Dolly Parton’s country classic, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” is an ideal song to learn for beginner guitarists, helping you hone bass note strumming patterns and chord progressions on an acoustic guitar.
Beginners often find bar chords such as the F chord challenging because they require multiple fingers to play and are significantly harder than open string chords.
Am
When playing chords, try using your fingertips instead of your fingers; this will provide more comfort for you while preventing them from getting caught on the little bars that separate each fret. Be mindful not to hit or muffle any other strings when squeezing a chord – if any rattled sound occurs or muffled noise occurs when squeezed, move to another fret or modify its shape immediately.
When playing major and minor triads on guitar, you have the option of adding a flat 9 to each chord – known as playing “on extensions.” This technique forms an integral part of guitar chord theory.
C
Chord theory becomes much simpler once you understand that some chords can be “interchangeable”. This means that by changing one or more notes of an existing basic shape it will transform into another, often better chord.
This is especially relevant to triads, though it can occur with seventh chords and extensions (flat 9’s, #11’s etc). While not essential to learning new chords, changing notes when learning them can save time and help memorize shapes more efficiently.
Simply click a fret to display chords that contain that note; each chord name will be listed below the fret.
G
G is one of five basic chord shapes, and although it can seem intimidating at first, once you understand its structure it can open up many songs. Furthermore, G chord is easy to transition into other chords such as C or D without moving ring or pinky fingers to change chord types.
This song begins with an easy four bar intro that features just the main fingerpicking riff over and over again, followed by verse and chorus sections which are both fairly straightforward.
Jolene is an ideal song to practice strumming patterns as its repetitive down, up and down strums will help develop them further. For an added challenge, try playing along with the original recording!
D
D is one of the most frequently utilized chords in any style of music. Learn to play this chord from different positions – including open position – to expand your chord repertoire.
If you come across a chord notation that indicates a D bar chord (D/B), simply think of it as an ordinary D major chord with an additional bass note added – though more challenging to master than traditional chords.
An easy way to play a D chord is to place your middle finger on string 1 at its second fret and form a triangle shape across all three bottom strings with it.
E
The E chord has long been a beloved staple of rock, pop and country songs alike. From iconic rock riffs like “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones to timeless folk pieces like Greensleeves from before 16th century music history – E chord is one of the most frequently played chords today!
In this acoustic guitar lesson, we’ll cover how to play “Jolene” by Dolly Parton using an easy chord chart and strumming pattern. Due to its unique structure, take your time when learning this tune; you won’t regret it!
F
F chords can be challenging and require considerable strength to play; however, they’re necessary if you want to perform many popular songs on guitar. In this lesson, we will introduce an easier moveable barre version of an F chord for easier practice.
Hand positioning is of utmost importance in playing this chord. Make sure that all fingers are in their proper places, applying enough pressure so all strings ring out clearly.
Practice playing this chord slowly with a metronome until you can change from it to other chords without stopping or losing rhythm, an essential step toward learning Jolene-inspired songs.