Major chords are usually the first chords beginners try out when beginning to play chords, constructed using the first, third and fifth notes from a major scale.
When playing these chords, use only the tips of your fingers to press them against each string – this will prevent any unintended contact between fingers and strings that might mute others beneath it.
A Major
One of the most frequently seen chords in popular music, especially among beginners. This chord can be found in classic songs like Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door and Brown Eyed Girl as examples.
This three-finger chord should be straightforward for most guitar players. To play it, start by positioning your pointer finger at the first fret of the second string; place your middle finger at second fret of fifth string; and your ring finger on second fret of fourth string before strumming all but low E string until complete.
Remember, these shapes represent the first, third and fifth notes of the C major scale. Curving your fingers upward will prevent any unwanted strings from being muted by their chording or drag.
B Major
B major chords can be difficult to coax out of your fingers. That is why it is wise to have various alternatives and variations available in order to give yourself a variety of sounds when playing B major voicings.
An effective and straightforward approach to playing B chords is by leaving out the high E and A strings from a full barre chord shape, using your index, middle, and pinky fingers instead to play the remaining ones – this will result in a more open, brighter sound.
Another way is to employ similar fingerings at higher octaves; though more challenging for beginners, this variation gives off a very different sound that more closely resembles that of an F chord than of B chord and can be found in many songs.
C Major
C major chords have a bright, warm sound. By adding dissonant notes like G to them, however, they can take on a darker sound that fits more smoothly with music that conveys tension or foreboding. Although these variations of C chords may be difficult to hold down initially for beginners – such as when your index finger requires barring the third fret all five strings – they are commonly known as barre chords.
Fingering the guitar requires maintaining slightly flattened fingers for optimal results, helping chords ring out without sounding muffled. Also, try playing each string individually until all notes ring clearly before moving on to a new chord shape.
D Major
D major chords provide an effective starting point when learning guitar keys. This is due to D major scale’s tonic note being integrated into its chord sequences, producing satisfying sounding resolution. D chords can also be used for making suspended (D/F#) and major sixth (6G).
Once you’ve mastered CAGED patterns, they can be moved up or down the fretboard to form any major scale. If necessary, start practicing these scale patterns from different root notes until you feel comfortable playing all major scale notes from any position on the fretboard.
To play this D major chord, bar your index finger (index finger) on fret three of string one and third fret of string two respectively, barring both fingers. While this may require some stretching for some fingers initially, with practice it will become easier.
E Major
E major is one of the more frequent open shapes for acoustic guitar. This open shape can be used to form either simple power chords or more intricate progressions; and is frequently seen in classical music such as Antonio Vivaldi’s Spring from The Four Seasons.
To create this chord, bar your first finger across all four strings at the 1st fret on all three of their second, third, and fourth strings and place your second finger on D String Fret 7 while placing pinky finger on B String Fret 9. This version of this chord is sometimes known as an Emaj9 or Em chord.
Remember to play chords lightly and allow each note to resonate freely, as strumming too hard may alter their pitch, create unwanted harmonics and wear down strings and frets faster than necessary.