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Guitar Lessons > Chord
Phrasing - Part 1
Using
Chord Phrasing to
Liven Up Those Guitar Chords
In the next two lessons we'll be looking at using note phrasing as part
of chords and chord progressions. This involves mixing basic, strummed
or picked chords
with lead guitar lines to emphasise a particular chord flavour
and add a bit of filler to what would just be a sequence of chords
(which, of course, may sound great as it is).
There are two main ways to incorporate chord phrasing:
1) using
hammer-ons, pull-offs and single-string sequences within
a chord shape (using any available fingers)
2) Moving
chord shapes around
an initial root chord.
These two techniques really do
beef up regular chord progressions,
rhythmically and melodically, so I really think these lessons will
spark a new kind of creativity in your songwriting and playing!
OK, let's get started with
lesson 1...
Making more
interesting use of chords
A lot of epic songs have been
written just using basic
chords, with very little technical embellishment. However, the more
creative options you have to play around with, the more unique your
music will have the potential to become.
First, let's take some basic
chords and start with some very simple ways to make them more
interesting.
Use
hammer-ons and pull-offs
In the lead guitar section
there are lessons on the
hammer on and pull
off techniques for lead guitar, but you can also use
them with
chord
shapes. You most often hear them being used when chords are
being picked
rather than strummed, although if your picking is accurate enough, you
can mix strumming with more intricate picking to apply those
single-string phrases.
This is where barring your
index finger with barre
chords comes in handy - you essentially provide a point to "catch" the
pull-offs and provide a base for the hammer-ons. Let's try it now...
Here's a standard C shape
barre chord:

I've always taught beginners, when learning barre chords, to
barre your index finger across all the strings involved in the chord
shape even if it's not needed, for this very
reason... so you
can pull off any of the fretted notes and "catch" them, or hammer on
from that base index finger fret.

So we can experiment with this a bit and come up with a more
interesting application of the chord using hammer-ons and pull-offs:
>> Click to hear
example - C shape barre phrasing
Try this with the other barre
chord shapes too, and their associated chords.
For example, the E shape
barre, playing around with the minor shape...

>> Click to hear
example
Also, you can use this
technique with the open position chords down at the
first few frets, e.g. the open G major chord...

When using phrasing in open position chords, you have the
choice of hammering and pulling notes from fretted-fretted or
fretted-open (because open position chords use open
strings!).
Take a look at the sequences
below, both based around the open G major chord. Experiment with
working your fingers around the chord shape. Don't
just play the notes indicated below, there are other tones I haven't
mapped out - experiment!
Fretted-open phrasing
Fretted-fretted phrasing

>> Click to hear
example
All this is essentially doing
is adding and removing certain "flavours"
(notes) to the standard major or minor chord shapes. It's completely up
to you how you incorporate rhythm to apply these notes.
We'll probably look more at
picking rhythm another lesson!
More to come...
Like I keep saying in these lessons, you just have to experiment and
find the music that suits you.
If you want to be truly original on guitar, you have to search for it
within you, because it's in there!
Of course, there's nothing
wrong with using influences in your music, but it's how you use
those influences that makes or destroys your uniqueness.
OK, I've rambled on enough!
Once you're happy with
what we've covered in this part, we can move on to the next stage in
part 2, which is using phrases away from the chord shape to extend your
chords and progressions into more dynamic territory.
Use the links below, and I'll
hopefully see you soon!
Go
Straight to Part 2 Now >
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