Put your fingers onto the fretboard, placing them as close as possible to each fret’s individual bars for optimal sound production. This will help ensure an excellent tone.
When viewing a chord diagram, the “X’s and O’s” can serve as shorthand for which strings should be muted and which shouldn’t.
A minor 7
As we start learning guitar chords, one chord on our list that stands out is the minor 7. It adds a bluesy or nostalgic vibe that makes for great accompaniment – an essential tool in your chord toolbox!
Building a minor 7 chord can be achieved in two main ways. One method involves stacking thirds – which involves taking an existing major 7 chord and altering its third note by shifting it lower for minor 7. Alternatively, you could opt for making your chord polytonal by changing only its root note to achieve this effect.
Altering a dominant 7 chord to create a minor 7 chord works the same way, except the third note becomes minor 7.
To create this chord, place your index finger on the second fret of the fifth string, your middle finger on the fourth fret of the sixth string and your ring finger on its open third fret – this should create a simple chord shape that should not prove difficult to master.
C major
C major is one of the easiest chords for beginners to begin learning on, due to its straightforward open structure and simplicity. When first trying it out, listen carefully while playing each note/string individually so as to identify any muffled or buzzy sounding chords.
If a string/note sounds muffled or buzzy, your finger may not be in contact with its fret correctly. Look closely and you should see tiny bars at each fret; your fingers should be close enough so as to press down without hitting those bars.
Make sure to warm up by stretching your fingers prior to playing; this will prevent pulling too tight which could result in dead tone. Once you feel confident with this step, practice switching between open and barre chords smoothly for optimal musical results.
G major
Experienced guitarists may already be familiar with open G major chord shapes as they can be found in numerous songs. This modified version adds a perfect fifth interval, making the chord easier but also more melodic to play.
B minor is the second note in this chord and gives it a melancholic sound that pairs nicely with many songs. Just like its C major counterpart, this chord works great in V-I progressions as well as adding extra sustain with a capo on the first fret for maximum sustain.
Remind yourself when playing this shape to use only your fingertips, keeping them curved so the meaty parts don’t strike other strings and muffle its sound. This is one of the easiest ways to achieve a clean-sounding G chord; and the curved finger position also makes this chord easier to maintain stability. Practicing this chord for several reps will strengthen muscle memory and finger strength.
D major
These four chords will allow beginners to easily play most songs. Based on simple scales, they can be arranged in any number of ways for maximum flexibility.
D major is one of the easiest open string chords to learn due to its close spacing of notes that allows your fingers to easily fit over them. But just like with all chords above, making sure all fingers are in their appropriate places is key if you want clean chord playing every time. Regular practice of these chords and using a metronome will guarantee this is achievable.
Switching chord shapes can be challenging at first, so once you have them down it is worth practicing this action regularly until it becomes second nature – even without thinking! Additionally this practice session provides an excellent opportunity to work on chord extensions; check out our article on guitar chord theory for more info on this!