat '1....2....3....4', and then change to our A chord....
which we practised changing earlier. And then again strum '1....2...3...4'.
But it's really crucial that whatever speed you're strumming at remains consistent throughout.
If you have to do things a little slower at first, that's fine.
But what we wanna avoid is kinda going '1..2...3...4' and then a pause for the change and then again strumming really fast...
you know, '1..2'..3.4'.
We wanna slow everything down but keep it even, so that the rhythm is consistent.
Kinda like a bit faster than a ticking clock is what we're looking for.
So just as a demo, up to speed, of what we're looking for.
And then we just do it in a loop. '1...2...3....4', [chord change], '1....2.....3....4'.
So that's what we're gonna go for now, though we'll do it a little bit slower than that to give everyone a chance.
If it takes you a few attempts, that's totally cool. That's the idea of practising, which is what we're gonna be looking at in a later lesson....
just in a sec. But let's have a go at this now. So starting on that E chord. If you need a pause and have a go yourself, feel free to do so.
But sometimes it's easier playing along to me, so whichever your preference is.
Bar of E and a bar of A...in...1...2...3...4.
'E....2....3....4'.
'A...2...3......Back to E...'
'E...2....3...4'
'1....2....3...'.
Keep it going. E...2...3....4.
'1...2...3...'.
And pause there but finish, ideally, on the E.
So, to make things sound finished, it sounds great if you go back to that first chord and just give it one final strum.
It sort of finishes everything off nicely.
You can probably tell by now that this 'anchor finger' idea will help you, but you need a really good solid change before we can kinda....
keep the rhythm even. So that is your task now with the changes themselves, to make those good enough and then try and add....
the strumming on top.
The second recommended chord sequence is two bars of E and two bars of A.
So that might seem really, really similar. But that's the idea of pop songs in general. They use very similar, or even the same, chords....
but it's the lyrics over the top that make it different.
And this chord sequence is really similar to a song called 'Silence is Easy' by Starsailor, which was....
from a few years ago. You know, some people will have heard of it, some people won't.
Let's get this skill under our belt with the knowledge that this is a real song that we're going for, ok?
So this is two bars of E, then two bars of A. So this sounds like '....3.....4....and again...2...3...4'. Then an A. Keeping the rhythm even.
Keeping that strumming action going. And we just loop that, ok?
So, let's have a go at that now. And we'll slow it down a little bit to give everyone an opportunity but this one could be a little bit faster if you....
got used to it, ok?
But again, keep it even. So ready in....2...3....4.
1....2...3.....4. Two, then change to the A. 'A..2...3...4'. '1...2...back to E'.
'E...2..3...4', '1...2...'. Then to A. 'A...2...3..4'.
Last time. Back to the E. 'E...2..3...4', '1...2...'.
And then A. '...2...3...4'. '1..2..'. Finish on E. One strum of an E.
And that's our second chord sequence which, as I say, you can treat as a real song as well.
This final chord sequence is very similar to my easier beginner's version of 'Love Me Do' by The Beatles....
which I think pretty much everyone should have heard of, at least at some point.
That is familiar with at least some pop music anyway.
So, this is two beats of the E chord, and then two beats of A. So it's a shorter sequence.
It's just similar to that song. It's not exactly the same. As I say, I've changed this to make it appropriate for everyone.
So this ...goes like this.
So we have '1...2 [chord change]..3....4'.
And we can tell that changing much sooner really changes the feel of the chord sequence altogether.
It makes it more interesting to play, but it's a bit more difficult as well.
Again, we're wanting this a bit more up-tempo eventually but let's start off nice and slow.
Join in at home if you think that's possible. If not, just have a watch and then rewind it and have a go. Or even pause it and then have a go...
yourself. Anything's all good, don't worry about it. From that E chord in 2...3...4.
'E...E...then A'. So quick change.
'1...2.. [chord change]...3....4'.
'E....E.....A...A'.
'1...2...[chord change]..3...4'.
Keep that going a little bit longer.
If you've had to stop, just join in from another E. Like in...3...4...E...2...[chord change] 3...4'.
'1...2....end on E'.
Great stuff. So that last one is certainly the most trickiest but if you've had a go at each of those now, we've had a bit of prep before...
you have a go at these songs. So that's ideal.
And that'll be all explained to you in the last lesson of this level, which is the practice routine and recommended songs.
Remember the songs are all only available on the website at andyguitar.co.uk.
So I'll either see you in the practice routine in the next lesson or in one of those songs lessons.
See you in one of those. Bye for now.