Paying The Mortgage With Music?
The First Four Guitar Chords
Want to pay the mortgage with money that you make as a musician but the problem is that you can't play yet?
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Learn four easy shapes and play along with a backing track and maybe one day you'll be taking care of the mortgage with money you make whilst having fun?
Below are diagrams for the chords of G, Em ( E minor), C and D which are ideal first shapes for the novice guitar player.
The numbers inside the black circles refer to the finger that you should use to press down on the string (finger 1 being the index finger)
Do not play the strings marked with an X but do sound the strings marked with a O
Move your fingers to form each chord and strum once before moving on to the next.
When you can move between the chord shapes shown you will be able to play the basic chords for loads of music that you recognise including Stand By Me, Crocodile Rock, Every Breath You Take and Dancing In The Moonlight
Below is a chord progression which uses two bars of each of the chords being studied (a bar lasts for a count of four beats). You can use this progression as it is or you can choose to work with the backing track provided. You can either stream the track (so that you must be in front of your PC with the speakers turned on to hear it) or you can download it as an mp3 file and save it in your computer or transfer it to a CD or ipod as you like. Happy Practicing! The day when you can pay the mortgage with income derived from making music might be closer than you think?
Free Downloads
When first using the backing track strum each chord once at the start of each group of two bars. This will allow you plenty of time to move your fingers into position to play the next chord. When you can do this then move on to more complicated strumming patterns.
Click on the buttons below to download a backing track for this progression and a single sheet containing the four chord shapes and progression. This site is free. If you don't have to pay for your guitar lessons then in these credit crunchy times then maybe you'll have enough left over to pay the mortgage?
If you would like giant (A4) versions of each of the chords to print and stick on your wall to remind you of how they are formed click on the buttons below to download them.