Chords form the fundamental building blocks of songs on guitar, including major and minor triads.
Advanced guitarists learn seventh chords, which can be created from major and minor triads by adding another note to each triad.
Chord diagrams represent the frets on your guitar. Any shapes with numbers beside them indicate where to place your fingers; those numbers tell you which string(s).
E Major
E major is one of the first chords most beginner guitarists learn when starting to play guitar, belonging to the major key system and consisting of four sharps – F#, C#, G# and D#.
E Major is a chord often heard in rock and metal music, especially. It can be combined with other major chords such as C Major or D Major as well as minor ones such as Em9 (although without its fifth interval).
An E major chord can be easily played using your index finger’s barre to the first fret of the third string, producing a thicker sound that works well for songs requiring solid E chords. This version of an E major triad consists of notes E, G# and B; changing its third note to G natural results in an E minor chord that adds somber overtones to some songs.
G Major
G major is one of the first chords most beginners learn, as it is generally easy and versatile. There are various ways of playing it; each has their own distinct sound – for instance, an open G power chord has more modern vibe than its formal root-and-fifth equivalent; sometimes known as AC/DC G chord or rockin’ G chord if played this way.
Key to successfully creating this shape is having the correct finger positioning. It is vital that your fingers remain curved without touching or muzzing adjoining strings, and stretching your fingers before playing this chord to increase finger flexibility and ease.
G major chord is easily transposed to other major chords like C major, A minor and B major; additionally it pairs nicely with minor chords like D minor, F# diminished and Em. To become a well-rounded guitarist it’s crucial that one is aware of these various shapes and sounds of chords.
C Major
C Major chord is both the tonic (the 1st chord of C), as well as sub dominant (4th) chord of G and F keys. You can easily create this chord by first stopping the B string at its first fret with your first finger of your fretting hand, then playing an open G string, closed D string (with C played openly), then open High E string – creating three notes g,c,e.
Some may prefer giving each chord its own identity or name; however, chords simply consist of combinations of notes which complement melodies in any scale.
Regarding its name, most people refer to this chord simply as the C major chord and that suffices nicely. It provides a good starting point when learning any new chord. The C major scale consists of C, D, E, F G A; making it one of the most widely-used and fundamental scales available today.
D Major
D major is an ideal chord to start out playing as it requires only two fingers in a barre to cover all three strings. Although initially difficult, the D major chord becomes easier over time as your index finger adapts closer to its fret position.
The D chord provides an ideal platform to experiment with major seventh chords, which can produce powerful dramatic sounds. Furthermore, suspension chords may add dreaminess.
The D chord can be altered with minor thirds to produce a Dmaj7, which tends to move towards G but doesn’t always follow this plan! You could also try adding Dmaj9 or other diminished chords. A major chord has three notes – root note, third and fifth; minor chords use six and nine notes from their scale to create distinct sounds – but even using the same scale can produce vastly different sounding chords!
Guitar chords form the backbone of songs. Composed of several simple shapes played on the fretboard that, when strumming together, create both melody and harmony for songs.
Open chords are “movable”, giving them more of a full sound than regular power chords.
Open E Major Shape
This chord shape is an ideal starting point if you want to start learning chords that feel natural and sound great. Its compact form makes it easy to move around the neck, enabling you to create many different chords just by sliding your fingers up and down the neck.
The E major shape can be varied to produce interesting sounding chords. For instance, by taking out one finger from its shape you’ll get a D7 chord (D-A-E).
Add an additional 4th to this shape to form a sus chord, giving it the sound associated with Led Zeppelin. While playing this chord requires greater hand flexibility (you have to stretch out your pinky quite far), once learned it should be straightforward – just ensure your fingers remain close together so as not to push each other aside and cause notes to go muted or even dead.
Open F Major Shape
As with other chord shapes you have learned so far, to make these chromatic chord shapes truly stand out and sound fantastic, individual practice sessions must be performed until each one can be played without difficulty and then transition between them and incorporate them into songs.
An effective way to create an F chord that sounds fuller is with a four string version of its shape. Using the same triad formation as before but only barring two of the six strings allows your ring finger to add the C note at fret 3 of A string for stronger bass qualities in your chord.
Beginners may find it challenging to produce chords the correct way at first. Don’t worry; just practice regularly and be patient with yourself. Over time it will get easier.
Open A Minor Shape
The Open A Minor shape is one of the few minor chords with an easy, open position. It serves as a gateway into other minor chords; simply press strings using your ring and pinky fingers so your first finger can bar across them to increase pitch – all this while providing all the power of regular barre chords while keeping hands more comfortable for beginners.
This shape can be adjusted on and off of the fretboard to form various minor triads, requiring greater dexterity in your hand but is well worth learning!
This chord can be difficult to play well due to your fingers being so close together. To ensure success with it, practice mutting or avoiding the low E string when playing it and slowly strumming through each note while listening for its clear ring. Doing this will build strength for full barre chords later.
Open G Major Shape
G major is a popular chord choice among singer-songwriters. It fits snugly with many melodies, providing an ideal foundation to build chords using sixths, sevenths and ninths.
This chord requires some stretching of your fingers but shouldn’t be too difficult to learn. Make sure your fingertips are placed correctly to avoid muddling any nearby strings, and if you find playing this shape challenging, try practicing with less fingers or using your thumb in the back of the neck for added stability.
Add another level to this chord shape by lifting up your first finger after you have formed it and creating a G7 chord! This adds a great jazz sound as well as creating opportunities for plenty of hammer-ons and pull-offs – try incorporating this variation into some of your favourite tunes!