Using Octaves Instead Of Chords
Do you wish there was an easy way to add variety to your rhythm?
Do you think the only way to sound different is to learn something hard?
Fear Not! I have an easy solution
I will describe how to use octaves instead of power or barre chords in this article. First, I'm going to go over several different octave fingerings. Then I will show you how to use them in chord progressions, a straightforward substitution for power or barre chords.
The first octave shape I will explain will start on the 6th string. I will put my first finger on the 5th fret, skip the A string, and then put my third finger on the 7th fret of the D string. The A string, the fifth string, will not be played. To do this, you're going to take your first finger, and you're going to allow it to touch the A string without playing it.
The second shape is identical to the first, except we will start with our first finger on the fifth string. Mute your fourth string, then have a finger on the 7th fret of your G string.
For the next shape, you will put your first finger on the D string and skip a string again, except this time, we will put the pinky finger on our 8th fret on the B string. Again, the finger on the D string will mute your G string. Then we will put our first finger on the G string, keeping the same shape. We are still skipping a string, and our pinky will go up to the 8th fret on the high E string. We are always going to skip a string.
Experiment with this technique, have fun and use it anytime. We can use different fingerings of those octaves in place of our barre or power chords to add variety to our rhythm guitar playing.
Remember to always have fun with your guitar and I’ll see you next time…
If you are looking to learn another excellent rhythm guitar skill, you can check out my FREE lesson on how to weave lead guitar melody lines to your rhythm guitar playing here: https://rhythmguitarlessons.net/Pro
Have you ever heard extra notes played between chords and wondered, "Why do THESE notes sound good?" or, "How can I do that?".
Most guitar players struggle to find the right notes to play between chords to make their songs sound better.
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About Mark Turko: Mark Turko is a professional guitar player and instructor with over 30 years of experience and teaches guitar lessons online.