Cowboy Chord Songs, pt.I

Most guitar teachers have “go-to” songs used for the purpose of teaching certain skills, but how to approach teaching those songs is another matter. My personal preference is to develop skills from the ground-up starting at the most basic level; with this type of approach the teacher can be assured that the student has a firm understanding of prior knowledge as they move forward. 

Last month I posted about Cowboy Chords otherwise known as Open Chords and this month I continue the train of thought by discussing how to teach songs that use them - one of my favorite go-to tunes is the Bob Dylan classic Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. The song uses four chords: G, D, Am, C and I like to use it not only for the simplicity of its strumming pattern, but also because it is fairly easy to strum and sing at the same time. If you are unfamiliar with the song take a look at the progression below. 

Next month I’ll be digging into the approach of teaching the song, but for now have your student be more concerned with strumming the chords in their proper order. There are no guide/pivot fingers so make sure to have them practice making chord shapes to help smooth the transition from chord to chord.

The Guitar Teaching Blog on Facebook

I wanted to let you know I have decided to expand The Guitar Teaching Blog to Facebook! The FB page will allow not only me, but other teachers to post about links, websites, podcasts and information guitar teachers may find valuable. Hope you find it helpful!

The Guitar Teaching Blog on Facebook

Chord Basics - Cowboy Chords

There is a certain beauty in the simplicity of a cowboy chord which offers the guitarist either a lifetime of simple songs to strum or a gateway into a larger musical world. If you have never heard of cowboy chord it is a term (at times derogatory) which refers to open chords and their simplicity which bring about the image of a cowboy playing guitar around the campfire. 

The mastery of open chords will help the budding guitarist develop a sense of confidence and security in their playing – teachers however, should be weary that students may become complacent in this security and must help students push ahead to develop new skills. 

Below are fifteen of the most commonly used cowboy/open chords – this list is by no means meant to be exhaustive. In the coming months I’ll be talking about how to help students use these chords to develop their skills.

The Basics of Relaxation

     Have you ever seen a guitarist play and think “they make it look so effortless” or “that looks painful” – the truth is you’re probably right on both accounts! One of the keys to effortless playing is having as little tension as possible - which means recognizing when it occurs and being able to relax or adjust the specific area of our bodies which is causing the issue. 

Reducing tension in the body as we play is one of the most difficult things to teach a student because: 1) we cannot be inside another’s body to demonstrate relaxation or feel where the tension is occurring and 2) we may play with tension ourselves but have become accustomed to it over the years and therefore cease to identify it as such. Moreover, we may come to accept that our students play with tension simply because we do. Fortunately, there are visual cues that our bodies give which can signal when a player is harboring tension in their playing and what we can do to help ease it. 

· Stiff/locked wrist (both wrists need to be loose and relaxed) 

· Gripping too hard (push light enough on the strings to produce a good sound) 

· Top thumb joint bent and/or pushing excessively hard against the back of the neck (straighten thumb joint and use less pressure to push on behind the neck) 

· Player’s neck bent at extreme angle (keep it straight and chin up) 

· Shoulder(s) hunched up (push them down to relax) 

· Left elbow lifted up and out to an angle (should be pointed down) 

· Right arm pushing unnecessarily hard against the body (don’t push as hard) 

· Fingers hyper-extended (keep them loosely curled in their “natural” state) 

· Poor posture or hunched over playing (keep the back straight) 

· Tighten or stiff jaw muscles (open the mouth and drop the jaw) 

It is extremely important not only to help students recognize tension, but also inform them of what to do in order to relax. Furthermore, we the teacher must keep on top of the student and remind them when we see a reoccurring bad habit which causes tension - for example a student is hunching their left shoulder and have to remind them weekly or even multiple times during a lesson to drop their shoulder. Persistent identification of trouble spots will enable the student to notice the habit themselves, self-correct the trouble spot and eventually remove it from their playing.

Introducing Major Scales

One of things that guitar teachers can take for granted is the importance of major scales. Not only are major scales the gateway to music theory, but they also help develop finger independence. Moreover, major scales are good warm-up exercises as well as essential to developing a player’s ear. 

When introducing major scales to students my preference is to use those in open/first position. This is because if students are sight reading (or at least naming notes) playing scales will help to reinforce learning the notes in this position. 

Above is an example of a C major scale – take note that the information for that scale is dense: 1) The scale is written in both standard notation and tablature. 2) Above the notation are the left hand fingers to use when playing each note. 3) In the middle the notation and tab staves are the names of the notes (ascending only). I like to include as much information as possible so that students can easily reference back to whatever information they need.

