C chords can often be found in songs as they fit with many genres of music perfectly. Additionally, you can use barre shapes that don’t require all your fingers for playback to produce sounds just as great – in both instances a C chord sounds fantastic!
C power chords are an enduring staple in rock music and take the form of an open C chord with one E string muted. Finding the correct feel for this can be challenging but ultimately worthwhile.
Major
This chord is one of the first major chords most people learn, and one they use regularly in songs. It is simple and flexible enough for use alongside other chords as well.
It also pairs well with other shapes, such as E minor, to create root 5 and root 6 chords – making this chord the cornerstone for many popular rock and country guitar riffs from bands such as Metallica or Francisco Tarrega.
A major provides the foundation of an A minor-C diminished voicing that’s great for Townshend-style windmilling or punk thrashing, as its sound can be both saddening and mournful, especially on lower strings.
These three chords are an absolute necessity for any guitarist and are featured widely across popular music. Learning them will strengthen your fingers so you can eventually advance into more complex barre and suspended chords later.
Minor
Minor chords are one of the most frequently seen in music, used in many songs like Landslide by Fleetwood Mac and used to form an ethereal progression in Marshmello & Jonas Brothers’ You and Me song.
Minor chords are an effective way to add variety to your guitar playing and are an excellent place to begin for beginners. There are various variations, all relatively easy to play; C/G chord is one such variant; it uses the fifth note from its key signature instead.
To form a minor chord, begin by finding the root note and then finding its relative minor third above it. Next add two more notes until your chord is complete – once you master these beginner chords you can add even more variations!
Suspended
Suspended chords (or sus2) are an effective way to add movement and color to chord progressions. They consist of triads where either the third has been replaced with either the second or fourth interval; chords where this has occurred typically receive sus2 labels while those where this has taken place typically get written as sus4.
Suspended chords can often be used as an indecision sound; for instance, The Police’s song Message in a Bottle employs multiple suspended seconds in their guitar riff and thus creates an air of suspense or anticipation in the progression.
Suspended chords can be extended by adding an additional seventh note, creating dominant seventh suspended fourth chords known as 7sus4. A typical example is F7sus4 chord (F, A and C) but other forms such as Gsus4 or D7sus4 may also exist by dropping one note – such as Gsus4 and D7sus4.
Barre
Beginners typically start out learning C major, as it’s easy and contains no flats or sharps. There are, however, various other chord shapes you can use when starting out playing music.
Barre chords can be tricky because they require considerable force to press against the fretboard, potentially creating strain in both your hand/wrist and fingers, leading to soreness over time. Therefore, it’s crucial that you practice barre chords correctly without exerting too much force when pressing against it – you want them to sound beautiful as opposed to creaky and uncomfortable! It is therefore vital that your barre chord practice goes at a comfortable pace without forcing too hard against any resistance!
One of the best tips is to press down with only the bony part of your index finger, found just above the fretboard. This helps prevent finger fatigue while protecting you if the action of your guitar is too high (ie strings far away from fretboard).