Practice Log
How to spice up a 2-chord song (feat. Tennessee Whiskey)
Lesson #191
Video Overview
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Editorβs notes
Sometimes youβll find yourself learning a song (or falling into a nice practice groove) that only uses two chords βΒ and youβre faced with the challenge of βHow do I spice this up? How do I keep this interesting?β In this lesson, Iβll dive on in and answer those questions. Iβll explain how you can use strumming, palm muting, bass notes walk-ups & accents, lead riffs, and more β all in the name of spicing up a song (or groove) that only uses two chords. For this lesson, Iβll be using Chris Stapletonβs song βTennessee Whiskeyβ as a reference - it goes back and forth between G and A-minor using 6/8 time. Iβll walk you through, step by step, how to start bare bones simple and make it really interesting in many different ways. I hope you enjoy!
Quick note, this lesson is inspired by a similar lesson made by YouTube guitar teacher Sean Daniel - in which he looks at the Fleetwood Mac song βDreamsβ that goes between F and G the entire time (he offers many good tips for spicing it up). I recommend his channel, check it out!
Start with the chords
This entire song (and lesson) will be using these two chords. Quite a simple place to start! But with these chords, oh the things we can do! First, make sure you can play them comfortably.
E βββ3ββββ0ββββ
B βββ0ββββ1ββββ
G βββ0ββββ2ββββ
D βββ0ββββ2ββββ
A βββ2ββββ0ββββ
E βββ3βββββββββ
G Am
Chord progression weβll be using
Weβre modeling this after βTennessee Whiskeyβ by Chris Stapleton, which uses this progression. Every measure has 6 counts. Two measures on G, 4 on Am, back to 2 on G. Repeat for the entire song, verse and chorus. This will serve as the perimeter, so to speak, for everything weβre going to play going forward: while we will mix things up quite a bit, weβll always be within the bounds shown here.
G G Am Am Am Am G G
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Simple strumming
To approach strumming, with a simple down-strum on the 1 and 4 counts. These are the main notes you want to accent & give emphasis to for each 6 note sequence.
G G Am Am Am Am G G
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
From there, you could add an βup down upβ on the βand 6 andβ counts before each new measure starts. Again, make sure you accent the 1 and the 4 counts.
G G Am Am Am Am G G
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
d udud udud udud udud udud udud udud udud udud udud udud udud udud udud udud ud
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Plucking the bass note of each chord
Letβs move away from strumming for a moment. Instead of any strumming patttern, use this tab when playing each chord. Pluck the bass note on the 1 count, and strum the rest of the chord on the 4 count.
E ββββββββ3βββββ E ββββββββ0ββββββ
B ββββββββ0βββββ B ββββββββ1ββββββ
G ββββββββ0βββββ G ββββββββ2ββββββ
D ββββββββ0βββββ D ββββββββ2ββββββ
A ββββββββ2βββββ A ββ0ββββββββββββ
E ββ3βββββββββββ E βββββββββββββββ
G Am
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
> >
Also, if you can, silence the chord immediately after the 4 count. Do this by touching either your left or right hand lightly against all the strings (release the chord shape with your left hand, even if you keep your fingers touching the strings).
E ββββββββ3βxβββ E ββββββββ0βxββββ
B ββββββββ0βxβββ B ββββββββ1βxββββ
G ββββββββ0βxβββ G ββββββββ2βxββββ
D ββββββββ0βxβββ D ββββββββ2βxββββ
A ββββββββ2βxβββ A ββ0βββββββxββββ
E ββ3βββββββxβββ E βββββββββββββββ
G Am
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
> >
Hereβs what the full sequence would look like, using this style:
E ββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxβββ
B ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββ
G ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββ
D ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββ
A ββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββ0βββββββxβββ0βββββββxβββ0βββββββxβββ0βββββββxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββ
E ββ3βββββββxβββ3βββββββxβββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββββββxβββ3βββββββxβββ
G G Am Am Am Am G G
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Walking up into the bass note of each chord
Instead of playing each chord with a single down strum, walk into it via the E string. This open E string comes on the β6β count just before the β1β count (of which the proper bass note of the actual chord occurs).