Chord Basics Revisited, Pt. III – Pivot Fingers

Last month in the second installment of Chord Basics Revisited I discussed the use of guide fingers - this month the topic of conversation is pivot fingers and how to utilize them when changing chords. Chances are you have used a pivot finger or even taught your students about them, but never actually gave them an official name. A pivot finger is one which can stay in the same place when changing chords. As seen in the example below when comparing the Am7 and C chords they both have the 1st and 2nd fingers in common on the same string and fret. There is no "finger lifting" required when making the switch; just the placement of the 3rd finger to complete the forming of the C chord.

There are many more examples of pivot fingers to be found, but the gist is to have your students become aware of them in order to make playing easier. Many times new players use pivot fingers almost instinctively and other times not at all. In the latter case how and when to use them must be pointed out to students. But always keep in mind the less you lift your fingers off the strings, the better off you’ll be.

Chord Basics Revisited, pt. II – Guide Fingers

“The less you lift your fingers off the neck, the better off you’ll be” is an adage that one of my former teachers relayed to me when I first started to study the guitar - of course being a young student I did not realize how true it was until some years later. The reason I mention it is that it clearly relates to this month’s topic of guide-fingers. 

If you are unfamiliar with guide fingers they are those fingers which stay on the same string, but move to a different fret - this month I’ll explore how they relate to chord changes. Keep in mind that not every chord change will incorporate guide-fingers, however knowing when and where to use them can enhance one’s playing. Moreover, I’ll be discussing how to use them in relation to the three finger chords talked about last month – A, D and E. 

Looking at the A and D chords the guide finger (the only finger on the same string) is the 3rd.

In order to transition from the A to D chord using the guide finger keep the 3rd finger down and: (1) Lift the 1st and 2nd fingers. (2) Slide the 3rd finger up a fret (3) Place the 1st and 2nd fingers in their proper position in the D chord. 

Now looking at the D and E chords the guide finger (the only finger on the same string) is the 1st. 

Then in order to transition from the D to E chord using the guide finger keep the 1st finger down and: (1) Lift the 2nd and 3rd fingers. (2) Slide the 1st finger down a fret (3) Place the 2nd and 3rd fingers in their proper position in the E chord. 

Keep in mind that not all chord changes will include guide fingers, but being aware of when they occur and pointing them out to students will help to make shifting between chords a bit smoother for them.

Chord Basics Revisited, Pt. I - Chord Shapes

In the January post students were introduced to two finger chords and in February the discussion led to applying various strumming patterns to them. This month I’ll go back to Chord Basics and discuss how using chord shapes will not only help form chords more quickly and accurately, but also promote finger independence. Moreover, we’ll be expanding our student’s chord vocabulary by introducing three finger chords.

The first three finger chords I like to introduce to are the “classic” A, D and E major forms we all know and love. There are various reasons for this but ultimately they are commonly used chords which students will later use to strum their first song.

When I introduce three finger chords I also discuss chord shapes – the process of forming a chord in the fingers before they are placed on strings. When done correctly each finger is placed on each string simultaneously helping to create a smooth transition from chord to chord. Take a look below at the shape of each chord as it is formed in the fretting hand.

A Chord : hand is in a "C" shape, fingers 1, 2 & 3 are together

D chord : fingers 1 & 3 are stuck out while 2 is pulled back

E chord : 1st finger is pulled back while 2 & 3 are stuck out

When students first begin working with chord shapes have them practice away from the guitar. If need be have them make the chord on the instrument first and take their hand off the strings while retaining the shape of the chord. After they are successful in creating chord shapes without the guitar in hand, then incorporate the instrument back in. In making chord shapes on the guitar all fingers should be placed at the same time. Moreover, when the fingers are to be placed on the strings it should be done as slowly as possible. If done correctly, it will feel as if one is “fighting” with their own muscles to move slowly. This is natural as it is a new movement that the fingers are learning to do.

Next month I'll continue with Chord Basics and tackle the topic of guidefingers!

Strumming 103 - Simple Tweaks

In this month’s post I close out the topic of strumming by discussing several issues which can arise with beginning players: heavy-handedness, using “too much” pick, stiff pick syndrome and “angled” strumming. Normally these problems require small “tweaks” to a players’ technique and with regular attention by both student and teacher they can be resolved. 

Quite frequently the issues of heavy-handedness and using too-much pick are intertwined. Heavy-handedness is when a student is trying to use too much force to strum across the strings and this can be the result of using “too much” pick. Whereas, the student is using a large portion of the pick to strum as they are trying to “insert” the pick between the strings when strumming rather than allowing it roll across the top of the strings. 

Strumming with too much pick and inserting it between strings

Moreover, new players may be showing signs of stiff pick syndrome (yes, I know) – meaning they are gripping the pick so tightly they are not allowing it to flex as it moves across the strings; lightening up the grip will go a long way in creating a relaxed and smooth strum. 

