This is a really lively, fun tune that we can play with the same three chords all the way through.

This song uses upstroke strumming instead of downstroke strumming. That’s what gives it the danceable feeling it has.

It can take more concentration doing the upstrokes. Our bodies need to build up the coordination we need to play this song. If you can’t do it at first, that’s normal – your job is just to make sure you play the way I’ve explained, to prepare your hands and brain by counting it through. You will soon find that you can do it! There are 3 jobs our hands and brains need to do to play this song:

  1. Get the strumming on the upstroke with our right hand
  2. Remember which chord is which and what order they come in
  3. Get to those chords in time with our left hands

Review the chords along with the video below to train your hands to find them.

Here’s what to do:

  1. Train your chords- 10 A to D, 10 D to E, 10, E to A. Use this video first – it helps you count through the chord changes. Some of you have learned smaller chord shapes and some of you have learned shapes across 5/6 strings. There is a picture of the chords right under the video.

2. Now play along with this simplified version of the song that has the singing and extra instruments taken out to make it easier to hear yourself and the music. I’ve counted all the way through this short clip, and it’s tuned to the open position so you won’t need to use a capo. At full speed it is quite fast, so slow the video down first to half speed and then gradually speed it up. While you are getting used to the chords, you can also train by staying on one chord and playing that chord when it’s time for that chord. We have a count of four on A, then a count of two on D and two on E. You can also just hit the first upstroke of each chord to give you time to get to the next one.

If you can do that, you can try playing along with the original, but you’ll need a capo at the third fret. Here are two audios with all the singing and instruments back in.

Message To You, Rudy – slower

Message To You, Rudy – original speed