Weekly Updates (Temporarily)

Quickly recording actual songs, as opposed to spur-of-the-moment, single-progression jam sessions, is taking longer than we'd like.  So far we're tracking the drums to the songs that have already been written (and they've been written quickly).  Once the drums are in, building the track with basslines, guitars, vocals, etc., will be fun.  It'll take some time, but it'll be fun!

Once we are a couple of finished songs in, we'll restart Chord du Jour on a daily basis, with new songs posted about every Wednesday (or a rerun Jam Session...whatever).

Please stay tuned!

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Jam Session Rewind: 103l, or the Song That Almost Was

Jam Session 103l (8:09; see original show notes) almost became a song.  Well, it can still be one, but its development has been put on hold for a while.  Let's start from the beginning:

My brother Jon came up with the simple-yet-dramatic, waltzy chord progression.  I translated the chord progression as a effects-laden riff on the bass.



I decided to rerecord the progression with some drums, and so it became Backtrack 103l (5:44; see show notes).



We added a couple of newer progressions (for the chorus and bridge) and some lyrics -- a complete song was pretty much good to go by January of 2010.  I guess I had second thoughts with the overall flow of the song, the pacing, the melody, etc., so this D minor song has been put on hold for a long while now.

As you can see, because we never finished the song, there is no MP3 example for this blog.  We'll get around to it, eventually.

Chord du Jour is now beyond chord and du jour. Don't miss out on our multiple blogs per day by subscribing (via RSS) today!

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F Major Diatonic without Capo

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Thursday's awesomeness, tabbed in (low to high) E A D G B E standard tuning:

    F
e |-13------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |-10------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-10------------------|--------------------|-----------------10--|
D |-10------------------|------10-----10-12--|-10-12-14--12-14-----|
A |-12-10-12--10-12-13--|-12-13----13--------|---------------------|
E |-13------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

                                                
e |---------------------|--------------------|-------10-----10-12--|
B |-----------------10--|---10-11--10-11-13--|-11-13-----13--------|
G |----10-12--10-12-----|-12-----------------|---------------------|
D |-14------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

              F           Bb       F
e |-10-12-13--13--------|-13-------13--------|
B |----------(13)-------|-15-------13--------|
G |-----------10--------|-15-------14--------|
D |-----------10--------|-15-------15--------|
A |-----------12--------|-13-------15--------|
E |-----------13--------|(13)------13--------|

F Major Pentatonic without Capo

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Wednesday's ascending awesomeness, tabbed in (low to high) E A D G B E standard tuning:

    F
e |-8-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
B |-10------------------|---------------------|-----------------10--|
G |-10------------------|-----------------10--|----10-12--10-12-----|
D |-10--------------10--|----10-12--10-12-----|-12------------------|
A |-8--10-12--10-12-----|-12------------------|---------------------|
E |(8)------------------|---------------------|---------------------|

e |-----------------10--|----10-13--13--------|
B |----10-13--10-13-----|-13--------10--------|
G |-12------------------|-----------10--------|
D |---------------------|-----------10--------|
A |---------------------|-----------12--------|
E |---------------------|-----------13--------|

G Major in F with Capo or Full-Step Down Tuning

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Yesterday's last chord, capo'd at the eighth fret:

     F
c |--5--|
G |--2--|
Eb|--2--|
Bb|--2--|
F |--4--|
C |--5--|

Today, we'll play something valid either while capo'd at the 10th fret or with no capo but tuned down to (from low to high) D G C F A D:

    F
d |-3-------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
A |-0-------------|---------------|---------------|------------0--|
F |-0-------------|---------------|------------0--|---0-2--0-2----|
C |-0-------------|-----0----0-2--|-0-2-4--2-4----|-4-------------|
G |-2-0-2--0-2-3--|-2-3----3------|---------------|---------------|
D |-3-------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

                                           F        Bb     F
d |---------------|-----0----0-2--|-0-2-3--3------|-3------3------|
A |---0-1--0-1-3--|-1-3----3------|--------3------|-5------3------|
F |-2-------------|---------------|--------0------|-5------4------|
C |---------------|---------------|--------0------|-5------5------|
G |---------------|---------------|--------2------|-3------5------|
D |---------------|---------------|--------3------|(3)-----3------|

A Major in F with Capo

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Yesterday's last chord, capo'd at the fifth fret:

