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F5 G5

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(@jimscafe)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 119
Topic starter  

In the song You Really Got Me, I have two books for beginners that show the chords as three stringed F5 G5 G5 F5 G5

This is played quite for (at least for a beginner) and I have never ben able to do it well - if I do get the speed right the strings squeak like mad.

I started with a teacher about a month ago and he said - just play strings 4 & 5, I do. Of course this makes it easy, you hold down the third fret with your first finger, play strings 5 & 4 for F5 then use your third (or fourth?) on the fifth fret for G5. Wow so easy.

So why do the books show the full version?

I also realize with drop D tuning you could achieve the same on all three bottom strings, but again the books do not show that.


   
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(@ignar-hillstrom)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5349
 

Because you need to learn to do the full version. It's nice to know an easy one to start with but that won't work for long. Drop D-tuning is quite a mess because it will screw up barre-chords and some early open chords, you don't want to mess with if you're beginning or you'll end up being only able to hack powerchords.


   
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(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

Playing strings E, A & D, gives you a "normal" F5 and G5, i.e. with the root in the bass position - F5 = F (6/1), C (5/3) and F (4/3), G5 = G (6/3), D (5/5) and G (4/5). Playing only the A & D strings, still gives you F5 & G5, but puts the 5th degree in the bass position - F5 = C (5/3) and F (4/3), G5 = D (5/5) and G (4/5).
This all falls apart, if you start to play blues shuffles, which require that you play the "normal" version, with the root in the bass, because you also play the 6th degree
|------------------|
|------------------|
|------------------|
|------------------|
|--3-3-5-5-3-3-5-5-|
|--1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|

The "full" version also gives you a buffer. If you only play the A & D strings, you have strings (E & G) either side that you can catch with the plectrum and make unwanted noise. Playing the full version, adds in the E string, which allows you to play F5 & G5 on the E & A strings, using the D string as a buffer, should your plectrum slip - it won't matter, if you hit it, because the note is part of the F5/G5.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
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(@jimscafe)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 119
Topic starter  

I still think it is played hopelessly fast for an 'easy' song. I agree that you need to be able to do it at some point (though my fingers don't agree yet!!) :P


   
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