Fretplay

[Mark Stone]

In guitar lessons I give, I teach a tactic called “Fretplay” (my term) where I encourage students, both beginner and advanced, to take Cowboy Chord positions they are already used to (for example E, D, D7, Amaj7, C) and just randomly play these comfortable “comfort zone” positions up and down the neck. The E and C chords are the funnest - if you make a C and slide it up the neck fret-by-fret, you get a cool sounding D, an Em, and an A7.

I wrote an instrumental called “The Submarine Rag” using Fretplay that uses 12 distinct chords up and down the neck but utilizes only one finger position - the reverse triangle D7 (or Amaj7). The song is at my website (linked to below) in the “Instrumental” section - have a listen!

Do you want to feel comfy way up the neck? Try Fretplay!

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Mark Stone

In guitar lessons I give, I teach a tactic called “Fretplay” (my term) where I encourage students, both beginner and advanced, to take Cowboy Chord positions they are already used to (for example E, D, D7, Amaj7, C) and just randomly play these comfortable “comfort zone” positions up and down the neck. The E and C chords are the funnest - if you make a C and slide it up the neck fret-by-fret, you get a cool sounding D, an Em, and an A7.

I wrote an instrumental called “The Submarine Rag” using Fretplay that uses 12 distinct chords up and down the neck but utilizes only one finger position - the reverse triangle D7 (or Amaj7). The song is at my website (linked to below) in the “Instrumental” section - have a listen!

Do you want to feel comfy way up the neck? Try Fretplay!

Here's Mississippi John Hurt demonstrating that very principle with a G chord shape!