Variation in Ab in Half-Step Down Tuning

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This time, let's tune our guitars a half-step down, from low to high: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb. We'll probably get into more detail about this tuning next week, when we are in E-flat. This time, we're playing the A, D, and E open chord voicings, since we're a half-step down, the key is Ab. Remember, like yesterday, keep it strum-happy and loose:

     Ab          Absus2   Ab                Absus2   Ab
eb|--------0-----------0--0--|--------0-----------0--0--|
Bb|--------2-----------0--2--|--------2-----------0--2--|
Gb|--------2-----------2--2--|--------2-----------2--2--|
Db|--------2-----------2--2--|--------2-----------2--2--|
Ab|--0--0--0-----0--0--0--0--|--0--0--0-----0--0--0--0--|
Eb|--------------------------|--------------------------|

     Db          Dbsus2   Db    Eb          Ebsus4   Eb
eb|--------2-----------0--2--|--------0-----------0--0--|
Bb|--------3-----------3--3--|--------0-----------0--0--|
Gb|--------2-----------2--2--|--------1-----------2--1--|
Db|--0--0--0-----0--0--0--0--|--------2-----------2--2--|
Ab|--------------------------|--------2-----------2--2--|
Eb|--------------------------|--0--0--0-----0--0--0--0--|

Variation in G# with a Capo

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We're essentially the same I IV V chords in Ab, but with a capo on the first fret. We're using the G, Cadd9, and D chord shapes (with a capo on the first fret, those chords are a half-step higher). So to try to make it easier to remember which chords you're playing, we're treating this key in G#. All finger positions in the tablature below are relative to the capo, i.e. and 0 = capo on the first fret, 1 = second fret, 2 = 3rd fret, etc. We're dealing with open chords, so feel free to be looser, strummy, and not precise to the written tablature:

    G#
e|--------3--------------3--|--------3-----------3-----|
B|--------3--------------3--|--------3-----------3-----|
G|--------0--------------0--|--------0-----------0-----|
D|--------0-----------0-----|--------0--------------0--|
A|--------2-----------2-----|--------2--------------2--|
E|--3--3--3-----3--3--3-----|--3--3--3-----3--3-----3--|

    C#add9                     D#sus2      D#sus4   D#
e|--------3--------------3--|--------0-----------3--2--|
B|--------3--------------3--|--------3-----------3--3--|
G|--------0-----------0--0--|--------2-----------2--2--|
D|--------2-----------2-----|--0--0--0-----0--0--0--0--|
A|--3--3--3-----3--3--3-----|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|--------------------------|

Variation in Ab Major

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If yesterday's G#m variation doesn't float your boat, let's modify the previous riff in Ab major this time. Results may vary:

    Ab
e|--------4-----------------|--------4-----------------|
B|--------4-----------------|--------4-----------------|
G|--------5-----------------|--------5-----5--6--7-----|
D|--------6-(6)/10\8\-6-----|--------6-----------------|
A|--------6-----X--X--X-----|--------6-----------------|
E|--4--4--4-(4)/8-\6\-4-----|--4--4--4-----------------|

    Dbsus2                     Ebsus2      Ebsus4   Eb
e|--------4-----------4-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
B|--------4-----------4-----|--------6-----------9--8--|
G|--------6-----------6-----|--------8-----------8--8--|
D|--------6-----------6-----|--------8-----------8--8--|
A|--4--4--4-----4--4--4-----|--6--6--6-----6--6--6--6--|
E|--------------------------|--------------------------|

Variation in G# Minor

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This is slightly different than yesterday's riffing pattern, with some embellishments. The previous days' ambiguously power chord progression is now an obviously minor one in A-flat (Ab) or G-sharp (G#). You'll need to use your pinky to stretch to the 7th fret on the Low E string for this progression:

    G#m
e|--------4-----------------|--------4-----------------|
B|--------4-----------------|--------4-----------------|
G|--------4-----------------|--------4-----------------|
D|--------6-----------------|--------6-----------------|
A|--------6-----------6-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
E|--4--4--4-----7--4--4-----|--4--4--4-----7--4--4--4--|

    C#sus2                     D#sus2
e|--------4-----------4-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
B|--------4-----------4-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
G|--------6-----------6-----|--------8-----------8--8--|
D|--------6-----------6-----|--------8-----------8--8--|
A|--4--4--4-----4--4--4-----|--6--6--6-----6--6--6--6--|
E|--------------------------|--------------------------|

Variation in Ab

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This is slightly different than yesterday's riffing pattern:

    Ab5
e|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|--------------------------|
G|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--------6-----------6-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
A|--------6-----------6-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
E|--4--4--4-----4--4--4-----|--4--4--4-----4--4--4--4--|

    Db5                        Eb5
e|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|--------------------------|
G|--------6-----------6-----|--------8-----------8--8--|
D|--------6-----------6-----|--------8-----------8--8--|
A|--4--4--4-----4--4--4-----|--6--6--6-----6--6--6--6--|
E|--------------------------|--------------------------|

I IV V in Ab

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We're continuing with the same sort of rhythm as yesterday, but with a full chord progression in four measures:

    Ab5
e|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|--------------------------|
G|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--------6-----------6--6--|--------6-----------6--6--|
A|--------6-----------6--6--|--------6-----------6--6--|
E|--4--4--4-----4--4--4--4--|--4--4--4-----4--4--4--4--|

    Db5                        Eb5
e|--------------------------|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|--------------------------|
G|--------6-----------6--6--|--------8-----------8--8--|
D|--------6-----------6--6--|--------8-----------8--8--|
A|--4--4--4-----4--4--4--4--|--6--6--6-----6--6--6--6--|
E|--------------------------|--------------------------|

Eighth Notes, Quarter Notes in Ab

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When we're counting 8th notes in 4/4, each measure would go something like 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and...and so on. For this exercise, think (and strum) 1 and TWOOO, 3 and 4 and... Unlike the rest of the measure (in 8th notes), you'll hold the second beat for a quarter note:

    Ab5
e|--------------------------
B|--------------------------
G|--------------------------
D|--------6-----------6--6--
A|--------6-----------6--6--
E|--4--4--4-----4--4--4--4--