In this episode I go over a new type of strumming pattern. This one adds bass notes to the chords and gives you some more polished, professional sounds than the more basic patterns we’ve done in earlier episodes.

Hold down a G chord with your left hand. Bass note is on the 6th string.

|----3--3--3--|
|----0--0--0--|
|----0--0--0--|
|----0--0--0--|
|-------------|
|-3-----------|

Hold a G chord for the first measure and a C chord for the second measure. Bass note for a C chord is on the 5th string.

|----3--3--3--|----0--0--0--|
|----0--0--0--|----1--1--1--|
|----0--0--0--|----0--0--0--|
|----0--0--0--|----2--2--2--|
|-------------|-3-----------|
|-3-----------|-------------|

Bass, chord, bass, chord pattern

|----3-----3--|----0-----0--|
|----0-----0--|----1-----1--|
|----0-----0--|----0-----0--|
|----0-----0--|----2-----2--|
|-------------|-3-----3-----|
|-3-----3-----|-------------|

The “cowboy” rhythm pattern

|----3--3--|
|----0--0--|
|----0--0--|
|----0--0--|
|----------|
|-3--------|

Bass, chord, alternate bass, chord pattern. The alternate bass for a G chord is on the 4th string.

|----3-----3--|
|----0-----0--|
|----0-----0--|
|----0--0--0--|
|-------------|
|-3-----------|

How to do alternate bass with a cowboy rhythm

|----3--3--|----3--3--|
|----0--0--|----0--0--|
|----0--0--|----0--0--|
|----0--0--|-0--0--0--|
|----------|----------|
|-3--------|----------|

Adding a quick upstroke on the “and” between the 2nd and 3rd beat
|----3-3----3-3-|
|----0-3----0-3-|
|----0------0---|
|----0---0--0---|
|---------------|
|-3-------------|

Adding a quick upstroke to the cowboy pattern

|----3--3-3-|----3--3-3-|
|----0--0-0-|----0--0-0-|
|----0--0---|----0--0---|
|----0--0---|-0--0--0---|
|-----------|-----------|
|-3---------|-----------|

The alternate bass note for a D chord is on the 5th string

|----2-----2--|
|----3-----3--|
|----2-----2--|
|-0-----------|
|-------0-----|
|-------------|

D chord cowboy pattern with alternating bass

|----2--2--|----2--2--|
|----3--3--|----3--3--|
|----2--2--|----2--2--|
|-0--------|----------|
|----------|-0--------|
|----------|----------|

The alternate bass for a C chord is on the 6th string, 3rd fret. You need to move your third finger to do this.

|----0-----0----|
|----1-----1----|
|----0-----0----|
|----2-----2----|
|-3-------------|
|-------3-------|

 

 Beginning Guitar Podcast Episode 13 [16:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Blues Solo

Section A

|-----------------|-----3-0-3-0---0-|
|-----------------|-------------3---|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2---------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0---------------|

| | | | | | | |

Section B

|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------0-----|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2---2---2---2---|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|

| | | | | | | |

Section C

|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|-----------------|-----------------|

| | | | | | | |

Section D

|-----3-0---------|-------0---------|
|---------3-0---0-|-------0---------|
|-------------2---|---0-1-----------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---------------|-----------------|
|-0---------------|-0---------------|

| | | | | | | |

Play sections in this order:
A A B A C D

Repeat after me answers

Tip: Pick Strokes
Usually you will use very small (about 2-3 mm) pick strokes.
Anchoring the pinky on the pickguard will stabilize your picking hand and give you a point of reference which makes it easier to find the string you are looking for.

 

 How to play guitar - Beginning Guitar Episode 12 [14:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Three string F chord

Four string F chord

Video – hints for playing bar chords on guitar

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 Free Guitar Lessons - Beginning Guitar Podcast Episode 10 [17:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Left-Hand percussive muting
Apply percussive muting to strum pattern
1 2 & & 4, percussive mute on 2

Percussive Muting Video

Review of note names
Review two or three neighboring strings at a time.
spell words using letter A through G such as:
FEED, CAGE, BAG, FACE. BED, etc.

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 Free Guitar Lesson - Beginning Guitar Episode 9 [17:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode:

Notes on the third string

Good left-hand Technique

Three String Chords

Happy Birthday Guitar Tab

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 Beginning Guitar Episode 2 [14:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download