     F
a |--3--|
E |--5--|
C |--5--|
G |--5--|
D |--3--|
A |-(3)-|

Let's capo the eighth fret, play the F major chord, go through a neat-sounding ascending F major pentatonic scale, and preview tomorrow's F chord (sans capo):

    F
c |-0-------------|---------------|---------------|------------2--|
G |-2-------------|---------------|------------2--|---2-5--2-5----|
Eb|-2-------------|------------2--|---2-4--2-4----|-4-------------|
Bb|-2----------2--|---2-4--2-4----|-4-------------|---------------|
F |-0-2-4--2-4----|-4-------------|---------------|---------------|
C |(0)------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

c |---2-5--5------|
G |-5------2------|
Eb|--------2------|
Bb|--------2------|
F |--------4------|
C |--------5------|

C Major in F with Capo

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Yesterday's last chord, capo'd at the third fret:

     F
g |--2-----------------------|
D |--3-----------------------|
Bb|--2-----------------------|
F |--4-----------------------|
C |--5-----------------------|
G |--------------------------|

Let's capo the fifth fret:

     F  Gm Am Bb C  Dm Edim     F
a |--0--1--0--1--3--0--------|--3--|
E |--1--3--0--1--3--1--3-----|--5--|
C |--0--2--0--2--0--2--4-----|--5--|
G |--2--0--2--3--0--2--3-----|--5--|
D |--3-(0)-2--3--2--0--2-----|--3--|
A |-(3)----0--1--3-(0)-------|-(3)-|

D Major in F with Capo

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Do you remember the last chord shape from yesterday's lesson (in bold), with the capo on the first fret?

     F
f |--0-----------------------|--0--------------------4--|
C |--0-----------------------|-----4--2--0-----------5--|
Ab|--1-----------------------|--------------2--1-----4--|
Eb|--2-----------------1--2--|--------------------4--2--|
Bb|--2--------0--2--4--------|--------------------------|
F |--0--2--4-----------------|--------------------------|

If we remove the capo, it would be tabbed like this:

     F
e |--5--|
B |--6--|
G |--5--|
D |--3--|
A |-----|
E |-----|

And if we capo the third fret:

     F
g |--2--2--2-----------2--2--|--2-----------------------|
D |--3--3--3--3--3--3--2--3--|--3-----------------------|
Bb|--2--X--2--0--2--4--------|--2-----------------------|
F |--0--2--4-----------------|--4-----------------------|
C |--------------------------|--5-----------------------|
G |--------------------------|--------------------------|

E Major in F with Capo

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We'll use a capo on the first fret with typical Key of E open chords, letting us play in F. Notice that compared to standard E A D G B E tuning, our capo'd tuning sounds a bit "brighter," just as tuning the guitar down to Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb sort of makes open chords sound "darker":

     F
f |--0-----------------------|--0--------------------4--|
C |--0-----------------------|-----4--2--0-----------5--|
Ab|--1-----------------------|--------------2--1-----4--|
Eb|--2-----------------1--2--|--------------------4--2--|
Bb|--2--------0--2--4--------|--------------------------|
F |--0--2--4-----------------|--------------------------|

Bb Groove in Standard Tuning, 6/8

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We're going to play a similar progression like yesterday's lesson, but in standard tuning (from low to high: E A D G B E), no capo. This one is more or less in 6/8 time:

     Bbsus4
e|---------------------|---------------6--6--|
B|---------------------|---------------6--6--|
G|------------8--------|------------8--8--8--|
D|-6/8--8--8--8--8--8--|-6/8--8--8--8--8--8--|
A|-6/8--8--8--8--8--8--|-6/8--8--8--8--8--8--|
E|-4/6--6--6--6--6--6--|-4/6--6--6--6--6--6--|

     F     Fsus4 F         Eb   Ebsus2 Eb
e|------------8--8--8--|------------6--6--6--|
B|------10-10-11-10-10-|------8--8--6--8--8--|
G|-8/10-10-10-10-10-10-|--(8)-8--8--8--8--8--|
D|-8/10-10-10-10-10-10-|-8(8)-8--8--8--8--8--|
A|-6/8--8--8--8--8--8--|-5/6--6--6--6--6--6--|
E|---------------------|---------------------|

A Groove in Bb with Capo, 6/8

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We're going to play a similar progression like yesterday's lesson, but in standard tuning (from low to high: E A D G B E, with a capo on the first fret (F Bb Eb Ab C F). The tab numbers are relative to the capo. This one is more or less in 6/8 time:

