Unit 6: Tablature and the A Chord

Tablature is one of the oldest systems of music notation. It's easy to learn, and it's quite helpful to guitarists who do not read standard notation. Tablature does have two major flaws- One, there is no rhythm indication. One has to be familiar with the tune in order for the Tab to make any sense. Two, the Tab doesn't suggest a logical fingering to play the piece, only what fret the correct notes appear on.

In this lesson, I explain how tablature works. To summarize:
Tablature is a graphical representation of the strings on the guitar. As there are 6 strings, a staff of tablature has 6 lines. The lowest line is the Low E string, the highest line is the high E string. The notation to play one of these strings (open strings) would be a O on one of the lines. The following example is Tablature for playing the low E string 3 times followed by the A string 3 times:

---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
----------0-0-0
----0-0-0------

In order to indicate a fret number rather than an open string, a fret number appears on the line. Like this G Major scale:

-------------------
-------------------
-------------------
--------------2-4-5
--------2-3-5------
----3-5------------

The homework assignment on this topic is for students to go online, or to a guitar magazine, music store, friend, etc. and find some tablature to a song. Bring the song to class and play a portion of it for us.

I will pass out a lead sheet in class for the Beatles song "Twist and Shout" with the main guitar riff written out in tab to reinforce the tablature lecture. Students are expected to be able to play the main riff by next class.

Twist and Shout is a I, IV, V progression in the key of A, so we need to learn how to spell (and play) an A chord. This is included in the lesson as well.

Unit 5: 5th Chords

How appropriate that our 5th meeting is a discussion of 5th chords- and some practice of "Love me Do" and "Saving Grace".

At the end of "Saving Grace", the guitarist plays the I,IV,V chord progression as 5th chords- AKA power chords. They have no third, so therefore have no tonality (Not major or minor)The notation looks like this C5,F5,G5 instead of C,F,G.

The F chord is in the first fret, and I illustrate how the F major voicing they learned last week fits on top of the Root and the Fifth of the F5 chord. Together, they form a complete 6 string voicing.

We play a bunch od classic 5th chord tunes too- Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, and Iron Man by Black Sabbath.

Unit 4: The F Chord

This chord is a beast to new players. The traditional voicing that appears in all the guitar instruction books involves holding down the first fret on the B and E strings at the same time. They call this a barre. It's hard for beginners to do this, so I don't require it- that's right.

Armed with the knowledge of chord theory, we diagram and spell the F chord and discover that the F note (root) is doubled in this voicing. One of the F's can be eliminated! This makes for greater comfort, and warm fuzzys about putting theory to good use.

The song that reinforced the F chord is "Saving Grace" by the Cranberries.

Another concept that comes up in Saving Grace is the use of the F chord as a G chord. Yes that's right. Since the F chord doesn't use open strings, we can slide it up a whole step and it becomes a G chord. If we went up another whole step it would be an A chord. Cool right?
Here's an example of me playing C,F and G (in the new position). It's the same chord progression to "Saving Grace", and lots of other songs- "La Bamba" for example.

Unit 3: Three Chords and a Chart

Today (after the quiz) I draw chord diagrams on the board for two chords: G and C. First we spell them G=GBD and C=CEG. Then we diagram them using finger numbers and a chord frame, then we play them. Beginners need only play the root (but with the correct finger) More advanced players in the class can play these voicings in other positions on the guitar.

Next, I pass out the chart to "Love Me Do" by the Beatles. The entire first half of the song can be played with these two chords. The diagrams on the board appear in the chart along with some new stuff- like music notation. Concepts covered in order to read the chart-Key signature, time signature, clef, barlines, measures, beats, repeat signs, first and second endings.

Armed with this knowledge, its time to practice to get ready for your first performance! Don't worry, you have a few classes to practice.