Chords for How To Play Neil Young Down By The River Acoustic (intro only)
Tempo:
121 bpm
Chords used:
Eb
G
E
A
D
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Down by the River is another one of Neil Young's songs in double drop [Eb] D tuning.
So, we'll do that first of all.
Take your [B] first string and tune it down to the note [D] D.
And [N] your sixth string and tune that down to the note [Dm] D.
[E]
Double drop D tuning.
[G]
[F] There are only four, is it, or five chords in the [Eb] whole song.
E minor 7.
The [Abm] song is in the key of E minor.
Neil Young plays E minor 7 in this song [A] [Eb] by having the two fingers on the sixth and fifth strings at the second fret.
And because of that first string [E] as a D note, [G]
E minor becomes E minor 7.
That's how he plays [D] it.
A, [G] [Eb] I've written on this, we'll use the song sheet to learn this song.
And I've written the chord A on the song [F] sheet because the shape we make is A, however you normally play A.
[Eb] Actually, because of the fourth string being detuned to D, that chord is technically A add [A] 11.
[Dm]
But it's much [Eb] simpler to write it as A because it feels like A as we [A] play it.
[Eb] Later there's a C chord.
Written [Ab] on the song sheet as a C, technically it's a C add 9 because of [C] the retuning.
[G] And there's a B minor over [Eb] A chord.
That's the A minor shape, but [Gb] two frets higher.
And you can strum that chord including the fifth [Bm] string.
B minor over A.
[Eb] The only other chord that appears during the chorus is a D chord.
Remember, because of our detuning, D doesn't have the first string fretted, just the second and third [D] strings.
[Eb] Those are the only chords you're going to see.
I'm going to give you a basic [G] strum pattern that you [Gm] can use throughout the song.
And then I'll show [E] you a couple of embellishments, not embellishments, options for that strum pattern, ways that you can vary the strum pattern.
[G] If you're already an experienced strummer, [E] strum it [Eb] whichever way feels natural to you.
The basic strum pattern is going like this.
[E] Bass, [G] bass, down, down, up, bass, up, down, bass, up, down, up.
More [Em] slowly.
Bass, bass, [G] down, down, up, bass, up, down, bass, up, down, up.
Bass is not necessarily [E] a pick of the [Em] bass note, although it can be.
It's a chunky strum on the low end of the chord.
[Eb] The rhythm of it is [E] 1 and [G]
2 and 3 and 4 and, and, [Eb] and here it is at speed.
I'll play it twice.
No, I'll play it [E] once.
[G]
That E minor 7 [E] chord will go to an [Eb] A chord and will do the same thing.
The [Gm] bass end of an A chord is [Eb] the fifth string, don't get the sixth.
And actually, sometimes Neil Young does actually just pick the fifth [A] string.
[D] But any [Eb] kind of chunky strum on the bass area of the chord will be fine.
Notice the unique quality of that chord because of the retuned [A] first string.
[Dm]
Great sounding chord.
[Eb] The intro alternates between E minor 7 and A twice.
[E] [G]
[A]
And [G] again.
[D]
Often [Eb] during the song, more times than not, [E] instead of just going bass, bass on an E [B] minor 7 chord,
he [Ebm] will hammer these [Eb] two fingers into the chord [Bm] shape.
[G]
[A] A.
[D]
Hammer again.
[E] [G]
So you can [Eb] hear that identifiably being something that
So, we'll do that first of all.
Take your [B] first string and tune it down to the note [D] D.
And [N] your sixth string and tune that down to the note [Dm] D.
[E]
Double drop D tuning.
[G]
[F] There are only four, is it, or five chords in the [Eb] whole song.
E minor 7.
The [Abm] song is in the key of E minor.
Neil Young plays E minor 7 in this song [A] [Eb] by having the two fingers on the sixth and fifth strings at the second fret.
And because of that first string [E] as a D note, [G]
E minor becomes E minor 7.
That's how he plays [D] it.
A, [G] [Eb] I've written on this, we'll use the song sheet to learn this song.
And I've written the chord A on the song [F] sheet because the shape we make is A, however you normally play A.
[Eb] Actually, because of the fourth string being detuned to D, that chord is technically A add [A] 11.
[Dm]
But it's much [Eb] simpler to write it as A because it feels like A as we [A] play it.
[Eb] Later there's a C chord.
Written [Ab] on the song sheet as a C, technically it's a C add 9 because of [C] the retuning.
[G] And there's a B minor over [Eb] A chord.
