Learn how to play "Son of a Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield!

In today’s lesson, we’ll learn how to play Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield - this song first appeared in her album Dusty in Memphis in 1969 and became a classic.

We’ll learn how to play it the authentic way, in the key of E, using mainly the chords E, A, and B, and a little bit of D. Then, we’ll explore how to use a guitar capo to play the same song in different keys. :)

Using a capo to change the key of a song is an excellent skill to have under your belt - and definitely not only for beginners. But, in the case of Son of a Preacher Man, using a capo to transpose does make it easier to play: you’ll avoid the B Barre Chord.

💡 Transposing songs also help you find the correct key for your singing, makes jamming loads of fun, and opens up many possibilities.

Now let’s get stuck in and see what’s on the menu for this lesson!

Son of a Preacher Man - Two Keys?

Something funky happens for the bridge of this song. The song changes key - so, instead of playing E, A, B, and D, you’ll play D, A, B, and E. :) That’s kind of an exciting thing; it lifts up the song!

💬 We don’t really see this changing keys trick a lot nowadays, and I’m not sure why! What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Changing the keys during a song can be a bit tricky if you’re singing. But with some practice, you might be able to do it. :) The good news is that you can use a guitar capo to find the best keys for your voice - so at least that!

Son of a Preacher Man - Strumming Pattern

You can start by playing Son of a Preacher Man with a super simple strumming pattern. Use down strums only, and strum on the first beat of each bar. If you keep your hand moving and get relaxed, you’ll be able to free your strumming up. ;)

If you prefer to try a set strumming pattern, a good one for this song would be:

1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a

D   D  u uD  uDu

😉 Don’t worry if the last up strum hits open strings; that’s normal. We all do it, and it's ok. Don’t be afraid of it.

Be aware that the chord changes halfway through the bar many times during this song. When this happens, you must change chords before the up strum on Beat 3. That’s essential to sound just like the original recording.

And don’t forget to explore the dynamics of the song. As an advancing guitar player, you should be able to lift a tune-up or calm it down by changing the strumming pattern. To do that, you need to relax and understand the dynamic of the song you’re trying to play.

Can’t Play the B Chord?

Use a capo - again, that little thing is your best friend! You’ll place your capo on the second fret, so instead of starting with an E chord, you’ll start with a D.

In the bridge, instead of starting on a D chord, you’ll play a C chord. Like that, you can play Son of a Preacher Man using open chords only!

I should also point out that we’re changing all the chords down one tone. This song is just a perfect example of that - it’s really visual on the fretboard.

If you want to understand the theory behind guitar chords and keys, check out my Music Theory course - the first grades are free!