Guitar Chords

Guitar Chords
Guitar Chords

How To Play Guitar Home > Guitar Chords

Learning Just A Few Guitar Chords Could Rock Your World.

Isn't it amazing that just a few guitar chords have fundamentally changed the shape of music worldwide?

They may not look like much when you first see them, but when you master just a few guitar chords, you will be able to play many songs that you've heard on the radio. Many guitarists have made themselves famous by playing some of the simplest chords around. Once you learn guitar chords, it may surprise you to learn that 90% of guitar music is played with the same seven or so guitar chords, or slight variations there of.

The only way to learn guitar chords is by seeing what they look like and then practice playing them. There are many books on the market as well as courses online that can show you which finger to put where to play a particular chord but to learn guitar chords it takes practice.

Many of the chord books on the market can help you learn guitar chords buy graphic images of the guitar strings as well as noting which finger goes on which string. You can use them to learn bar chords, which is when one of the fingers, usually the first finger, as used as a bar to hold down all of the strings on one fret while maneuvering the over three fingers to press one or two strings to form a chord.

You can also learn guitar chords known as hillbilly chords, or sometimes called folk chords which uses one finger on a string while muting un-played strings or playing them open. While this type of chord is typically played on acoustic guitars, they can be used on older guitars with a warped neck and the strings positioned high off the fret board.

Adapt Chords To Tablature

Once you learn guitar chords you can use guitar tablature, better known as sheet music, to learn to play songs. Tablature will have the melody line of the music, and sometimes the base progression, as well as the chords shown where they are to be played within the structure of the song. Often the pictures will not match the change position exactly and that is where knowing the song and practicing comes in handy.

While there may be two distinct styles of finger placement when you learn guitar chords it may be necessary sometimes to mix the two styles. Often switching between bar chords and folk chords will help make chord changes faster and more smooth. Therefore it is a good idea when you learn guitar chords to learn and practice both styles for those times when this practice is more efficient.

You can also buy sheet music for most songs, or books of music, specifically for guitar which often show the finger diagram for forming the chord. By practicing you can learn guitar chords as well as changing them on time. Playing the lead part of guitar music, sometimes known as the main melody, will take the ability to either read music or have a really good ear for music, but if you learn guitar chords you can play most songs and really impress your friends with your ability.

Today's Guitar Chords Articles
Playing Extended 9th Chords
Dan Denley( who runs the superb AmazingGuitarSecrets website has supplied another great tip for my Blog and newsletter readers - this time he introduces you to the wonders of extended 9th chords which feature in more songs that you'd think. If you haven't been exposed to extended chords before, don't worry, Dan explains exactly how they look, play and sound, in an easy to follow manner. These chords are essential learning if you want to play blues, jazz or funk music.

Click on the link: http://www.guitarsongs.info/Extended-9ths Click HERE to visit Dan's Amazing GuitarSecrets site.

Enjoy your music,

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
How to play "Blue Star" ( Shadows )
This latest tip also comes from Chris Elmore, CEO of Elmore Music ( creators of GuitarTips, Guitar Backing Tracks and Guitar Songs, among other great guitar learning sites and resources.)

Chris shows you - with guitar tab, audio and video, how to play a really neat but tricky guitar song - "Blue Star" by the Shadows.

While you may not be a huge Shadows fan, the approach to learning demonstrated here will be helpful to you, as Chris breaks the song down into bite-size components, for easier learning. There is the expected melodic guitar line that typifies the Shadows' work, but also the chord patterns which fit in to the mix for you to learn. The techniques learned here can be applied to other songs you might be more familiar with, but this is quite a challenging lesson, these guitar tunes were always 'show-off' numbers.

Who knows, maybe you will be adding it as one of your 'party pieces'!

Check out this in-depth lesson, and learn the song at: How to Play 'Blue Star.

Enjoy your music,

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
Free Video lesson + New Guitar Leads course info
Firstly, apologies for the delay since the last Guitar Tips post here.

