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Learning to play the guitar all starts with mastering the basics – and this is where Fresh Music Aberdeen comes in! If you’re wanting to start building fundamental skills before coming to us for a lesson (I’m sure that you’ll be impatient to start playing!), a great place to start is learning some essential chords. You will find that these five chords form the foundation of countless songs and will set you on a good path to learning some tunes and eventually playing your favourite songs.
E Minor (Em)
The E minor chord is one of the easiest chords to play for any beginner and is often one of the first chords that people learn. Its simple finger positioning and nice sound make it a great starting point.
How to Play Em:
Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the A string (5th string).
Place your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the D string (4th string).
C Major (C)
The C major chord is another fundamental chord that features in a lot of popular songs, with its bright and happy sound.
How to Play C:
Place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the A string (5th string).
Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the D string (4th string).
Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the B string (2nd string).
G Major (G)
The G major chord is really versatile and widely used in various music genres. This one has a full and vibrant sound.
How to Play G:
Place your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the low E string (6th string).
Place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the A string (5th string).
Place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B string (2nd string).
Little finger on the 3rd fret of the high E string (1st string).
D Major (D)
The D major chord is often found in folk, country, and rock music, so again, is a super versatile chord to learn. Its triangular shape is also easy to remember!
How to Play D:
Place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the G string (3rd string).
Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the high E string (1st string).
Place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B string (2nd string).
A Major (A)
Finally, the A major chord is bright and punchy sounding, and again used in many songs.
How to Play A:
Place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the D string (4th string).
Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the G string (3rd string).
Place your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the B string (2nd string).
My top tips for learning and practicing chords
Take your time to place each finger correctly before strumming when learning a new chord. Speed will come with practice. Once you’re comfortable with the placement and playing, start to build up and learn to easily switch between chords.
Practice as often as you can. Consistency is key! Even 10-15 minutes a day can make a big difference to your playing.
Be patient! Your fingers might hurt initially from pressing down the strings, and some chords might feel awkward and not easy to achieve. This is normal and will improve with time and muscle memory.
With practice, you'll be able to switch between these beginner guitar chords smoothly which will enable you to be able to play a wide range of songs!
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