For beginners: Basic strumming with basic chords

For you newbies, here are some of things that we try to do in the beginning that lay the ground work for much of what we see when we play with other people.   These are your basic chords and strumming patterns that allow us to accompany singers and other instruments.   Guitar can be used as accompaniment or as the lead instrument that plays the melody.  Our goal here is with these lessons is to learn the basics that get us into the game.   We want clean chord changes and an accurate right hand that consistantly does what we want it to.  In lesson I will give you exercises that focus our sometimes limited time and energy on the things that allow us to play with other musicians as soon as we can.  Playing with others is one of the most important things we do for a variety of reasons both musical and personal.

Note that these are lessons supplements and not complete lessons.  Some students have had these lessons already some of you have it coming!  Basically we want to learn chords and accompaniment.  For us right now accompaniment is strumming patterns.  We want to be clear at home how we are to practice these elements. 

First chords:



Strumming.  Ask about the handout that I mention in this video.