Guitar for accompanying songs

Em, E minor: 022000. You will form a chord with two fingers and check all six strings separately. Use a guitar in standard tuning: from string six to one, E–A–D–G–B–E. String six is the thickest and string one the thinnest. If the strings are out of tune, fingering alone will not produce the pitches described here.

In 022000, each number represents a string, from six to one. 0 means an open string; 2 means press at the second fret. Numbers inside the diagram’s dots identify fingers: 1 is the index, 2 the middle and 3 the ring finger. Vertical lines are strings; spaces between horizontal lines are frets. Circles above indicate open strings.

1. Put finger 2 (middle) on string five, fret two.
2. Put finger 3 (ring) on string four, fret two.
3. Leave strings six, three, two and one open. Place your fingertips close to the wire ending fret two, without resting on the metal or pulling a string sideways.
4. Pluck each string separately from six to one. The pitches are E–B–E–G–B–E: three note names, repeated. Then brush lightly across all six strings.

Listen especially to the open third string. If it is muted, the finger on string four may be touching it. Arch that finger slightly and check again rather than squeezing harder everywhere. If string five or four buzzes, check contact position before increasing pressure. Use only enough force for the note to ring; do not push through pain.

Release pressure, rebuild the shape and compare each string with the complete strum. What to check: both fretted strings ring, all four open strings remain clear, and a full strum does not conceal a muted string. This comparison provides a concrete diagnosis; memorizing the shape does not replace listening.

For a lighter arrangement, the three open treble strings alone also form Em, but change register and weight. That is a voicing choice, not the same six-string sound.

The diagram below is a copy of the course’s actual original material, showing the same 022000 position. It is available in this preview. The complete chord files listed are optional supports for the paid course; you do not need them to form and check this Em.

You will follow a count with four downstrokes on Em, without changing chords. First check standard tuning E–A–D–G–B–E, from the thickest string to the thinnest. Form Em 022000: middle finger on string five/fret two, ring finger on string four/fret two, and the others open. Pluck all six separately to check that none is muted.

Count 1–2–3–4, 1–2–3–4, using equal intervals. Each sequence is a four-beat bar. Start by counting without playing. A slow pulse that lets you prepare your hand is enough; speed is not the exercise’s goal. With a metronome at 60 BPM, each click represents one beat and each bar lasts four seconds.

Move lightly from string six toward string one on each number. ↓ shows the path from bass to treble, not an instruction to hit hard. Let your hand return without sounding between strokes: play on the number and prepare the next movement in the following space. Keep counting even if a stroke sounds weak; rejoin the next beat without compressing intervals to catch up.

With a pick, use a tip that passes through the strings without catching; avoid burying it between them. Hold it with control but without rigidity. With fingers, try light, comfortable contact. The tones differ, but both work for this exercise; you do not need a collection of accessories.

Repeat two bars: play the first softly and the second moderately at the same tempo. What to check: eight equally spaced attacks, a silent hand return with no extra attack, and a volume change without a speed change. If the motion catches, reduce force and contact depth before speeding up. Do not push through pain.

This is a concrete first accompaniment, not a universal musical pattern. When you learn other chords, the stroke’s starting point also changes: you do not automatically play every string in every voicing. For now, stay with the Em described here and listen to your control of the rhythm.

The complete rhythm material listed is optional and belongs to the paid course. The count, chord and all steps needed for this beginning are included in this preview.