Warm Up Exercise
"Sultans of Swing" chorus lick
Lesson #174
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Editorβs notes
As I took the first steps into learning βSultans of Swingβ, one of the things that jumped out immediately was this incredibly recognizable chorus lick - and how playing it by itself can be an entirely satisfying exercise. After spending some time with it, I decided to craft some constraints around it: specifically, introducing the challenge of only using 3 strings to play all of the necessary chords.
While this may seem like a challenging constraint, it actually makes the lick a bit more accessible, in my opinion - it allows you to avoid any βfullβ barre chords that require 5 or 6 strings. As such, I present to you this quick warm-up exercise based on this riff. Itβs a great one to memorize to turn heads wherever you may find yourself with a guitar, and likewise will help you develop barre chord muscles if you havenβt yet mastered the 5- or 6-string barre. Enjoy!
Full chorus lick
Part 1 of 2:
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββββββ6ββ5ββ3ββββββ6ββ6ββ5ββββββ10ββ8ββββ
G ββββββββ7ββ5ββ3ββββββ5ββ5ββ5ββββββ10ββ9ββββ
D ββ(0)βββ7ββ5ββ3ββββββ7ββ7ββ5ββββββ10ββ10βββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Dm C Bb F F C F C
Part 2 of 2:
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββββββ6ββ5ββ3ββββββ6ββ6ββ5βββββββββββββββ
G ββββββββ7ββ5ββ3ββββββ5ββ5ββ5ββββββββββββ5ββ
D ββ(0)βββ7ββ5ββ3ββββββ7ββ7ββ5ββββββββ5β7ββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ/7ββββββββ <== use your left ring finger
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ on this 7th fret note
Dm C Bb F F C
Understanding the full chord shapes
Although this riff requires you to only 3 strings per each chord, itβs worth understanding the βfullβ version of these very same chords. Doing so will help you develop βbarre chord visionβ (as I call it), wherein youβre able to recognize the full 5- or 6-string chord shapes from which you may play 2, 3, or 4 strings.
E ββββ5ββββ3ββββ8ββββ1ββββ5ββββ8βββ
B ββββ6ββββ5ββββ8ββββ3ββββ6βββ10βββ
G ββββ7ββββ5ββββ9ββββ3ββββ5βββ10βββ
D ββββ7ββββ5ββββ10βββ3ββββ7βββ10βββ
A ββββ5ββββ3ββββ10βββ1ββββ8ββββ8βββ
E ββββββββββββββ8ββββββββββββββββββ
Dm C C Bb F F
Playing the 3-string chord shapes
Given the full chord shapes above, hereβs how I recommend playing the 3-string versions of each chord as follows. For the D-minor, ideally keep your left index finger free β this lets you (eventually) use it to barre the 5th fret, which is useful for both the 3-string C-major and the full 5-string D-minor.
E βββββββ
B βββ6βββ <== left middle
G βββ7βββ <== left pinky
D βββ7βββ <== left ring
A βββββββ
E βββββββ
Dm
Hereβs the C and Bb chords. For these, the ideal is to play all 3 strings with your barred index finger. This is a great way to develop barre chord strength (i.e., barring 3 strings is a great stepping stone toward being able to barre 5 or 6 strings).
E ββββββββββββ
B βββ5ββββ3βββ <== left index
G βββ5ββββ3βββ <== left index
D βββ5ββββ3βββ <== left index
A ββββββββββββ
E ββββββββββββ
C Bb
For the F chord in the 2nd segment, use this tab. The idea is to barre your left index finger across the 5th fret, and then use your left middle and ring fingers for the other strings. This approach makes it very easy to quickly switch from the F to the C (since your index finger is already barred on the 5th fret).
E βββββββ
B βββ6βββ <== left middle
G βββ5βββ <== left index
D βββ7βββ <== left ring
A βββββββ
E βββββββ
F
Finally, thereβs the F and C chords further up the neck. For the F, the ideal is to use your left ring finger to barre the 10th fret β which lets you use that same ring finger on the 10th fret of the 4th string (for the C chord).
E ββββββββ E ββββββββ
B βββ10βββ <== left ring B ββββ8βββ <== left index
G βββ10βββ <== left ring G ββββ9βββ <== left middle
D βββ10βββ <== left ring D βββ10βββ <== left ring
A ββββββββ A ββββββββ
E ββββββββ E ββββββββ
F C
Other riffs that use these chords:
βAll Along the Watchtowerβ by Bob Dylan uses the same tonal progression (though in a different key) - and can be played by repeating Dm - C - Bb - C:
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββ6ββββ5ββββ3ββββ5ββββ
G ββββ7ββββ5ββββ3ββββ5ββββ
D ββββ7ββββ5ββββ3ββββ5ββββ ...repeat
A βββ(5)ββ(3)ββ(1)ββ(3)βββ
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Dm C Bb C
βThe First Cut is the Deepestβ by Cat Stevens can also be played with these shapes:
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββββββ10ββββββββββββ8ββββββββββ6ββββββββββ8ββββββ
G βββββ10ββββ10βββββββ9βββ9ββββββ7βββ7ββββββ9βββ9ββββ
D ββ10βββββββββββββ10ββββββββββ8βββββββββ10ββββββββββ ...repeat
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
F C Bb C
And those are just a few - play with these chord shapes yourself and see what other sequences you can come up with!
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