Knockin’ On Heaven’s Chords

Various ideas on how to play through the chords:

G – D – | C – - – ||

The powertab file isn’t meant to be played from beginning to end. It’s arranged for printing in a single page.

NB: Similarity to any songs, living or dead, may not be coincidental.

Free Article from GT

The Guitar Techniques Practice Plan develops 8 playing skills. I recommend the magazine, too.

Theme From Asturias

Here’s a Power Tab file for Asturias. It’s only the first section. And I’ve moved it into open position, where it’s easier to play.

Leaving Dee

Leaving the chord of D major, one finger at a time.

Play the D major with your 1st, 3rd and 2nd fingers.
2nd finger leaves the top-string, to play on the 5th string.
1st finger leaves next
Then the 3rd finger slides down a fret to play the A7, final bar.

The TAB should make things clear:

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-------2---------|-------0---------|
|-----3-----------|-----3-----------|
|---2-------------|---2-------------|
|-0---------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-3---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|

|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|.1.&.2.&.3.&.4.&.|
|-------0---------|-------0-----0---|
|-----3-----------|-----2-------2---|
|---0-------------|---0---------0---|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---------------|-0---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|

And here’s the MIDI file for Leaving Dee.

Single string study in Am

Here’s another single string study. There are some heavy metal riffs based on this kind of idea (eg: Yngwie Malmsteen), but they require higher tempos. The MIDI files here are all at 85bpm, but you can change that with Anvil. (See blogroll). Start slow and work your way up to as fast as you can go! Malmsteen would manage 140-150 no problem.

MIDI for first variation — playing triplets. This will teach you the position changes. Those changes are the same in all three variations.
Second Variation — 16th notes. At the same tempo, so harder to play because there are four notes per beat rather than three.
Final Variation — a 2 bar phrase is used through the chords. Only a little harder than the second variaiton, but only until you get the phrase under your fingers.

Nursery Rhymes

These are arranged to be played on a single string. The advantage there is that the guitar doesn’t need to be tuned! So it’s very good for beginners.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Old McDonalds
London’s Burning

2-1-2-4 Study

Here’s the TAB file for 2-1-2-4 Study, so called because that’s the main pattern played with the left hand fingers. The intro riff is very much for beginners. Each riff after that is a more challenging variation of the same pattern.

Here’s the MIDI file for 2-1-2-4 study, and a slower version at 80 BPM