Learn Electric Guitar With 'Times Like These

how to play times like these electric

If you want to learn how to play 'Times Like These' on electric guitar, you should start by familiarising yourself with the chords in the song. These include D major, C major, E minor, and A minor, as well as some variations. You'll also need to learn a couple of strumming patterns. The acoustic version of 'Times Like These' by Foo Fighters is a good place to start, as it's fairly simple and will help you improve your strumming technique and sense of rhythm. Once you've mastered the acoustic version, you can try playing along with the original track on electric guitar. There are several online tutorials and guitar lessons that can help you learn how to play the song, as well as tabs that include the lyrics and chord progressions.

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Basic chords: D major, C major, E minor, A minor

To play 'Times Like These' by the Foo Fighters on electric guitar, you'll need to know some basic chords. The good news is that the chords in this song are among the easiest to learn for beginners. The four chords you'll need to know are D major, C major, E minor, and A minor.

Let's start with the D major chord. This chord is a great foundational chord and is used in countless songs. To play this chord, place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the G string. Then, place your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the E string and your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B string.

Next up is the C major chord. Another essential chord, this one is versatile and commonly used in many different genres of music. Place your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the A string, your index finger on the 2nd fret of the D string, and your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B string.

The E minor chord is perfect for songs in a minor key and adds a darker, more sombre tone to your playing. To play this chord, place your middle and ring fingers on the 2nd frets of the A and D strings, respectively. Then, place your index finger on the 1st fret of the G string.

Finally, the A minor chord is a great counterpart to the E minor chord and is used in many popular songs. To play this chord, place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the D string and your ring and index fingers on the 1st frets of the B and G strings, respectively.

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Variations on the chords

To play 'Times Like These' on the electric guitar, you'll need to know a few basic chords and some variations on those chords, as well as a couple of strumming patterns. The song is in the key of D major, so you'll be using the D major chord a lot. You'll also need to know the C major, E minor, and A minor chords.

D major chord variations:

  • D/C: This chord is a variation of the D major chord where you play the C note instead of the D note in the bass. It adds a bit of movement to the chord progression and can sound more interesting than just strumming the same D major chord over and over.
  • D/B: Similar to the D/C chord, this variation involves playing the B note in the bass instead of the D note. It creates a sense of motion and can add depth to your chord progressions.

C major chord variations:

  • C/E: This chord variation involves playing the E note in the bass while still playing the C major chord shape. It creates a slightly different sound that can add interest to your chord progressions and make them sound more dynamic.
  • C/G: In this variation, you play the G note in the bass while maintaining the C major chord shape. It's a great way to add variation to your C major chord and create more interesting chord progressions.

E minor chord variations:

  • Em7: This chord is a variation of the E minor chord that adds the D note to create a more complex sound. It can add depth and emotion to your chord progressions, especially when used in combination with the regular E minor chord.
  • Em/G: By playing the G note in the bass while still playing the E minor chord shape, you create this variation. It's a great way to add movement and interest to your chord progressions, especially when transitioning between E minor and G major chords.

A minor chord variations:

  • Am7: This chord variation adds the G note to the A minor chord, giving it a richer and more complex sound. It can be used interchangeably with the A minor chord to add flavour and emotion to your chord progressions.
  • Am/G: Playing the G note in the bass while maintaining the A minor chord shape creates this variation. It's perfect for creating smooth transitions between A minor and G major chords, adding a sense of flow to your playing.

Remember, these chord variations are just suggestions, and you can experiment with other variations or create your own to suit your playing style and the sound you want to achieve.

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Strumming patterns

When strumming a guitar, you’ll use both downstrums (where your strumming hand moves down) and upstrums (where your strumming hand moves back up). There are several basic strumming patterns that you can start with. For example, a simple downstroke pattern involves strumming down on each beat (counted as "1, 2, 3, 4"). Once you have this down, you can add upstrokes between the counts, creating a "down-up, down-up" pattern. This adds texture and complexity to your strumming.

Another basic pattern involves counting "1, and, 2, and, 3, and, 4" and strumming down for each number. Once you have the timing of the downward strum, you can implement upward strokes. Upward strokes require a slight shift in the positioning of your wrist to pass over the strings smoothly.

As you progress, you can experiment with different speeds and incorporate riffs and licks into your playing. For example, choose a basic chord progression and add a simple lick or riff between each chord change. This could be a few notes plucked from the scale you're playing in. Practising transitioning smoothly between strumming and playing your licks will make your playing sound more dynamic and engaging.

Remember, consistency is key to developing muscle memory. Practise with intention and use resources like metronomes and backing tracks to improve your strumming skills.

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Strumming technique

To play 'Times Like These' on the electric guitar, you'll need to familiarise yourself with the basic strumming technique. This involves moving your strumming hand in an up-and-down motion, with downstrums on the beat (1, 2, 3, 4) and upstrums on the upbeat (in between beats). This motion should be light and quick, with a slight angle to your pick to produce an attractive tone.

Once you're comfortable with the basic motion, you can start to explore different strumming patterns. These patterns involve variations in the timing and emphasis of your strums, such as skipping a downstrum on the third beat or adding an extra muted strum at the end of a pattern. You can also experiment with the position of your strumming hand relative to the bridge to create brighter or darker sounds.

To improve your strumming technique, it's recommended to practice with one-chord-songs or simple chord progressions from popular songs. This helps to make strumming automatic and natural, so you won't have to think consciously about your hand movements.

While learning strumming patterns, it's important to maintain a consistent rhythm. You can use your foot to beat pulsation or a metronome to support the rhythm. Additionally, pay attention to the dynamics of your strumming, accenting some strums more than others as indicated in strumming diagrams or audio examples.

With practice and a good understanding of the basic technique, you'll be able to play along to 'Times Like These' and improve your sense of rhythm.

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Rhythm

However, knowing when to play these chords is just as important as knowing how to play them. Playing rhythm involves keeping time and following strum patterns. A metronome can help with this, as can tapping your foot to keep time. As your foot hits the floor, count the on-beat, and as you lift your foot to tap again, count the off-beat. This up-and-down motion will help you internalize what you are playing, making it easier to play again later.

Whole notes are the longest-held notes we can play in a bar of music. No matter what time signature we play in, a whole note will always last the entire length of the bar. For example, when playing in 4/4 time, each bar of music will last four beats. Try holding a C major chord and counting ‘1-2-3-4.’ You’ve officially played a chord for the duration of a whole note.

To create a cool strumming pattern, try grabbing an E major chord and strumming down-up-down-up. Count an on-beat for every downstroke, and an offbeat for every upstroke. You can fit four of each stroke into one bar of music (8 eighth notes), so practice counting them out loud to keep good time.

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