Alison Krauss’ country tune is an ideal way for beginner guitarists to start learning the guitar, with an accessible chord progression and strumming pattern that’s easy to pick up and replicate.
This song is extremely emotive, making you feel as though you’re right there as the story unfolds. Using some intriguing chord voicings that may look different from traditional barre chords but are nonetheless straightforward and straightforward to play, this tune will transport you right into its scene as it develops.
1. Am7
The open Am7 (or Amin7) chord is one of the easiest chords to master on guitar. Composed of the 1st, flat 3rd and flat 7th notes from the Am scale – making this major chord more likely to generate happy sounds than its minor counterparts.
To play this chord, place your index finger on the 2nd string’s first fret and your ring finger on 5th string 4th fret. Strum the chord and listen for how it sounds; if something doesn’t quite sit right with its placements.
2. C7
C7 chord is a powerful dominant seventh chord that works well across different musical genres and can add depth and flavor to chord progressions that have become predictable or stagnant.
Dominant seventh chords may seem challenging to create, but with regular practice you will soon master this complex chord type. The key is barring strings adjacent to one another when barring chords.
This version of the chord requires you to only bar three strings, making it a more suitable practice activity for beginners learning how to bar. If a string needs to be skipped altogether, simply use your thumb muting it.
4. D7
The D7 (D dominant seven) chord is an open chord frequently utilized in the key of D. It serves an integral purpose by serving as the first chord in any given key, so its usage cannot be overstated.
Beginner students of Strumming Tricks should start learning the D7 barre ukulele chord as their starting point. Though more challenging, this versatile chord will sound great with songs of any style and genre.
This D7 chord is composed of an extended C7 shape. Please see the diagram for reference.
5. E7
In this lesson, we’ll discuss the E dominant seventh chord. Like its A7 cousin, this chord can be found throughout blues music as well as songs belonging to other genres.
This chord contains E, G# and B and is created using the formula 1-5-b7 from E major scale. Additionally, its seventh scale degree has been moved down a half step to G# to form its dominant seventh property.
Play this chord as either an open E shape or E barre chord; to fret the first fret of the top G string while leaving all other strings open (Example 3a), use your index finger to fret that first fret using other strings open as in (Example 3b). Once comfortable with that formation, add additional fingers such as your ring and pinky for more of an orchestral sound (Example 3c).
6. F#7
F#7 is a dominant seventh chord made up of notes F#, A#, C# and E. It has an interval structure of 1 3 5 b7.
The F#7 chord can add an uncompromising and compelling sound to any guitar playing, making it especially popular in blues and rock music genres.
BT Express’ “You Got It, I Want It” utilizes this chord prominently throughout their song to add an elegant and sensuous atmosphere.
Use this chord to broaden your musical vocabulary and increase your playing range. Practice with ChordBank’s chord coach, who listens and guides each finger individually for optimal practice.
7. G#m
G minor is rarely heard in popular music, yet its power to affect your emotions cannot be understated. Garth Brooks uses this chord to accentuate the sadness of “Wild Horses”, while Cherry Glazerr uses its disconcerting tones on her song “Had Ten Dollaz”.
Although we’ve provided two open G minor chords below, they may be difficult to play comfortably and for most songs it would be preferable to use the regular G minor bar chord at the third fret instead. Our easier versions of this chord serve as great stepping-stones toward mastering its full version!