J. W. Patterson's "Extra Effect" Guitar Ideas:

1. Alternative tunings for guitar can help. Try open tunings like DADF#AD or dropped tunings like DADGBD. Modal tunings like DADGAD are also useful in giving that dreamy, otherworldly, drone to a song. Finding chords and leads is tricky but the sound is worth the effort. Slide guitarists and acoustic guitarists love this stuff.

2. Learn how to play 6th and 9th chords. Then experiment with minor 6th and minor 9th chords as well. Alternate between augmented and non-augmented chords. Try some tunes structured around the whole tone scale. Think bizarre, play weird. Be cool and jazz things up some.

3. Get a stronger variant on a D chord by adding your thumb to the sixth string, second fret Strum all six strings. Then try using a C chord pattern that includes the sixth string, third fret and then position this C chord fingering two frets up to get an interesting alternate D chord. Let the first and third string remain open. This is a Phil Keaggy trick.

4. Experiment with E "barre" chords that only have the sixth string "barred". Let the first and second strings ring open as you slide the E "barre" chord up and down the neck. Then dump the "barre" altogether and slide an E major chord up and down the neck for a full, wide feel. You hear this distinctive sound in RUSH's songs.

Credit: J.W. Patterson