That's the A minor shape, but [Gb] two frets higher.
And you can strum that chord including the fifth [Bm] string.
B minor over A.
[Eb] The only other chord that appears during the chorus is a D chord.
Remember, because of our detuning, D doesn't have the first string fretted, just the second and third [D] strings.
[Eb] Those are the only chords you're going to see.
I'm going to give you a basic [G] strum pattern that you [Gm] can use throughout the song.
And then I'll show [E] you a couple of embellishments, not embellishments, options for that strum pattern, ways that you can vary the strum pattern.
[G] If you're already an experienced strummer, [E] strum it [Eb] whichever way feels natural to you.
The basic strum pattern is going like this.
[E] Bass, [G] bass, down, down, up, bass, up, down, bass, up, down, up.
More [Em] slowly.
Bass, bass, [G] down, down, up, bass, up, down, bass, up, down, up.
Bass is not necessarily [E] a pick of the [Em] bass note, although it can be.
It's a chunky strum on the low end of the chord.
[Eb] The rhythm of it is [E] 1 and [G]
2 and 3 and 4 and, and, [Eb] and here it is at speed.
I'll play it twice.
No, I'll play it [E] once.
[G]
That E minor 7 [E] chord will go to an [Eb] A chord and will do the same thing.
The [Gm] bass end of an A chord is [Eb] the fifth string, don't get the sixth.
And actually, sometimes Neil Young does actually just pick the fifth [A] string.
[D] But any [Eb] kind of chunky strum on the bass area of the chord will be fine.
Notice the unique quality of that chord because of the retuned [A] first string.
[Dm]
Great sounding chord.
[Eb] The intro alternates between E minor 7 and A twice.
[E] [G]
[A]
And [G] again.
[D]
Often [Eb] during the song, more times than not, [E] instead of just going bass, bass on an E [B] minor 7 chord,
he [Ebm] will hammer these [Eb] two fingers into the chord [Bm] shape.
[G]
[A] A.
[D]
Hammer again.
[E] [G]
So you can [Eb] hear that identifiably being something that
Key:
Eb
G
E
A
D
Eb
G
E
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Down by the River is another one of Neil Young's songs in double drop [Eb] D tuning.
So, we'll do that first of all.
Take your [B] first string and tune it down to the note [D] D.
_ _ _ And [N] your sixth string and tune that down to the note [Dm] D.
_ _ [E] _
Double drop D tuning.
[G] _ _ _ _
[F] There are only four, is it, or five chords in the [Eb] whole song.
E minor 7.
The [Abm] song is in the key of E minor.
_ Neil Young plays E minor 7 in this song [A] [Eb] by having the two fingers on the sixth and fifth strings at the second fret.
And because of that first string [E] as a D note, [G] _ _ _ _
_ E minor becomes E minor 7. _ _
That's how he plays [D] it.
A, [G] [Eb] I've written on this, we'll use the song sheet to learn this song.
And I've written the chord A on the song [F] sheet because the shape we make is A, however you normally play A.
_ _ [Eb] Actually, because of the fourth string being detuned to D, that chord is technically A add [A] 11.
[Dm] _ _
But it's much [Eb] simpler to write it as A because it feels like A as we [A] play it.
_ _ _ _ [Eb] Later there's a C chord.
Written [Ab] on the song sheet as a C, technically it's a C add 9 because of [C] the retuning. _ _ _
[G] And there's a B minor over [Eb] A chord.
That's the A minor shape, but [Gb] two frets higher.
And you can strum that chord including the fifth [Bm] string.
_ _ B minor over A.
_ [Eb] The only other chord that appears during the chorus is a D chord.
Remember, because of our detuning, D doesn't have the first string fretted, just the second and third [D] strings.
_ _ _ _ [Eb] Those are the only chords you're going to see.
I'm going to give you a basic [G] strum pattern that you [Gm] can use throughout the song.
And then I'll show [E] you a couple of embellishments, not embellishments, options for that strum pattern, ways that you can vary the strum pattern.
[G] If you're already an experienced strummer, [E] strum it [Eb] whichever way feels natural to you.
The basic strum pattern is going like this.
[E] _ Bass, [G] bass, down, down, up, bass, up, down, bass, up, down, up.
More [Em] slowly.
Bass, bass, [G] down, down, up, bass, up, down, bass, up, down, up. _
Bass is not necessarily [E] a pick of the [Em] bass note, although it can be.
It's a chunky strum on the low end of the chord.
