3 MOST ESSENTIAL CHORD FAMILIES FOR GUITAR

1. C Family
I ii iii IV V vi vii

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C Dm Em F G Am BO

In the C family chords, you can use the index finger (Finger 1) as your pivot/anchor finger for the first 6 chords.

2. E Family
I ii iii IV V vi vii

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E F#m G#m A B C#m D#O

In the E family chords, we utilize moveable chords chapes, i.e. we can use the chord shapes for chords 1, 2, 3 and 5 and shift
their positions to sound the other chords. Example: Notice the chord B shifting to C#m.

3. G Family
I ii iii IV V vi vii

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G Am Bm C D Em F#O

In the G family chords, you can use the ring finger (Finger 3) as your pivot/anchor finger for chords 1, 4, 5 and 6.

* The chords above are embellished chords, but their exact chord names are not reflected above.
 3 MOST IMPORTANT STRUMMING EXERCISES FOR GUITAR

1. Sub-dividing the beat

Step 1
1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Step 2
1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑

Step 3
1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Play through Step 1, 2, 1 and 3 without pause for 8 times. Awesome!

Hidden stage: Step 4!!

How to play: Alternate between Step 3 and Step 4 for 8 times! Sweet!
1 e n a 2 e n a 3 e n a 4 e n a
↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑

2. Missing the beat

Step 1
1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑

Step 2 : Miss ONE beat

1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ⇩ ↑ ↓ ↑

Step 3 : Miss TWO beats (Hint: You may find that remembering Down Down/Up Up/Down/Up to be helpful)
1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ⇧ ↓ ↑ ⇩ ↑ ↓ ↑

Challenge stage!!
Use a pencil and cancel out any TWO beats and challenge your friend to play it for 4 times! Winner gets a Kit Kat!
1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑ ↓ ↑
3. The Flair
Step 1 : It is the popular strumming pattern Down Down/Up Up/Down/Up
1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ⇧ ↓ ↑ ⇩ ↑ ↓ ↑

Step 2 : Change the “4 n” stroke to a Down Stroke this one ↓

1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ⇧ ↓ ↑ ⇩ ↑ ↓ ↓

Step 3 : Add one down stroke immediately after the “4 n” add this ↓

1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n
↓ ⇧ ↓ ↑ ⇩ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↓

Bonus stage!
See if you can play the following 16-beat pattern for 4 times!
1 e n a 2 e n a 3 e n a 4 e n a
↓ ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↑

1 MOST IMPORTANT FINGER EXERCISE FOR LEFT HAND

Step 1 : Fret the following diagrams and strum it cleanly. (Hint: Only lift the fingers you need to change)

Step 2 : Fret the following diagrams and use your thumb and fingers to play arpeggio (note by note) cleanly.