Rock Chords
In Lesson 11 you were introduced to "rock chords" as used in 12 bar blues. The same principle can now be applied to bar chords. Using root 6 bar chords, the G and G6 "rock chords" are played with the following fingering*.
G (2 string form)
G6 (2 string form)
* An alternative fingering used by many rock guitarists for these chords is as such:
G(2 string form)
G6(2 string form)
These "rock chord" shapes can be regarded as root 6 chords because G and G6 are at the 3rd fret; C and C6 are at the 8th fret; and D and D6 are at the 10th fret.
Play a blues in G, using these chords, and the same rhythm pattern used in Lesson 19 (example 51).
Rhythm Pattern
Blues Pattern No. 3
The 2 blues patterns studied in lesson 31 enabled you to play blues in the keys of E to C. For the remaining keys (D flat, D and E flat), these two patterns become awkward to play, hence a third pattern is commonly used. This pattern starts on a root 5 bar chord:
This pattern can be used for the keys C to G. To be a versatile rhythm guitarist you must be able to play 12 Bar Blues in any key, and the 3 basic patterns now enable you to do so. Here is a summary of these keys that best suit each pattern.
Where the keys overlap, either pattern can be used.
