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Natural Minor Scale

Natural Minor Scale

Download the  natural_minor_scale PDF.  This scale is known as Aeolian or 6th mode. It’s is commonly used in rock, jazz and popular music. The intervals are from the root: W H W W H W W.

In C, the Aeolian mode notes are A B C D E F G A

The PDF illustrates the scale from the 5 string and the 6 string.

“Success is going from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

2026-03-29T18:48:33-04:00

Grownin’ Up

Download tabs for Growing Up part 1

Growin’ Up” is a song by American musician Bruce Springsteen from his 1973 album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J..

It is a moderately paced tune, concerning an adolescence as a rebellious New Jersey teen, with lyrics written in the first-person. The lyrics feature a chorus that is progressively modified as the song continues, with the first chorus being “I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd but when they said ‘Sit down,’ I stood up,” while the second chorus switches to “clouded warmth…’come down,’ I threw up” and the third finishes the song with “mother breast…’pull down,’ I pulled up.”

An acoustic version of the song, part of Springsteen’s 1972 audition for CBS Records, appears on Tracks18 Tracks, and Chapter and Verse.

During the Born to Run tours and following Darkness Tour, Springsteen often performed an extended version of this song, extending it with a long, sometimes exaggerated and/or fictional biographical narration of his youth and his passion for guitar playing.

The song was featured on the soundtracks of the films Big Daddy (1999) and Gracie (2007).

David Bowie recorded a version of this song in the early stages of the 

2026-03-22T12:14:18-04:00

A Chord

The A Chord

The notes of the A major chord in the first position can be played as the diagram shows. A major triad needs the 1/3/5 of the scale and we can get these with three open strings and fingers on the the second fret of the 4,3 and 2 strings.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours…If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” – Henry David Thoreau

2026-03-18T10:00:46-04:00

Cowboy chords

Cowboy Chords PDF

Here are a few chords that will be helpful to get you started! The A chord can be played with three fingers on the second frets of the 2,3 and 4 strings or with 1 finger across all three strings on the second fret.

The B chord can be played with the first finger on the 2nd fret of A5 string and fingers 2,3 and 4 on the 4th frets of strings 2,3 and 4.

The C chord in the first position: 34trd finger on the 3rd fert of A,2nd finger on the 2nd fret of D, open G string and 1st finger on the first fret of B.

The E chord can be played with open E6 and open E1, 2nd and 3rd fingers on the 2nd frets of 5 and 4 strings, and the first finger on the first fret of the G string. However if you use your 3rd 4th and 2nd fingers to make the E…

The F shape can be made moving that E shape up toward the body by one fret and using your first finger across the first fret of all the strings!

“Most men would rather die than think. Many do.” – Bertrand Russell

2026-03-22T13:10:55-04:00

Strangers In The Night

Strangers in the Night is a 1966 studio album by Frank Sinatra. It marked Sinatra’s return to number one on the pop album charts in the mid-1960s, and consolidated the comeback he initiated in 1965. Combining pop hits with show tunes and standards, the album bridges classic jazz-oriented big band with contemporary pop. It became Sinatra’s fifth and final album to reach number one on the US Pop Albums Chart. Additionally, the single “Strangers in the Night” reached number one on the pop single charts, while “Summer Wind” has become one of Sinatra best-known songs, making numerous film and television appearances in the years since its release.

“Aping what you’ve already done is just so dangerous and unrewarding.” – Andy Summers

2026-03-09T15:30:49-04:00

Witchcraft

Witchcraft” is a popular song from 1957 composed by Cy Coleman with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh.

Frank Sinatra recorded “Witchcraft” three times in a studio setting. The first recording was in 1957, for his single release, and was later released on his compilation album All the Way (1961). Sinatra re-recorded “Witchcraft” for 1963’s Sinatra’s Sinatra, and finally recorded it as a duet with Anita Baker for Duets (1993).

“All the great guitarists have a spirit–a way they play and don’t play.” – Eddie Martinez

2026-03-09T15:31:02-04:00

At Last

In 1960, rhythm and blues singer Etta James recorded an arrangement by Riley Hampton that improvised on Warren’s original melody. Etta James’s rendition was the title track on her debut album At Last! (1960) and was eventually inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Most recently, Celine Dion and Beyoncé have also had chart successes with the song.

Prior to release of Sun Valley Serenade, “At Last” was performed in the film by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, with vocals by John Payne and Lynn Bari, dubbed by Pat Friday. Studio head Darryl Zanuck reportedly said: “There are too many big ones in this. Let’s save one for the next.” The “At Last” vocal by Payne and Bari was thus deleted from the film, although instrumental versions remained, including in the Black Ice Ballet finale. The vocal version was included […]

2026-03-09T15:31:14-04:00

Three ways to play D

Three ways to play a D chord.

Just like the C chord, there a a few different ways to play D. We usually learn it first high up on the neck, using the open D string and the 2nd, 3rd and 2nd fret of the 3,2 and 1 string respectively. This is an easy one to remember because your fingers make a “triangle” shape. The notes here are D (open D string) A (2nd fret of G), D (3rd fret of B) and F# (2nd fret of E).

We can also play the D chord in the 5th position with our 1st finger on the 5th fret of 5 string and our 3rd finger barring the 7th fret of 2,3 and 4. This is a useful shape for sure!

We can also play this “F” shape in the 10th position, using our 1st finger on the 10th fret of 1 and 2 strings, our 2nd finger on the 11th fret of 3 string and our 3rd finger on the 12th fret of the 4 string.

Download the PDF:
3 ways to play D

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little “extra”. Jimmy Johnson

2026-03-29T18:48:46-04:00

Three ways to play C

Three ways to play a C chord. Often we learn first to play a C chord at the top of the neck it what is known as “first position”. That simply means that the first finger will be responsible for the notes on the first fret, second finger for notes on the second fret and so on. So, in first position, third finger on the third fret of the 5 string, 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the 4 string, open 3 string and first finger on the first fret of the B or 2 string.

we can also play the C chord as a barre chord with our first finger on the 3rd fret of the 5 string. Holding that note (C) and the 5th frets of the 2,3 and 4 strings, we can get our G, C and E notes, and that spells a C chord!

We can also play the C chord at the 8th position (8th fret) using an “F” shape. that is, the two adjacent 1 and 2 string held down at the 8th fret with the 1st finger, second finger on the 9th fret of 3 and 3rd finger on the 10th fret of 4.

Download the PDF:
3 ways to play C

2026-03-22T12:43:41-04:00
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