Tuesday, November 01, 2005

A, D, E7

I'm on a kick where I'm researching simple story-songs for future storytimes. While I've heard the phrase "three chord rock and roll" bandied about, I didn't actually believe you could play songs using A, D, and E7 chords.

I am linking three different story-songs.

Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night

On Top of Spaghetti

Sipping Cider Through a Straw

They have different tunes, different rhythms, yet they can all be played with the same three chords. If you're right-handed, you can follow along here. If you're left-handed, copy the photo onto your desktop and flip it horizontally.


A (with your right hand, strum all strings)


D (with your right hand, strum all strings except for the string closest to your face)


E7 (with your right hand, strum all strings)

There. Now you know how to play guitar. You may be no Gigging Simpleton, but hey, neither am I. You're welcome to play in my band anytime. It's called MaisyMitzi Drives the Bus. Our band members so far:

Lucia: lead vocals, lead guitar, rhythm harmonica, drums
Alkelda: rhythm guitar, backup vocals, ocarina
Bede: lead harmonica
Brad: A&R Man Gorilla

For some reason, Ulric wants nothing whatsoever to do with this gig. Ulric is the most dignified member of the House of Glee.

7 comments:

Liz said...

Dignified does not equal fun. He should really get into the spirit. You guys might be the next Von Trapp family. With Brad at the helm you guys are gonna explode. Thanks for the guitar lesson but I'm musically challenged (among other things).

Lone Star Ma said...

Down with Ulric! Put him in the brig with a bunch of tribbles!

Brad the Gorilla said...

Psst. I'll let you guys in on a secret. Ulric is actually the silliest of us all, but he's given my Landlady strict instructions to present him as having a proper, dignified front. However, Ulric has given me no such instructions (not that I'd abide by them anyway.) As much as Ulric denies it, the Silly Side of the Force is strong in every member of the House of Glee.

Lone Star Ma said...

Well, good, then. We'll call off the tribbles. That's a GREAT name for a band!

Philip said...

The Sundays use only TWO chords on their first album, and it is a thing of beauty!

(Some of the songs may use more than two chords. But their first single "Here's Where The Story Ends" is definitely a two-chord song.)

Lone Star Ma said...

My guitar playing career foundered because I could never do an F, or any other chord that required holding down more than one string with one finger.

Saints and Spinners said...

F is hard. I avoid F when at all possible. I think that guitar notations in the key of F are usually written up by people who don't play guitar. Nancy Stewart gave her students a handy-dandy printout of a transposing chart. I use it liberally.

P.S. Pssst... you can cheat!:)