The Guitar Magazine – July 2019

Figure 4 is a two-chord sequence; play
the notes of the C chord one at a time,
low to high, followed by the notes of
the G major 7 chord. This is a pattern of
three notes followed by five, which means
that the second bass note comes on the
‘and’ after the second beat, adding an
unexpected rhythmic bump. Once again,
we have the tension of the F sharp on the
third (D) string sounding against the open
G, combined with (for rock music) the
unusual major-seventh sonority. Ideally, play
this example with the pick.

Figure 5 introduces another two-bar

groove, this time adding an open string with

a two-note shape that can be moved around

the guitar. The B minor chord is played for

one bar; start on the bass note and make up

any eight-note pattern.

In the second bar, play the two chords as

four-note patterns, starting with the lowest

note, adding in the other two strings and

then re-picking the lowest note before

sliding up. There is no root note in the third

chord; we are relying on the bass player to

play the low A under this chord.

All the above examples are based on

early Smiths songs, but Figure 6 is inspired

by a tune from one of Marr’s later solo

albums. The idea here is to play the whole

chord with a down stroke on the downbeat

and then fill the rest of the bar by picking

between the top two strings.

Repeat the picking pattern as you work

through the four chords; there’s a satisfying

arrival when you get to the D major chord.

Finally, see if you can steal some of these

ideas and come up with some of your

own Johnny Marr-style arpeggios.

GMAJ7

GBF♯ GB

OOX

1

3

7

1

3

FIGURE 4

C

XOXX

CEG

32

135

BmADD11

BDE

XXX O

1 ♭ 311

Bm

X

BF♯ BDF♯

34 4

23

11

151 ♭ 35

FIGURE 5

A

F♯ EE

XXX O

355

4

2

D

DADF♯

XXO

1513

3

1 2

DSUS4

DADG

XXO

1514

1

Em^7

OO

EBEGDG

34 34

12

151 ♭ 3 ♭ 76

FIGURE 6

G

GBDGDG

OO

135151

1

2 34

21

4

5TH

CHORD CLINIC

144