Eminor bass note first?


mirzanaeem007
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Joined: 05/30/22
Posts: 1
mirzanaeem007
Registered User
Joined: 05/30/22
Posts: 1
05/30/2022 8:18 pm

Just getting to the full chord videos and the teacher has you play the base note of the Em chord first. Is that normal? Are you not supposed to play all the strings at once? Is this just some sort of learning technique or is this really how it's supposed to be played.

There really wasn't any explanation other than...play the base note first, then strum the rest of the strings.


# 1
ddiddler
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Joined: 05/13/20
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ddiddler
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Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
05/31/2022 10:22 am

it's just a style pattern of playing strums.

when you do chord changes it gives you that fraction longer to get fingers in place on some of the changes.

You will play full strums later as well as picking all the notes in the chord individually.

Might seem strange but all things do get covered.

Dave


# 2
LisaMcC
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Joined: 11/02/06
Posts: 3,965
LisaMcC
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 11/02/06
Posts: 3,965
06/07/2022 9:50 pm

True, bass-note-first is one particular style of strumming. [br]As Dave mentioned, it does give you an extra micro-second to get the whole chord in place.

But there is another factor as well. [br]The bass note is the lowest note of the chord. [br]In music, 'bass' serves to ground the sound, make it feel rooted to the ground.

That's why bands have bass players - the overall sound really relies on those low notes. [br][br]

So when you are playing on your own, and you play the bass note first, it lays a nice solid foundation of low sound, that helps the higher notes of the chord feel more grounded. [br][br]

Hope this makes some sense!

- Lisa McCormick


Lisa McCormick, GT Instructor
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# 3

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