A chord is a series of notes played together and is an essential part of music that can produce beautiful results.
Chords on guitar typically involve strumming five strings – all but the low E string (which should remain mute). If your chords sound off-key, it could be that extra strings are being strung!
A Major
Beginners may find the A basic open chord difficult to play as it requires three fingers being jammed into a small space at once. To play this chord successfully, make sure that when striking the strings vertically rather than horizontally they hit them first to avoid hitting other strings and muffled sounds.
A Minor
This chord can be created by barring all strings except the low E, hence its nickname as an A aeolian chord.
The A Minor chord is an essential one in folk and ballad songs, creating a warm yet melancholic soundscape. It is the basis of classic rock songs like U2’s “Desire”, as well as more recent ballads by Bon Iver and Damien Rice.
B Major
B Major is often one of the first major chords students encounter when starting to study music theory, made up of 1st and 5th notes of C Major scale.
To play this chord, either mutes the low E string with your pinky or place your index finger in the 4th fret of G string and place index finger into it at 4th fret of G string. Additionally, this chord can also be played open-faced for an alternative sound.
B Minor
This chord can be easily learned by most beginners; however, those with limited finger strength may require additional practice. Remember to manage tension while fretting so your fingers do not muffle the sound and produce an unpleasant muddy tone.
Shape 5 provides another easy and straightforward method of playing B minor. No bar across strings 5-1 is necessary – simply make sure your fingers arched behind the frets to avoid muted sounds!
C Major
C Major is an ideal chord for beginning guitarists to start out playing guitar, as its easy strum gives an intoxicatingly full sound when strumming it. When practicing this chord, try not to mutes its low E string when making this move.
Open and power chords utilize similar finger positions, so it is beneficial to practice both. By adding a fifth, a C Major seventh chord will result.
C Minor
C minor, more commonly referred to as Cm or Cmi chord, can help your music convey sorrowful emotions. You can play this chord by barring all strings with your index finger while using middle and ring fingers to fret the remaining ones.
Once you’ve mastered major and minor triads, the next step should be seventh chords – both dominant and minor seventh chords are covered here.
D Major
A moveable D chord can be more challenging to play than an open C shape. Moving your fingers up close without touching other strings may prove tricky – particularly for players with large hands.
To create this shape, place your index finger on A string fret 2, placing your middle and ring fingers underneath it. Strum the chord, checking each string/note separately to ensure no muffled sound or hitting thinnest strings is happening.
D Minor
D minor is an open chord composed of three triad chords with an interval structure of 1m3 5 and it is one of the easiest for beginners to play without barring any strings.
One method for remembering this shape is by making comparisons with familiar chords such as D major. Or you can add an octave lower C to this structure to form D minor seven.
E Major
E Major is an ideal chord to learn on guitar. Its easy structure works well across genres.
Strumming the first five strings while leaving the low E string open will create a heavier sound.
Practice each enclosure until you can play them without muddling any strings! This will build both muscle and visual memory on the fretboard.
E Minor
This open version of an E minor chord leaves one string unfretted for maximum sound without straining too many fingers. This chord can help achieve fuller tones with minimal fingerwork.
Fingering this chord correctly requires keeping fingers arched; this will prevent muting or buzzing of strings due to flat or not close enough proximity of fingers to frets.