A chord in guitar chord theory refers to any series of three or more notes played together using strumming, separated by what’s known as an interval.
As you gain more knowledge about intervals, you’ll discover that various triads sound very differently due to the intervals they contain.
E Major
The A E major chord serves as the cornerstone of many genres of music, from country and blues (Patsy Cline and Reba McEntire to Otis Redding and Bo Diddley), through modern pop to traditional styles.
Each Major scale has a relative minor scale, including E Major chord. Knowing how to read key signatures will make these chords much simpler to understand and learn.
As soon as you look at a chord wheel, it becomes apparent that all Major chords are organized into an orderly circle; its outer ring contains Major chords while its inner ring contains Minor chords that complement them. Each Major chord also has an associated minor chord which completes its soundscape.
G Major
G major is one of the seven notes in the standard major scale and has its own key signature – F# sharp. Its relative minor is E minor.
This key contains chords ranging from simple to complex, making it perfect for backing or lead chord use in songs as well as melodic elements in more mellow styles of music.
To play a G major chord, position your fingers similarly to those used for C major chords: Your thumb plays G, while second finger A plays A, third finger B plays B and fourth finger D plays D (repeat this pattern down the scale). Keep fingers relaxed for best results.
C Major
There are various kinds of chords you can create, but we will focus on one in particular here: C Major. This three-note chord begins with its root note in scale before adding third and fifth notes respectively.
This chord sounds wonderful on guitar because it uses all strings except the low E string. Additionally, you can mute this string by placing your index finger over it for louder tone.
Chords are a unique form of music that require two or more instruments playing simultaneously, making guitars particularly well suited to creating chords more easily than woodwind or brass instruments, and capable of creating complex multi-noted chords at once.
D Major
Once you’re comfortable with playing the F#o7 chord (F sharp diminished 7th), moving up two frets should not be difficult for a D chord. Be sure to practice before trying out an entire song – you may need to move your second and third fingers as one unit onto G and E strings for this chord, but once comfortable it shouldn’t pose an issue.
This song doesn’t feature particularly complex chord progressions, but its rhythm can be difficult. This rhythm features an intermittent down-up strumming pattern over two measures that may take some getting used to; but ultimately it will pay dividends in the form of improved musicality and skill!
F Major
Beginner guitar players typically find the F Major chord one of the first major obstacles they must overcome when starting to learn how to play guitar. Playing this chord requires considerable hand strength and coordination, and may take some practice in order to become comfortable playing it.
As it’s helpful to see someone play a fully barred F major chord on piano before trying it yourself, it can be beneficial to watch Anna demonstrate this technique on her instrument. Notice in Anna’s chord diagram how her first finger is very close to the fret it is striking against – giving her plenty of leverage to clamp down and produce a clear sound from all four strings.
Practice makes perfect, so try practicing an F major chord at various octaves as with any chord. Your knowledge will increase over time!