Chord phrasing is art of taking a chord progression and turning it into
a means of personal expression. Chord phrasing allows you total freedom
during the performance of a song to do anything you can imagine with the
song's chord structure. In other words, when playing rhythm guitar you
don't have to just play the chords that go along with the progression.
Playing just the chords can, and will get boring rather quickly.
Every chord that you can play on the guitar has a scale pattern based
around it. To perform chord phrasing we take notes from the scale patterns
based on the chord voicings found in the song's chord progression. Sound
complicated? Maybe the best way to show you exactlly what is chord phrasing
is to let you hear it for yourself.
Below are audio examples of two versions of a chord progression "Little
Wing" by Jimi Hendrix. The first version is the song with just it's
chords being strummed. Here's the songs chord progression: Em G Am
Em Bm Bbm Am C G F C D.
Now take a listen:
Now let's take a listen to the same chord progression- only this time
chord phrasing is used:
That's quite a change! With chord phrasing we are playing along with
the chord progression while using notes from the basic scale patterns
associated with each chord voicing. Again, in plain English that means
this: Each chord that you play has a scale pattern associated with it.
For example, a Em style barre chord has a scale pattern (Em scale pattern)
that is built around the chord shape.
You'll learn all about chord phrasing in the Chord Phrasing section
of the Guitar Alliance Member's Site. We'll break it down for you
in easy to digest chunks and before you know it you'll be able to improvise
along with any chord progression (song) using chord phrasing
like in the song Little Wing. Seriously! Find out
more by clicking here!
In the tab below is the complete intro to Little Wing as performed by
Stevie Ray Vaughan (and heard in the chord phrasing audio sample above).
Above each tab staff is the names of the chords that Vaughan is phrasing
from. All the root notes played on the low E string (6th) are played with
the thumb. It's the only way to free up enough fingers to play the passages
on the other strings. If you've never played with your thumb, don't frown
upon it. Try to incorporate it into your playing, because it can open
up a world of possibilities.
One final note: Stevie Ray adds the Am voicing right at the beginning
that is not in the original song. Have fun!
We'll show you how to master the art of chord phrasing and much more
in the Guitar Alliance Member's Site. Click here to
find out more!
