I had not really come across the I, IV, V methods until fairly recently. We learnt by knowing your open chords then barring them up the fret board. We knew heaps of “patterns” and normally someone would simply call out a song, the key, then into we went. Sitting in with a number of different groups soon had you learning, rarely did we have chord sheets or the like. If there was something you didn’t know you’d sit back a bit, but it didn’t take long and you’d have it.

In later years I became involved in a number of country music clubs usually playing lead but lead players also play rhythm. Usually folk showed up with some sort of chord sheets but rarely were they correct and often the person singing would miss the key. Once again one soon learnt how tunes hung together.

How do you learn? Get involved with a group of interested folk and jump in, you’ll soon find your feet.

Just some experiences

Tony

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