Session 12: Phase 2 Showcase

Duration: 50 minutes

Break: Put the guitar down for 5 minutes at the end of Segment 3. No stretch of playing is then longer than 30 minutes.

This is the final session of Phase 2. Over the last five sessions, you have built your core open chord vocabulary (D, A, G, C plus power chords E5 and A5), learned palm muting, explored 3/4 time, played your first blues, and played simplified arrangements of music made famous by Black Sabbath, Nirvana, Bob Dylan, and Kishore Kumar. Today you bring it together in the Phase 2 medley — a three-section performance piece that joins open chord strumming, a single-note riff and a gentle ballad accompaniment.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

1. Play all seven open chords (Em, Am, E, D, A, G, C) cleanly from memory
2. Pass the change test for G-Em and G-D at a new chord every 2 beats at 60 BPM, and for C-G every 2 beats at 50 BPM
3. Perform the “About a Girl” verse accompaniment, the “Iron Man” riff and the “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” refrain chart back to back
4. Play the complete Phase 2 medley without stopping
5. Rehearse the Phase 2 checkpoint items, so that you are ready to take the checkpoint after this session

Materials Needed

• Your Saga SF-600C-BK guitar
• A guitar pick
• A clip-on tuner or phone tuner app
• A metronome
• A phone that records sound, slips of paper and a pen (for the ear check after the session, and to record your medley)
• Reference: Phase 2 Checkpoint (for self-assessment after this session)
• Reference: Chord Chart
• Reference: Glossary

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Segment 1 — Warm-Up and Stretch (5 minutes)

Hand Warm-Up

Open and close both hands loosely five times. Circle each wrist five times each way. Touch your thumb to each fingertip in turn. Shake the hands out.

Tune Your Guitar

Tune all six strings (EADGBE). Before you look at the tuner, guess: too low, too high or right? Then look. Check tuning twice — showcase sessions need perfect tuning.

Full Chord Warm-Up

Play every chord you know for four beats each (D U D U twice) at 70 BPM:

Em → Am → E → D → A → G → C → G → D → A → E → Am → Em

That is all seven open chords in a cycle. Play through it once. Every chord should ring cleanly. Harder option, only when you have already passed this session’s change test with a new chord every 2 beats (Segment 2, “Transition Speed Ladder”): give each chord two beats (four strums: D U D U) and set the metronome to 60 BPM.

Spider crawl: frets 5-8, one finger at a time, all six strings, up and down. Stop if it pulls or aches.

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Segment 2 — Technique Focus: Phase 2 Skills Review (10 minutes)

Chord Quality Audit

Pluck every string of each chord individually. Fix any issues:

Chord	Strings to play	Common problem
Em	6-5-4-3-2-1 (all)	Usually clean by now
Am	5-4-3-2-1	String 6 accidentally hit
E	6-5-4-3-2-1 (all)	String 3 fret 1 muting string 2
D	4-3-2-1	Ring finger muting string 1
A	5-4-3-2-1	Crowded fret 2 muting adjacent strings
G	6-5-4-3-2-1 (all)	String 5 muted by finger 3, or string 4 muted by finger 2
C	5-4-3-2-1	Open string 3 muted by finger 2, or open string 1 muted by finger 1

For any chord that has a muted string, spend 30 seconds adjusting your finger placement until all strings ring.

Transition Speed Ladder

Test your chord changes with the change test (Session 3). Set the metronome; each click is one beat. Strum each chord once, with a downstroke, and let it ring. Play a new chord every 2 beats (on beats 1 and 3). Alternate the two chords until you have played 8 chords in a row: that is 7 changes. You pass a round when all 8 land on their click with every string that should sound ringing. (The full test, as Session 3 gives it, asks for this twice on the same day; use this week’s practice for that.)

A new chord every 2 beats: round 1 at 50 BPM, round 2 at 55, round 3 at 60.

Round 1 (50 BPM): C and G, then G and Em, then G and D Round 2 (55 BPM): G and Em, then G and D Round 3 (60 BPM): G and Em, then G and D

Targets for this session and for the Phase 2 checkpoint: G-Em and G-D with a new chord every 2 beats at 60 BPM; C-G with a new chord every 2 beats at 50 BPM.

If any transition causes a stumble, note which pair is the problem and drill it after the session.

Strumming Pattern Review

You now know these patterns. Play each on Em for 2 measures at 70 BPM:

Pattern 1 — Basic downstrokes:

Strum:  D   D   D   D
Count:  1   2   3   4

Pattern 2 — D/U eighth notes:

Strum:  D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
Count:  1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

Pattern 3 — Rock pattern (D D U U D U):

Strum:  D     D  U     U  D  U
Count:  1     2  & (3) &  4  &

On beat 3 your hand still moves down, but it misses the strings: a silent downstroke. That keeps the hand swinging down on every number and up on every &.

