People say Gibson Les Paul is one of the trickiest electric guitars to master because of the thick neck and the heavier weight.
There’s truth to that sentiment, and while seasoned players won’t suffer too much, the newbies might.
And that is exactly why you need to check out Card Chords, a new tool to help you learn to play the Gibson Les Paul guitar in a matter of minutes.
It’s super easy to use and more than affordable. Let’s check it out!
What Are Card Chords & How They Help You Learn to Play Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul Card Chords are pretty close to regular cue cards with guitar chords written on them. You probably saw these cards before but what makes Card Chords different is that you can play over them while they sit on your guitar neck, right beneath the strings.
How does that work?
It’s simple. Card Chords Les Paul Edition are crafted to match the first three frets of your Gibson Les Paul, Epiphone, and Gretsch acoustic and electric guitars.
The cards match the neck to a tee, but also the frets. The fret slots are made so the cards slide right between your guitar’s strings and neck and you can play cleanly right over them.
This is how it works:
1) Pick your favorite chord from the Card Chords deck.
2) Slide that Card between your instrument’s neck and strings. Make sure the fret slots are in position, over the first three steps. This way, the cards won’t mess with your sound.
3) Place your fretting-hand fingers in the right position as indicated on the Card Chords.
5) Strum away!
Check out the Les Paul Card Chords version here.
Michael Grande, the Card Chords creator and a guitar teacher of 30 years, stated:
“I’ve come across lots of these playing card-type things where these playing cards would show you a picture of the chord, which was great, and then you’d have to line it up to the guitar and then pull it away, and then put your fingers there and just hope that you remembered where those fingers and those strings were supposed to be played.
“And that never worked.
“And then you’d put the card between the strings and the fretboard and then nothing would ring out because the card prohibits the strings from ringing so what I decided to do was create a die-cut where it actually cuts out the frets so I can slip this card between the strings and the fretboard.
“It sits perfectly, my fingers are able to play the chord, and the chord rings out perfectly. And then, when I get comfortable enough, I simply pull the tab out and it works perfectly.”
Can You Explain to Me the Symbols on the Card Chords?
Yes, of course! It’s simple. There are three symbols to note: the blue circles with numbers, the red X signs, and the white 0 signs. This is how the whole thing works:
- The blue circles with numbers are the frets to press. You should place your fingers over these circles. But which fingers should you place? Well, the black numbers inside the circles indicate which finger to use. 1 means the index finger, 2 is the middle finger, 3 means the ring finger, and 4 indicates the pinky.
- The white 0 sign is an open string sign. An open string means you should strum that string but without pressing any fret. It might sound easy, but it can be tricky to get the string to ring out without accidentally muting it with other fingers.
- The red X sign means mute it. If there is a red X, use your fretting-hand thumb, other fingers, or your strumming hand to mute the string.
Card Chords Are Marty Schwartz Approved
Marty Schwartz, the guitar wiz from YouTube, has endorsed Card Chords. The legend said that Card Chords will “really help beginner guitar players learn their beginner chords.” He added in his video:
“It’s a deck of cards with the shapes of all the basic chords, and you can slide it like a template or a guide behind your strings. They will show you the shape of the basic chords.”
In his video, Marty explained how Card Chords work using the classic Bob Dylan song “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” as an example. The song uses the G Major chord, D Major, and C Major.
If you’re ready to learn how to play guitar in minutes, check out Card Chords the Les Paul and Epiphone version here. You can find more info right here on the official site or hit us up via cardchords@gmail.com. Stay safe and rock steady!
