Adding pinky accent notes to a chord progression

Lesson #190 • Nov 11, 2018

Video Overview

Instructional PDF 3 pages

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF! It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

Thanks for being a Premium member of Song Notes! Your support makes these lessons possible.

Download PDF

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF!

It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

To download the PDF, upgrade to premium or log in.

Editor’s notes

I recently found myself exploring the progression C-Dm7-Am-Fmaj7 - and as I strummed along, I couldn’t but notice that there was a fun opportunity to use your left-pinky on the 3rd fret of the B-string for all four of the chords. By adding and removing this one finger, you could in fact recreate many of the vocal melodies heard throughout the Taylor Swift song “Delicate”. Even if you don’t know that song, this lesson I put together provides a valuable explanation in show you can learn these four chords and create 3-4 different distinctive riffs (with rhythmic strumming incorporated) - all by simply adding and removing one finger (your left pinky) on to the same note (B string, 3rd fret) for each of the chords.

Learning the chord shapes

First, learn these four chord shapes. The Dm7 is probably the more exotic of these, but it isn’t terribly difficult to learn (if you’re comfortable with using your index finger to barre the thinnest two strings). Notice how your left index finger is what’s playing the B string for each of the chords here:

–––0–––––1–––––0–––––0–––
–––1–––––1–––––1–––––1–––  <== left index finger used here
–––0–––––2–––––2–––––2–––        on all 4 of these chords
–––2–––––0–––––2–––––3–––
–––3–––––––––––0–––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
   C    Dm7    Am   Fmaj7

Next, try adding your left pinky to the 3rd fret of the B string for each chord. Once you can play this, casually try removing your left pinky - but keeping the rest of the chord the same. This entire exercise to follow is based on this idea: keep your left hand in the chord shape, and then add or remove your left pinky to that note.

–––0–––––1–––––0–––––0–––
–––3–––––3–––––3–––––3–––  <== add left pinky finger on 3rd fret
–––0–––––2–––––2–––––2–––        of the B string (keep left index
–––2–––––0–––––2–––––3–––        finger on 1st fret)
–––3–––––––––––0–––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
   C    Dm7    Am   Fmaj7

Riff 1: Basic off-and-on

Play each chord for 8 counts as shown below - and notice how your left pinky is pressed down (on the B string, 3rd fret) for the second 4 counts. Then, after switching chords, remove your pinky for the first 4 counts before adding it again. Another way to describe this one: strum each chord twice normally, then strum it twice with your pinky down (after that, switch to the next chord and do it all again). See my video lesson for reference.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
––1–––––––1–––––––3–––––––3––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
  D   D   D   D   D   D   D   D
  >       >       >       >

Riff 2: Bring in a strumming pattern

Same deal here: play each chord for 8 counts. This time, for each 8 count sequence you’ll want to press & remove your left pinky (3rd fret of B string) to match the tab below. Use the strumming pattern shown below, which can be tricky! See my video for reference.

"Dive bar on the east side, where you at..."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
––3–––––3–1–––3–––3–––1–3–3––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
  D     U D   D   D   D U D
  >       >       >       >

Riff 3: Practice hammer-ons

Here’s another strummy riff that uses the hammer-on tab shown below for each of the 4 chords. This strum is a bit more straightforward - and again, see my video lesson for reference.

"Isn't it... isn't it, isn't it..."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
––1h3–3–––––––––––1h3–3–––1h3–3––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  D   D   D   D U D   D   D   D U
  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
  >       >       >       >

Riff 4: Utilize the open E-string

This one is a bit more “delicate”, as you’re not longer strumming throughout the 8 counts. Instead, you strum once on the first “1” count, and then strum again on the next “1” count. Otherwise, you want the melody notes I tab out to ring out cleanly. Note, for the Dm7 chord you’ll need to unbarre your index finger to play the open E string in the first measure (tricky).

"Is it cool that I said all that?"

––––––––––0––––––––––––––––––––––––
––3–––––3–––––1–––1––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

Parting thoughts

The main takeaway here: many times, you’ll be playing a chord progression that can be spiced up by adding a single note, consistently, across all of the chords you’re playing. Another example is that of adding your left-pinky on the high-E string (3rd fret) of the C-Am-Fadd9, all of which pair nicely with a G (which requires your left pinky to be on that note anyway). Regardless of the specific example, these situations create valuable practice opportunity to combine your playing style of choice (rhythm, lead, etc) in a way that utilizes this single note and finds way to make creative sounds with it.

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 245 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!

Donate

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Interactive fretboard map! See the patterns behind every scale in any key.

View

Capo Captain

An easy way to calculate key & chord combinations, for any capo location!

View

Key Master

See and hear the notes, chords, scales used in each of the most common keys.

View

Blank Tabs

Free PDF templates to download, print, and write out your own guitar tabs!

View

Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!


Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!


Recent Lessons

  • December 6, 2024

    "Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

    Let's fingerpick this classic from CSNY! While it's originally a piano-driven song, I came up with a easy-going Key of C arrangement I think you'll enjoy.

  • November 28, 2024

    Thanksgiving Roundup: Improved Search, Vidami Coupon Code, and Melody Deep-Dives

    A collection of website & lesson updates from the past couple weeks, including a 20% discount code for Vidami pedals!

  • November 15, 2024

    "Scarlet Begonias" by Grateful Dead

    Let's dive into the 1974 classic from the Dead, with an acoustic-friendly arrangement using Key of G chords! I also show how you can include the catchy riffs wherever they occur, which is great way to channel the full spirit of this song.

  • November 12, 2024

    Does CAGED Help When Learning Songs?

    A quick audience Q&A video, where I talk about how CAGED helps (or does not help) when learning songs. Featuring the main riff from Scarlet Begonias by the Grateful Dead, which I'll be teaching soon!

  • November 8, 2024

    Rhythm Deep Dive: "Guitar Town" by Steve Earle

    Watch the process of me transcribing the rhtyhm of an incredibly tricky song! All shown in real time, in writing. Featuring "Guitar Town" by Steve Earle.

  • Nov 1, 2024

    Website Tour – November 2024

    A look at the state of the Song Notes website, as of November 2024. I've been working on more than just new lessons... check out the latest updates here!

  • Oct 24, 2024

    "Fast Car" - Strumming & Rhythm Guide!

    I've gotten a ton of emails asking how to strum Fast Car — here's a lesson showing 3 possible approaches! You can strum the whole song using what I teach, or combine this with the fingerstyle riff from lesson #494.

  • October 18, 2024

    CAGED - It's More Than Just Chords!

    Learn how each CAGED shape contains not only a chord, but also an arpeggio, pentatonic, and full diatonic scale! This is a must-know realization that'll level up any practice you do with these shapes.

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage