Warm Up Exercise

Breezy strumming on E-Bsus4-Asus2

Lesson #231

Video Overview

Get the PDF chord sheet (2 pages)

  • Support me on Patreon.com to get access to this and 200+ other PDF chord sheets I've made, plus new PDFs I make going forward (1-2 added each week).
  • The cost is $3/month (one month minimum, cancel anytime). Annual plans also available. Here's a free sample if you're on the fence. Thanks!
Download the PDF on Patreon

After clicking the button and logging in to Patreon, look for the PDF attached to the bottom of the post.

Editor’s notes

In this lesson, I’ll show you a fun little 3-chord warmup exercise using the E-Bsus4-Asus2. This is inspired by the opening chords to “Angel Flight” by Radney Foster, which I began learning at patron request… the opening measures were quite fun to learn, so I thought I’d turn them into this bite-sized lesson. I’ll teach the chords, explain the strumming pattern, and then expand things by showing an alternate voicing you can do if you want to remix things a bit. I hope you enjoy!

Variation 1

E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––1–––––––1–––––––1–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
D –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––4–4–4–|–––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2––|–
A –|––––––2–––––––2–––––––2–––––2–2–2–|–0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–0–0–0s––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
      E                         B       A
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
      v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^   v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^

Variation 2

E –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
B –|––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0–|–––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––0–0–0––|–
G –|––––––9–––––––9–––––––9–––––8–8–8–|–––––6–––––––6–––––––6–––––6–6–6––|–
D –|––––––9–––––––9–––––––9–––––9–9–9–|–7–––7–––7–––7–––7–––7–––7–7–7–7––|–
A –|––––––7–––––––7–––––––7–––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––0–––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
      E                         B       A
      1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
      v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^   v   v   v   v   v   v   v ^ v ^

Chords

Note that the “B” is technically a Bsus4, and the A is technically an Asus2. I’ll just refer to them as A and B to keep things simple. The idea is we’re leaving the thinnest two strings open, in order to keep things simpler and give a more distinctive sound.

E –––0–––0–––0––– –––0–––0–––0–––
B –––0–––0–––0––– –––0–––0–––0–––
G –––1–––4–––2––– –––9–––8–––6–––
D –––2–––4–––2––– –––9–––9–––7––– <== left ring finger stays on this
A –––2–––2–––0––– –––7–––––––––––     string on all 6 of these chords!
E –––0––––––––––– –––0–––––––––––
     E   B   A       E   B   A

Ending riff

E ––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––––––––––––9–––––––––
G –––––––9––11––––11–––9––
D –––/11–––––––––––––––––– <== left ringer plays this 11th fret note...
A ––––––––––––––––––––––––     use that as your starting anchor point
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––     After this riff, resolve to any E chord.

Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!

If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).

You can also support me on Patreon. For only $3/month you'll get access to a print-friendly PDF of my notes for each new lesson (view free sample).

Thanks!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!

Recent video lessons:

📝 Print-friendly PDFs now available for all new lessons I make, including all those listed below. Get a free sample »

Browse my all lessons

By lesson type

By song decade

By musical genre

By guitar technique

By musical key

By popular artist

← back to lesson list