Piece of Mind
Boston
Ok this one is not easy to play all the way through if you want it to sound exactly like the recording, especially since it switches from acoustic to electric so I just play it in a way that sounds good to me. The opening acoustic riff makes this song worth learning even if you just learn the intro.
Chords:
C#m x46654
A 57765x
E x7999x
B 79987x
D x5777x
I hate A shaped bar chords so the E gives me trouble, so I put a capo on the fourth fretm so I play the C#m as a simple A minor. For the A, I play it kind of like a F maj 7 with my thumb fretting the base note, so a put my index on the 1st fret of the b string, my middle on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string, my pinky on the 3rd fret of the d string, my ring finger on th 3rd fret of the A string, then wrap my thumb around to the first fret of the E string to play the base. With the capo on the 4th fret the E chord becomes a simple C chord, and I play the B the same way as the A only slide it down the neck two frets. So the capo makes it a lot easier to play the C#m and the E but doesn't help get around the A and B bar chords.
However if you want to play the super easy version with no tough chords, just use the capo and play the open Am, F as xx3211, open C, and open G. This will sound fine but you will lose some of the base which is emphasized in the song. So play it however is easiest for you. Finger the chords however it most comfortable. And remember, you only need the top 3 or four strings of each chord, so finger the chords however it will allow you to get those notes most comfortably.
For the intro riff, when you strum focus on emphasizing the top three or four strings of each chord to emphasize the base, but it will sound fine if you hit all the strings.
The chord changes fall on beat 1 and the “and†after beat two. Emphasize the first muted strum on beat 2 of measure 1. For the muted strums at the end measure 1, just release the pressure on the strings and continue strumming, but strum fairly hard because it adds a lot to the riff and makes it sound great
Opening Acoustic Riff C#m, A, E, B (if using capo, relative to capo Am, F, C, G)C#m A
1 e and a 2 e and a 3 e and a 4 e and a
D u X D u D x x x x
E B
1 e and a 2 e and a 3 e and a 4 e and a
D u D D u D D d u
The verse chords and notes are played on electric and they arent so easy on acoustic, so I think these chords sound fine. For the verse I use mainly the strum pattern that I used in measure 2 of the intro, only play 2 full measures of it for the E (don't change chords at the “andâ€) and then split it for the D and the A (Do change from D to A at the “andâ€). Then play the E for a full measure. It's not perfect but it works let me know if you have any suggestions or if these chords aren't exact. Also I'm not 100% sure on the chorus chords to me it sounds like they should be the same as the intro chords, and that's how I usually sing it. I just play the acoustic riff for the chorus but I think it ends on the A chord right when you sing “of mind†at the end of the chorus. So play the riff through then go from the B to the A right when you get to the end of the chorus. then go back to the E.
Verse chords (not relative to capo!)
VERSE 1:
E
now if your feelin' kind of low 'bout the dues you been payin'
D A E
future's comin much to slow.
E
and you wanna' run but some how you just keep on stayin
D A B
can't decide on which way to go. ya ya ya
CHORUS:
i understand about indecision
i don't care if i get behind
people livin' in competition
all i want is to have my own peace of mind.
VERSE 2:
E
now you're climbin' to the top of the company ladder
d A E
hope it doesn't take to long.
E
can't you see there'll come a day when it won't matter
d A B
come a day when you'll be gone. ya ya ya.
CHORUS,
E
now everybodies got advice that they just keep on givin
d A E
doesn't mean to much to me
E
lots of people out to make a legal living
d A B
can't decide on who they should be. ya ya ya
INTRO
This is just how I play it so definitely give suggestions if you know a better way of playing any of the parts of the song. Enjoy
