Guitar Tricks Online Guitar Lessons

The Stadium Open A, D, & G

 

In this lesson I'll show you how to adapt the chords A, D, and G to our overdriven rock tone. This has just as much to do with the notes you don't play as the ones you do, so your left hand muting is an important tool to develop.

Here we're introducing the term "voicing". In simple terms, a voicing is which notes in a chord you select to play, and how you order and space them.

Once you've learned the basic voicings, we'll practice switching between them with a metronome. Then we'll play these along with a rock backing track.

Anders Mouridsen
Instructor Anders Mouridsen
Tutorial:
Open Chords Rock!
Styles:
Rock
Difficulty:
print notation download lesson open guitar tuner
The Stadium Open A, D, & G song notation
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The Stadium Open A, D, & G By Anders Mouridsen

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Questions & Answers

2 months ago
Could you provide chord diagram for D5. Csus2. G5 A Major please, to accompany the lesson stadium open ADG
Mike Olekshy 1 month ago

Hello - thanks so much for your questions! All chord diagrams can be found in this section of the site: https://www.guitartricks.com/chords

4 months ago
I've been playing the acoustic guitar for about 9 months now. I picked up a Fender American Pro ii Telecaster for a good price for this electric course but it sounds wonky when I try to play it: the guitar has tall/narrow frets and it always sounds out of tune because I press the strings too hard. I want to play both guitars but wonder if my fret pressing will realistically ever lighten up enough to not sound like crap while playing the electric? The Fender Player series comes with medium/jumbo sized frets. I am wondering if there a significant enough of a difference (for a sloppy beginner player) between the tall/narrow frets of my current electric and the medium/jumbo frets on the Player series to make it worth switching over? I realize that, ultimately, improving technique is the key, but frustration is a stronger de-motivater in the meantime. Would you suggest the cheaper guitar with the lower fret wire for my stage of learning?
Mike Olekshy 3 months ago

Hello, thanks so much for your question! First off, it sounds like your telecaster may not be set up optimally. Consider getting a pro setup from a local music store or luthier. Yes, there is a big difference in "touch" aspect of your technique when coming from an acoustic to an electric, so some adjustment time is needed at first. You definitely want to work on pressing as lightly as possible onto the frets while still making crisp and clear notes. The tall narrow frets might be a small factor, but I don't think it is as much of a factor as adjusting your technique. I would try all of these things first before considering getting a new guitar. Good luck!

10 months ago
HI, When Anders is talking about the D chord, he mentions that as far as the scale goes, it's a 1,5,1,5. I assume that has something to do with the circle of fifths? Did I miss a lesson that explains all of this? Do I need to know this information at this point? Thank you
Josh Workman 10 months ago

Every chord can have some kind kind of scale built from the root. If you stack the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of a scale (major, minor or otherwise), you would get some kind of triad or just "chord." If you remove the third of the chord, you get what's called "open 5th," or more commonly a "power chord." If you play your open D chord and leave off the High F # (third of the chord), and let the open A ring out below it, you have the notes A D A D or 5, 1, 5, 1, since A is the 5th and D is the root or "1." I hope this helps.