Greetings! We've been spending a lot of time learning how to use chords by using different types of strumming patterns then jazzing them up with accenting.
There's another cute little thing that's used pretty often. I call it the "pick and strum".
The "pick and strum" is just what it says. Foist ya picks somethin', and then ya strums somethin'...
Okay. Pick what, and strum what?
You're gonna pick the "root bass note" of the chord, then you're gonna strum the chord.
What's a "root bass note"?
A bass note is simply a low sounding note. The root is... um... well it's... we... are gonna do this real simple like without getting into high-tech music theory type stuff.
Oh, okay... Huh?
Let's use an example. When someone builds a house, the first thing that they do is to put in a foundation -- That's the bottom of the house. Everything is built up from that point.
Chords in music are the same way. There is a foundation for each chord, and that foundation is called (drum roll please) "the root" (cymbal crash). The root is the letter name of the chord.
So, for an A chord, the root is "A". For an Am chord, the root is still an "A". For an A7b5#9 (looks like a bad word -- sounds like one too), the root is STILL an "A". For an "A anything" chord, the root is "A".
So it follows that for a C chord the root is C. For a D chord the root is D. Etc., etc., etc...
Got it? Now all we gotta do is figure out where all of these root thingys are, right?
Nah... For right now, I'm just gonna tell ya. Deal? Deal. Down the road, you will learn how to find 'em yourself.
Okay, so where are all of these root bass notes? Let's look at the chord pictures below and work left to right starting with the A chord.
The root for:
The A chord is the open 5th string
The C chord is the 5th string where the 3rd finger is
The D chord is the open 4th string
The E chord is the open 6th string
The G chord is the 6th string where the 2nd finger is
The Am chord is the open 5th string
The Dm chord is the open 4th string
The Em string is the open 6th string
Memorize these!
So now we know what we're gonna be pickin', and we know what we're gonna be strummin'. Let's put it together.
First, let's use all down picks and strums. Start with the A chord. Pick the root, then strum the chord as if you were playing a long series of quarter notes in four-four (4/4) time. Count SLOWLY AND EVENLY. Make sure that you are hitting the root note, and make sure that you don't play any notes that don't belong when you strum the chord.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 etc...
After you get used to this, start playing faster (but evenly) -- But do not play any faster than you can play accurately. Okay?
Next, pick the root with a down pick, but strum the chord with an UP strum. Start slow, and gradually go faster.
Then go to the next chord and do the same things.
Now here's the thing... Even if you are a little (but not a lot) sloppy when attempting to pick the root bass note for a chord, chances are it will still sound pretty good. But it will sound better if you nail the right notes.
What the "pick and strum" does for you is to give you just one more crayon in your box of rhythm colors to play with. The more colors you have to play with, the more style you can put into your rhythm playing.
So... Get practicing...
Professor Bruno Noteworthy
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Contributor's Note
Professor Bruno Noteworthy is a toon music professor who loves teaching the guitar to kids.
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![A chord [ 0 0 2 2 2 0 ]](img/originals/files-4/18344.jpg)
![C Chord [ x 3 2 0 1 0 ]](img/originals/files-4/18345.jpg)
![D Chord [ x 0 0 2 3 2 ]](img/originals/files-4/18346.jpg)
![E Chord [ 0 2 2 1 0 0 ]](img/originals/files-4/18347.jpg)
![G Chord [ 3 2 0 0 0 3 ]](img/originals/files-4/18348.jpg)
![Am Chord [ 0 0 2 2 1 0 ]](img/originals/files-4/18349.jpg)
![Dm Chord [ x 0 0 2 3 1 ]](img/originals/files-4/18350.jpg)
![Em Chord [ 0 2 2 0 0 0 ]](img/originals/files-4/18351.jpg)
