Guitar accompaniment: chords and picking patterns
The guitar accompaniment for the 750 items of music from Dear Old Illinois is accommodated by a pallette of
only 10 guitar chords. Furthermore, they are the 10 least difficult chords.
They are: B7, E, A, D, G, C, F, Em, Am, and Dm.
The instructions below are for those of beginner to intermediate level. It is only assumed that you
have or will be acquiring a guitar and that you or someone you know can tune it.
The fingerings of some of the chords have variations. If you have a guitar instruction book that shows
them differently, by all means try both and see which one fits you best. Like traditional music itself,
there is no right or wrong.
The rhythmic patterns for the music in the book are extremely simple. Without exception, they involve:
* first picking a bass note on a single string, followed by
* either one or two strums across more than one string.
We will approach the guitar chord by chord, individually examining the fingerings and picking patterns for each.
Let's begin with a bit about the instrument.
Guitar string numbers and names
First, a word about the numbers of the strings. As you face the guitar, they are numbered right to left, contrary to all convention of the
Western world regarding the numbering of things. Granted, the guitar didn't originate in the Western world, but it can be confusing
all the same. At any rate, suffice it to say that the strings of the guitar are numbered backwards. Reference to, e.g., the third string
means the third from the right, not left.
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The letter names of the strings perhaps provide a better means for referring to them, once committed to familiarity. About the only consideration
is that there are two E strings. Their identities are made clear easily enough by referring to them in terms of their respective pitches, the
bass string on the far left being the "low E" and the one on the far right being the "high E".
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Instruction overview
The image and supporting text below outline the details covered in this instruction.
1. Chord names: The letter name of each chord is prominently displayed in the white box as shown.
2. Picking patterns: The picking of a single bass string is given as (B) and the strum that follows as (S). The patterns are arranged as shown
in the image above. You will be able to hear what each "row" sounds like, via MIDI clips. A clip of the patterns in use is also given.
3. Fingering: Blue dots indicate where to press the strings to make the chords.
3a. Moving bass notes: Some chords have alternate bass notes that require one of the fingers used to make the chord be
moved to an adjacent string to finger the alternate bass note. This leaves the vacated string open (unfingered). Sometimes the note of
the open string fits with the chord and it's fine to play it along with the rest of the chord, sometimes the note of the open string clashes
with the chord and needs to be skipped (avoided.) Another alternative is to mute the open string by touching but not pressing
it with the finger, but avoiding picking it yields a cleaner sound. The picking patterns show when to play or skip the open string. Moving bass notes are indicated
by a white dot with a black outer border.
3b. Thumb notes: The thumb can be used to make bass notes for a couple of the chords.
4. Root and alternate bass notes: The root note of a chord is the note that has the same letter name as the chord. For example, A
is the root note of A and Am, B is the root note of B7, C is the root of the C chords, and so on.
Alternate bass notes add rhythm to accompaniment. They are usually notes other than the root note, though they can be a root note lower or higher
than the one for the basic chord.
The B7 chord
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The B7 chord has a moving bass note. The string vacated by the finger used to play it
is the A string. The A note is part of the B7 chord, but the picking pattern (bottom row) prescibes skipping the A string.
The reason for this is that playing the A string can make the chord sound kind of muddy. But you may want to play it sometimes
and not others. Experiment with both playing and avoiding the A string.
Hear top row
Hear second row
Hear third row
Hear B7 chord in use |
Here is the notation for the "in use" clip:
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The E chord
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The E chord is a simple, straightforward chord. Its root bass note is the lowest string of the guitar played open,
which gives the chord a nice rich sound. It has no moving bass notes; all of its alternating bass notes are part of the basic chord.
Here we have an example where one of the alternating bass notes is another root (E) note, but an octave higher than the open 6th/low E string.
It is the one on the 4th/D string.
Hear top row
Hear second row
Hear third row
Hear E chord in use |
Here is the notation for the "in use" clip:
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The A chord
The D chord
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The D chord has the root and alternate bass notes on the open 4th/D and 5th/A strings, and just alternating between these two
provides fine rhythmic accompaniment. However, a second alternate bass note is available by fingering the 6th/low E string. This can be played
with a finger, but the easiest way to do this is with the thumb. (That's an opinion; try it both ways.) Whether the low bass note is played with a finger or the thumb,
it is not technically a moving bass note by he definition given above. However, it it shown as a moving bass note because it isn't part of the basic chord and thus
requires a digit to do something other than what it does when only the basic chord is being played.
If this note is not being made on the 6th/low E string, then this string should be avoided, as the E note clashes with the D chord.
Hear top row
Hear second row
Hear third row
Hear D chord in use |
Here is the notation for the "in use" clip:
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The G chord
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The G chord is another simple but full-sounding chord, as it has its root bass on the 6th/low E string.
Also, three open strings are part of the G chord. Both of its alternate bass notes are integral to the basic chord, thus it
has no moving basses.
Hear top row
Hear second row
Hear third row
Hear G chord in use |
Here is the notation for the "in use" clip:
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The C chord
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The C chord has one moving bass note. The string vacated to play it is the A, which clashes with the C chord and should be avoided.
The open 6th/low E string can also be used as an alternate bass note for the C chord.
Hear top row
Hear second row
Hear third row
Hear C chord in use |
Here is the notation for the "in use" clip:
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The F chord
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The F chord has two moving bass notes. One is on the 5th/A string. The string vacated to play it is the D,
which clashes with the F chord and should be avoided.
Another alternate bass note is available by fingering the 6th/low E string.
It is an F note an octave lower than the root note of the basic chord, the one played on the 4th/D string. Again, this note is not
a moving bass by strictest definition (see D chord above.) If this note is not being made on the 6th/low E string, then this string
should be avoided, as the E note clashes with the F chord.
The open 5th/A string can also be used as an alternate bass note for the F chord. This is not illustrated but can be heard in the "in use" clip.
(See notation below.)
Hear top row
Hear second row
Hear third row
Hear fourth row
Hear F chord in use |
Here is the notation for the "in use" clip:
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The Em chord
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The three minor chords used for accompanying the music of Dear Old Illinois are among the simplest and most comfortable chords
the guitar has to offer, and the Em chord is arguably the easiest guitar chord of all. Like the E major chord above, it has no moving bass notes,
as all of its alternate bass notes are part of the basic chord.
Hear top row
Hear second row
Hear third row
Hear Em chord in use |
Here is the notation for the "in use" clip:
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The Am chord
The Dm chord
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