Author Topic: "We only know three chords"  (Read 1276 times)

Offline Scherf

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3409
"We only know three chords"
« on: May 17, 2013, 09:17:39 PM »
As part of my ongoing mid-life crisis, I'm trying to take up the guitar.

Assuming the statement is correct, which three chords do I need to be able to rawk?

 :rock :old: :rock
... missions were to be met by the commitment of alerted swarms of fighters, composed of Me 109's and Fw 190's, that were strategically based to protect industrial installations. The inferior capabilities of these fighters against the Mosquitoes made this a hopeless and uneconomical effort. 1.JD KTB

Offline Golfer

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6314
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2013, 11:19:42 PM »
Depends on your mood.

Offline ozrocker

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3640
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2013, 11:29:31 PM »
A free - printable chord chart.

http://www.guitar-skill-builder.com/free-printable-guitar-chord-chart.html



                                                                                                                                                    :cheers: Oz
Flying and dying since Tour 29
The world is grown so bad. That wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch.- Shakespeare
 
30% Disabled Vet  US ARMY- 11C2H 2/32 AR. 3rd AD, 3/67AR. 2nd AD, 2/64 AR. 3rd ID, ABGD Command TRADOC, 1/16th INF. 1st ID

Offline Banshee7

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6593
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2013, 02:57:29 AM »
G, C, and D.  Throw in an Em, A, F and a capo and you can play several songs.   :aok

#S#



Josh
Tours 86 - 296

Offline Scherf

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3409
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2013, 05:31:38 AM »
Cheers gents.
... missions were to be met by the commitment of alerted swarms of fighters, composed of Me 109's and Fw 190's, that were strategically based to protect industrial installations. The inferior capabilities of these fighters against the Mosquitoes made this a hopeless and uneconomical effort. 1.JD KTB

Offline Skuzzy

  • Support Member
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 31462
      • HiTech Creations Home Page
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2013, 06:15:40 AM »
G, C, and D.  Throw in an Em, A, F and a capo and you can play several songs.   :aok

#S#
Josh

Don't forget E, B flat, and Am!

But if it is only three, then I concur, G, C, and D would be it.  You could probably cover a good number of C&W songs with those three chords.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2013, 06:18:52 AM by Skuzzy »
Roy "Skuzzy" Neese
support@hitechcreations.com

Offline gyrene81

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 11629
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2013, 06:27:24 AM »
what chords if you have fat stiff uncoordinated fingers?
jarhed  
Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. - Terry Pratchett

Offline ozrocker

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3640
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2013, 06:36:28 AM »
Asus A




                                                                                                                                                       :cheers: Oz
Flying and dying since Tour 29
The world is grown so bad. That wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch.- Shakespeare
 
30% Disabled Vet  US ARMY- 11C2H 2/32 AR. 3rd AD, 3/67AR. 2nd AD, 2/64 AR. 3rd ID, ABGD Command TRADOC, 1/16th INF. 1st ID

Offline mike8318

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 179
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2013, 07:58:40 AM »
Learn the number system.Basically just the number of the notes of the scale of a particualr key you are playing in.. You'll find a lot of Rock,country,are built around a 1,4,5 pattern,or sight variations. 1,minor 3rd,4(Smoke on the Water)which would be G,B flat,and C,etc.. Country,especially modern country will sometimes add a 6th in the mix somewhere. Wouldn't worry about slash chords yet. Learn the basics and go from there.After a while you will here similar patterns,just played in a different place on the neck. Listen to any Steely Dan album for example of more complex chord structures. Aja' is highly recommended.
Don't try and outweird me.I get stranger things than you free in my breakfast cereal!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dKgjtBxyis&feature=youtu.be

Offline bozon

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6037
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2013, 08:56:15 AM »
with a bit more effort you can learn 4 chords and then you can play pretty much every pop hit song in the last 30 years:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ

Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline Motherland

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 8110
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2013, 11:22:19 AM »
G C D with a capo gives you access to like 30% of contemporary music and like 75%+ of blues and early rock and roll
Add Am and Em in the same key and you've got like 80% of music since the decline of jazz

Offline jeep00

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 924
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2013, 11:33:29 AM »
what chords if you have fat stiff uncoordinated fingers?



 :aok

Offline Banshee7

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6593
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2013, 12:23:01 PM »
Don't forget E, B flat, and Am!

But if it is only three, then I concur, G, C, and D would be it.  You could probably cover a good number of C&W songs with those three chords.


Skuzzy agreed with me  :O  :D

Yeah can't forget those chords either.  But like you said, G, C, and D will take you a long way (especially with a capo).  I've heard  lot of "real" guitarists talk bad about using capos, but let me tell you, they can be a life saver for new guitarists, especially if you're playing a singing.  I've only been playing for about three year, so I'm not great, but I know a little bit :)

#S#



Josh
Tours 86 - 296

Offline eddiie

  • Zinc Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2013, 02:46:38 PM »
or you could pick up rocksmith. makes it much easier to get started

Offline xbrit

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1669
Re: "We only know three chords"
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2013, 06:00:14 PM »