Guitar chords: Using these simple chords and our audio example as a starting point, try creating a chord progression of your own, then tapping extra notes or intervals as outlined in the tab.
The chords are simple – identifying cool sounding notes to tap is the challenge. The first five of these chords are in G major (G A B C D E F#) so tap notes from this key for your initial ideas.
Track: The Hot Tap
Aim for a balanced tone without too much top end. Use a compressor to even out the volume. We used a delay set to 500ms.
This can be tricky at first, but fun! By bringing in the picking hand to tap notes on the fretboard, we can expand chords far beyond what the fretting hand alone can achieve.
Check out Joe Satriani, Stanley Jordan and Plini to hear more. A little compression can help the tapped notes pop out more easily, especially if you’re using a clean tone.
More more of our guitar lessons
“A well-crafted sequence is successful wherever you may wish to use it”: Use these tried and tested chord progressions to build an engaging song
“Sometimes you don't want to be overtly happy or sad and a suspended chord strikes that perfect balance”: How to understand and use suspended chords effectively
