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Summary: Learn basic open chord shapes on the guitar for finger style playing in this free video music lesson.
Views: 116,729 | Tags: video, how, to, lesson, guitar, music, play, fingerstyle, acoustic, chord, picking, finger, fret, guitars
About the Expert
Jeff Isbell Jeff Isbell has been playing, composing, performing, and teaching various styles of guitar for more than 35 years. Many of his original pieces have been used ... read more
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Questions & AnswersHi this is Jeff Isbell on behalf of ExpertVillage.com. We’re going to look at basic open chord shapes. Okay, you must know the basic open chord shapes. They are E-A-D-G-C, some people also say F, well they’re wrong, sorry, an F is just a modified E shape. An anemic bar chord if you will. What’s a bar chord? More about those later. Let’s look at the chord shapes. This is an E, I recommend you learn to play it this way and this way. Here’s an A, many people play it like this, it’s how I learned to play it and I think it cost me a lot of time, but I prefer this finger, it’s easy to get to a D or an E from this finger. Also, it’s quite easy to go to the A major 7 and A7 from here. Hold on. What’s all this major 7 and 7 stuff you ask? We’ll get to it. This is your standard D, not much disagreement about how to finger it, unless you have too much time on your hands. G is an odd chord shape, it’s another for which I recommend learning two positions, this one and this one. Why? Sorry this ain’t that lesson, just keep watching. Here’s C, now do us both a favor and don’t go on to the next lesson until you master this one and the one before.
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Why i can't see the videos?
I am still following your lesson plan.......thanks for taking the time to help folks like me.
This is a great video thank you.
No video or audio. I can't get any picture or sound from any video on the entire site.
No video or audio. I can't get any picture or sound from any video on the entire site.
Thanka lot, Jeff! You're a great teacher, and video quality is a-o.k. Take care.
why wont any of the vid's work??
Well done. Chord forms are simple and clearly explained.
i wish i had had something like this to look at and learn from all those years ago when i first picked up a guitar, then i wouldn't have had to spend the first six months playing the batman theme on the bottom E. best wishes Jeff * and to all of you up and coming guitar hero's - tune up and keep practicing
ahahha i totally feel you on the F chord, never really understood why some people include