Chords and strumming

▶ Open in Aratu to hear the examples, change them and do the exercises

A progression is written as a lead sheet, on a line called chords. Each bar between bar lines has its chord:

tempo: 90
chords = | Am | F | C | G |

On its own, the chords line plays each chord whole, like a keyboard.

Chords sharing a bar

Two chords in one bar split it in half. For other splits, use _ to say how long each chord lasts:

chords = | C G | Am _ _ F | C |

In the second bar, Am lasts three beats and F one.

Chord symbols keep their usual spelling: Am, G7, Cmaj7, Dm7, Bdim, E/G#, G7(b9). Solfège roots work too, as many Brazilian and Spanish lead sheets write them, and a bar with no chord is N.C.:

chords = | Lam | Fa | Do Sol | N.C. |

The strum

A line called strum says how the hand hits the strings, with the same rhythm rules:

Put both lines in a block named after the instrument:

tempo: 90
guitar {
  chords = | Am | F | C | G |
  strum  = D du -u du
}

The strum repeats every bar, and the chords change on their own. A down strum sounds the strings from low to high, an up strum from high to low, as on a real guitar.

Change the strum to D -u D -u and hear the difference while it plays.

The golpe on the top

In flamenco the hand also taps the guitar's top: the golpe. It is written g, and G is an accented golpe. The strings do not sound on a golpe; the wood does:

tempo: 100
guitar {
  chords = | Am | G | F | E |
  strum  = dgdu dgdu dGdu dgdu
}

Each beat has four sixteenths: down, golpe, down, up. The golpe on the third beat is accented.

Often the golpe falls together with a down strum: the hand sweeps down the strings and the ring finger taps the top at the same moment. That is written t, for together, and T is the same with an accent:

tempo: 100
guitar {
  chords = | Am | G | F | E |
  strum  = T-du g-du T-du g-du
}

In the next lesson chords are written by their degree, in Roman numerals: I, vi, IV, V7.

Exercises

Write the progression C, Am, F, G, one chord per bar.

guitar {
  chords = | C | C | C | C |
  strum  = d d d d
}

guitar {
  chords = | C | Am | F | G |
  strum  = d d d d
}

Now change the strum to D du D du.

guitar {
  chords = | Am | Dm | E7 | Am |
  strum  = d d d d
}

guitar {
  chords = | Am | Dm | E7 | Am |
  strum  = D du D du
}