Electric Guitar Masterclass from Musicademy

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Electric Guitar – Chord Voicings, Licks and Tricks

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Aims

• Massive subject – much more than we have time for here  

• Not going to show classic stuff like pentatonic scales

Your Role

• What is the principle role of electric guitar in a typical modern worship band set up?

Job 1

• don’t play it like an acoustic!

Or Eric Clapton…

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Your Role

• Repetitive rhythmic parts • Contribute to the groove • (mostly) Not a lead instrument in this

genre

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Rhythm electric

• Use less mid • Semi acoustics work well in the mix• Don’t be afraid of the capo

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Ideas for creating smooth voice leading

• Use open chord based voicings plotted up the neck using the major scale

• Focus on groups of strings • Use1st 2nd and 5th in the key as open

strings

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Heart of Worship

1 2m 3m 4 5 6m 7Eb Eb F G Ab Bb C DC C D E F G A BD D E F# G A B C#

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Heart of Worship V2

• C shapes using (1) 2 & 5 as open strings • Strings 2 and 4 with 3 open (5th note)

• Pre chorus • Repetitive rhythms using C shapes • Strings 2 and 4 with 3 open (5th note)

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Heart of Worship Chorus

• Open chords in C • Hammer-ons to notes in the key• Follow the rhythm of the melody

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10,000 Reasons

Guitar 1 V2• Middle strings 3&4 or E and A shapes Ch3 • As above plus open B string (5th)Ch4 • As above on bridge pickup

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10,000 Reasons

Guitar 2 V2• Strings 2 3 & 4 higher up (+ modulation) Ch3 • As above plus open B string (5th)Ch4 • As above on bridge pickup

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10,000 reasons

Guitar 3 V2• Bass notes + arpeggiosCh3 and Ch4 • Power chords

• If in doubt fill up from the low end!

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G Shapes

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Lets get Technical

• You Can think of these as CAGED chords

• ‘Spell’ any chord up the Neck using the word CAGED

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CAGED - Blessed be

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Angels We Have Heard on High

Intro • Guitar 1 (lead part high) • Linear lines on B. string

– uses strings 3 & 4 1st and 5th to fattenChorus • String 1 high plus B and G string to create

tension

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Angels We Have Heard on High

Intro • Guitar 2 • Harmony Linear lines on G string

– uses string 4 5th to fattenChorus • As above over melody without string 4 to

thin out • V2 – pedal note with delay

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Angels We Have heard on High

Intro • Guitar 3 & 4 (lead part high doubled) V1• Chords marked – no 3rds for drive soundsChorus • Chords marked + 8th notes

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Electric chords in different keys • G shapes • 7 chords in every key – very important! • 145 major • 236 minor • 5/7

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3 Chord Trick in G

• Three shapes using G shapes for every chord in the key

• use open strings or capo for drone notes

Substitutions

• 1 3 6 • 2 4 • 5 7

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D Shapes

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A Shapes

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C Shapes

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E shapes

• Adapt them for other keys. Find the root in each shape.

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Shapes in D

• Using chord shapes to go up the neck 3rds 4ths

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Shapes in D

• Combine for one set of shapes across any key

Double stops

• Base on chords 1 4 5 in key • Base on G shapes

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