Master Anna Kendrick’s “Cups” on Guitar: An Engaging, Easy-to-Follow Guide with Steve Stine

When playing the guitar, fret placement and chord progression are critical elements that serve as the backbone of your melody. Today, we’re going to explore this concept using Anna Kendrick’s song, “Cups.” To create the signature sound of this song, we’ll be using a capo on the fifth fret to manipulate our tone.

For those not familiar with it, a capo is a device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to raise the pitch. Devices like this are fantastic as they allow us to tailor our guitar playing and bring a little variety into our performances. In this song, our capo on the fifth fret will serve to increase the pitch, making our rendition of “Cups” sound as authentic as possible.

Now, let’s talk about the chords we’ll be using; namely G, C, D, E minor, and A minor. They are basic chords that you will find in countless songs across various genres. That’s because they blend well and have a pleasing sound to the ear when played in progression. If you’re playing G in a different way with three fingers or an easy G, or if you’d rather play C add 9 instead of a regular C or an easy C, that’s okay too.

Remember, the goal is not to get too hung up on intricate details. It’s to enjoy playing the song. Experiencing pleasure while playing is as vital as getting the chords right. If you’re having fun, you’re more likely to practice, and the more you practice, the better guitarist you’ll become.

Let’s look at the song structure. The first part of the song consists of four measures of the G chord. It looks like this: G (one-two-three-four), second measure (one-two-three-four), third measure (one-two-three-four), and another fourth measure of G. It’s a simple yet strong opening for the song.

Return to this throughout your learning. The comfort familiarity with the G chord will provide grounds your learning experience, helping you to keep pushing forward and exploring new techniques. The verse starts to get a little more interesting, introducing more chords and a new pattern. Practice the progression to get a feel for the transition.

Once you get more comfortable, you can move on to the second half of the verse which is E minor, D, C. Notice how the E minor and D chords share two beats in a measure, which adds a bit more complexity. And we end this section with A minor, D, and G; with A minor and D also sharing the measure.

Remember, you don’t have to rush yourself to keep up with the song’s original pace. Take your time to understand the chord shifts. Once you feel comfortable, increase the pace.

So, to recap, here’s your whole verse: start with G, repeat it (one-two-three-four, one-two-three-four), then C, then back to G. Here it comes, E minor, D, and follow it up with C. Then, it’s A minor, D, G.

Understanding these chord progressions and your fret placements are core foundations of mastering any song. One suggestion is to write down the sequence of chords so that you can easily refer to it during your practice. Breaking it down like this makes it easier to remember and allows you to track your progress.

A critical part of learning to play “Cups,” and indeed any guitar song, is not just the chords involved but the journey in mastering the song. We’re all in the pursuit of playing music to bring joy to ourselves and possibly others. Whether you’re strumming each chord once or creating your unique variation of the song, what matters is that you’re having fun doing so. Happy practicing!
Understanding the structure of a song is like discovering the secret blueprint to its melody. One thing that makes understanding a song easier is by breaking it down into its verse and chorus structure. Today we are going to do exactly that with Anna Kendrick’s song, “Cups.”

Let’s first take a look at how the verse is structured. For this song, the verse starts with a repeating pattern of the G chord. You count out four beats or measures of G. Try writing this down on a piece of paper as G-G-G-G. Pay attention to the rhythm, and you’ll soon start to feel the pattern.

Next, we’ll move onto another chord progression in the verse; G-G-C-G. Notice how we bounce off that repetitive G chord and bring in the C before jumping back to G. The change from G to C back to G gives the song its unique melody and tempo variation.

As we move to the second part of the verse, the pattern changes. Now it’s E minor-D-C. Here’s where things start to get interesting. The E minor and D only get two beats each, as they share the measure. This rapid-fire transition boosts the song’s energy level.

Just when you thought you’re done with the second part of the verse, there’s another sequence: A minor-D-G. Again, the A minor and the D chord share the beat. It’s these quick shifts that make this song fun and upbeat.

So, your verse structure would look something like this: G-G-G-G, then G-G-C-G, followed by E minor-D-C and A minor-D-G. Do you see the pattern here? Understanding this pattern is the key to mastering the verse of this song.

Now, let’s march on to the chorus. The chorus kicks off with E minor followed by C, then back to E minor and D. These four chords each have a measure of their own.

The second half of the chorus is identical to the second half of the verse with the sequence E minor-D-C and then A minor-D-A. It’s a nice little pattern that echoes the verse, tying the whole song together nicely.

In the original version of “Cups,” the chorus is repeated twice. To mirror this, you should do the same. Practice playing the whole chorus — E minor, C, E minor, D, E minor, D, C, and then A minor, D, and G with the second sequencing getting two beats per chord.

The verse and chorus structure is the map guiding your journey of playing “Cups” on the guitar. Understanding this structure, and the measures or beats, of each chord gives you a framework for acquiring the song.

Now, the beauty of understanding this structure is that it allows you to understand the rhythm and the pacing of the song. You can then transpose this understanding to your strumming pattern, whether you’re strumming once for each chord or a little bit more, the timing remains the same.

Lastly, while it’s important to aim for accuracy when playing any piece of music, remember the primary goal is to have fun with it. Even if your strumming isn’t perfect, or you miss a chord, keep going. As long as you are enjoying yourself and trying your best, you’re doing just right!

And that’s it! That’s how you break down the verse and chorus structure of a song. Use these tips as you explore other songs. Keep practicing and, most importantly, keep having fun with your music.
Strumming techniques and rhythm patterns are like the heartbeat of a song. They add energy and bring the chord progressions to life. Today, we’ll explore these vital essentials to playing Anna Kendrick’s song, “Cups,” on the guitar.

Once you’ve nailed the chords and the verse-chorus structure, the next big step is mastering the strumming technique. The strumming pattern allows us to dictate the feel of the song. While it may seem minor, different strumming techniques can transform the tone of the tune you’re playing drastically. The simplest starting point is just to strum once for each chord – a technique I’d advise for beginners. It might sound basic, but it’s an excellent stepping stone towards understanding the rhythmical pulse of the song.

Once you feel comfortable with the one-strum-per-chord technique, the next level involves adding a few more strums. In “Cups,” you might want to try the one-two-three-four strumming pattern. This includes a downstrum on each beat of the measure, which will create a smooth, steady sound that carries the energetic vibe of the song.

As you gain more confidence, you might be ready to take the leap to a more advanced strumming technique. This is where you introduce a rhythm-down-down-up strumming pattern. It’s a pattern that can really give the song that extra bounce and playfulness.

But how do you practice this technique? Great question! Here’s a simple exercise you can do – try scratching the guitar. Touch with all four fingers and keep practicing the rhythm, down-down-up-down-down-down-up-down-down. Gradually start speeding it up until you can transition from strumming the actual chords to scratching and vice versa. This practice allows you to learn the rhythm of the strumming pattern and get comfortable with the transition in and out of the pattern.

One crucial tip to keep in mind is to ease up on your strumming during the verse before laying it on thick in the chorus. This is a common trick we guitarists use to create a massive build-up to the chorus, which gives the song an irresistible feel. You can achieve this by backing off just a little bit during the verse before doing some down-up action during the chorus.

If you find yourself strumming the chorus effectively, you’ve already leveled up. However, the end goal of the strumming should ideally mimic the rhythm count introduced in the intro of the song. Nailing the intro’s strumming pattern would naturally lead to the chorus strumming. But learning this full strum pattern can take time, so be patient with yourself.

Finally, just as with any aspect of guitar playing, the most important thing is to have fun with it. Make these strumming techniques your own. Remember, there’s no right or wrong here – there’s just playing it the way you feel it. So, keep practicing, keep strumming, and most importantly, never stop having fun with it. That’s the ultimate way to keep the rhythm of music alive in your hearts and fingers. You’ve got this!

If you’re seeking more ways to improve your guitar skills, I’d love for you to hear from other fellow guitarists. Visit here and discover personal stories and experiences about gaining proficiency and joy through learning at GuitarZoom.com

For further exploration, you may find my insights on strumming and picking techniques beneficial to your practice. Don’t miss out on diving deeper into the intricacies of chords and progressions, which can give you a fuller understanding of the beautiful instrument that the guitar is.