Guitar chords by Johnny B Goode is one of the world’s best-known rock songs, making an impressionful statement about life itself. While initially difficult for beginner guitarists to learn, with perseverance and dedication this song can be conquered.
Chuck Berry’s guitar part features straight 8th notes to further propel this driving rhythm. A snare drum accents backbeats while the syncopated walking bass line. Together these create a syncopated groove.
1. C Major
C minor chord is one of the most prevalent in music and can be played relatively easily using barre chords (i.e. chords that use all but one string).
Johnny B Goode features drums that create an upbeat rhythm that emphasizes backbeats while Chuck Berry’s guitar part remains steady with 8th note melodies.
2. D Major
Simple barred Dm chord at the tenth fret: bar string one (G), while pressing your index finger against fret six of string two (B).
Strumming only the bottom four strings while leaving E and A open are easy methods of string manipulation.
Finger 3 can sometimes mute string 1. If this occurs to you, lower your thumb slightly to gain more leverage and get into position for playing string 1.
3. E Major
Blues and rock guitarists alike often turn to the E major chord (E, G# and B). With its open voicing it’s simple to play this chord; only minimal fingerwork is required!
Johnny B Goode is an ideal tune to learn to play in E, featuring iconic rock and roll riffs that defined its sound! This tune will teach you all you need to know to master this key!
4. G Major
Beginner guitarists usually learn the G chord first as their first open chord. Though not an easy chord to play, as it requires stretching your fingers across the guitar neck in order to hold down strings one and six with your fingertips, playing this chord requires practice and requires stretching your fingers across.
G chords can be played using various techniques, with the most frequent one being a barre chord in third position, as shown in example 3a. They’re also often played using only four strings – as evidenced by example 3b.
5. B Major
As it’s a barre chord, playing a B major guitar chord requires plenty of finger strength – something beginners may find challenging to manage. I recommend sticking with A shape until your fingertips can handle playing it more fluently.
This B chord features a slight sus4 effect – or suspended 4th. This makes it sound somewhat distinct to a conventional Cmaj7, and works particularly well when played before or after.
6. A Major
The A Major chord is one of the core fundamentals in guitar playing and an ideal chord to learn for transitioning between chords.
To play this chord, place your pinky finger on the 5th fret and your ring finger on the 7th fret, leaving the sixth string (low E) barred – this forms your bar chord! Practice playing this chord frequently until it becomes second nature to you.
7. F Major
F major is an iconic chord, often used across a range of songs and instruments. However, for beginners it may prove challenging due to barring across all 6 strings which puts undue strain on their fingers.
Here is a version that features a smaller barre and is easier for beginners to play, while simultaneously muzzling the thickest string to produce fuller and less buzzy sounding sounds.
8. C Minor
Adele’s song uses it extensively! Additionally, bar chords — where an index finger forms an “M” over all six strings — add a sense of playfulness.
Change the sound of chords by string bending. This technique adds character and can give any song some personality! Give it a try now!
9. D Minor
D minor is an ideal chord to start off your guitar learning career on as it sits comfortably beneath your fingers and offers plenty of opportunity for experimentation with additional chord extensions over time.
The snare drum plays off backbeats to accent and support this with a lively walking bass line, keeping the song moving smoothly while captivating listeners.
10. E Minor
Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry is an iconic rock and roll tune with an easily learned guitar riff that intermediate guitarists will find easy to learn.
The E minor chord is one of the most beloved beginner chords. This straightforward open chord makes for easy fretting on a guitar.
E minor is an extremely comfortable key for classical guitarists to use. Heavy metal composers also tend to choose E minor as it lends itself to emotive sounds that provide moody background for their compositions.