To play “Chasing Cars” on guitar, begin by learning the chords. The song is in the key of G Major and uses the chords G, Bm, D/F#, Em and C. Strum each chord for four counts each before moving on to the next chord in sequence. Once you are comfortable playing through these chords in order, practice transitioning between them quickly and smoothly. You may also want to add embellishments such as arpeggios or fingerpicking patterns for an extra touch of musicality.
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The Chords You Need to Know
Knowing how to play the guitar can be a daunting prospect. As any musician knows, there are dozens of chords and fingerings to learn before you can begin strumming away on your favorite songs. One particular song that has been a popular request is Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars”. Luckily, this tune only requires knowledge of four distinct chords in order to bring it to life.
The first chord needed for playing “Chasing Cars” is A minor (Am). This chord involves placing the first finger on the second string of the third fret, then using the ring finger on the fourth string at the fourth fret and finally barring across with your pinky at the fifth fret. Once these three fingers have been placed correctly, all that remains is strumming across all six strings for an Am sound.
Following up from this is D major (Dmaj). To make this chord, start by placing your index finger on the second string of second fret, followed by your middle finger on both strings of third fret and then finish off with ring and pinky fingers together both hovering over two strings at fifth fret each respectively. Strumming will now give you a D major sound instead.
Comes G major (Gmaj). Here’s where things get interesting as we must use our index and ring fingers simultaneously in unison – they will form a kind of ‘V’ shape over strings 2 & 3 at third fret each respectively. This time only five strings need be strummed which should produce a G major sound when executed correctly.
Finally one last chord needs to be learned; C major (Cmaj). For those familiar with barre chords this should come relatively easy as it consists entirely of barring across five different frets using only one single finger – namely your index. If done properly you will hear a Cmajor note echoing back out once all five strings have been strummed!
Learning how to play “Chasing Cars” isn’t as hard as some might think given its immense popularity among music fans everywhere. By understanding these basic principles behind four essential chords anybody can easily join in singing along after just minutes of practice or less.
Strumming Patterns and Techniques
Guitar players seeking to learn how to play the popular Snow Patrol song “Chasing Cars” must first master some basic strumming patterns and techniques. Being able to change between single-strums, double-strums, triplets, and other common strumming methods will ensure that the player is well-equipped to tackle this beloved tune. To practice these different types of strums, guitarists can start with a simple 8th note pattern. Alternating between downstrokes and upstrokes while keeping a steady rhythm can help solidify the foundation for mastering more complicated chord progressions later on.
Once comfortable with 8th notes, players should move onto 16th notes. This type of strumming allows for a quicker tempo; it also requires greater accuracy since 16th notes are twice as fast as their 8th note counterparts. When playing 16th notes at higher speeds it’s important for musicians to pay close attention to the transition from one string set or chord progression to another – otherwise they could end up in an unfamiliar area of the neck. It is useful practice do run through specific sections until they are completely memorized before attempting full songs like “Chasing Cars”.
Finally when guitarists feel ready, they can begin experimenting with more complex rhythms such as syncopation or triplet-based strums which will bring added texture and depth to their performance. With patience and dedication, any musician willing enough can make this iconic song sound great on guitar.
Playing the Intro and Verse
Playing the intro and verse of “Chasing Cars” on guitar is a great way to hone your skills and practice transitioning between chords. The song begins with two full measures in the key of D Major. It starts with an A chord, followed by a D/F# and G Major chord, each lasting for one measure. This section should be played with a strumming pattern that alternates upstrokes on beats 2 and 4 with downstrokes on beats 1 and 3. As you transition from one chord to the next, make sure to dampen any excess ring out while playing the new chord cleanly.
To play the verse section effectively requires mastering certain techniques such as fingerpicking or flatpicking. Fingerpicking consists of plucking individual strings usually using thumb, index, middle fingers and occasionally pinky finger. Flatpicking is similar but involves more down strokes than up strokes while maintaining even rhythm at all times. Both techniques need to be practiced in order to gain better control over articulation of notes which can add further expression when performing this part of “Chasing Cars” on guitar.
The first four bars follow I-V progression throughout in D Major where A Minor serves as V chord since it functions as relative minor scale within D major key signature; each bar being four counts long making total of sixteen counts altogether before moving onto second half of verse progression – another I-V (D Maj – A Min) followed by IV-vi (G Maj – F#min) ending back at same place where it started – original I (D maj). To help ensure accuracy in playing along with song, take time learning how chords progress within their respective bars without altering speed or pitch too much so overall flow does not get broken inadvertently due to wrong note(s) or sudden tempo changes.
Tackling the Chorus
When it comes to playing the chorus of “Chasing Cars” on guitar, there are a few key elements that must be tackled. First and foremost, it is important to practice properly fingering each chord progression in the chorus. This will require some time and effort as some chords may not come easy for beginner players. Once these are mastered, transitioning between them should become smoother with more practice. Attention should be given to mastering strumming techniques. While basic downstrokes can work well for beginners, more experienced players may want to try out alternate picking or hybrid picking patterns for a more dynamic sound. Focusing on adding simple embellishments such as hammer-ons or pull-offs at certain points in the song can help give your performance extra texture and life. With consistent practice and focus on all three of these aspects – fingerings, strumming techniques, and added embellishments – any guitarist should soon have “Chasing Cars” sounding great.
Putting It All Together: Playing “Chasing Cars” on Guitar
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the chords, strumming pattern and lyrics of “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol, it’s time to combine everything together and play the song on guitar. When practicing playing this song start slowly at first before increasing your speed. This will help you stay in control while making sure that each chord is being played correctly. You’ll want to make sure that each chord transition flows seamlessly into the next one without any breaks or pauses in between them.
The key to mastering a great sounding rendition of this song is practice, practice, practice. Focus on becoming more comfortable with transitioning between chords quickly as well as keeping your strumming pattern steady so it doesn’t get off beat when trying to reach for higher notes during singing portions of the song. As an added challenge try varying up your strum patterns slightly for different sections of the song such as faster downstrokes during chorus parts and slower ones for verses; this can add an interesting texture to your performance.
If you really want to take your performance up a notch then consider experimenting with techniques like finger picking or even adding arpeggios here and there throughout the song. No matter how advanced techniques you choose to incorporate remember that small tweaks can go a long way towards making your performance stand out from other players tackling “Chasing Cars”.
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