June 2024 Guitar Newsletter : Simple Songs Built To Last!
In my musical journey, things tend to go in full circles. At the moment, I find myself memorizing popular songs in bands that include in their repertoire covers, as well as originals. Much earlier in my teens, I came across these classic songs, many of them consisting only of 3 chords. This time I am relearning and performing them with greater maturity and respect. Dissecting and memorizing them is definetely heightening my appreciation for songwriters who have mastered writing memorable singles using only a few chords. Through this I have learned to shift my perspective, listen and play in a different manner.
Now, you might think it should be easy to keep track of songs that primarily make use of only three chords. I will confess that I never felt comfortable playing “easy” songs on the spot; in fact, they terrified me! The main reason behind this is simple. If you are playing a 3 chord song and you end up landing on the wrong chord, it glaringly doesn’t sound right! Unlike jazz music, where there is much more harmonic freedom and tension and improvisation is desired, there is very little wiggle room when performing well known classics. Fortunately, with a confident attitude and new practice methods, this has improved for me. Along with mapping out the chord progression in my head, I have also trained my ears to better recognize each chord and eventually “feel” and anticipate them.
Let’s explore some practice advice for memorizing simple songs and becoming better acquainted with the 3 main chords used in so many songs. First off, it is necessary to play along with a song repeatedly to know its structure and isolate the tricky spots right off the bat. Depending on how familiar you are with it, you could end up playing it dozens of times in a single practice session. In time, play it without the recording because when you play it live, you won’t have a play along track as a crutch. What has proven fruitful for me is to play along with songs at a much slower tempo and in different keys to hear and “feel” each chord. I have become a firm believer of calling out the Roman numeral of chords while rehearsing song parts that aren’t coming easily in order to aurally “program” my brain. “Stay on the I”, or, “quick change from I to the V”, or “chorus starts on V” for example. This helps with the memorization process.
The 3 chord songs that I am learning stem from European Harmony which is based on the I, IV and V chords. They are referred to as the Tonic, Subdominant and Dominant chords. For guitar players this means strumming the following chord groupings:
I IV V
G C D
A D E
E A B
The I, IV and V chords each serve a different role in a song and can be arranged in nearly infinite ways. The I chord feels like home and will often, but not always, start and end the song. The V chord usually wants to go back to the I chord, but not always, and the IV chord is often, but not always, the first chord in a new part of the song such as the chorus or the bridge. Recognizing these three chord pillars requires the ability to listen to a song with a bird’s eye view and not be distracted by other elements in the song. Being familiar with them sets you free to play with others.
Playing with real people in front of an audience is the best motivation to grab your axe and get better at this game. 3 chords songs are equally common at open mic Singer Songwriter nights, Folk Music gatherings, Blues Jams, Fiddler Picnics, Old Time Bluegrass gatherings, Celtic fiddle music in an Irish pub or sitting in on Blues based tunes at a Jazz Jam. All of these genres share the fact that they are rooted in Western Harmony and many of those songs are based on the I, IV and V chord structure previously discussed. These playing opportunities are invaluable learning experiences, and I encourage you to make use of them in your area. Remember, jam sessions are meant for musicians and music lovers to meet and support each other, and are not high performance situations. Any and all levels are welcome, and if you land on the wrong chord, move quickly to a different one and just laugh it off!
I hope you can make use of some of these tips on learning and recognizing new things about your favorite 3 chord songs. Repeated focused listening will lead to better recognition, understanding the functions and executing those 3 main chords that are at the core of countless songs. Whether playing with friends at a campfire, concert venue or writing original songs in solitude, 3 chord songs are here to stay and will provide a plethora of musical growth.
Chris
