How to Play Folk Music on Guitar

People have been playing folk music on guitars for centuries. If you want to join in on the fun, here’s a guide on how to do it.

Open position chords

In guitar music, there are two main types of chords: open position chords and barre chords. Open position chords are easier to learn because they do not require you to press down on more than one string at a time. Barre chords are more difficult to learn because they require you to press down on multiple strings at the same time.

Open position chords are usually played with the first finger on the first string, the second finger on the second string, and the third finger on the third string. For example, an A chord would be played with the first finger on the fifth fret of the first string, the second finger on the fourth fret of the second string, and the third finger on the second fret of the third string. A C chord would be played with the first finger on the third fret of the first string, the second finger on the second fret of the second string, and the third finger on the third fret of the first string.

To play a minor chord, you simply press down on one less string than you would for a major chord. For example, an A minor chord would be played with just your first and second fingers; you would not need to use your third finger.

First position melodies

First position chords are the easiest to play. They are also some of the richest sounding chords, which is why they are used so often in folk music. In addition to chords, you can also play melodies in first position. The following is a simple melody that you can play using first position chords:

E minor: 022100
A major: X02220
D major: XX0232
G major: 320003

To play this melody, simply play the chord shapes in the order listed above, picking each string individually. You can also strum the chords if you prefer.

Strumming patterns

Folk music generally uses a lot of strumming patterns. Here are some of the most common ones that you’ll come across.

1. The four-beat strum: This is the most basic strumming pattern and is simply done by strumming down on beats 1 and 3, and up on beats 2 and 4.

2. The three-beat strum: This pattern is similar to the four-beat strum but leaves out the upstroke on beat 4.

3. The six-beat strum: This pattern is often used in waltzes and can be done by adding two more downstrokes on beats 5 and 6.

4. The eight-beat strum: This is another commonly used pattern that adds two more upstrokes on beats 7 and 8.

Reading chord charts

Chord charts are easy to follow once you know how to read them. The horizontal lines represent the six strings on your guitar, with the lowest (thickest) string at the bottom and the highest (thinnest) string at the top. The numbers on the lines correspond to frets, with the first fret being at the space between the nut and the Experts recommend that beginners start by learning chords in the first position, which means holding down chords using only frets one through three.

To play a chord in first position, place your index finger on the string behind the fret indicated by the number on the left side of the chart, place your middle finger on the string behind the fret indicated by the number on the right side of chart, and pluck all six strings simultaneously. Be sure to check out our blog post on how to strum a guitar for more tips on playing chords.

Playing with a band

Folk music is often thought of as acoustic guitar music, but it can be played on electric guitar as well. In a band, the folk guitarist’s primary role is to provide accompaniment for the vocals. The guitar parts are usually simple, using mostly open chords with a few embellishments thrown in. If you’re playing with a band, it’s important to listen to the other instruments and adapt your playing accordingly. For example, if the mandolin is playing a lot of fast runs, you might want to lay off the embellishments and let it shine.