If you would like to play country songs that cross into the pop genre, you may want to learn how to play "Mine" by Taylor Swift on the guitar.  According to guitarist Jen Trani, this song contains  relatively easy chords but a lot of changes, so pay close attention to the steps that follow.  Learn how to play hits and add tension to the song by adding "anticipation" in this tutorial.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DBIjaf_DPU   Step-by step instructions are found below to get you started in learning this song.

Swift's single, "Mine",  was released to radio and iTunes in August 2010, after it was leaked online.http://www.billboard.com/news/taylor-swift-s-mine-single-leaks-1004107713.story#/news/taylor-swift-s-mine-single-leaks-1004107713.story  The song hit the Billboard charts at # 3, moved up the the #1 position, and after twenty-five weeks was still in the top 10.http://www.billboard.com/song/taylor-swift/mine/21066084#/artist/taylor-swift/766101 

Play the C chord for two beats, move to the G chord for two beats, then play a D chord for four beats.  This repeats through the intro and the verse.  Play:

                                                              C - G - D - - -

                                                               12 3 4 1 2 3 4

The rhythm of the song allows the use of down strokes only.  This gives the song a driving beat and allows you to play as aggressively as you feel the beat requires.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DBIjaf_DPU  

The chorus of the song is very much like the intro and the verse; however at the end of the line you will use some hard hits on the quarter notes.  The changes in the chorus are a little slower, allowing for four full beats on each chord until the end when the change goes back to every two. You will also need to add an E minor chord. The chorus will look like this.  

                    C - - -G - - -D - - -Eminor - D -

                     1234 1234  12341         2 1 2 

This is repeated.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DBIjaf_DPU 

The bridge in the song "Mine" accents the notes by using the technique called anticipation. In the anticipation technique, you will play the chord a beat before it is expected.  Often a change will occur on the third beat in a four beat bar.  In this song you will change chords on the upbeat of 2 and 4 to create the tension. 

                        C     G         D

                       1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1  2   3   4  

Repeat.

The second half of the bridge is played: 

                      E minor - - - C - - -  D - - - - - - -

                       1        234  12 3 4 1 234 1234

Repeat then go back and repeat the first part of the bridge.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DBIjaf_DPU 

The outro does not introduce any new chords and looks and plays a lot like the chorus.  The anticipation technique is also used here.  Play:

   C - - - G - - -  D - - - -Em - D - 

   1 2 3412 34   1 234  1    2  12

Repeat.  Then play:

            C      G         D

             1+ 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 2 3 4 

 Repeat and then end on D.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DBIjaf_DPU 

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