Monroe Chords, Part 1

from: Bluegrass Mandolin: Beginning to Advanced with Sharon Gilchrist

This lesson is part of the course Bluegrass Mandolin: Beginning to Advanced with Sharon Gilchrist.

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Learn bluegrass mandolin with Sharon Gilchrist in this collection of essential lessons from her Peghead Nation courses, designed to take you from beginning technique and must-know bluegrass tunes, to intermediate fretboard theory and songs, to advanced soloing techniques, and much more.

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Intro to the Bluegrass Mandolin Fingerboard Method

Once you know the arpeggios based on the L shape, you can easily find double stops to harmonize the melodies of the songs you’re playing. Sharon shows you two handy double stops in the L shape for D, G, and A, and gives you a couple exercises using them.

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Monroe Chords

Monroe Chords, Part 1

Monroe Chords, Part 2

Monroe Chord Rhythm Tracks

Monroe Chords, Part 1

The closed “chop” chords known as “Monroe chords” (after Bill Monroe) are what give your rhythm mandolin that classic bluegrass chop sound or bark. Sharon shows you the Monroe chord shapes for G and C, but since they’re closed chords (with no open strings) you can move these shapes around the neck to play any major chord. Sharon also talks about getting a clear, quick chop sound by thinking about all four strings as if they’re one string, and shows you the right- and left-hand techniques she uses to get this sound.

Monroe Chords PDF Download (Available to subscribers)

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← Clinch Mountain Backstep, Part 3: Chords and Rhythm

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Monroe Chords, Part 2 →

Previous Lesson

← Clinch Mountain Backstep, Part 3: Chords and Rhythm

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Monroe Chords, Part 2 →

Previous Lesson

← Clinch Mountain Backstep, Part 3: Chords and Rhythm

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