E βββββββββ3βxβββ E ββββββββββ0βxββββ
B βββββββββ0βxβββ B ββββββββββ1βxββββ
G βββββββββ0βxβββ G ββββββββββ2βxββββ
D βββββββββ0βxβββ D ββββββββββ2βxββββ
A βββββββββ2βxβββ A ββββ0βββββββxββββ
E β0β3βββββββxβββ E ββ0ββββββββββββββ
G Am
6 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
> >
With this, the full sequence would be:
E ββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxββββ
B ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxββββ
G ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxββββ
D ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxββββ
A ββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxββββ
E ββ3βββββββββ0β3βββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0β3βββββββββ0β3βββββββββ0ββ
G G Am Am Am Am G G
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Using an A-minor7
Another small (but effective) way to add some variation to this is to use an A-minor7 for the final two measures of A-minor.
E ββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxββββ
B ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxββββ
G ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxββββ
D ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxββββ
A ββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxββββ
E ββ3βββββββββ0β3βββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0β3βββββββββ0β3βββββββββ0ββ
G G Am Am Am7 Am7 G G
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Adding the G => C/G strum
For the final two measures of G, hereβs a great way to add in some heavier strumming into a Gsus4 (aka C/G).
ββββββββββββββ3βββββ3β3βββ3βββββ3β3β3β3βββββ3β3β3ββ|βββββ
ββββββββββββββ0h1βββ1β1βββ0βββββ0β0β0β0βββββ0β0β0ββ|βββββ
ββββββββββββββ0βββββ0β0βββ0βββββ0β0β0β0βββββ0β0β0ββ|βββββ
ββββββββββββββ0h2βββ2β2βββ0βββββ0β0β0β0βββββ0β0β0ββ|βββββ
ββββββββββββββxβxβββxβxβββxβββββxβxβxβxβββββxβxβxββ|βββββ
ββ3βββββββββββ3βββββ3β3βββ3βββββ3β3β3β3βββββ3β3β3ββ|β0βββ
G G/C G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 1 +
The full sequence would roughly look like this:
E ββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3βxβββββββββ3β3βββ3βββ3β3ββββββ
B ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ1βxβββββββββ0β1βββ0βββ0β0ββββββ
G ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0β0βββ0βββ0β0ββββββ
D ββββββββ0βxβββββββββ0βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββββββββ0β2βββ0βββ0β0ββββββ
A ββββββββ2βxβββββββββ2βxβββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββββxβxβββxβββ2β2ββββββ
E ββ3βββββββββ0β3βββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0β3βββββββββββ3βββββββββ0ββ
G G Am Am Am7 Am7 G C/G G
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Adding discretionary strumming
A final piece of advice for strumming: add more as you please! As long as you emphasize the 1 and 4 counts, any amount of extra strumming will sound fine. Try to get your hand going in a continuous down-up-down-up-down-up motion, and only bring it into the strings as you choose to - even if that means light brushes.
Adding lead riffs
Finally, here are some lead riffs you can freely incorporate as you transition into each new chord. Use these as heavily or sparingly as you please, whether you decide to mix them in with your strumming (which is tough) or play them without any attempt at strumming (which is fine too).
E ββββββββββββββββ3ββ ββββββββββββββββββββ0ββ ββββββββββββββββββ0ββ βββββββββββββββββ3ββ
B ββββββββββββββββ0ββ ββββββββββββββββββββ1ββ ββββββββββββββββββ1ββ βββββββββββββββββ0ββ
G βββββββ0ββ2/4βββ0ββ βββ4ββ2ββ0ββββ4/2βββ2ββ βββ4ββ4ββ4ββ4β2βββ2ββ βββ4ββ2ββ0β2β0βββ0ββ
D ββ0ββ2ββββββββββ0ββ ββββββββββββββββββββ2ββ ββββββββββββββββββ2ββ βββββββββββββββββ0ββ
A ββββββββββββββββ2ββ ββββββββββββββββββββ0ββ ββββββββββββββββββ0ββ βββββββββββββββββ2ββ
E ββββββββββββββββ3ββ βββββββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββ3ββ
G Am Am G
Good luck!
I hope this helps! My general closing advice would be to combine all the different techniques I show above to make this G-Am transition one that never feels boring or monotonous. As always, see my video lesson for reference.
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