Beginner Guitar Lesson 6

Learn to play chords + bass line!

Guitar lesson 6 take Robin Hood by Ocean Colour Scene and look at how to create a descending bass line.

The progression move: I – V/VII – VI – V – IV or G – D/F# – Em – D – C. The D/F# being the link.

Let’s take a look a look at this in more detail:

A D major chord contain the notes D F# and A. By putting the F# in the bass we create a descending bass line down from I-VI.

You can play it with your thumb over the top like I do in the video or you could change the fingering around. Should you leave the top E string out then that’s not a problem, I do it almost every time actually, the F# is so prominent when placed in the bass anyway.

-2– optional (especially if you don’t play the low F# with your thumb)

-3– R

-2– I or M

-0–

-X–

-2– T or I

Since F# is the 3rd of the D major chord we haven’t altered the chord or extended it, we just swapped the notes around.

F#, in relation to G is interval number 7. The returning advanced student who have studied the VII chord know that this chord has a much more extreme sound compared to the other chords within the key and that it is rarely used.

In popular music the variation of V/VII is much, much more common than VII on it’s own, do experiment with what it would have sounded like using an F#m7b5 instead; way too jazz for this song, right?

Look for this variation in other songs as well and check if it’s the V chord that has its 3rd in the bass. Sometimes it is the I chord that do this, American Pie for example use both the V/VII and the I/III.

Whenever this variation appear you can almost be certain it will be followed by either the chord below it (VI or II) or the chord above it (I or IV).

Apply a capo to create a second guitar part

In order to really understand the chords as numbers, place a capo on fret 7 and play along with the video as if you are in the key of C.

Should you play Robin Hood with a friend, or along with the video to create a 2nd guitar part, use a picking pattern reminiscent of the one you hear me play at 1:36 in the video.

Along with the open chords strummed this will create a bigger sounding part.

Remember, always avoid playing the same thing as the first guitar, it will only sound messy.

Next up is Beginner Guitar Lesson 7.

Happy playing!

Dan (your guitar guru)