      Bbsus4
f |------------0--0--0--|------------0--0--0--|
C |------------3--3--3--|------------3--3--3--|
Ab|-0h2--2--2--2--2--2--|-0h2--2--2--2--2--2--|
Eb|---2--2--2--2--2--2--|---2--2--2--2--2--2--|
Bb|---0--0--0--0--0--0--|---0--0--0--0--0--0--|
F |---------------------|---------------------|

      Fsus4       F         Ebsus2    Eb
f |------------0--0--0--|---0--0--0-h2--2--2--|
C |------------0--0--0--|---3--3--3--3--3--3--|
Ab|------------2--1--1--|-1/2--2--2--2--2--2--|
Eb|-0h2--2--2--2--2--2--|---0--0--0--0--0--0--|
Bb|---2--2--2--2--2--2--|---------------------|
F |---0--0--0--0--0--0--|---------------------|

B Groove in Bb, Half-Step Down Tuning, 6/8

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We're back to the same (from low to high) Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb from last week's set of lessons. We're just going to get you started with a B-flat groove, which is usually B in standard tuning. Then take this little thread and make it a song (or at least a freeform jam), if you so choose. Tomorrow, we're probably going to try something else. This one is more or less in 6/8 time:

     Bbsus4
eb|------------0-----0--|------------0-----0--|
Bb|------------0--0--0--|------------0--0--0--|
Gb|---4--------4--4--4--|---4--------4--4--4--|
Db|---4--4--4--4--4--4--|---4--4--4--4--4--4--|
Ab|-0h2--2--2--2--2--2--|-0h2--2--2--2--2--2--|
Eb|---------------------|---------------------|

    F7add4                Eb
eb|------------0-----0--|------------0-----0--|
Bb|------------0--0--0--|------------0--0--0--|
Gb|------------3--3--3--|------------1--1--1--|
Db|---4--4--4--4--4--4--|---2--2--2--2--2--2--|
Ab|---4--4--4--4--4--4--|-0h2--2--2--2--2--2--|
Eb|-0h2--2--2--2--2--2--|-0----0--0--0--0--0--|

E Riff in Eb, Bass Variation

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We'll embellish yesterday's bassline with slides. We'll even let the first guitar copy this modified bass line. We modified the second guitar to play Wednesday's bass guitar part (open Low Eb) while playing the octave lead. In any case, you can see that there are myriad possibilities even in the constraints of rather generic chord progressions:

     Eb5   Gb Db Eb5 Adim Ab5
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|-----------5-----------7--|
Eb|--0--0-/3-----0--0-/6-----|

Gtr. 2
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--9--9-/12\11-16-16/15\14-|
Db|--X--X--X--X--X--X--X--X--|
Ab|--7--7-/10\9--14-14/13\12-|
Eb|--0--0--------0--0--------|

Bass
Gb|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|-----------5-----------7--|
Eb|--0--0-/3-----0--0-/6-----|

E Riff in Eb, Guitar 2 Variation

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We'll have the Low Eb drone for the second guitar, and modify the last bit. We'll also have the bass play throughout the measure:

     Eb5   Gb Db Eb5 Adim Ab5
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|--------5--5--------7--7--|
Eb|--0--0--3--2--0--0--6--5--|

Gtr. 2
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--9--9-/12\11-16-16/15\14-|
Db|--X--X--X--X--X--X--X--X--|
Ab|--7--7-/10\9--14-14/13\12-|
Eb|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--|

Bass
Gb|--------------------------|
Db|-----------------------2--|
Ab|-----------5--------1-----|
Eb|--0--0--3-----0--0--------|

E Riff in Eb, Guitar 1 Variation

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

The focus here is the variation in the rhythm guitar part. We've also (re-)added lower bass notes for the second guitar to fill as an interesting fill in the blank when the bass isn't playing:

     Eb5   Gb Db Eb5 Adim Ab5
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|--------5--5--------7--7--|
Eb|--0--0--3--2--0--0--6--5--|

Gtr. 2
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--9--9-/12\11-9--9-/15\14-|
Db|--X--X--X---X-X--X---X--X-|
Ab|--7--7-/10\-9-7--7-/13\12-|
Eb|--------0--10-------0--0--|

Bass
Gb|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|--------------------------|
Eb|--0--0--------0--0--------|