Dan Denley, of Amazing Guitar Secrets and Blues Guitar Secrets renown, has just this week released a fantastic new resource, Lead Guitar Secrets, which contains everything you could possibly need to help you become an accomplished Lead Guitar Player.

I was privileged to receive an advance copy of the full course - I told Dan that if it didn't live up to the high standards of his previous works, I could not, in all conscience, give it a review, much less a 'thumbs up'. But, as I might have guessed, he has exceeded himself once again - this is the most complete and well-presented instruction set I have EVER seen for lead guitar players, whether at the early stages of learning or for the already proficient player.

There are 4 DVD's with video and audio lessons, backed up by a 200 page detailed instruction manual with music notation as well as tab for each of the lessons, PLUS a CD-ROM tutorial AND an audio CD full of backing tracks to help you to practice your new-found skills.

If you're convinced, or would like to find out more about the course, go straight to the launch page at the link below:

Lead Guitar Secrets - Everything you need to know about playing Lead Guitar

Meanwhile, Dan has kindly supplied me with a condensed version of one of the lessons from the Amazing Guitar Secrets course, which you can check out at: Amazing Guitar Secrets















Enjoy your music,

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
Creating your own band

My good friend and partner from 'down under', Chris Elmore has supplied a really useful tip for my Blog readers, this time it's the first in a series of three tips on how to create ( and sustain! ) a band, from the formation stages thru to the world-acclaimed stage performances! Check out the article link here:

Click on the link: Creating your own Band(1) Click HERE to visit Chris's GuitarTips site


Also a word to the wise on the most complete and comprehensive guitar course I've ever seen online, check it out at GuitarSecrets.



P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
Creating Your Own Band ( part 3 )

Chris Elmore ( who runs the Guitar Tips and Guitar Songs websites, as well as co-owning GuitarBackingTracks with 'yours truly', has supplied another useful tip for my blog readers, the final article in a series of three on how to create ( and sustain! ) a band, from the formation stages thru to the world-acclaimed stage performances! Check out the article link here:

Click on the link: Creating your own Band(3) Click HERE to visit Chris's GuitarTips site

Acoustic Guitarists - you should check out the latest site especially for the 'unplugged', Kenny Mann's great JustAcoustic.Com

If your a learning guitarist in the 'beginner' to 'intermediate' stages, there's a great new resource from Chris Standring at Guitar-Made-Simple

( I just wish these resources were available when I was going thru the pains and frustrations of the early learning process ! )

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
Take command over your Instrument
This tip comes from Chris Standring, whose GuitarMadeSimple program... well, does what it says on the tin!

While learning theory and practicing all of the techniques you need to try to get your sound 'out there' are obviously critical, Chris' article goes into the importance of the level of control you have over your guitar, and of the relationship between guitar and player.

This is by no means a technical tip, but one that you should read, think about, and remember when you get on that stage and prepare to play to your audience.

Check out the tip at this link: Take command over your Instrument ( Chris Standring )

Enjoy your music,

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
Developing Good Timing
As per previous post, I've been trying out the great new resource from Chris Standring - GuitarMadeSimple, which is mainly aimed at the learning to intermediate guitar player, but is certainly setting me straight on some things I 'thought' I knew, and helping me correct some bad habits I've acquired over the years

You could do yourself a huge favour by checking out Guitar Made Simple (click on the link), it could be the best Christmas present you ever give yourself, if you want 2007 to be the year you become a 'Guitar Player'.

I've asked Chris Standring, the brains behind the course, to supply another article for my Blog readers for December, and he has given me this insightful article on 'Developing Good Timing', which is a critical asset for any guitar player, and one that doesn't always come instinctively, but needs to be learned.

As it's coming up to Christmas, he has also offered a chunky discount to my site visitors and Blog family, so click on the GuitarMadeSimple link to take advantage of this kind offer.


