This is an intermediate arrangement in the key of D. The Major 9 chords give it a kind of jazzy sound.

Lyrics and Chords

DMaj9                  Emin7      F#min7           GMaj9
I could while away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers
DMaj9               Emin7   F#min 7  Fmin7
Consultin' with the rain.
       Emin7
And my head I'd be scratchin' while
   A13
my thoughts were busy hatchin'
     DMaj9      Emin7    DMaj9   A13
If I only had a brain.
       DMaj9      Emin7      F#min7   GMaj9
I'd unravel every riddle for any individ'le,
   DMaj9         Emin7   F#min 7  Fmin7
In trouble or in pain.
         Emin7
With the thoughts I'll be thinkin'
          A13
I could be another Lincoln
       DMaj9               Amin7   D9
If you only had a brain.
    GMaj7  G#dim                 F#min7  Bmin7
Oh, I             could tell you why
    Emin7   A7sus    DMaj7
The ocean's near the shore.
        C#min7            F#7            Bmin7
I could think of things I never thunk before.
             E7sus    E7         A7sus
And then I'd sit, and think some more.
        DMaj9         Emin7      F#min7           GMaj9
I would not be just a nuffin' my head all full of stuffin'
   DMaj9             Emin7   F#min 7  Fmin7
My heart all full of pain.
        Emin7
I would dance and be merry,
           A13
life would be a ding-a-derry,
     DMaj9      Emin7
If I only had a brain.

If you haven’t tried tuning your guitar by ear yet I recommend doing that first so you can truly appreciate this method of tuning. Besides, this is just one giant experiment anyway and getting your ear in tune is a part of becoming a better musician.

So… now that you’ve tried to tune your guitar by ear, here’s how everyone else is tuning their instruments and its the easy, lazy way. It will also invoke confidence that you really are in tune (at least for that moment the meter lines up). Its a digital tuner.

Power up your tuner and set it somewhere close to your guitar. Your tuner uses a microphone that “listens” for frequencies. On auto mode it will actually try to determine which note you are trying to tune to and will indicate that in some way. Start by tuning the sixth string, Low E. Turn the tuning peg on your guitar until the display indicates “E”. Now that you are close to the correct note its time to fine tune. On most digital tuners you will see 2 arrows >  <. If so, you want to tune up or down in order to make both arrows light up. If your tuner has a meter style display, make the needle go to the center.

Boss makes a lot of great tuners. I have owned both shown on this page and have been very happy with their performance. There are also many iPhone apps available. I am using TuneORama iPhone app which costs $2.99.

I recommend the Boss TU-2 if you play electric guitar and especially if you play live. You can use the pedal to mute your guitar while tuning.

Happy playing and stay in tune.

There are a few methods you can use to tune your guitar. This first method works if you already have a good ear and can tell the differences in pitch from one source to another. Using the black tone generator (tuner) at right you will compare the tone it makes with a string on your guitar.

The first “e” shown on the tuner is associated with the fattest string on your guitar. This is called the sixth string. The first string is the thinnest string which is also an “e” string but is an octave higher than the sixth string.

The rest is fairly easy. Click on the first “e” on the tuner and strike the sixth string. Using the tuner peg, turn it in the direction that gets closer to the tone you are hearing from the tuner.

Repeat this for all six strings. Your tuning abilities will improve with time as your ear develops. Also, if your guitar can’t seem to keep the pitch or stay in tune it may need some attention (repair) or you may consider purchasing a guitar that will stay in tune. There’s a Guitar Tuner iPhone app that does much the same thing as the tone generator on this page.

If tuning by ear suits you, you can use the tuning fork method. This method is pretty old school but it can be very accurate.

If the tune-by-ear method does not work try to get a digital tuner that has a meter. See How To Tune A Guitar (with a digital tuner).

This exercise was the first fingering exercise my bass teacher taught me so this exercise is good for bass players as well. It accomplishes a few things.

1. Builds finger dexterity.
2. Builds finger strength.
3. Improve your sense of time by playing along with a metronome.
4. Should increase your finger callus.

Place your thumb behind the neck so that it is perpendicular to the neck of the guitar (pointing up). Try to place your fingers as close to the back of the fret for less fret buzz and for less resistance. Perform this exercise forward and reverse in single time then in double time then move up the fret board one fret at a time all the way up as far as you can go.

I set the metronome to 80 but you can use any speed you like. Oh yeah, and yes that’s a free metronome app for the iPhone.

So you are on the search for your first guitar? (Or maybe you are trying to find a gift for someone eager to learn.)  Welcome to one of the world’s most popular hobbies. In this article I will cover how to find a great,  playable acoustic guitar.  There are a few things to consider in purchasing an acoustic guitar. Your decision will affect your playing experience which will determine if the guitar becomes a life-long hobby.

First thing a guitar salesman will ask you…, “What’s your budget?” (I know, sales! Arggggg!) -Anyway, for your first guitar I recommend (in general but not to all) a budget of  $300 or less.

Find a guitar that fits you – Support your local guitar shop, if you are lucky enough to have one in your town. (and one that preferably let’s you play their guitars). Look for how well your hand fits around the neck of the guitar. Nylon-stringed guitars tend to have softer tension and the strings are spaced further apart but the necks can be somewhat fatter.

If you are looking for a guitar for a child I recommend a half sized or ¾ sized guitar or even a travel guitar.

Find your sound – Something to consider  —  there are many different types of guitar sounds. Some are better suited for alternative music or a folk sound, pop or jazz. Play a lot of guitars to find the sound that echoes the style of music you enjoy.

Which brand? – I recommend sticking with tried and true guitar brands: Takamine, Fender, and Yamaha all make guitars under $300.  If money is no object try Taylor or Martin. If you happen to have a guitar maker in your town it would be well worth investigating.

No two guitars are alike – Because of the materials a guitar is made of and just general physics, no two guitars are alike. It can be the exact same model guitar but each guitar will have a character all its own. That’s why I recommend playing the guitar first before purchasing. If you live in a remote location and can not easily get to a guitar shop I recommend purchasing online. There are many guitar models that have good online reviews and I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase online. The “set up” of the guitar might be an issue. The strings might be too high from the fret board. This is called high “action” and makes starting to learn the guitar a chore. If you know an experienced guitar player they might be able to assist you in the set up of your guitar.

Good luck in your search. May you find a guitar that you truly enjoy playing.