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Lesson 2 of 4

A, D and E major

A, D and E are the three main chords in the key of A major. Hundreds of songs use nothing else.

A: index, middle and ring fingers side by side on the 2nd fret of the D, G and B strings. Strum from the A string.

D: index on the G string, 2nd fret; ring on the B string, 3rd fret; middle on the high e, 2nd fret. A small triangle. Strum only the top four strings, from the open D.

E: same shape as Em, plus your index on the G string, 1st fret. Strum all six.

Pick through each chord first to check every string. Then strum four downstrokes per chord, one per click. The progression should sound bright and settled, coming home each time you return to A.

The A chord is cramped; if your fingers don't fit, try middle on D, index on G, ring on B, with the index tucked slightly behind the other two. The most common mistake with D is strumming the low E and A strings, which makes it muddy. Aim your strum at the D string.

Exercises

Pick through A, D and E

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, open
    2. D string, fret 2
    3. G string, fret 2
    4. B string, fret 2
    5. high E string, open
    6. B string, fret 2
    7. G string, fret 2
    8. D string, fret 2
  2. Bar 2
    1. D string, open
    2. G string, fret 2
    3. B string, fret 3
    4. high E string, fret 2
    5. B string, fret 3
    6. G string, fret 2
    7. D string, open
    8. G string, fret 2
  3. Bar 3
    1. low E string, open
    2. A string, fret 2
    3. D string, fret 2
    4. G string, fret 1
    5. B string, open
    6. high E string, open
    7. B string, open
    8. G string, fret 1

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

A-D-A-E

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
  2. Bar 2
    1. D string, open + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
    2. D string, open + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
    3. D string, open + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
    4. D string, open + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
  3. Bar 3
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
  4. Bar 4
    1. low E string, open + A string, fret 2 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 1 + B string, open + high E string, open
    2. low E string, open + A string, fret 2 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 1 + B string, open + high E string, open
    3. low E string, open + A string, fret 2 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 1 + B string, open + high E string, open
    4. low E string, open + A string, fret 2 + D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 1 + B string, open + high E string, open

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Bass note, then strum

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, open
    2. D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
    3. low E string, open
    4. D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
  2. Bar 2
    1. D string, open
    2. G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
    3. A string, open
    4. G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
  3. Bar 3
    1. A string, open
    2. D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
    3. low E string, open
    4. D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 2 + high E string, open
  4. Bar 4
    1. low E string, open
    2. D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 1 + B string, open + high E string, open
    3. A string, fret 2
    4. D string, fret 2 + G string, fret 1 + B string, open + high E string, open

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Checkpoint

Move on when you can do all of these.

  • Each chord rings with no buzzing strings
  • The A-D-A-E loop at 90 bpm with no gaps
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