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Basic
Guitar Chords
Basic Guitar Chords
Open
position guitar Chords
Welcome
to the basic guitar chords series. These should be your very first
chord lessons, as they lay the foundations you will later build on as
your chord playing develops.
We're going to be looking at open guitar chords,
sometimes referred to as open position
chords.
Why open? Well, when we play a
string open, it means we don't
fret/finger it and just play it as it is. Open position chords use
fretted strings mixed with open strings. As a result, they
have a vibrant, full sound, which is why you'll probably use these
chords for all your guitar playing life. Some of the most loved music
out there exclusively uses the simple chords you're about to learn.
First, a short introduction, then you'll have the
chance to learn the chords as you see and hear them, and practice them
over
some jam tracks.
Note: Make sure you know how
to finger chords correctly!
Basic guitar chords
introduction - major vs. minor
You've probably heard the terms major
and minor being
thrown around by musicians when talking about chords. The difference
between major and minor chords will become crystal clear once you learn
both types. You'll be able to hear how different chords offer different
moods for your music.
The general consensus regarding major and minor,
however, is major =
happy sounding chords and minor = sad sounding chords. Now, that's a
hugely oversimplified generalisation, but at this
stage that's the main distinction you'll hear.
So, first in this basic guitar chords series, I'm
going to show you the major open chords, then
we'll look at the miserable minor chords, and more...
Oh, one more thing before we start - have you tuned
up?
The 5 major open
position chords
When looking at how these chords are fingered,
it's best to think of
them as "shapes". Your fingers will create a specific shape as they
form the chord. You'll see why this is useful in later lessons.
Click
the photos/diagrams to hear
the chord
E major open
position chord
- High E string is played
open
- 4th finger frets the
B string at the 2nd fret
- 3rd finger frets the
G string at the 2nd fret
- 2nd finger frets the
D string at the 2nd fret
- The A string is played
open
- The low E string is
NOT played (marked by the X)
Don't worry if at first your fingers seem a little
crowded. This won't bother you for long!
Just make sure each string sounds cleanly.
D major open position
chord
- 2nd finger frets the
high E string at the 2nd fret
- 3rd finger frets the
B string at the 3rd fret
- 1st finger frets the
G string at the 2nd fret
- The D string is played
open
- The low E and A strings are NOT played
G major open position
chord
There are a couple of ways to finger this chord.
Learn both, as each offers
its own voicing...
Option 1
- 3rd finger frets the
high E string at the 3rd fret
- The B string is played
open
- The G string is played
open
- The D string is played
open
- 1st finger frets the
A string at the 2nd fret
- 2nd finger frets the
low E string at 3rd fret
Option 2
- 4th finger frets the
high E string at the 3rd fret
- 3rd finger frets the
B string at the 3rd fret
- The G string is played
open
- The D string is played
open
- 1st finger frets the
A string at the 2nd fret
- 2nd finger frets the
low E string at the 3rd fret
C major open
position chord
This is one beginner guitarists tend to have the
most trouble with.
Keep changing between this chord and other open chords in this lesson
to develop that "muscle memory" in your fingers - again, the awkward
fingering won't trouble you for long if you keep practicing it.
- The high E string is
played open
- 1st finger frets the
B string at the 1st fret
- The G string is played open
- 2nd finger frets the
D string at the 2nd fret
- 3rd finger frets the
A string at the 3rd fret
- The low E string is
NOT played
A tip for muting the
low E string
You'll notice that with the A,
C and D chords the
low E string is not
played. At first, it can be difficult to avoid playing it
when strumming
up and down. Here's a technique I use
to
effectively mute that low E string when needed...
Let's take a closer look...
My thumb curls over the top of the guitar neck
just enough to touch
the low E string, which mutes it. To compensate, you'll need to pull
your wrist
up slightly from it's regular position (this is covered in the guitar
basics
lessons).
Now, I understand this is a bit more difficult for
those of us with smaller hands, but if you can't physically use this
method, keep practicing avoiding those unwanted
strings, simply by not
picking/strumming them and you'll be fine.
Getting comfortable
with changing between open guitar chords
At first, it might seem like your fingers just
don't want to
co-operate! That's perfectly normal, and all it boils down to is
getting your fingers physically used to it. We call that "muscle
memory", because once it sets in, changing between chords becomes
something you can do in your sleep.
Below I've created a couple of simple jam tracks
for you to practice
the physical elements of changing between the chords above. At this
stage, You don't need to think about using intricate strumming patterns
(that's for another lesson!), just strum the chord once - change
- strum the next chord once - change - etc.
Guitar Example - Download Jam Track
Guitar Example - Download Jam Track
Also, try making your own sequence
from the 5 basic guitar
chords we've learned. The more you practice changing between chords,
the sooner you will be ready to move on to using more advanced chord
fingerings! However, don't feel like you're in a rush. Take your time,
there is no exam
deadline for this! It's important to make sure you're 100% confident
with fingering these chords before you move on.
More chord
changing exercises here
More basic guitar
chords to learn...
In the next part of this basic guitar chords
series, we'll be looking at minor
open position chords. Do make sure you're
confident with the above 5 major chord shapes before you move on. See
you soon!
More
Basic Guitar Chords in Part 2
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