Pattern 4 — Waltz (D d d in 3/4):

Strum:  D   d   d
Count:  1   2   3

All four should feel natural. If any feels shaky, spend extra practice time on it.

Checkpoint Walk-Through

After this session you will take the Phase 2 checkpoint. Some of its items are not in the medley, so play each of these once now:

1. A → D → E, one measure per chord, D/U strumming, at 70 BPM, three times round.
2. The 12-bar form in A (Session 8) from memory, saying each chord aloud as you reach it.
3. The “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” chart (Session 10), with C in measures 7 and 8, once through at 70 BPM.
4. E5 to A5, palm-muted eighth notes, one measure per chord, 4 measures at 70 BPM.

Note anything that stumbles. It goes into this week’s practice.

Three more checkpoint pieces are not in the medley: the G–Em–C–D progression, the “Ye Shaam Mastani” refrain chart and the “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” lead-in with its chart, all from Session 11. You play those at the end of Segment 4, where there is more time.

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Segment 3 — Medley Preparation (15 minutes)

Phase 2 Medley — Structure Overview

The medley has three sections, each showcasing different Phase 2 skills. Each section is the simplified course arrangement from its own session, exactly as it stands there; none has yet been play-tested against its recording. The form is fixed: play each section once, in this order, and end on the final chord.

Section	Piece	Chords/Technique	Measures	Strumming/Picking
A	”About a Girl” — Nirvana (verse accompaniment, Session 10)	Em, G, two beats each	8 (measures 1–8)	D D U U D U
Transition	Written for this course	G: one strum; move the fretting hand up to fret 5	1 (measure 9)	Single downstroke, let it ring
B	”Iron Man” — Black Sabbath (main riff, single notes, Session 9)	Single-note picking at frets 5 and 7	6 (measures 10–15)	Downstrokes, notes ringing
Transition	Written for this course	Em: back to open chord strumming	1 (measure 16)	D/U
C	”Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” — Kishore Kumar (refrain chart, Session 11)	G, Em, Am, D	6 (measures 17–22)	D D U U D U
Ending	Written for this course	G: final chord	1 (measure 23)	Single strum, let it ring

Total: 22 measures + the final chord Tempo: 70 BPM throughout

Section A — “About a Girl” Verse Accompaniment (8 measures)

Chord:  Em         G
Strum:  D     D  U     U  D  U
Count:  1     2  & (3) &  4  &

Play this measure eight times (measures 1–8). Use the silent beat 3 to change to G, and change back to Em for beat 1 of the next measure, as in Session 10. If this pattern with a change every two beats is not ready at 70 BPM, play Step 1 from Session 10 here instead: four downstrokes a measure, Em on beats 1 and 2, G on beats 3 and 4.

Transition (measure 9): one strum of G

Chord:  G
Strum:  D
Count:  1  (2) (3) (4)

You are already holding G. Strum it once on beat 1 and let it ring. On beats 2, 3 and 4, move your fretting hand up the neck so that finger 1 is over fret 5 and finger 3 is over fret 7. The open strings will carry on ringing while you move; that is normal.

Section B — “Iron Man” Main Riff, Single-Note Version (6 measures)

"Iron Man" — Main Riff, Single-Note Version (Simplified)

e|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------|---5-------5-----------------------|
A|--------------5-------5---7---7-------|---------------5---5---7---7-------|
E|------7-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
Count:  1       2       3   &   4           1       2   &   3   &   4
Finger: 3       1       1   3   3           1       1   1   1   3   3

Play the two-measure riff three times (measures 10–15). This is the Session 9 riff exactly as written there: finger 1 plays every note at fret 5 and finger 3 every note at fret 7, with downstrokes, and every note rings until the next one. There is no palm muting in this riff.

Transition (measure 16): 1 measure of strummed Em (link to Section C)

Chord:  Em
Strum:  D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
Count:  1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

Your hand has to come back down the neck from fret 7 to Em. If it is not there in time, leave out the first strum or two and come in on the next beat; this measure is here to give you room.

Section C — “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” Refrain Chart (6 measures)

| G    | Em   | Am   | D    |
| G    | G    |

Strum:  D     D  U     U  D  U
Count:  1     2  & (3) &  4  &

One pattern in each measure (measures 17–22). This is the six-measure refrain chart from Session 11, played once, without the picked lead-in.

Ending — Final Chord (measure 23)

Chord:  G
Strum:  D
Count:  1

Performing the Medley

First run (learning): Play each section separately. Make sure each section is clean before connecting them. If 70 BPM is too fast for a clean section, learn it at 60 BPM and build up 5 BPM at a time.

