Guitar Lesson #2

Aloha!     This is a continuation of last month's beginning jazz lesson. If you have questions about the left hand chord form, please read Lesson #1 BLOG. For those of you who already know guitar chord names you can see this is a Fmajor7 (Fmaj7) chord. In this lesson we'll hold the Fmaj7 and look at a  5-finger right hand style. Later we will talk about why I feel this Fmaj7

form is one of the most important chord forms on the guitar. 

  

              Listen and watch the video below. You will hear 2 beats of "chord rhythm" and 2 beats of pattern picking, then the cycle repeats. The left hand Fmaj7 chord gives us the "jazzy" sound and the smooth right hand gives us a tap-your-foot clap-your hand feel. In other words, the right hand gives us the RHYTHM. Some theorists claim that without steady rhythm, nobody will listen to you....for very long anyway. So rhythm is the key(no pun intended) to holding your audience. 

        

               What exactly is "CHORD RHYTHM?"  Well a chord is 2 or more notes played at the same time. Rhythm is the pulse you feel. So 2 or more notes played at the same time to a pulse is a CHORD RHYTHM. The pattern picking on my right hand is thumb(A note)-pinky(E note)-index finger(F note)- ring finger(C note). 

                Just a reminder: This Fmaj7 chord form on the guitar  is.....Low E open

                                                                                                 Low A open 

                                                                                   F note 3rd fret on the D string

                                                        A note 2nd fret on the G string

                                   C note 1st fret on the B string

       High E open string 

Have fun and....see you soon!