Dan Thorpe Acoustic Academy

Two-Minute Challenges

#17 – Embellish Your Chords!

Hints and Tips

• Use a capo to play the chords where you are most comfortable (this will make this idea easier)
• Go slow and practice strumming one chord with a simple strum pattern
• When you feel ready, lift a finger off the chord (usually works best on the high strings, e.g. G, B, or high E)
• Add a finger back on but in a different place
• Experiment with where and when you add and remove fingers
• Try this idea with a fingerpicking pattern
• Keep coming back to this idea if you don’t quite get it at first

Useful Resources

Premium

• The Ultimate Guide to Strumming
• Fingerstyle 101

In Focus

• Simple But Sophisticated Chord Embellishments

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