Lesson #2: Common Time in C (Guitar, Beginner)

Did you learn the chords from yesterday's lesson? Yes, they are hard on the fingers and tricky to remember, but keep at it! We're going to put those chords to use and start strumming in common time. In published sheet music, this is often stated as 4/4 time. Count it out!

In quarter notes: 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4... Four quarter notes make a full measure (and you thought this wouldn't be fractions and math class!).

In faster eighth notes: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Got it? Let's try this chord progression:

C 2 3 4, F 2 3 4, C 2 3 4, F 2 3 4...and repeat...C 2 3 4, F 2 3 4, C 2 3 4, F 2 3 4...

Or this one:

C 2 3 4, G 2 3 4, C 2 3 4, G 2 3 4...

Or this one:

C and 2 and 3 and 4 and
Am and 2 and 3 and 4 and
C and 2 and 3 and 4 and
Am and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Like juggling, let's try three chords:

C 2 3 4, G 2 3 4, F 2 3 4, F 2 3 4...

Now four chords:

C 2 3 4, G 2 3 4, Am 2 3 4, F 2 3 4...

Get the picture? Good.