Second run (connecting): Play Sections A and B back to back. Fix the transition from strumming to single-note picking. Then play Sections B and C back to back. Fix the transition from single notes back to open chord strumming.

Third run (performance): Play the entire medley from start to finish. Rules:

1. Count yourself in: “1, 2, 3, 4” (one silent measure)
2. Do NOT stop if you make a mistake — find the next beat and keep going
3. Let the final G chord ring for at least 4 seconds
4. When it fades, you are done. That was your Phase 2 performance.

Learning it by heart: Use the routine “How to memorise a piece” from Session 6: two measures at a time, always starting from the beginning. This week’s practice plan asks you to play the medley from memory before you look at the page.

Break: 5 minutes. Guitar down.

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Segment 4 — Song Workshop: Full Performance (15 minutes)

Use this time for multiple full runs of the medley. Aim for at least 3 complete performances.

Run 1: Focus on getting through it. Mistakes are fine — finishing is the goal.

Run 2: Focus on the transitions between sections. The two critical moments:

• Section A → B: Shifting from open chord strumming to single-note picking on strings 6, 5 and 4. Narrow your picking motion, and move your fretting hand to fret 5 during the transition measure.
• Section B → C: Shifting from single-note picking back to open chord strumming (Em, then G). Widen your strum.

Run 3: Focus on dynamics and expression:

• Section A (“About a Girl”): Rock energy. A bigger, faster strum with the same loose grip, and a strong downstroke on beat 1 of each measure.
• Section B (“Iron Man”): Heavy and deliberate. Let each note ring for its full length. Each note should have weight.
• Section C (“Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”): Warm and gentle. Softer strumming, let the chords breathe.

The ability to change your playing style between sections — aggressive for rock, gentle for ballads — is the beginning of musical expression. It is not just about playing the right notes; it is about playing them with the right feeling.

Three checkpoint pieces that are not in the medley (about 4 minutes): After Run 3, play each of these once. All three are from Session 11 and are tested in the Phase 2 checkpoint.

1. G → Em → C → D, one measure per chord, strumming D/U, four times round at 60 BPM (Session 11, “The Complete Pop Progression”).
2. The “Ye Shaam Mastani” refrain chart: the eight measures twice through at 65 BPM, strumming D/U (Session 11, “Chord Chart: refrain (mukhda), simplified”).
3. The “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” picked lead-in joined to its refrain chart: the lead-in, then the six-measure chart twice through, at 65 BPM, D D U U D U pattern (Session 11, “Lead-in and Chord Chart (simplified)”). Section C of the medley is this chart without its lead-in, so the join is the part to rehearse.

Note anything that stumbles, as in the walk-through.

If you have extra time: Record one performance on your phone. Listen back once for one thing: does the speed stay the same through both transitions? This is your Phase 2 benchmark recording. In a few months, you will listen to this recording and be amazed at how far you have come.

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Segment 5 — Review and Practice Plan (5 minutes)

What You Achieved in Phase 2

• Added four new open chords: D, A, G, C (plus E5 and A5 power chords)
• Learned palm muting for rock guitar
• Played in 3/4 time (waltz)
• Learned the 12-bar blues structure
• Played simplified arrangements from three different musical traditions: rock (Nirvana, Black Sabbath), folk (Scarborough Fair, Bob Dylan), and Hindi film (Kishore Kumar)
• Performed a multi-section medley switching between styles
• Started testing your ear with the recorded card test: major or minor, and 4/4 or 3/4

Your core open chord vocabulary is now complete. Em, Am, E, D, A, G, C — these seven chords are the foundation of popular music across the world. Every chord you learn from here builds on this foundation.

Common Mistakes

1. Rushing through the medley — 70 BPM. Not faster. Use the metronome.
2. Losing the beat during section transitions — The metronome keeps running. If your fingers are not ready for the next section, leave out a strum and use that beat to move, then come back in on the next downbeat (beat 1 of a measure). The open strings will carry on ringing while you move; that is normal. The rhythm never stops.
3. Not changing dynamics between sections — Rock and ballad sections should sound different. Practise Section A with a big, strong strum, then immediately practise Section C with gentle strumming. Train the contrast.
4. Rushing the long notes in Section B — The first two notes of the riff, and the first note of its second measure, last one click each. Count them.
5. Not finishing — The medley must be played start to finish. Every time you stop and restart, you reinforce the habit of stopping. Play through. Mistakes are temporary; the habit of finishing is permanent.