Finally, it is quite common for players starting out to strum on a wide angle rather than simply up and down. Generally this occurs 

Using too much elbow can cause a wide strumming angle

when a player is relying too much on their elbow for strumming. Using a “equal amount” of both elbow and wrist will help to

Controlled strum

achieve a more controlled strum and produce a more even tone.

Strumming 102 – Mechanics of Movement

Last month I began the topic of strumming by reviewing the position the arm uses when playing. This month I’ll focus on the mechanics or how the body moves when players strum or pick. 

If you watch players of various of styles inevitably it seems that there is no “one way” strum the guitar. However, the truth is all players move from two spots in order to play – the wrist and elbow. How much a player moves from these areas really depends of what they are playing. 

For example, funk players generally use wider wrist movements and less elbow, while acoustic players may combine larger movements of the wrist and elbow and jazz guitarists tend to use less wrist when strumming and move more from the elbow - this is especially true when playing four to the bar style ala Freddie Green. 

No matter the style or level one is playing at some basics principles must be adhered to: (1) Keep a loose and relaxed wrist. (2) The wrist should be straight or have as little bend as possible. Why? Think of a water hose – when it is straight the water flows freely through the hose, but when bent (especially at extreme angles) the water does not flow as smoothly. A straight wrist will not only help reduce tension when playing, but also lessen chances of injury. A straight wrist (or one with little bend) is a good rule of thumb for both picking and fretting hands.

Straight Wrist w/ slight bend

Bent Wrist - too much bend 

Don’t be bashful about checking a student’s wrist or mentioning to them numerous times that they need to move from the wrist and keep it relaxed when playing. Moreover, have them hold your wrist as you strum so they have a tactile example of what their wrist should feel like.

Strumming 101 – Basic Positioning

The last several posts have covered chord basics, but this month I’ll begin to tackle the “how's” of strumming and talk about the basic playing position. It may be a good idea to review how to hold the pick with students before getting started.

Generally speaking, there is one position in which the arm positions itself in order to strum and that is with the middle of your forearm rested over the edge of the guitars’ lower bout. Exactly where the forearm rests depends on the player and where one intends to strum. 

For example, if a player wants to strum towards the neck they may rest the forearm more towards the elbow or rest closer to the wrist in order to play closer to the bridge. Moreover, slight adjustments to the position will be made from the elbow and shoulder. 

Next month I’ll delve into the actual mechanics and how the arm should move to create a relaxed and smooth strum.

Reading Rhythms and Applied Strumming Patterns

The last several posts have been geared towards introducing chords in a formulaic manner to students while only slightly touching on the subject of how to strum them. In this month’s post I will broach the topic of strumming with quarter and eighth note rhythms. As I stated in Chord Basics, pt. II – when presenting chords for the first time it is also a good idea to introduce music notation – specifically rhythmic values. Rhythmic notation is a great visual aid and will help students understand what they are doing physically when strumming when playing rhythm guitar.

When first starting to read and strum rhythms I recommend having students play through various permutations of single measure quarter and eighth note combinations; the chart below outlines several examples. The best chords for these are those that require using 5 or 6 strings so the player can focus on the strumming pattern and not hitting the correct strings. 

Have the student use a single chord as they play through all the patterns; don’t even worry about switching chords at this point – strumming is the focus. There are several things to keep in mind. 

• Write in how to count the rhythms, so students understand how to count the rhythm before playing.
•  Have students say the rhythm out loud before playing – if they can’t say it, they can’t play it. 
• Write in strumming marks because students will need that visual reference when reading. 

Reading rhythmic notation is a great way for students to begin building a strumming vocabulary and as they progress the rhythms you introduce can become more complicated. I’ll revisit the topic of reading rhythms and applied strumming patterns in the future posts.

Chord Basics, Pt. IV - Two Finger Chords

The October and November 2014 posts introduced the idea of starting new students with one finger chords so that they can progressively transition to the multi-finger chords generally used by guitarists. The only issue new players may encounter is that the one finger “G” and “G7” chords require strumming four strings; most students will inevitably strike strings not in the chord. This is of course acceptable as new players are working on the mechanics of playing and mistakes are to be expected.

Once students are comfortable shifting between the one finger “G” and “G7”, it is then time to introduce two finger chords. 

 Keep in mind it is always helpful to review how to read a chord diagram as introducing new chords with a second finger can throw some off. Moreover, these chords require striking five and six strings – so make sure to review which strings are to be played and which are not.

Music Entrepreneurship

This is a link to the article 

"Mo' Money: Musical Entrepreneurship Outside the K-12 Classroom"  

which I co-authored for Tempo magazine. While the material presented caters to music educators your everyday musician may find some part pertaining to music entrepreneurship of interest.