Enjoy your music,

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
Play Guitar Backwards!
Once again, a tip from Chris Elmore, owner/creater of ElmoreMusic, and co-owner with myself of GuitarBackingTracks

This is a brilliant article/lesson, with tab, sound and video, where Chris shows you how to play some really fancy and nifty riffs on lead guitar. Just watching Chris's hand movements as he switches between standard and "backward" fretting with his left hand makes you want to stop what you're doing and try that out right away!!

I'm not a lead guitarist myself, but I find with the help of the lessons ( like this one ) generously made available to my Blog readers by Chris and others, I'm starting to surprise my friends at our jam sessions. The look of astonishment on their faces when I add in a nifty lead break on one of the other players' numbers is priceless!


Check out the tip at this link: How to play Your Guitar with your hand 'Backwards'

BTW, Chris has offered a great deal to my Blog readers - lifetime subscription to his fantastic Guitar Tips learning program for an unbelievable $27 ( it was already a steal at $49.95 ).
Just click on the special link below:

www.guitartips.com.au/murphypj

Enjoy your music,

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
Blues You can Use
This tip comes from Chris Elmore, owner/creater of ElmoreMusic, and co-owner with myself of GuitarBackingTracks

Chris has provided a great article-cum-lesson, which gives a short introduction to The Blues and it's influences on today's guitarists, and a lesson, with tabs and audio which will give you an insight into how standard blues playing patterns have found themselves into many of the modern music genres. If you're not already familiar with blues rhythms and patterns, it's a great introductory lesson, I think you'll really find it useful. If you are.... well, ditto!!

Check out the tip at this link: Blues You can Use

BTW, Chris has offered a great deal to my Blog readers - lifetime subscription to his fantastic Guitar Tips learning program for an unbelievable $27 ( it was already a steal at $49.95 ).
Just click on the special link below:

www.guitartips.com.au/murphypj

Enjoy your music,

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
Strength Training Exercises
Dan Denley, the mastermind behind THE greatest and most comprehensive online learning programs: AmazingGuitarSecrets, BluesGuitar Secrets, and just recently, LeadGuitarSecrets. has kindly agreed to supply a set of articles and mini-lessons for my GuitarTips Blog ( Thanks Dan! )

This tip shows how you can improve your guitar playing immensely, using strength training exercises which will only take 10 minutes out of your day. These exercises are ideal as a precursor to either guitar practice, or actually performing live.

I hope you will enjoy and benefit from Dan's expertise, see the link below:

Dan Denley - Improve Your playing in only 10 minutes per day


~~~~

Dan has very recently released a fantastic new resource, Lead Guitar Secrets, which contains everything you could possibly need to help you become an accomplished Lead Guitar Player.

I was privileged to receive an advance copy of the full course - I told Dan that if it didn't live up to the high standards of his previous works, I could not, in all conscience, give it a review, much less a 'thumbs up'. But, as I might have guessed, he has exceeded himself once again - this is the most complete and well-presented instruction set I have EVER seen for lead guitar players, whether at the early stages of learning or for the already proficient player.

There are 4 DVD's with video and audio lessons, backed up by a 200 page detailed instruction manual with music notation as well as tab for each of the lessons, PLUS a CD-ROM tutorial AND an audio CD full of backing tracks to help you to practice your new-found skills.

If you're convinced, or would like to find out more about the course, go straight to the launch page at the link below:

Lead Guitar Secrets - Everything you need to know about playing Lead Guitar

Meanwhile, Dan has kindly supplied me with a condensed version of one of the lessons from the Amazing Guitar Secrets course, which you can check out at: Amazing Guitar Secrets















Enjoy your music,

P.J. Murphy
webmaster, PJ's Guitar Chords & Lyrics
http://www.guitarsongs.info
Guitar Chords Blog: http://www.guitar-chords.blogspot.com
Guitar Tips Blog: http://www.guitar-tips.blogspot.com


pjmurphy@guitarsongs.info
How To Play Guitar Home | Site Map | About | Contact | Privacy Policy | Recommended | Submit Article