strumming patterns – Learn Guitar Club

Knocking on Heavens Door Guitar Lessons, Chords – Bob Dylan

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door is a song by Bob Dylan, which has been covered by many artists, including Guns n Roses. The original version reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles list, and was voted #190 in Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

To play in the same key as Bob Dylan plays, keep your guitar in standard tuning. To play Knocking on Heavens Door in the key that the Guns n Roses version is played in, you will need to tune your guitar down a 1/2 step.

The song consists of four chords in the key of G major: G, D, Am7, and C. The basic pattern throughout the song is G-D-Am7-Am7 and then G-D-C-C, and this is repeated.

Knocking on Heavens Door Verse Chords (2x)

G; D; Am; Am;
G; D; C; C;

Knocking on Heavens Door Chorus Chords (4x)

G; D; C; C;

Knocking on Heavens Door Strumming pattern

D DDU or D DDU UDDDU (for Am and C double chords only).

Knocking on Heavens Door Lyrics

Intro

Verse 1
Mamma take this badge off-a me
I can’t use it anymore
It’s getting dark, too dark to see
Feel I’m knockin’ on heaven’s door

Chorus
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door,
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door,
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door

Verse 2
Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can’t shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin’ down
I Feel I’m knockin’ on heaven’s door

Chorus
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door,
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door,
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door

Outro

One of the primary reasons that superior guitarists jump out from mediocre ones, is thanks to their capability to bring life and energy to not so extraordinary songs utilizing an exciting strumming pattern. This can be done on both acoustic or electric guitar, try it yourself on either.

Strumming Tips and Tricks

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you play the strumming patterns from the video:

In case you are playing an acoustic guitar, make certain to strum right over the sound hole.
On electric guitars, strum more or less in between the pickups. Strumming at different places over the body will give you various sounds.
Make certain all strings are ringing clearly.
Make certain the volume of your downstrums and upstrums are pretty much the same.
Be careful not to strum too hard or too soft, as it’ll frequently causes strings to rattle or sound too weak.
Your pick ought to be striking the strings with a fairly firm, even stroke.
Think of your elbow as being the top of a pendulum; your arm ought to swing up and down steadily and evenly, never pausing.

Once you’ve learned strumming patterns in this lesson, try listening for different patterns in music. Whenever you listen to your favorite music, attempt and listen specifically for the guitarists’ strumming pattern, and see if you can recognize the pattern they’re using.