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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 23, 2017 at 5:05pm

Ok, I took a look at the Ashokan Farewell PDF. This PDF is written in "TAB;" the numbers on each string denote on which fret to play that note. The letters above the tab are indeed chords. Chords are formed by three or more notes sounded together ( although "power chords" consist of only two notes). The very first one is a C chord; a C "major" chord is composed of three notes: C, E, and G.

However, the very first chord is not a C chord; it is merely the note, C, played on the high G string at the 5th fret. If you play CDG together, that is not a C chord. They are giving those chords above the tab staff for accompaniment by another instrument, such as a standard 6-string guitar, while the CBG is expected to play the tabbed notes.

Which chords do you need to learn first? In standard 6-string tuning, one very common way to learn chords is the CAGED system. In other words, learn C, A, G, E, and D chords, in a variety of positions. These 5 chords will allow you to play thousands of songs. If you look at the bottom right of each page here on CBN, you'll see links to chords in various tunings; look the above 5 chords up for GDG tuning.

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Permalink Reply by Jon trownson on April 23, 2017 at 10:12pm

In gdg tuning your essential chords are all 3 strings open for your root note G. Fifth fret c. Seventh fret d and g octave at the twelfth fret,known as 1 4 and 5 chords. Check out Shane speaks lessons onyoutube

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Permalink Reply by JL on April 24, 2017 at 1:47am

1) The tab is for the first guitar, The chords above the bar are for accompaniment, (piano second guitar, bass if he's any good). 

2) a fuller sound comes from hitting more than one note at a time, adding them to the melody line you are playing comes with practicing the tabs you found on cigarboxguitar.com

3) Learn the 1-finger chords first.  tuned GDE you just lay your index finger across all 3 strings right behind the fret and you are playing a 5th chord (neither major nor minor).  Glenn has a lot of one-finger lessons on youtube, cigarboxguitar.com, links here and on cgbitty and on the facebook pages for them.  you can look up any song with chords and play along using 5th chords and ignore if it's major/minor/diminished/7th/etc.

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Permalink Reply by Jeremiah Peed on April 24, 2017 at 5:49am

Thank ya'll very much, I think I was over thinking it and just confusing myself.

So basically ALL I really need to do is focus on playing JUST the notes. Until my skills improve, then I could throw in some chords to "fill" out the song. Right?

Now does the tuning affect what chords your able to play? I

s it possible to play A minor when tuned to GDg or F major when tuned to GDg or would I have to re-tune it to CFa or AFc 

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 24, 2017 at 6:19am

Jeremiah,

Yes, it's possible to play Am and Fmaj (also known as plain ol' F) on a GDG tuned git. Take a look at the chord diagrams here:

http://www.cigarboxguitar.com/knowledge-base/category/cigar-box-gui...

Some of them require some finger stretching ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 24, 2017 at 6:42am

What you just said is the key, or at least one of them. Learn the melody notes first and then add chord tones to it when you are able. The TAB you mentioned is pretty much a melody TAB for Ashokan Farewell but it does have a few nice harmonizing notes here and there. I've played this exact arrangement before and it is a bit sparse but that often works on a beautiful melody like this.

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Permalink Reply by Snuffy Smith on April 24, 2017 at 3:36pm

I haven't even started playing yet, but I'm fairly certain pertaining to your 2nd question, yes, it's about using chords with single notes, but it's also about "fingerpicking" and hitting other strings along with that note, and not just one big strum of a chord....but fretting the chord, and letting your pick hand tingle over the other strings to add flavor and fullness to what your playing besides the main note....LOL, this coming from another total noob.

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Permalink Reply by Jeremiah Peed on April 26, 2017 at 7:03pm

So, with ya'll's help I got straight with chords. I figured out why I was having such a hard time. After extensive review of my home-made 3 string, I discovered I built my neck to wide (it's 2") and the strings were way to high up.(Something I totally overlooked the whole time).All that was why I was having such a hard time achieving and holding a clear chord. It was also killing my forearm b/c I was squeezing so hard. Which in-turn is why I questioning what I was doing and how I was doing it.

So what I did was inset the tail piece about a 1/4 inch also with the sound hole cover. Also I swapped out for a smaller bolt for a nut. (not sure the size).

I went from not being able to hold any clear chords and having to press so hard that it made my forearm tired. To being a to do any Barre chord fairly easily. (I also just started learning chords the day I post the original post). So that a VAST improvement. So now it's just practice, time playin it ya know. I'll know for the next one I build lol.    

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Permalink Reply by JL on April 27, 2017 at 6:39am

glad to hear you have a working solution.  yes having the strings as low as you can without fret buzz makes fingering much much easier.  there are multiple other threads here about using bone/wood/antler/corean/etc and filing nut grooves to get the action height right.

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