Learn a simple yet enjoyable fingerstyle arrangement of Ring of Fire written by June Carter and Merle Kilgore and made famous by Johnny Cash.
Launch by learning the four basic open chords: C, D, G and E. These will appear frequently in songs.
1. G Major
G Major chord is an exquisite, soothing, and comforting sounding chord which can elicit feelings of warmth, calm, and security. Furthermore, this chord can often be heard in uptempo dance floor fillers (44% of tracks analyzed by Hook Theory!).
G Major features just a single sharp in its key signature and is closely related to both C Major and D Major; therefore it can easily be transposed and played in other keys as well.
G major is an excellent scale to use when practicing chord inversions, or inverting chords on your guitar fretboard. An invert is defined as playing one chord from different positions on the fretboard in order to reduce distance between chords and minimize their sound. To play G major in position 1, place your thumb on G and use fingers 1-4 (Finger 1, 2, and 3 respectively) as A, B, C respectively; finally your pinky finger plays G at the end.
2. C Major
Intervals of a chord determine its quality of sound. A chord may take on different names depending on its key and mode of usage.
Here we have a C major triad that, if the root note were raised an octave higher, would become D7.
D7 chords differ from C major triads by including a flat 9 (or b9). While C major triads tend to produce happy sounds, D7 contains more of an melancholic tone – making it great for blues, country music and flamenco guitar. Ry Cooder and Joe Satriani love playing these chords! Additionally they work great when used with other minor scales.
3. D Major
If you can correctly finger a chord without muffleing its other strings, the sound should be full and rich. Keep practicing this chord progression until it becomes easier for you.
Once you’re comfortable with chords, try expanding them with seventh chords – but take caution as a minor third on top of a major seventh can result in clashing notes or out-of-tune chords.
D Major is an ideal scale to use when crafting emotive songs with atmosphere and emotion, such as Brit-pop band Oasis’ Wonderwall featuring its upbeat chord progression of D Major. Its nostalgic melodies convey feelings of unrequited love while its distinctive sound have made it popular with musicians for years.
4. E Major
E Major chord is an indispensable foundation of many chords and progressions on guitar, from its easy root position to its broad tonal range that conveys various emotions. Newcomers to playing may learn it early as part of their introduction.
A chord’s warm sonority enhances folk tunes’ lyrical narrative, adds drama to ballads and rock anthems alike, while amplifying their energy. Furthermore, its warmth is perfect for ending verses or lines before powerful choruses come along.
For maximum success in mastering an E Major chord, focus on playing each note cleanly and precisely. Over time, your fingers will become stronger and more flexible, enabling you to play faster chords more quickly. Practice regularly using a metronome for maximum speed and accuracy!
5. F Major
F Major chord is a triadic chord consisting of F, A and C notes. It produces an upbeat sound and can often serve as the tonic chord for songs in F Major key.
Establishing triads by selecting three alternate notes from a given scale requires some familiarity with intervals. If this concept is new to you, please review my article on intervals before proceeding further.
To create an F Major triad, start by positioning your index finger at the first fret of the thinnest string; middle finger at second fret of G string; and ring finger on third fret of D string. Or use this more accessible barred version; just be sure only the tips of your fingers touch each string as pressing too hard could result in tightness in hands.