BS-308 • What's Up - 4 Non Blondes

[justinguitar]

Lesson Link:  http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BS-308-WhatsUp-4NonBlondes.php

Questions?

[SabyasachiK]

I have a observation that whenever Justin plays G chord he is using only 2nd and 3rd finger and does not place the 1st finger in 2nd fret 5th string. Why is it so.

[stitch101]

He is muting the B note on the A string. You can play the G with or with out the B on the second string
because the open B string is being played. With out the B on the A string it sounds a little softer.
There is a post on the different ways of playing the G chord in the General Questions section if you're
interested.
http://justinguitarcommunity.com/index.php?topic=31162.0

[Chantal]

Also, playing G that way makes the move to Am easier

[PinkPrincess]

Hi everyone, What a wonderful site
I am learning this song and Justin says to write the song down to help learn the strumming pattern/chords etc. I have never written out a song and wondering if anyone has any tips to get the chords right with the words and strum patterns
Thank you in advance

[goeters]

...if anyone has any tips to get the chords right with the words and strum patterns
Thank you in advance

The words, chords and strum patterns are all in the beginner's songbook. If you purchase it you will be supporting this great website and have all the info you are asking for, for this song and many other great songs 

[PinkPrincess]

Thank you I have seen the justinguitar.com beginners course book in my local music shop good price too £16.95. I will have to get it

[johnR]

order through this site and it is cheaper and also helps to keep the site running, i ordered mine last week and only waited a few days before i recieved it. excellent service 

[stitch101]

Thank you I have seen the justinguitar.com beginners course book in my local music shop good price too £16.95. I will have to get it

You want the Justin Guitar Beginner Song book for the music. http://www.justinguitar.com/en/PR-102-BeginnersSongbook.php

[chris goss]

I'm trying to learn this song using the strum pattern in the book.  When Justin explains the song in the verse he uses easy down strums of 4 strums / beats per chord for one bar and switches to the next chord in the progression.  Not sure if that's how your supposed to play it if your not using the more complicated pattern or are you supposed to play each chord for two bars no matter what.  When he plays the suggested strum pattern in the chorus he plays it strumming each chord for two bars.  Question is does the verse also get two-bars pattern for each chord? 

[Cal]

Not sure if that's how your supposed to play it if your not using the more complicated pattern or are you supposed to play each chord for two bars no matter what.  When he plays the suggested strum pattern in the chorus he plays it strumming each chord for two bars.  Question is does the verse also get two-bars pattern for each chord?

Yes.  The complete song uses the same progression throughout.  So, with Justin's suggested chords it's:

|G  |G  |Am |Am |C  |C  |G  |G  |

repeated right through 'til the end.

Play along with 4 Non Blondes on YouTube (with your capo on fret 2 of course). 

[effectivepull]

Hi Guys!

I'm new here and trying to figure out this guitar thing!

I just purchased the Beginner's Songbook, 2nd Edition and I'm trying to learn What's Up. However, for this song, there are no chords over the lyrics like a lot of the other songs in the book. I think it's because it's the same progression throughout the song but it's still a bit more difficult (at least for me) to not have the chords above the lyrics.

Is there a place I can go that will tell me on what words the chords change for this song?

Thanks!

[OzzieDave]

 
I stuggled with this to but remember 'listening' to the song until you work stuff out is a big part of the lesson. It's not just about learning a song. It's about learning a skill to take with you to the next stage.

That said the clue for me was the last post b4 yours by Cal, before then I had been changing chords every bar which did help speed up my changes just didnt 'fit' the song

[scottplaysguitar]

what is the sound between the chord changes on the song, I do the part where I lift up the chord and move it to the next one and strum everything open when on the 4 and but it doesn't sound quit the same and she seems to change the chord on the 4 or a little bit earlier than the 4a and in the music video she does a little note or something which is what I think I hear. anyone know "whats going on" here?

[Cal]

what is the sound between the chord changes on the song, I do the part where I lift up the chord and move it to the next one and strum everything open when on the 4 and but it doesn't sound quit the same and she seems to change the chord on the 4 or a little bit earlier than the 4a and in the music video she does a little note or something which is what I think I hear. anyone know "whats going on" here?

What Linda Perry does is very easy when you're using the original chords:

|A   |A   |Bm  |Bm  |D   |D   |A   |A   |

On every second A bar she plays Asus² at &4& (which simply involves lifting the finger off the B string).
On every second D bar she plays Dsus² at &4& (which simply involves lifting the finger off the E string).

Trying to play Gsus² and Csus² in those places to suit Justin's easy chord scheme would be somewhat mindblowing.  So if you really want that sound you need to practice the Bm chord then play it exactly as 4 Non Blondes do.

(Ain't it always good to have a challenge?  )

[avadon]

the strumming that justin uses in this song sounds really good, but also there are others strumming patterns very similar to his that also sounds good,  i suppose we can use everything right? whatever feels better to us?

[Joerfe]

Well, if it sounds good, it is good. However, at the beginners course you should make sure to nail the suggested pattern before experimenting with others.

[avadon]

I am confused at something, when we say we have to nail a spesific technique do we mean that when a song for example says use this technique i have to use it immediately or also to know in which songs i have to use them. I say that because there are a lot of songs that  i don't know them by heart, but if i see what chord progressions i have to play and what strumming pattern to use i can play them. xmm ?

[stitch101]

If you use the right chords and the wrong strumming pattern(rhythm) you will be playing a different song.

The rhythm and melody are what makes a song and what makes it different from other song using the
same chords. 

[OzzieDave]

If you use the right chords and the wrong strumming pattern(rhythm) you will be playing a different song.

The rhythm and melody are what makes a song and what makes it different from other song using the
same chords.

A+++

Do like Justin says. Use your basic 4 down strums to learn the cord pattern(s) for a song but when your feeling confident start trying the suggested strumming patterns.
I do basic 4 down on every song in a stage so far then go back to the start of the stage and practice the stumming patterns of each song with out cord changes before trying to play along to the recording. Works for me 

[jean_marmotte]

Hello everybody

I am trying to learn What's up song by 4 Non Blondes following Justin's tutorial. Although I go pretty well with the strumming and changing the chords, there is a problem which I have had with previous songs that I learnt to play as well ( for example Live Forever by Oasis ). I cannot synchronise my voice with my guitar. Any advice for me?

Many thanks.

[sophiehiker]

@Jean, have you seen Justin's lesson on singing and playing at the same time?  He offers up some very solid advice.  Maybe that will help.

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/TE-401-SingingAndPlaying.php

[DennisB]

On youtube is a nice version of this song (Linda Perry and Pink) helped me a lot with the practice of chord changing!

[Rossco01]

I love the strumming pattern on this one and have got it pretty smooth BUT trying to then sing whilst stick to that strumming pattern is pretty hard (and I don't usually find it too difficult). So I think this one is a toughy.....although I am slowly getting there. The key as ever is to be able to play it without thinking about it and then try and sing....just easier said than done.

[spookykcs]

Justin himself says in the lesson that this is a tough to crack when it comes to playing and singing at the same time ... and I struggled with it a really long time. The chord progression, no problem. The strumming pattern took some time, but nailed it in the end. But each time I tried singing to it, the pattern went completely out of the window...

So I left the song for some time, trying other things.

Then one day I picked it up again - and suddenly I could do it. Now it's one of my favourite songs to play

So just give it the time it needs and you need. Sometimes it has to settle mentally.