Guitar Lesson Four

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Guitar Lesson Four - Music

There are a lot of things that you can do to spice up your power chords. One of those ways is to move the notes around.

In this lesson, we're going to explore one of the ways that the pinky finger can be used to add "movement" to an otherwise "static" sounding chord progression.

Play the following progression using a steady rhythm of downstrokes:

This time, use your pinky to move the note on the D-string up two frets:

Alternating back and forth between the ring finger and the little finger creates a sort-of-lurching effect. If you throw in a little rhythmic variance, the possibilities are endless.

Here's Takin' Care Of Business by BTO:

Make sure you're looking at the note values for the rhythm and pitches. (I don't expect you to master this aspect real soon, but you gotta be working at it.)

Check it out: BTO

Now, when it comes to "wigglin' the pinky", the TRIPLET is a handy device for adding rhythmic drive to a basic chord progression.

In the Right Hand (opens in new window) section of this lesson, we discussed the fact that a triplet is used to play three notes in the space normally reserved for two.

In the Theory Part I (opens in new window) section of this lesson we discussed the fact that two eighth notes are equal in time to one quarter note.

An interesting and usefull sound can be acheived when we combine these two priciples.

Let's have a look:

The first measure is straight eighth notes (count: 1-&, 2-& etc...), and the second measure is eighth-note triplets (count: 1-trip-let, 2-trip-let etc...).

The third and fourth measures are also eighth-note triplets, but we combined the first two eighth notes of each group into quarter notes. When we do this, we get what is called SWING (if you play it fast) or SHUFFLE (if you play it slow).

Have a listen: Shuffle

The shuffle feel is the basis for the rhythm of countless blues and rock tunes.

Here's She Loves My Automobile by ZZ top:

Here's what it should sound like: ZZ Top

In the OPEN POSITION, you don't have to hold down the lowest note of your power chord (it's the open string), so you can hold the high note of the chord with your index and do the shuffle with your ring finger. This leaves your pinky free to do a common variation:

this variation can also be done in other positions on the neck, but the pinky really has to work at it. The easiest way to help the pinky, is to release the ring finger when the pinky has to make the three-fret reach. (You may have to do that for the two-fret reach in the lower positions, anyway.)

Here's AC/DC doing a variation on the variation in The Jack:

Listen to it: AC/DC

She's got the jack!

That's quite enough for this installment. There is a lot of information in this lesson, and a good portion of it you will probably have to review many times to make it clear.

Both the tuning section and the theory section are just the "tip of the iceberg", so it's essential that you understand the things covered there. We will be expanding on those ideas and concepts in the lessons ahead.

Good luck!

This lesson is divided into six parts:

Tuning

Theory Part I

Theory Part II

Technique - Left hand

Technique - Right hand

Music

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