Lesson #4  — Half Notes, Notes On The Third / Fourth Strings & Open 
String Notes 
THE HALF NOTE: is a musical note worth two counts. Two half notes 
fill up a complete bar in 4/4 time, and are played on the first 
and third beats.

4/4      X   X       
Count: 1 2 3 4

EXAMPLE #6

In the following example there are two chords per bar.

   D   G       A   G
|——————0————|——2———0————|
|——0————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|
   1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4   

EXAMPLE #7

Here is a timing variation of the above example using half notes 
and quarter notes.

   D   G       A   G
|——————0—0——|——2———0—0——|
|——0————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|
   1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4   

NOTES ON THE THIRD STRING

  1st 2nd 3rd 4th    (Fret Number)
 |———|———|———|———|—— (1st String)
 |———|———|———|———|—— (2nd String)
A|———|—B—|—C—|———|—— (3rd String)
 |———|———|———|———|—— (4th String)

   A B C  
|———————————|—— (1st String)
|———————————|—— (2nd String)
|——0—2—3————|—— (3rd String)
|———————————|—— (4th String)


NOTES ON THE FOURTH STRING

  1st 2nd 3rd 4th    (Fret Number)
 |———|———|———|———|—— (1st String)
 |———|———|———|———|—— (2nd String)
 |———|———|———|———|—— (3rd String)
E|—F—|———|—G—|———|—— (4th String)

   E F G    
|———————————|—— (1st String)
|———————————|—— (2nd String)
|———————————|—— (3rd String)
|——0—1—3————|—— (4th String)

TURNAROUND PROGRESSION #1: The Turnaround is another very 
valuable progression to familiarize with, like Twelve Bar 
Blues, it is the basis of many songs (i.e. Y.M.C.A. by The Village 
People). The following turnaround is in the Key of C Major. The 
key of a song is generally indicated by the opening chord.

EXAMPLE #8

   C           Am          F           G
|———————————|———————————|———————————|———————————|
|———————————|———————————|———————————|———————————|>
|——3—3—3—3——|——0—0—0—0——|———————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|——1—1—1—1——|——3—3—3—3——|
   1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4 

Whereas example 8 uses root notes with quarter note timing, 
example 9 uses extra notes (other than root notes) and combines 
half and quarter notes. 

EXAMPLE #8

   C           Am          F           G  
|———————————|———————————|———————————|———————————|
|———————————|———————————|———————————|———————————|>
|——3———3—2——|——0———0————|————————0——|————————2——|>
|———————————|————————3——|——1———1————|——3———3————|
   1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4     1 2 3 4 

OPEN STRING NOTES
All the notes so far examined, have been in the open position. 
The open position consists of open string notes and those notes 
on the first three frets.

   E F G A B C D E F G A
|————————————————————0—2——|
|——————————————0—2—3——————|
|————————0—2—3————————————|
|——0—1—3——————————————————|

OPEN POSITION NOTES

  1st 2nd 3rd 4th    (Fret Number)
G|———|—A—|———|———|—— (1st String)
D|———|—E—|—F—|———|—— (2nd String)
A|———|—B—|—C—|———|—— (3rd String)
E|—F—|———|—G—|———|—— (4th String)

As you play through the following notes you will observe that 
notes B&C, E&F are only one fret seperate (this distance makes 
them Semitones), whereas the other notes are ywo frets apart 
(making them Tones) Distances between notes can be portrayed 
in a musical alphabet, as such;

A B_C D_E F G
   ^   ^
 Semitones

It is mandatory that you remember this pattern of notes for future 
lessons.

Guitar Chords:
C  — X32010
Am — X02210
F  — 133211
G  — 320003

Any Questions/Comments/Concerns; Please E—Mail at mikehoel—[email protected] 


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