FENDER PLAYERS CLUB SKA GUITAR From the book:

SKA GUITAR
by Dale Turner
#HL 695297. Book/CD $14.95 (US).
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Late '70s Ska in England
THE ROLE OF THE RHYTHM SECTION IN BRITISH SKA
Most tunes from ska’s British phase were played at moderately fast tempos (i.e., between 120–152 bpm) and
featured pop-inspired vocal hooks during the chorus. The guitar tones also diversified during this period
(w/effects and slight distortion) due to the British pop influence. Meanwhile, the drums, with some exceptions,
employed a more traditional rock feel.

MINOR CHORDS AND SIXTEENTH-NOTE STRUMS

Minor Chords

One of the most easily distinguishable characteristics of late-seventies British ska is the occurrence of minor
chords in a song’s basic progression. In the key of C major, the minor chords are Dm (the “ii”), Em (the “iii”), and
Am (the “vi”).

Harmonized C Major Scale:

C(I) Dm(ii) Em(iii) F(IV) G(V) Am(vi) B (vii)

original barre chord four-note derivatives
minor chords
(w/ root on 6 ) (root position)

Dm Dm Em Am
10 fr 10 fr 12 fr 5 fr

FOUR-NOTE MINOR CHORDS AND 134111 3111 3111

= root
3111

THEIR INVERSIONS original chord four-note derivatives

(1st inversion)
(w/ root on 4 )

Four-note chords still reigned supreme in late-seventies Dm Dm Em Am

British ska; however open-position chords and other 8 fr

shapes were also incorporated. The voicings depicted at

right are all of the four-note minor chord shapes you’ll 231 3241 3241 3241
= root
be playing in this segment.
original barre chord four-note derivatives
(w/ root on 5 ) (2nd inversion)

Dm Dm Em Am
AUDIO CLIP 5 fr 5 fr 7 fr 12 fr

13421 3421 3421 3421

= root
BASIC SIXTEENTH-NOTE STRUM AND ii-V-I PROGRESSION
Now that you’re well rehearsed at grooving with eighth notes, let’s throw sixteenth notes into the equation!
When strumming through the following figure, synchronize your pick hand to the sixteenth-note counting
prompt “one-ee-and-uh, two-ee-and-uh, three-ee-and-uh, four-ee-and-uh,” slicing your pick through the strings
on the “and-uh” portions of each beat. This next example cycles between Dm (the “ii”) and G (the “V”) chords in
measures 5–8 before repeating back to the C chord (the “I”) in measures 1–4, outlining a ii–V–I progression (a
common chord cycle in jazz).

AUDIO CLIP
Moderate Ska = 126
C
strum: etc.

count: “one ee and uh, two ee and uh, three ee and uh, four ee and uh” etc.
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Dm

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

G Dm G

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
SIXTEENTH-NOTE STRUM VARIATION WTIH ii-V-I PROGRESSION
In this variation of a ii–V–I progression, beats “one” and “three” are strummed using the same sixteenth-note
rhythm previously studied, while beats “two” and “four” are strummed using straight eighths. Use the included
counting/strumming indications as a guide.

Moderately Fast Ska = 132 AUDIO CLIP

C
strum: etc.

count: “one ee and uh, two ee and uh, three ee and uh, four ee and uh” etc.

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Dm G C

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

I-vi-ii-V PROGRESSION WITH SIXTEENTH-NOTE STRUMMING VARIATION

This next passage is strummed in the open position using a new combination of sixteenth notes and eighth
notes. It also features a chord progression that cycles between C (the “I”), Am (the “vi”), Dm (the “ii”), and G (the
“V”) chords, outlining a I–vi–ii–V progression (another common chord cycle in jazz).

Fast Ska = 160 AUDIO CLIP

C Am
strum: etc.

count: “one ee and uh,two ee and uh, three ee and uh, four ee and uh” etc.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Dm G play 4 times

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3