DIATONIC CHORDS WITH CHROMATIC CONNECTORS
Building chord progressions with diatonic chords—chords constructed right from the steps of the major or natural-minor scale—is a great way to make strong, sensible musical ideas. However, they have a tendency to work so well that they fail to challenge the listener, and end up sounding a little boring. The following example unites diatonic chords (whose notes are all included in the key of A) with some simple chromatic ideas (which include notes from outside the key). By adding these chromatic notes, we'll help put some spring into the step of this simple ascending progression.
Hear audio example.


Use your picking-hand thumb to sound the down-stemmed bass notes, and your index, middle, and ring fingers to pluck the treble. Watch out for the D chord in measure 2, which falls on the same beat as the bass to allow for the extra bass note in the chromatic idea leading to E in measure 3.

For more on these ideas, check out the Basics article on diatonic chords and the Woodshed article about chromatic licks, available now online and in the September 2008 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.

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THE BASICS
DIATONIC CHORDS LESSON
Create simple, sensible progressions using diatonic chords. With audio examples. [More]

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CHROMATIC LICKS LESSON
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FENDER INTRODUCES FENDER UNIVERSITY
Class is in session at Fender University, an exclusive new music experience for guitarists from around the globe. August 21–24 marks the University's inaugural session, where participants will travel to Fender's manufacturing headquarters in Corona, California, for four days and nights of jamming, workshops, and one-on-one instruction from Fender staff, clinicians, and artists. Cost to attend is $6,500 per student; registration fee also includes a personal tour of the Fender Center Museum, hotel accommodations, an exclusive Fender American Standard Series guitar or bass, and more.
fender.com/university

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