Week 15 of 27
Goal: You play four chords in a loop – the basis of countless songs.
Review
Last week: the waltz. Play Die Gedanken sind frei and stress beat one.
Step by step
- The loop goes: G – Em – C – D7. Each chord gets one bar, then it starts again.
- First practise the new pairs: G – Em and Em – C. For Em – C, the middle finger slides from the A to the D string (staying at fret 2), the ring finger jumps to the A string at fret 3, and the index finger joins on the B string at fret 1.
- Then all four in a loop, slowly with “Only down”. Once that works, use down-up or the island strum.
- The song Am Lagerfeuer in G uses exactly these four chords.
Time to make music: your piece
Am Lagerfeuer in G: G, Em, C, D7 – round and round. Start with “Only down” and build up to the island strum. That sounds like a real band!
Start the chord game Choose: G · Em · C · D
Homework for next time
Five days, about ten minutes each:
- Tune first every day.
- Day 1: switch G – Em and Em – C ten times each.
- Days 2–3: all four in a loop, one bar each, with the metronome.
- Days 4–5: play along with Am Lagerfeuer in G.
- Fun: hum your own melody over the four chords!
Done when …
- you play the four chords twice round without stopping
- you get through Am Lagerfeuer once
If you get stuck
- One change is always too slow? Practise only that one – and in the song, allow an open strum before it until it gets better.
- Your hand cramps up? Shake it out now and then and roll your shoulders. Relaxed hands are faster.
For teachers: lesson plan
- ≈ 10 min Warm-up: the teacher plays the loop; the group calls out the chord names.
- ≈ 15 min Practice: four groups, each takes one chord – then rotate until every group has played all four.
- ≈ 20 min Together: Am Lagerfeuer – everyone plays, and anyone who wants to sings or hums a melody.
Differentiation: those who are confident play the piece with down-up or help a partner; those who need more time strum only on beat one of each bar.
For the board: openstring.de/gitarre/en/lesson/15/