E Riff in Eb, Bass

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We're slightly modifying the second guitar part, to add more breathing room to the bass guitar part we've added. Notice that the bass only plays the open Eb (for now) notes at "1-and" as well as "3-and." We'll propose various modifications and variations to the parts in the near future:

     Eb5   Gb Db Eb5   A5 Ab5
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--------------------3--2--|
Db|--2--2--0--0--2--2--3--2--|
Ab|--2--2--2--X--2--2--1--0--|
Eb|--0--0--3--2--0--0--------|

Gtr. 2
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--9--9-/12\11-9--9-/15\14-|
Db|--X--X--X---X-X--X---X--X-|
Ab|--7--7-/10\-9-7--7-/13\12-|
Eb|--------------------------|

Bass
Gb|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|--------------------------|
Eb|--0--0--------0--0--------|

Changing up the Rhythm Guitar in C#, 6/8

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We're going to arpeggiate the the thinnest strings of every chord to change up the Wednesday's rhythm guitar part. Remember, the time signature counts something like 1-2-3-4-2-3:

   C#m       C#m7        A        Aadd9
e|--------4--------0--|--------5--------0--|
B|-----5--------0-----|-----5--------0-----|
G|--6--------6--------|--6--------6--------|
D|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--------------------|

    E        E5          B        Badd11
e|--------7--------0--|--------7--------0--|
B|-----9--------0-----|-----7--------0-----|
G|--9--------9--------|--8--------8--------|
D|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--------------------|

Finishing the Second Guitar Part in C#, 6/8

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We're going to try for a minimalist second guitar part to complement yesterday's strumming. To finish the part, we'll incorporate major 3rds, suspended 4ths, lowered 5ths, and octaves for the last two chords. Remember, the time signature counts something like 1-2-3-4-2-3:

   C#m       C#m7        A        Aadd9
e|--------------------|--------------------|
B|--------------------|--------------------|
G|--------------------|--------------------|
D|--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
A|--4--4--4--X--X--X--|--X--X--X--X--X--X--|
E|-----------4--4--4--|--5--5--5--0--0--0--|

    E        E5          B        Badd11
e|--------------------|--------------------|
B|--------------------|--------------------|
G|--------------------|--------------------|
D|--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--------------------|
A|--X--X--X--X--X--X--|--6--6--6--7--7--7--|
E|--0--0--0--7--7--7--|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|

Building a Second Guitar Part in C#, 6/8

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We're going to try for a minimalist second guitar part to complement yesterday's strumming. We'll incorporate power chords, lowered 5ths, and octaves for the first two chords. Then we'll come back tomorrow for the last two chords. Remember, the time signature counts something like 1-2-3-4-2-3:

   C#m       C#m7        A        Aadd9
e|--------------------|--------------------|
B|--------------------|--------------------|
G|--------------------|--------------------|
D|--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
A|--4--4--4--X--X--X--|--X--X--X--X--X--X--|
E|-----------4--4--4--|--5--5--5--0--0--0--|

    E        E5          B        Badd11
e|--7--7--7--0--0--0--|--7--7--7--0--0--0--|
B|--9--9--9--0--0--0--|--7--7--7--0--0--0--|
G|--9--9--9--9--9--9--|--8--8--8--8--8--8--|
D|--9--9--9--9--9--9--|--9--9--9--9--9--9--|
A|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|--9--9--9--9--9--9--|
E|--------------------|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|

Thin Strings Ring in C#, 6/8

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

We're going to let the two thinnest strings ring at the "4-2-3" count at the end of the measure. Remember, the time signature counts something like 1-2-3-4-2-3:

   C#m       C#m7        A        Aadd9
e|--4--4--4--0--0--0--|--5--5--5--0--0--0--|
B|--5--5--5--0--0--0--|--5--5--5--0--0--0--|
G|--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--6--6--6--6--6--6--|
D|--6--6--6--6--6--6--|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
A|--4--4--4--4--4--4--|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
E|--------------------|--5--5--5--5--5--5--|

    E        E5          B        Badd11
e|--7--7--7--0--0--0--|--7--7--7--0--0--0--|
B|--9--9--9--0--0--0--|--7--7--7--0--0--0--|
G|--9--9--9--9--9--9--|--8--8--8--8--8--8--|
D|--9--9--9--9--9--9--|--9--9--9--9--9--9--|
A|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|--9--9--9--9--9--9--|
E|--------------------|--7--7--7--7--7--7--|