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| Lesson Subject: 
  Acoustic Folk Guitar |  | What you learn: Chords & Progressions |  | Teacher: Michael Johnson |  Michael: This interactive lesson covers part 3 of 
the Acoustic Folk guitar lesson series. This lesson will cover more 
progressions, but this time in the key of D minor which is the saddest of all 
keys (pun from the movie Spinal Tap). Check out the audio sample of some of the chords and 
picking patterns:
 
 Lesson Sample
 
 Michael: 
Here's the main picking pattern we'll use 
in this lesson:
 
 Picking 1
 
 Michael: 
Notice the picking pattern uses the 
thumb on the 4th string then 1st finger, 2nd, 3rd and then to 2nd, 1st, all on 
the 1st through 4th strings.
 
 
  
 Michael: 
Notice the position of the hand and fingers, the thumb looks like your hitch 
hiking and lays on the 4th string while the fingers almost claw the other strings. OK, the coming patterns are all based 
on 3 positions of the D minor chords, here's the 
positions:
 
 
 
 Dm Chord Positions
 
 Michael: 
Notice we use the open 4th 
string (D) for all these chords.
 
 Open Position
 
  
 5th Fret 
Position
 
  
 10th Fret 
Position
 
  
 
 
 Pattern 1
 
 Michael: 
Here are some of the 
fingerings.
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 Michael: 
The last chord is a little hard to 
play. It's good for you though, they always say that when something's painful 
8-)
 
 Tony_C: 
REM uses a lot of Dm
 
 Michael:  
They do Tony, you'll notice a lot of 
bands use these chords. OK now we can also play the same chords 
descending.
 
 
 
 Pattern 1b
 
 Michael: 
Another option is playing both patterns 
together - ascending and descending. Here's a jam track you can practice 
over:
 
 Pattern 1 - 
Jam Track Slow
 
 Pattern 1 - Jam 
Track Fast
 
 Michael: 
Notice these chords share common notes, 
there is one string that ascends in chromatics.
 
 
 
 Michael: 
Let's go to the next chord position on the 5th fret.
 
 
 
 Pattern 2
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 Tony_C: So use the same chord positions but moved up one 
soloing block?
 
 Michael: 
Yes Tony, you might recognize the song 
"Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce uses this pattern. Here's the ascending 
pattern.
 
 
 
 Pattern 2b
 
 Michael: 
It produces a different sound, here's 
the jam track with both parts.
 
 Pattern 2 - Jam Track Slow
 
 Pattern 2 - Jam 
Track Fast
 
 
 
 Michael: 
Here's the D minor scale pattern you I used earlier in the lesson sample to play 
over the chords,. You can play the scales over the jam track. OK, let's try the next position on the 10th 
fret.
 
 
 
 Pattern 3
 
 Michael: 
Here's the fingerings.
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 Pattern 3 - Jam Track
 
 
 
 Michael: 
Here's another position of the D minor scale you can play over the jam 
track. Now you can mix any of the patterns 
together, this will help give you ideas on creating your own 
songs.
 
 
 
 Pattern 4
 
 Pattern 4Michael: 
In this example I play Pattern 1 & 3.
 
 Tony_C: Are you using your 
pinkie?
 
 Michael: 
Not on the high position Tony, here's 
the jam tracks for pattern 1 & 3.
 
 Pattern 4 - Jam Track Slow
 
 Pattern 4 - Jam Track Fast
 
 canada: I'm not sure of 
the finger combination as i move down the high e string on the 10-9-8-,how do i 
play the second and third string.
 
 Michael: 
Like this canada:
 
 
  
 Michael: 
It looks kind of like playing a A minor 
chord fingering on the 1st thru 3rd 
strings.
 
 Tony_C: 
Got it! what's the fingering for all 10th fret?
 
 Michael: 
I use my 3rd finger barred, see you next lesson everybody!
 
 
 
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