The 2 chord trick
This sounds hard, but it really isn't. You'll be surprised how fast you get used to it. This system is useful for 2 things:
- You don't have to learn the chords for every key separately.
- When you've got the hang of it, you can play any song you know. You will get used to hearing the patterns.
Why it works
- The basis for many popular songs are 3 major chords, based on the 1st, 4th & 5th notes of the major scale.
- On the guitar, the distance between the roots of these chords on the lowest 2 strings is always the same, whatever the key. For example if you have the root of chord I on any fret on the 6th string, the root of chord IV is at same fret on the 5th string, & chord V has its root 2 frets up. We don't have to cope with the complications of black & white keys on a keyboard.
- If you know 2 moveable chords, one with the root on 5th string & the other with the root on 6th string, you can play all these simple songs in any key you like.
- Example: If you are playing in G major, the root of chord I is at the 3rd fret of the 6th string. Counting up the scale 4 notes gets you to (G, A, B, C) C on the 5th string. The root of chord V is 2 frets higher up at the 5th fret on the 5th string (G, A, B, C, D).
- Try not to think about the theory too much at this stage as you will soon learn the patterns.
Getting started: the one chord trick
This chord diagram shows 3 notes. If the bottom note is on the 6th string at the 1st fret, you are playing F, C, F. That is a really simple F chord. Move the whole thing up 2 frets & you have a really simple G chord. Move it to the 2nd fret of the 5th string & you have a really simple E chord.
There is no 3rd in the chord, so it is neither major or minor. This makes for a dull accompaniment, but it is still useful to know this bit because it gets you started on the idea, & once you know what you are doing:
There is no 3rd in the chord, so it is neither major or minor. This makes for a dull accompaniment, but it is still useful to know this bit because it gets you started on the idea, & once you know what you are doing:
- It is useful for working out songs. Once you've fathomed the roots, you can put the interesting chords in later.
- It is a good fall back if things get fast, or you are concentrating on something else like the words, or trying to signal to someone.
- It is a good finger stretching exercise.
Let's try a song
Suppose you want to play "My Darling Clementine" in the key of G. You need 2 chords:
Start with chord I, & play the bottom string for the first beat in the bar & the other 2 strings for beats 2 & 3. Change to chord V for the parts in bold:
In a cavern in a canyon
Excavating for a mine
Dwelt a miner forty niner
And his daughter Clementine.
You can find lots more simple songs like this on the internet, including:
It doesn't matter that these lists are for different instruments: they are all talking about the same chord patterns. You will soon find your way around.
- Chord I on the 6th string at the 3rd fret (G)
- Chord V on 5th string 2 frets up (G, A, B, C, D)
Start with chord I, & play the bottom string for the first beat in the bar & the other 2 strings for beats 2 & 3. Change to chord V for the parts in bold:
In a cavern in a canyon
Excavating for a mine
Dwelt a miner forty niner
And his daughter Clementine.
You can find lots more simple songs like this on the internet, including:
It doesn't matter that these lists are for different instruments: they are all talking about the same chord patterns. You will soon find your way around.
Finding the roots
So what about more interesting songs with more than 3 chords? The first stage is to know where all the other chord roots are in relation top your chosen key note (I).
This is the pattern of roots where the scale starts on the 6th string. I've followed the convention of using upper case Roman numerals for the major chords (I, IV, & V) and lower case for the minor chords - more of that later.
Once you have used the 6th string root for a while, try using this pattern for 5th string roots. Be careful not to start using this one too soon, or you will confuse yourself!
Knowing this pattern as well as the 6th string pattern gives you more flexibility, so you can fit in with the needs of singers or other instruments.
Knowing this pattern as well as the 6th string pattern gives you more flexibility, so you can fit in with the needs of singers or other instruments.
The theory just in case you need to know:
- The pattern of intervals in a major scale is tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone.
- One fret on the guitar is a semitone, 2 frets is a tone.
Giving it some life
There are 3 basic types of ordinary chord:
You can play with chords or arpeggios in different patterns with your non fretting hand to vary the accompaniment. If that pattern (or the speed of the song) allow, you don't always need to play the full chord.
The charts below show the full chord, chords to use with 4 strings & 3 string versions.
Some people call this the one chord trick, as the shapes for the basic E & A chords are the same, except for the effect of the third between the G & B strings, which shifts everything on that string up a fret. All the other strings are a 4th apart. That is too hard for my brain to cope with at speed when I'm playing a song!
- Major, used to harmonise I, IV & V.
- Minor, used to harmonise the other notes
- Dominant 7 (usually just called a 7) which adds some more interest.
You can play with chords or arpeggios in different patterns with your non fretting hand to vary the accompaniment. If that pattern (or the speed of the song) allow, you don't always need to play the full chord.
The charts below show the full chord, chords to use with 4 strings & 3 string versions.
Some people call this the one chord trick, as the shapes for the basic E & A chords are the same, except for the effect of the third between the G & B strings, which shifts everything on that string up a fret. All the other strings are a 4th apart. That is too hard for my brain to cope with at speed when I'm playing a song!
Chords with roots on 4th string
I find it useful to remember the roots on the 4th string as well, using chords based on the D shape with open strings. Even with these chords added in, it is still a lot easier to remember than a chunk of the chord book. The benefits are:
- It adds variety. If you want to move to a IV or V chord, you can choose whether to go up the scale or down. Sometimes that makes the arrangement sound a lot better.
- It reduces amount of fretboard you need to cover to reach the whole scale. That means changing chords is quicker.
The chords you need
Here are some one page summaries of all you need to know:
- All the chords you'll need to play with this system.
- The basic 3 string chords, with the roots, with an insert reminding you of the 7 chords for each root string.
- The basic 4 string chords, with the roots, with an insert reminding you of the 7 chords for each root string.
How to "translate" songs from a chord book
While you are getting your head round this, it helps to look at some songs you know & write down the chord numbers. You can do this in the sheet music - I've got mine written out in a note book. After the title of the song I've got the first note of the tune, then I've written the chord numbers over the words.
Say you are looking at a song in G major. First write out the notes of the scale (NB, include the sharps & flats). Next to the letters, write the roman numerals. Then just translate the first note & the chords, so:
If your source just has the words and the letters of the chords sometimes it is difficult to work out the key. The easiest thing is to look at the last chord. You will often find it is I.
Say you are looking at a song in G major. First write out the notes of the scale (NB, include the sharps & flats). Next to the letters, write the roman numerals. Then just translate the first note & the chords, so:
- If the first note is D, write down V.
- For every G chord, write I. A write II (probably IIm), for C write IV etc.
If your source just has the words and the letters of the chords sometimes it is difficult to work out the key. The easiest thing is to look at the last chord. You will often find it is I.