A Fool with a Guitar
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, and good night to whomever, wherever, and whatever you are.
It has been a long time since we talked about music, so I have decided to make sure that by the end of this blog, you will know how to sing and play a song.
Previously, we talked about the grammar of music—music theory, the Sa Re Ga, the Do Re Mi, what tabs are, and what chords are. As an introduction, that was great, but now it is time to put one foot forward and take the next step.
Chords
A chord is created when you play multiple notes simultaneously. In the case of a guitar, we can play up to 6 notes at the same time. But the thing you need to remember is that we do not always have to play all 6 notes. Sometimes, the best sound is generated when we play just the right amount of notes together—that is, 3.
Let us take an example from our last blog:
C Major Chord
On a guitar, it’s played by placing your index finger on the 1st fret of the 2nd string, your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string, and your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the 5th string.
Note: On a guitar, frets are the horizontal spaces, and strings are counted from the 1st string (the thinnest) to the 6th string (the thickest).
Usually, to play a C chord, we gently rest our thumb against the 6th string without pressing it, so that the 6th string does not make any sound. Then we strum, meaning we play the bottom 5 strings.
Strum means sliding your other hand down across the strings.
As a beginner, this is the best thing you can do. It will build the necessary muscle strength in your fingers and improve your rhythm coordination. It is also the fastest way to play a song.
But just in case you are a fool like me, who likes to change things up for better results—or in this case, a better sound—you can try to play only 3 notes. You can pluck them all together, or play one, then the next, then the middle one. (In the guitar world, this magic is called fingerpicking).
For most songs, there are 4 chords played in a loop, with one or two different chords added in between.
Here are some examples of famous chord sets:
- G – D – Em – C (Pop Rock)
- C – G – Am – F (Most Common)
- D – A – Bm – G (Classic)
For the song I am going to teach you today, we will need this set: G – Em – C – D.
G Major Chord
To play the G chord: Place your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the 6th string, your index finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th string, and your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the 1st string. Strum all six strings for a full-sounding G major.
E Minor Chord (Em)
To play the Em chord: Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th string and your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string, leaving all other strings open. Strum all six strings to produce the E minor sound.
To play the C chord: We already mastered this one above!
D Major Chord
To play the D chord: Place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string, your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 1st string, and your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the 2nd string. Strum only the top four strings for a clear D major tone.
For the strumming pattern, you have to play your strumming hand down across the strings 4 times. Just think: Down - Down - Down - Down (or D-D-D-D).
Perfect by Ed Sheeran
Here is the first verse of the song Perfect by Ed Sheeran. Just play 4 Down-strums for every chord you see!
[Intro]
G
[Verse 1]
G Em
I found a love for me
C D
Darling, just dive right in, and follow my lead
G Em
Well, I found a girl beautiful and sweet
C D
I never knew you were the someone waiting for me
[Pre-Chorus]
G
Cause we were just kids when we fell in love
Em C G D
Not knowing what it was, I will not give you up this time
G Em
Darling just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own
C D
And in your eyes you're holding mine
[Chorus]
Em C G D Em
Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms
C G D Em
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favourite song
C G D Em
When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath
C G D G
But you heard it, darling you look perfect tonight
The fool will be back with more such curious topics. Follow the Instagram channel (@the_fools_inquiry) for timely updates.
Let me know if you want the PDF of the full song down in the comments section.
This fool takes his leave...