LESSON PLAN: 3 Chord Songs Using 1 Finger
Objective
Students will be able to play three popular songs using a standard chord progression using only 1 finger on a guitar with muted strings.
Resources
Song charts and lyrics for “I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas, “Open Your Eyes” by Snow Patrol, and “Without You” by David Guetta, paper towels to mute guitar strings, optional pencil and rubber bands for capo
Procedures
- Make sure strings 4, 5, and 6 are muted with a paper towel for guitars using the easy version of these chords. Stickers can be placed on the fretboard to mark where to place the fingers for chords (FIgure A).
- Practice strumming these simplified chords making sure everyone understands the difference between them.
- Practice playing this progression with the indicated strum pattern, strumming “down” on each number for “I Gotta Feeling”. (Figure B)
- Use this strum pattern for “Open Your Eyes”, strumming down on the numbers and up on the “+”. The arm will constantly be playing “down up down up down up down up” in steady 8th notes the entire time.
- Use the same strum pattern for “Without You”. Since this song is in the key of D (using the chords D, G, and Bmi) you can use the same chords with a pencil capo on the 7th fret. (Figure C)
National Core Arts Standards (Music)
Anchor Standard 5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
Example: General Music MU:Pr5.1.5 b. Rehearse to refine technical accuracy and expressive qualities, to address challenges, and show improvement over time. Common Core Correlation: CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b. (fractions as subdivision of beat)