[jammerz4life]

My friends dad said a good way to practice hand movements is to find songs with repeating chords and playing them over and over and over. Well I was looking and I found one of my favorite songs by the proclaimers called "im gunna be" and its E..A..B..E.. repeating. Well im confused because when i play the E chord it sounds nothing like the music in the song and I don't know how to a play B chord and its not on the list of chords I have.... and i was wondering if i play each string and not the chords. And if anyone can find the measure too that would be great

[si16]

Although this song has only 3 chords it isn't all that easy. Firstly because it regularly features B maj, which is a tough barre and one that many people don't attempt until they've got the open chords down first. Secondly, to get it to sound like the original you have to mute the strings, by resting your strumming hand lightly on them, so that they don't fully ring out. Also more emphasis seems to be placed on the bass strings (the thicker ones) than the treble strings.

E, A and B are definitely the correct, and only, chords used in this song. You should play the chords and not just single strings. If you try, as suggested above, muting the strings slightly and strumming with emphasis on the bass strings then you should get pretty close to how it sounds.

You could also try playing it in a different key. If you play it in the key of G then you don't need to use any barre chords. To play it in G do the following :-

Every time you normally play an E chord play a G chord instead
Every time you normally play an A chord play a C chord instead
Every time you normally play a B chord play a D chord instead

[jammerz4life]

Originally Posted by si16

Although this song has only 3 chords it isn't all that easy. Firstly because it regularly features B maj, which is a tough barre and one that many people don't attempt until they've got the open chords down first. Secondly, to get it to sound like the original you have to mute the strings, by resting your strumming hand lightly on them, so that they don't fully ring out. Also more emphasis seems to be placed on the bass strings (the thicker ones) than the treble strings.

E, A and B are definitely the correct, and only, chords used in this song. You should play the chords and not just single strings. If you try, as suggested above, muting the strings slightly and strumming with emphasis on the bass strings then you should get pretty close to how it sounds.

You could also try playing it in a different key. If you play it in the key of G then you don't need to use any barre chords. To play it in G do the following :-

Every time you normally play an E chord play a G chord instead
Every time you normally play an A chord play a C chord instead
Every time you normally play a B chord play a D chord instead

WOW!! Thanks a lot

Yea I noticed the bass strings a lot and the muffled sound and thats why I was thinking it was just the strings. But Im still practicing the open chords and they are getting easier to move my hands to, but I don't have them memorized and my finger tips have lines embedded into them so im going to take tomorrow off

Thank you for the help and ill keep you guys updated on my progress

[LeeB]

Originally Posted by si16

Every time you normally play an E chord play a G chord instead
Every time you normally play an A chord play a C chord instead
Every time you normally play a B chord play a D chord instead

I think there is a dude on youtube that plays it in this key...a kind of lesson???
anyway...remember this song after you have some more time in and have tried some barre chords because it is an absolute hoot to play.

[skinnybloke]

Yea.....I've got a bit of a soft spot for this tune too.
The only lesson I could find was in D. Notice how he only plays the G bass, not the entire chord.
500 miles lesson.
500 miles original, just cause I like it.

[wjp01908]

"E, A and B are definitely the correct, and only, chords used in this song."

I`m sure there`s a C#m chucked in on the last chorus just to catch you out.

If you`re playing it in G as suggested above, you`ll need to play an Em instead.

Great song to play though and gets most people singing along.

Will

[si16]

Originally Posted by wjp01908

"E, A and B are definitely the correct, and only, chords used in this song."

I`m sure there`s a C#m chucked in on the last chorus just to catch you out.

If you`re playing it in G as suggested above, you`ll need to play an Em instead.

Great song to play though and gets most people singing along.

Will

OK, thanks for the correction Will. I'm caught havering again.

[jammerz4life]

Originally Posted by si16

OK, thanks for the correction Will. I'm caught haverng again.

Well thanks everyone for there help

[LTAnderson]

thanks for that