[Eb] The rhythm of it is [E] 1 and [G]
2 and 3 and _ 4 and, and, [Eb] and here it is at speed.
I'll play it twice.
No, I'll play it [E] once.
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ That E minor 7 [E] chord will go to an [Eb] A chord and will do the same thing.
The [Gm] bass end of an A chord is [Eb] the fifth string, don't get the sixth.
And actually, sometimes Neil Young does actually just pick the fifth [A] string. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] But any [Eb] kind of chunky strum on the bass area of the chord will be fine.
Notice the unique quality of that chord because of the retuned [A] first string.
[Dm] _ _ _
Great sounding chord.
[Eb] The intro alternates between E minor 7 and A twice.
[E] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _
And [G] again. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Often [Eb] during the song, more times than not, [E] instead of just going bass, bass on an E [B] minor 7 chord,
he [Ebm] will hammer these [Eb] two fingers into the chord [Bm] shape.
_ [G] _ _
_ _ _ [A] A.
_ _ [D] _
_ Hammer again.
[E] _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ So you can [Eb] hear that identifiably being something that
_ _ _ Down by the River is another one of Neil Young's songs in double drop [Eb] D tuning.
So, we'll do that first of all.
Take your [B] first string and tune it down to the note [D] D.
_ _ _ And [N] your sixth string and tune that down to the note [Dm] D.
_ _ [E] _
Double drop D tuning.
[G] _ _ _ _
[F] There are only four, is it, or five chords in the [Eb] whole song.
E minor 7.
The [Abm] song is in the key of E minor.
_ Neil Young plays E minor 7 in this song [A] [Eb] by having the two fingers on the sixth and fifth strings at the second fret.
And because of that first string [E] as a D note, [G] _ _ _ _
_ E minor becomes E minor 7. _ _
That's how he plays [D] it.
A, [G] [Eb] I've written on this, we'll use the song sheet to learn this song.
And I've written the chord A on the song [F] sheet because the shape we make is A, however you normally play A.
_ _ [Eb] Actually, because of the fourth string being detuned to D, that chord is technically A add [A] 11.
[Dm] _ _
But it's much [Eb] simpler to write it as A because it feels like A as we [A] play it.
_ _ _ _ [Eb] Later there's a C chord.
Written [Ab] on the song sheet as a C, technically it's a C add 9 because of [C] the retuning. _ _ _
[G] And there's a B minor over [Eb] A chord.
That's the A minor shape, but [Gb] two frets higher.
And you can strum that chord including the fifth [Bm] string.
_ _ B minor over A.
_ [Eb] The only other chord that appears during the chorus is a D chord.
Remember, because of our detuning, D doesn't have the first string fretted, just the second and third [D] strings.
_ _ _ _ [Eb] Those are the only chords you're going to see.
I'm going to give you a basic [G] strum pattern that you [Gm] can use throughout the song.
And then I'll show [E] you a couple of embellishments, not embellishments, options for that strum pattern, ways that you can vary the strum pattern.
[G] If you're already an experienced strummer, [E] strum it [Eb] whichever way feels natural to you.
The basic strum pattern is going like this.
[E] _ Bass, [G] bass, down, down, up, bass, up, down, bass, up, down, up.
More [Em] slowly.
Bass, bass, [G] down, down, up, bass, up, down, bass, up, down, up. _
Bass is not necessarily [E] a pick of the [Em] bass note, although it can be.
It's a chunky strum on the low end of the chord.
[Eb] The rhythm of it is [E] 1 and [G]
2 and 3 and _ 4 and, and, [Eb] and here it is at speed.
I'll play it twice.
No, I'll play it [E] once.
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ That E minor 7 [E] chord will go to an [Eb] A chord and will do the same thing.
The [Gm] bass end of an A chord is [Eb] the fifth string, don't get the sixth.
And actually, sometimes Neil Young does actually just pick the fifth [A] string. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] But any [Eb] kind of chunky strum on the bass area of the chord will be fine.
Notice the unique quality of that chord because of the retuned [A] first string.
[Dm] _ _ _
Great sounding chord.
[Eb] The intro alternates between E minor 7 and A twice.
[E] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _
And [G] again. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Often [Eb] during the song, more times than not, [E] instead of just going bass, bass on an E [B] minor 7 chord,
he [Ebm] will hammer these [Eb] two fingers into the chord [Bm] shape.
_ [G] _ _
_ _ _ [A] A.
_ _ [D] _
_ Hammer again.
[E] _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ So you can [Eb] hear that identifiably being something that