Chord Based Licks - First Position
This lesson introduces Rock fingerpicking licks that are based around chord shapes in the right hand first position, i.e., chords that are played using the first three strings only. The first set of chord shapes are first position shapes based upon the three major chord shapes introduced in the previous lesson.
Major Chord Shapes - First Position
The following diagrams highlight three major chord shapes in the first position. The shaded notes show the original major bar chord shape. Also highlighted are some extra notes that can be added to the chord shape to create fingerpicking licks.
Root One Major Bar Chord
(First Position)
Root Three Major Chord Shape
(First Position)
Root Two Major Chord Shape
(First Position)
Each of the previous chord shapes is used in the following example. The first C chord is played as a root two shape (root note C on the 13th fret). The G chord is played as a root three shape (root note G on the 12th fret). The F chord is also played as a root three shape (root note F on the 10th fret). Finally, the second C chord is played as a root one shape (root note C on the 8th fret).
Minor Chord Shapes - First Position
The following diagrams are common minor chord shapes in the first position. The shaded notes show the original major bar chord shape. Also highlighted are some extra notes that can be added to the chord shape to create fingerpicking licks.
Root One Minor Bar Chord
(First Position)
Root Three Minor Chord Shape
(First Position)
Root Two Minor Chord Shape
(First Position)
The following example makes use of all three chord shapes mentioned previously. This chord progression is also in ^ time, a total of three beats per bar.
The next example uses a combination of major and minor chords in the first position.
Seventh Chord Shapes - Second Position
Shown as follows are a selection of seventh chord shapes in the right hand second position. The original bar chord that each chord shape is derived from is also shaded in each diagram. Note: the 2nd and 3rd shapes do not contain the key note of the chord. An empty key note box has been included in the diagram as a reference point to show the location of the nearest key note.
Root Four Seventh Chord Shape
(Second Position)
Root Four Seventh Chord Shape(Option)
(Second Position)
Root Three Seventh Chord Shape
(Second Position)
Root Two Seventh Chord Shape
(Second Position)
The previous diagrams are used in the following 12 bar Blues progression, one of most frequently used progressions in Rock music.
Seventh Chord Shapes - First Position
Now a selection of seventh chord shapes in the right hand first position. Once again the original bar chord that each chord shape is derived from is also shaded in each diagram. As with the previous seventh chord shapes, the following 2nd and 3rd shapes do not contain the key note of the chord. An empty key note box has been included in the diagram as a reference point to show the location of the nearest key note.
Root One Seventh Chord Shape
(First Position)
Root Two Seventh Chord Shape
(First Position)
Root Three Seventh Chord Shape
(First Position)
Root Three Seventh Chord Shape (Option)
(First Position)
Example 46 is an 8 bar Blues Rock progression. Each of the previous chord shapes are used.
Chord Accompaniment - the Second Guitarist
The following examples show how the chord shapes studied in this lesson and the previous lesson can be used as an accompaniment to a chord progression.
As a second guitarist it is possible to fingerpick the chords shapes you have learned using techniques outlined throughout this book to further enhance the arrangement.
