Your First Chords
A chord is several notes played together. Open chords use open strings and easy finger shapes near the nut—they're the fastest way to strum full-sounding harmony as a beginner.
Turn on Chords in Music Buddy to see diagram shapes for every example below. In the examples, chords are shown in the notation as stacked thirds (more on this in the more advanced lessons). They are not usually played this way on guitar (sometimes though!) - use the chord diagrams to show you the typical open chord shapes used on guitar.
Em (E Minor)
Often the easiest chord: two fingers, a mellow sound.
X:1
T:E Minor Chord
K:Em
M:4/4
L:1/4
"Em"[EGB] [EGB] [EGB] [EGB] | [EGB] [EGB] [EGB] [EGB] ||
Strum all six strings. Check that each string rings clearly—adjust finger pressure if any note buzzes.
G Major
Bright and full. Fingerings vary; use whichever shape Chords shows and feels natural.
X:2
T:G Major Chord
K:G
M:4/4
L:1/4
"G"[GBd] [GBd] [GBd] [GBd] | [GBd] [GBd] [GBd] [GBd] ||
C Major
A stretch for some beginners—keep thumb centered and curl fingers onto the tips.
X:3
T:C Major Chord
K:C
M:4/4
L:1/4
"C"[CEG] [CEG] [CEG] [CEG] | [CEG] [CEG] [CEG] [CEG] ||
Avoid strumming the low E string unless your shape includes a muted 6th string (many C shapes do).
D Major
Three fingers on the top four strings—leave the low E and A silent.
X:4
T:D Major Chord
K:D
M:4/4
L:1/4
"D"[D^FA] [D^FA] [D^FA] [D^FA] | [D^FA] [D^FA] [D^FA] [D^FA] ||
Am (A Minor)
Same shape as E major moved down one string set—compare the two in Chords view.
X:5
T:A Minor Chord
K:Am
M:4/4
L:1/4
"Am"[Ace] [Ace] [Ace] [Ace] | [Ace] [Ace] [Ace] [Ace] ||
All Five Together
Practice each chord for four beats before switching. Don't worry about speed yet—clean notes first.
X:6
T:Five Essential Open Chords
K:G
M:4/4
L:1/4
"Em" [EGB] [EGB] [EGB] [EGB] | "G" [GBd] [GBd] [GBd] [GBd] | "C" [CEG] [CEG] [CEG] [CEG] | "D" [D^FA] [D^FA] [D^FA] [D^FA] | "Am" [Ace] [Ace] [Ace] [Ace] ||
Bonus: F Major (Simplified)
Full F barre is hard at first. Many beginners use a mini F (three strings) until strength builds:
X:7
T:F Major (Three-String Shape)
K:F
M:4/4
L:1/4
"F"[FAc] [FAc] [FAc] [FAc] | [FAc] [FAc] [FAc] [FAc] ||
You'll meet F again in song progressions—it unlocks huge catalogs of pop and folk tunes.
(Lauren Bateman)—easy C, G, D, and Em shapes with close-up transition practice.
Practice tip: Form the chord, strum once, then pick each string individually to find muted strings. Fix one finger at a time. Log chord drills in Practice Goals.
Further viewing
- (Andy Guitar)—E and A chords, first strums, and a full first-song practice loop
- (Lauren Bateman)—open strings, tuning, basic chords, and a complete beginner path
Next: strumming—turn these shapes into rhythm.
©Music Buddy