Self-Check Questions

1. Can you play all seven open chords from memory, with all strings ringing clearly? Check: for each chord, pluck every string that should sound, one at a time, with no buzz and no dead string. If not: find that chord in the “Chord Quality Audit” table in Segment 2 and adjust the finger it names; do not press harder. Check again the next day.
2. Can you pass the change test for G-Em and G-D at a new chord every 2 beats at 60 BPM, and for C-G every 2 beats at 50 BPM? Check: for each pair, all 8 chords land on their click with every string that should sound ringing, twice on the same day. If not: for the pair that failed, start 10 BPM lower and climb 5 BPM at a time in the Transition Drill block of the practice plan, and try again the next day.
3. Can you play the Phase 2 medley from start to finish at 70 BPM without stopping, finishing with the click? If not: go back to “First run (learning)” in Segment 3: play the section where you stopped on its own at 60 BPM and build up 5 BPM at a time. Try the whole medley again the next day.
4. On a recording of your medley, can you hear that Section A (rock) is louder than Section C (ballad)? If not: repeat “Run 3” in Segment 4, playing Section C as gently as you can, for two days, then record again.
5. Can you play E5 to A5 in palm-muted eighth notes, one measure per chord, for 4 measures at 70 BPM, with every note muted the same amount? Check: record the 4 measures and listen once for one thing: is every note muted the same amount, with none ringing on and none dead? If not: when you play it in the Chord Audit block of the practice plan, keep the edge of your palm resting in one place on the strings for all 4 measures; record again after two days.

Phase 2 Assessment

After this session, work through Phase 2 Checkpoint to formally assess your Phase 2 skills. Take it on the last practice day of this week.

Checkpoints are not exams, but they do decide when you move on. Items marked * are must-pass. If every * item is Mastered and at least four in every five items are Mastered, go on to the next phase. If not, practise the items that are not yet Mastered for one more week, using the advice under each, and take those items again. After that second week, go on in any case and keep the unfinished items in your warm-up.

Practice Plan for Week 12 (each practice day, 25 minutes)

Block	Time	Activity
Warm-Up	3 min	The warm-up from this session’s Segment 1, then tune
Chord Audit	5 min	All 7 open chords + E5 + A5. 4 strums each, no metronome. Fix any muted strings. Then E5 to A5, palm-muted eighth notes, one measure per chord, 4 measures at 70 BPM
Transition Drill	5 min	Change test on G-Em, G-D and C-G at this week’s rung: a new chord every 2 beats, at 60 BPM for G-Em and G-D and at 50 BPM for C-G. Start each pair 10 BPM lower and climb 5 BPM at a time. Repeat until the time is up
Full Medley	7 min	Play the Phase 2 medley 2 times through. No stops. From the third practice day, play it from memory first, then check the page. Repair the measures where you slipped until the time is up
Song Maintenance	5 min	One each day, a different one each time: “12-Bar in A” (Session 8) from memory, “Scarborough Fair” (Session 7), “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (Session 10, with C) or the “Come As You Are” riff (Session 4). Play it through twice. Use the time that is left for the three Session 11 pieces that are in the checkpoint, starting with a different one each day: G → Em → C → D, one measure per chord, strumming D/U, four times round at 60 BPM; the “Ye Shaam Mastani” refrain chart twice through at 65 BPM; the “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” lead-in and refrain chart at 65 BPM

This is your plan for the whole week. The end-of-week check is in Weekly Plans Phase 1 2, Week 12. On the last practice day of the week, take Phase 2 Checkpoint and nothing else.

Guitar Tip — Saga SF-600C-BK

After several weeks of playing, your Saga’s strings may start to lose their brightness. Steel strings gradually accumulate oil and dirt from your fingers, which dampens the high-frequency sparkle. If your guitar sounds duller than it did when you started, try wiping the strings with a dry cloth after each practice session. When the strings sound noticeably dead or feel rough, it is time to change them. New strings on the Saga will restore that bright, ringing tone. For your first change, ask a shop to fit the strings and watch how it is done; the steps are in Guitar Guide, under “Changing Strings (Brief Overview)”. For a beginner practising on most days, expect to change strings every 6-10 weeks.

After the session (not part of the 50 minutes)

• Record: this week’s ear check. Mark it on any later practice day. This week it is the recorded card test (Session 6), Tests 1 and 2. Test 1, major or minor. Ten slips: E, A, D, G, C, Em, Em, Am, Am, Am. Play one down-strum for each slip. Answer “major” or “minor”. Pass: 8 of 10. Test 2, 4/4 or 3/4. Six slips: three marked “4/4”, three marked “3/4”. For a 4/4 slip strum Em for two measures, D d d d, D d d d; for a 3/4 slip strum Em for two measures, D d d, D d d. No metronome. Answer “4/4” or “3/4”. Pass: 5 of 6. (3 minutes)