8 Simple Guitar Chords Every Guitar Player Should Know

In order to play songs your first mission will be to learn some simple guitar chords. There are at least a dozen simple guitar chords you can learn right now that will give you the means to play hundreds of popular songs for the guitar. Below we will showcase some simple guitar chords and discuss some tips for practicing them.

The simplest of guitar chords will come in two different qualities. Major and minor. A major chord has a bright and almost happy sound, where as a minor chord can be said to have a dark, somber or sad sound to it.

Here are a few simple guitar chords of the major quality to get you started.

*If you have never read guitar tab the horizontal lines represent the strings on the guitar. The bottom line is the top fattest string when your holding your instrument and the top line is the bottom thinest string. The numbers tell you what fret to place your fingers on that string. A zero means an open string with no fretted notes. The numbers I have placed to the right of the lines are the suggested fingers for fretting the notes. 1 being your index finger and 4 being your pinky.*

E major:

|--------0------------------
|--------0------------------
|--------1------------------ 1
|--------2------------------ 3
|--------2------------------ 2
|--------0------------------

A Major:

|--------0------------------
|--------2------------------ 3
|--------2------------------ 2
|--------2------------------ 1
|--------0------------------
|---------------------------

G Major:

|--------3------------------ 3
|--------0------------------
|--------0------------------
|--------0------------------
|--------2------------------ 2
|--------3------------------ 1

C Major:

|--------0------------------
|--------1------------------ 1
|--------0------------------
|--------2------------------ 2
|--------3------------------ 3
|---------------------------

D Major:

|--------2------------------ 2
|--------3------------------ 3
|--------2------------------ 1
|--------0------------------
|---------------------------
|---------------------------

And now for some simple minor chords.

E minor:

|--------0------------------
|--------0------------------
|--------0------------------
|--------2------------------ 3
|--------2------------------ 2
|--------0------------------

A minor:

|--------0------------------
|--------1------------------ 1
|--------2------------------ 3
|--------2------------------ 2
|--------0------------------
|---------------------------

D minor:

|--------1------------------ 1
|--------3------------------ 3
|--------2------------------ 2
|--------0------------------
|---------------------------
|---------------------------

Simple Guitar Chord Practice Tips

The best way to get good at playing chords is to just start doing it. I suggest first that you learn each chord listed above and it's name. Memorize the fingering. When you think you know them well test yourself by having someone else name them off and see if you can play the chord from memory or use flash cards.

Once you have mastered each chord individually start putting them together. Try changing form one chord to another smoothly. It will be difficult at first but persistence is the key to success. Remember, even though your brain knows what to do your fingers have never had to move like this before and need some training. Practice for at least a half hour a day mixing up as many chords as you like. Experiment with what sounds good and most importantly have fun.

I hope you have found this lesson on simple guitar chords interesting and informative.

Happy Practicing!

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John Robert has been playing guitar for longer than he can remember. Aside from teaching guitar for the last three years he enjoys writing articles about the guitar and related topics. If you are serious about learning the guitar you owe it to yourself to check out Jam-o-rama.info

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