TMBG In 4 Chords

Introduction

If you're here that means you want to learn how to play TMBG songs on the guitar, but you can't play the guitar. If you have:

• A guitar (EADGBE)
• This page up

You have all you need to play dozens of TMBG songs, even if you have no experience playing guitar at all. The only information your need is 4 very simple chords (plus 1 or 2 extra depending on the song)

The 4 Chords

To read my k-razy chord diagrams:

• Imagine the lettering at the top is the neck (tall skinny part) of your guitar, as you face it. *Each line is a different fret (the sections going up and down the neck).
  • Each space is the corresponding fret on the corresponding space
• If the space is blank, don't put any fingers at the space.
• If the space has a number in it, hold down the string in the indicated fret with the finger
  • (1=Index Finger 2=Middle Finger 3=Ring Finger 4=Pinky).

G

 E|A|D|G|B|E
  | | | | |
  |1| | | | 
 2| | | | |3

C

 E|A|D|G|B|E
  | | | |1|
  | |2| | |
  |3| | | |

D

With a D chord, try to only hit the last four strings while strumming (D, G, B, E) to avoid a distorted-sounding chord.

 E|A|D|G|B|E
  | | | | | 
  | | |1| |2
  | | | |3|

Em

 E|A|D|G|B|E
  | | | | |
  |1|2| | |

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice these 4 chords over and over again, especially changing between them. If you do this 3 times for a half hour, you should feel pretty comfortable with them in no time.

A lot of They Might Be Giants song, as well as songs in general are based on chord pattern with these 4 chords (for you musicians: base, 4^th, 5^th, and Minor 6^th). Let's look at the songs you can play with these chords:

Songs

• LA House of Blues
  • LA House of Blues uses only the 4 Chords discussed above, with no key change. You can play it right away.

• End of the Tour
  • End of the Tour uses only the 4 Chords discussed above. You can play it right away.

• New York City
  • New York City uses only the 4 Chords discussed above. You can play it right away.

• Meet James Ensor
  • Meet James Ensor uses only the 4 Chords discussed above. You can play it right away.

• Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head
  • Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head uses only the 4 Chords discussed above. You can play it right away.

• We're The Replacements
  • We're The Replacements uses only the 4 Chords discussed above. You can play it right away.

• Why Does The Sun Shine?
  • Why Does The Sun Shine? uses only the 4 Chords discussed above. You can play it right away.

• Till My Head Falls Off
  • All you need to play this song is The A7 Chord:

A7

 E|A|D|G|B|E
  | | | | |
  | |1| |2|

• Number Three
  • All you need to play this songs is the 4 chords plus the A7 chord discussed above.

• Ana Ng
  • To Play this you just need E Major and A Minor:

E

 E|A|D|G|B|E
  | | |1| |
  |2|3| | |

Am

 E|A|D|G|B|E
  | | | |1|
  | |2|3| |

• Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
  • To play this song, you just need the E Major Chords and A Minor Chords discussed above

• They'll Need a Crane
  • To play this song, you just need the A Minor Chord discussed above

• Tiny Doctors
  • To play this song, you just need the A Minor Chord discussed above

• I've Got A Match
  • To play this song, you just need the A Minor Chord discussed above

• Experimental Film
  • NOTE: The extra chords are only in the key change bridge. It is possible to play the song without the extra chords as well.
  • For this song, you need the E Major chord discussed above as well as A Major:

• Montana
  • NOTE: You need to capo your guitar on the fourth fret to match the original key of the recording.
  • To play this song, you just need the A Minor Chord discussed above

A

  E|A|D|G|B|E
  x| | | | |
   | |1|2|3| 

• James K. Polk
  • To play this song, you just need the 4 chords plus the A major chord discussed above

• Richard's on Richards
  • To play this song, you just need the 4 chords plus F:

• (She Was A) Hotel Detective**To play this song you just have to use A, D, G, & E

F

 E|A|D|G|B|E
  x| | | |1|1
   | | |2| | 
   |3|4| | |

(Hold down both end stings with your 1st finger)

• I Should Be Allowed To Think
  • To play this song, you just need the 4 chords (G, C, D, and Em), plus A7 and F.

• The Cap'm
  • To play this song, you just need G, C, D, Am, A, and F. Not very hard chords compared to the original key.

Bm

  E|A|D|G|B|E
  x|x| | | |
   | | | | |1
   | | | |2|
   | |3|4| |

(Don't use the low E, or A strings)

• The Poisonousness
  • To play this song, you just need the 4 chords G, C, D, & Bm.