Beginner’s Guitar Chords

Part one of my beginner’s guitar chords series is based around open chords that are easy for beginner’s to play. The first chord you will learn is E (E major), you will then go on to play Em (E minor) and E7 (E seventh). Make sure your fingers are on their tips, position your fingers close behind the fret and apply enough pressure to produce clear notes on each string. You will notice that the easy thing about E, Em and E7 is that you only have to take one finger away to change - easy peasy!

Next up, we have the chords A (A major), Am (A minor) and A7 (A seventh) and D (D major), Dm (D minor) and D7 (D seventh). If you look closely at the chords you will notice that there are similarities and differences between the different shapes. One important difference that beginners often miss is that you need to strum 6 strings on all the E chords, 5 strings on all the A chords and 4 strings on all the D chords. Change between chords slowly, remember playing should always be fun and ask your teacher whenever you have a question.

Beginner’s Chords (part one)

Part two completes the series with a set of chords that are slightly more difficult to play and more at a grade two level. Make sure you have practised part one well then cautiously move on to part two. There are six chords: two of the chords will require the fingers to stretch further (G and G7), two of the chords will require the use of the little finger (B7 and C7) and one chord will require the use of a half barre (F). Before my students start to learn F, I usually give them some technical exercises to that focus attention on the barre.

Beginner’s Chords (part two)