Elton John’s piano compositions translate well to guitar, making his songs an excellent place for beginners to begin learning new chords. Your Song is an especially useful starting point – its straightforward chord progressions allow beginners to quickly gain proficiency.
Focus on mastering the chord transitions in this song, particularly during its verse progressions. Maintain a consistent strumming style while letting each chord resonate fully.
Major Scale
Most guitarists who play major scales employ closed position fingerings. These compact shapes form on the fretboard, making string bends easier. Unfortunately, this approach has several drawbacks; for one thing it can make changing keys difficult due to difficulty moving these patterns around on fretboard whereas piano players can simply change where their patterns start in order to play similar scales in different keys.
One problem is that these fingerings don’t always produce comfortable chord shapes and phrases when playing lead guitar, nor is it easy to build licks and improvise using these scale patterns as it would with using the minor scale (which has different patterns based off a series of modes built off each note in the major scale).
Minor Scale
Minor scales offer rich harmonic and melodic variation not found in major scales. Furthermore, they allow for creating a more melancholic and contemplative mood.
Essentially, a minor scale follows the same interval pattern as its major scale counterpart, yet begins on an unfamiliar note – called its tonic note – then moving upward one whole step, two half steps, another full step, then ending on either a flat (or sharp) tone.
The natural minor scale, ascending and descending according to its major scale counterpart but featuring a flattened third note. There’s also melodic minor, ascending like its major cousin but featuring an altered fifth scale. These scales provide jazz guitarists with plenty of opportunities for soloing; but other minor scales such as minor pentatonic will be explored further later on in this article.
Power Chords
Power chords are an indispensable element of rock music and are easy to pick up and play. Their full sound makes them great for beginners while the flexibility of these chords means you can switch up their finger positions up or down the neck to access different notes quickly!
To play a power chord, place your index finger on the fifth fret of an E string (an A note), while your ring finger rests on the 12th fret of a D string with your index finger on an A note and strumming them together – and presto, an A power chord has been created! Use this same process up and down the neck to create other power chords – palm mutes should be used when strumming these kinds of power chords to prevent open strings from overshadowing them and sound more cohesive!
Bar Chords
Bar chords may take more practice to master, but once you do they can add new layers to the music you play. Bar chords will help open up your fretboard while also adding flavorful songs into your repertoire.
A barre chord gets its name from the note that is covered with your first finger; usually an open or fretted string; followed by other fingers forming its chord shape. Moving this barre chord up or down an octave on the fretboard will alter both its name and quality, creating different characteristics of its sound.
Barre chords may seem difficult to learn at first, as they require considerable hand strength and dexterity. Be patient as you practice; eventually your muscles will develop enough endurance for clean barre movements every time. Also take the time to analyze your posture, finger placement and amount of pressure – and make any necessary changes as required.