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How do I play chords on a song?

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forgotmymeds  
2 Dec 2008 14:14 | Quote
Joined: 02 Dec 2008
United States
Karma
I know what a chord is, (been playing about 2 months) but I don't know how to play it on a song. Like, Hotel California. I have no clue how to read that.
Heather  
2 Dec 2008 14:48 | Quote
Joined: 21 Aug 2008
United Kingdom
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Karma: 19
How is the music you're reading set out? If it's just lyrics with chord names above them just play that note 4 times until you get to the next. But if a chord involves a number key with it it just means that note involves a twist, like perhaps for example you had a F chord with a key like 'xx3333' it's just miss out the E and A strings and continue struming, is any of that how it's laid out?
EMB5490  
2 Dec 2008 15:00 | Quote
Joined: 10 Feb 2008
United States
Lessons: 1
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Karma: 31
well its backing chords. the way to know, if find the key, find the chords that go along with it, find the scale ther using, and then find the chords that go with that, then when you notice especcially for hotel cali, they play over the chords so make your chords go together with rthe solo. i mostly just solo, but when i play rythm its on the verse, not during the solo.

o u mean tabs? soz understood.



e--this line represents the high e string, the # on it "15" for example is the fret # so "15p12" means to play the 15th fret on the e string the pull off to the 12th
b--next string down
g--next string down
d--next string down
a--next string down
e--low e string

heres some symbols used

p=pull off
h=hammer on
bh=bend half step someitmes this ^
bf=bend full step sometimes ^^
t=trill
ph=pinch harmonic also is * or many other symbols


for example heres a "d" chord

e--2(2nd fret e string)
b--3(3rd fret b string)
g--2(2nd frret g string thts wut he sayd! well open ur g string! lol)
d--0(open d string)
a--x(the x means to not hit the string)
e--x(the x means to not hit the string)





this what you wanted?

-wareagle
forgotmymeds  
11 Dec 2008 08:23 | Quote
Joined: 02 Dec 2008
United States
Karma
Well, I knew how to play chords, but... Look at the song "Hotel California" on THIS website. It's got the lyrics with chord letters above them. When I play that chord, it sounds nothing like it. I don't know, I'm going to ask my teacher tomorrow.
EMB5490  
11 Dec 2008 15:51 | Quote
Joined: 10 Feb 2008
United States
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Karma: 31
ye i acctully dont knoweither,i just can hear it, i dont use tabs for chords.
CTown  
11 Dec 2008 16:12 | Quote
Joined: 14 Jul 2008
United States
Licks: 1
Karma: 1
It's been a long time since I really tried playing that song, but just looking at the version here, it seems like a very simplified version. I'll try playing this version when I get home. I remember that I learned it leading off with a Bm rather than Am. Here's a hint, don't just assume that every tab you come across is perfectly correct (in fact most aren't). People tabbing will make mistakes, and also tab music that was not recorded with guitars.
CTown  
16 Dec 2008 01:22 | Quote
Joined: 14 Jul 2008
United States
Licks: 1
Karma: 1
It's correct... put a capo on the second fret and it should sound closer
paerdeveygh  
16 Dec 2008 07:03 | Quote
Joined: way back
Finland
Lessons: 1
Karma
"forgotmymeds" says:
When I play that chord, it sounds nothing like it


Yeah, I don't think those chords on this site are really acurate. I think it should be more like this:

Am
On a dark desert highway,

E
cool wind in my hair

G
Warm smell of colitas

D
rising up through the air

F
Up ahead in the distance,

C
I saw a shimmering light

Dm
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim

E
I had to stop for the night



F
Welcome to the Hotel Cali-

C
fornia. Such a

Dm
lovely place, such a

Am7
lovely face

F
Plenty of room at the Hotel Cali-

C
fornia, Any

Dm
time of year (any time of year) you can

E
find it here

...and so on...

TheAmericanBrit  
16 Dec 2008 07:23 | Quote
Joined: 03 Sep 2008
United States
Karma: 1
come again?
brodyxhollow  
16 Dec 2008 08:17 | Quote
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
United States
Karma: 2
it definitely starts with a B Minor. You play the chords no capo, but take what chords are posted here and shift them up two steps.
wearvans  
25 Dec 2008 12:40 | Quote
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Guam
Karma
any old school skateboarders in here?
JazzMaverick  
27 Dec 2008 11:13 | Quote
Joined: 28 Aug 2008
United Kingdom
Lessons: 24
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Karma: 47
Moderator
I skateboard. fun times, fun times.
bull_dog998  
28 Mar 2009 17:58 | Quote
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
United States
Karma
well that is one of my favorits and i play it,down ,down, down up,down up down up down, and these are the chords i use,Bm,,f#7,,A,,E,G,,D,,Em,,f#7 and back again,listen to the song it is close
Meister23  
28 Mar 2009 18:36 | Quote
Joined: 04 Feb 2009
United States
Karma
hotel california is Bm F# Amaj Emaj Gmaj Dmaj Em F#maj

all are barr chords but the D

to get it to sound like the song you just have to arpeggiate the chords, which you can figure out by listening to the song and plucking the different notes of the chords in the way it sounds. The chords it gives on the "songs" part of this site are definitely not correct.


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