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Every generation is blessed with certain rare individuals in whom the roles of writer, performer, and teacher intersect. Denver’s work is a transparent representation of his profound love of nature, poetry and music. His art resides in the simplicity and elegance with which he unifies these threads across the canvas of his life and music.

Great songwriters often build on deceptively simple foundations. John Denver is no exception. Even if one has just purchased a guitar and is bewildered by the plethora of diagrams, scales, and chords with names it would seem only a mathematics major could figure out, one will find that a study of his work will reward both the beginning and intermediate guitarist with a wealth of insights into their own possibilities.

We will start with Leaving on a Jet Plane because it is so accessible to the beginning guitarist that one might be tempted to the conclusion that Denver intended it to be so. This song has the additional advantage of being in the key of C major, which will provide us with easy levers into how chords are built and harmony works.

Take heart. Once you have learned one song well, you will be astonished at how that knowledge ramifies. The verses of Leaving on a Jet Plane consist of Cmaj, Fmaj and G chords. In the key of C these would be the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth scale degrees.

Below we have the Cma7 and Fma7 chords. Begin by simply practicing playing these chords for four beats (one "measure)per chord.

Don't forget to count with the "ands." (1 "and" 2 "and" 3 "and" 4 "and."" It's a good habit. People you jam with later will love you for it.

CMA7
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * * * * *
* * 2 * * *
* 3 * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
FMA7
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * * * 1 *
* * * 2 * *
* * 3 * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *

At any time you can play all the other strings open with a simple strum. In the case of the Cma7 the 3rd finger expresses a C, which is the root. The 2nd finger is an E, or third. The open G string is the fifth, and the open B string acts as a MAJ seventh. Together they fulfill a complete spelling of the Cma7 chord.

THE FMA7 CHORD WORKS THE SAME WAY. NOTICE HOW THE FINGERS OF THE LEFT HAND "HOP" OVER TO ADJACENT STRINGS. THE FORMATION OF THE FINGERS REMAINS THEE SAME. THE THIRD FINGER AGAIN HAS THE "ROOT" OF THE CHORD. NOW IT'S ON THE D STRING INSTEAD OF THE A STRING. BUT IT IS STILL ON THE THIRD FRET AND IT STILL IS THE ROOT.

THE SECOND FINGER HAS SIMILARLY "HOPPED." NOW IT IS ON THE SECOND FRET OF THE G STRING INSTEAD OF THE D STRING AND IT IS HOLDING DOWN THE NOTE, A , WHICH IS THE THIRD OF THE FMA7 CHORD. THEN YOU ADD THE FIRST FINGER, WHICH HOLDS DOWN THE FIRST FRET OF THE B STRING AND THAT IS THE FIFTH OF THE CHORD. THE OPEN E STRING COMPLETES THE SPELLING OF THE FMA7 CHORD.

THE SAME CHORDS WITH THE NOTE SPELLING:
CMA7
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * * * * *
* * E * * *
* C * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
FMA7
[E] [A] [D] [G] [B] [E]
* * * * C *
* * * A * *
* * F * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *

THE PERCEPTIVE STUDENT WILL NOTICE WITH A SMILE THAT THIS REMAINS A VERY SIMPLE PHYSICAL MOVEMENT, DESPITE THE RICH QUALITY OF ITS HARMONIC CONTENTS. YOU WILL SOMETIMES FIND THAT SIMPLE CHORDS CAN BE HARDER TO FINGER THAN THE CHORDS WITH THE "NUMBERS" IN THEM.

ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD NOTICE IS THAT THE INITIAL LYRICS ARE MISSING. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY WILL START ON A FRAGMENT OF A MEASURE CALLED AN UPBEAT. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER AS WELL. FOR THE STUDENT LEARNING FROM SONGS, IT CAN BE A BIT DISORIENTING. THINK ABOUT ALMOST ANY SONG YOU LIKE AND NOTICE THAT SONG PHRASES ALMOST NEVER BEGIN ON THE "1," OR FIRST BEAT OF A MEASURE.

SUFFICE FOR THE MOMENT THAT THE VOCAL PHRASES AND THE CHORDS DO FALL AS INDICATED BELOW. RIGHT NOW JUST CONCENTRATE ON GETTING THE MOVEMENT BETWEEN CMA7 AND FMA7 SMOOTH AND FLOWING.

FINALLY NOTE THAT THE G CHORD, WHICH I'LL DISCUSS LATER, TAKES UP TWICE AS MUCH SPACE, EIGHT BEATS, INSTEAD OF THE FOUR THAT HAS BEEN ALL THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE OTHER CHORDS IN THE SONG.

AT THE END OF THAT SECOND MEASURE OF THE G MAJ CHORD IS WHERE WE WILL PLACE THE "UPBEAT" OR "PICK UP" LYRICS THAT ARE MISSING FROM OUR RUDIMENTARY "CHART."

Leaving, On A Jet Plane
CMA7FMA7
bags are packed, I'mready to go, I'm
CMA7FMA7
standing here out- side your door, I
CMA7FMA7
hate to wake you up to say good
GG
-bye. (-bye.)