Chords.

[Fili]

I am trying to learn the song "give me one reason" by Tracy Chapman, and a couple other songs that I am having a problem with. Those chords in the intro that are played throughout the song, they sound alot different from when I just play them regularly. What I want to know is how can I get my chords to sound like that when playing the song?


e--------------|-----------------------------------|--------------
B--------------|------2---------------2---2--------|-------4------
G--------------|------3---------------3---3--------|-------4------
D--------------|------4---------------4---4--------|-------4------
A--------------|-------------------------------0---|-2----------4-
E-----0--0--0--|-2--------2------------------------|--------------


That is part of the tab I'm using, and of course I am talking about the chords.
When I try and play them they ring and sound very bright, but when I listen to the song It's kind of like there muted, but it doesn't sound right when I do it that way either. please help.

Give me one reason (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPcjjOrKmJw)

[ANGRY PYGMY]

I'm probably not the most qualified person to answer a question like this, but I'll tell you how I play it, maybe it will help.

Try adding the C sharp at the 4th fret of the A string when you hit the first chord, making it a full E-shaped barr.
This is how most of my tabs show it...and this seems to fatten it up and gives it a little deeper sound.

Also, your tab there doesnt show it, but there is also some xxxxxxx style palm mutes thrown in, between some of the notes, and the chords.
Those two things may help you to get the sound right.
Hope that helps, at least some.

[Fendershredder]

When the chord gets hit, the guitarist usually does a very staccato muted sound.

Are you playing with fingers or a pick? Regardless what you want to do is quickly strum those notes, and kill the sound with your hand by pressing it on the strings.

[poppedje]

You could try realeasing the pressure on the strings from your fretting hand right after you hit the high 'stabs'. I can get a comparable reggae style staccato sound that way.

EDIT: Whoops, really old thread, didn't really notice that...