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Breezy strumming on E-Bsus4-Asus2

Lesson #231 • Apr 15, 2019

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Editor’s notes

In this lesson, I’ll show you a fun little 3-chord warmup exercise using the E-Bsus4-Asus2. This is inspired by the opening chords to “Angel Flight” by Radney Foster, which I began learning at patron request… the opening measures were quite fun to learn, so I thought I’d turn them into this bite-sized lesson. I’ll teach the chords, explain the strumming pattern, and then expand things by showing an alternate voicing you can do if you want to remix things a bit. I hope you enjoy!

Variation 1

E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––1–––––––1–––––––1–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
D –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
A –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2–|–0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–0–0–0s––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
      E                         B       A
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
      v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^   v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^

Variation 2

E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––9–––––––9–––––––9–––––8–8–8–|–––––6–––––––6–––––––6–––––6–6–6––|–
D –|––––––9–––––––9–––––––9–––––9–9–9–|–7–––7–––7–––7–––7–––7–––7–7–7–7––|–
A –|––––––7–––––––7–––––––7–––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
      E                         B       A
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
      v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^   v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^

Chords

Note that the “B” is technically a Bsus4, and the A is technically an Asus2. I’ll just refer to them as A and B to keep things simple. The idea is we’re leaving the thinnest two strings open, in order to keep things simpler and give a more distinctive sound.

E –––0–––0–––0––– –––0–––0–––0–––
B –––0–––0–––0––– –––0–––0–––0–––
G –––1–––4–––2––– –––9–––8–––6–––
D –––2–––4–––2––– –––9–––9–––7––– <== left ring finger stays on this
A –––2–––2–––0––– –––7–––––––––––     string on all 6 of these chords!
E –––0––––––––––– –––0–––––––––––
     E   B   A       E   B   A

Ending riff

E ––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––––––––––––9–––––––––
G –––––––9––11––––11–––9––
D –––/11–––––––––––––––––– <== left ringer plays this 11th fret note...
A ––––––––––––––––––––––––     use that as your starting anchor point
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––     After this riff, resolve to any E chord.

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