Many guitarists understand the basics of G and C chords, yet switching smoothly between these chords during a song may prove challenging for beginners.
Line one begins with a G chord strummed using three fingers: index, middle and ring on D string’s second fret and B string as shown below (or similar configurations for alternate tunings). To create this chord strum it as shown below (indicated with #).
A Major
A major is one of the most beloved guitar chords, making its formation essential for guitar players of any level. An open voicing of A major follows similar procedures as F major, except leaving one string unbarred at its initial fret for an earthier sound ideal for rhythm parts.
This variation on an A major chord employs a full barre with your index finger, but leaves out the second string (5th fret). As this arrangement requires close string spacing, beginners may find this tricky at first. Experiment with different finger positions until finding one which allows easy access to these strings; don’t forget to mute any unnecessary sounds from above two strings if necessary!
D Major
D major is one of the most widely-used chords, and with good reason: its bright sounding major third and perfect fifth make it great for various progressions.
To play this chord, begin by barricading all six strings at the tenth fret with your index finger. Next, position middle and ring fingers over one another at the second fret on D, G and B strings; leaving open only A string to play freely.
Practice makes perfect, and practicing this chord will become much simpler than initially anticipated. Try switching struming this chord and G or A major chords between strummings, for an effective chord progression reminiscent of many songs, making this one of the easiest aspects of learning the guitar for beginners – due to close spacing of these chords it makes grasping them with fingers easy for newcomers!
E Major
The E major chord is one of the most widely used guitar chords, and with good reason. This versatile chord fits easily into all genres of music from classical country as practiced by Patsy Cline and Reba McEntire to rock-blues as performed by Otis Redding or The Rolling Stones.
One four five progressions are an essential building block of many songs, often transitioning from E to A and back again with backbeats that move between E, A, B and back E again. These chords work well because their roots all contain similar notes; together they form what’s known as a diatonic harmonized scale.
If you want to quickly learn E major and Am chords quickly and effortlessly, watch this video lesson by Marty Schwartz where he demonstrates a hand shape that makes both of them. By practicing it across positions on the fretboard, this will help establish muscle memory for these chords – something which novice musicians may find difficult.
G Major
G Major chord is one of the most ubiquitous guitar chords and often serves as the starting point for beginning players to learn guitar. Although easy enough to play solo, changing between G and C chords in context of songs may prove difficult due to difficulty strumming four steady downstrokes while simultaneously fingering three C chords simultaneously.
As an effective solution, try switching between G and C chords by strumming a G chord for four beats before playing C for another four. This will allow you to build up rhythm and practice alternating bass lines easily while learning chord progressions from your favorite songs more quickly. To further simplify transition between these two chords try practicing with a metronome to maintain consistent timing during practice sessions.