Chords

We are going to be learning to play guitar based around CHORDS. These are a collection of notes that create a harmonious sound when played together. You can download a sheet of the basic chords and print them out from this website

If you run your right thumb quickly over the guitar strings without holding down any strings on the neck of the guitar, the sound will not be harmonious (assuming EADGBE tuning). To get a sound which is harmonious and pleasant, we need to 'hold down a chord' while we strum the strings. Chords are combinations of notes on the strings of the guitar (not necessarily all 6) which sound good together.

We are going to start with 3 chords which together form a set which can be used to accompany many styles of song (folk, blues, pop, rock) as well as for playing tunes in those styles.

The first chord is G major:

This is a chord diagram. It shows the 6 strings of the guitar (thickest E string on the left) and the first 4 frets.

- Notice the numbers below the grid - 2 1 3

These tell you which finger to place on the string. Fingers are numbered 1,2,3,4 starting from your index finger.

When you first start to learn a chord, you should begin at the left of the chord diagram, and place the indicated finger on that string. Then work from left to right, placing the fingers one at a time till all fingers are in place.

It is very important to place your fingers so that the string is firmly held down against the neck, and so that one finger is not obstructing the next string to it. This usually involves pressing the string with the tip of your finger, and keeping the finger held so it points directly into the guitar neck.

If your fingernails are getting in the way, you will need to cut them shorter. (This only applies to your LEFT hand - you will benefit from having longer fingernails on your right hand when we get to finger-picking)

- Notice the numbers above the grid: 000

These are just to tell you that the string is played with no fingers on it.

When you have all fingers in place, pluck each string with the thumb of your right hand. You should be able to hear each note distinctly. If the note sounds muffled, check your finger position on the neck of the guitar.

When all the notes sound clear, strum the strings several times with your right hand, with a smooth downward movement. You can hear that the chord sounds harmonious and pleasant to the ear.

Remove your fingers from the neck. Now place them again in the same sequence, and play the chord, remembering to check for muffled strings.

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Here are the other 2 chords in the set:

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Notice that in both these chords, the E (thickest) string has a letter X above it. This means that you do not play this string when strumming or picking the chord. If you do play the string, you will hear that it is not in harmony with the rest of the strings.

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With practise, you should be able to apply the chords quickly and, eventually, without having to look at where you are putting your fingers. This is because you will start to learn the 'shapes' of the chords. Your fingers will easily assume the correct positions for each chord, and you will be able to place them simultaneously on the strings rather than one at a time when you are learning the chords for the first time.

Try the following chord sequences in order to get used to changing from one chord to any other in the set. After you have place your fingers in the chord shape, strum the strings 8 times with a regular rhythm, then change to the next chord in the sequence. Repeat the sequence 4 times.

G.....C.... D7... G

G.... D7.... C.... G

G.... D7...C...D7...G

G...C...G...D7

B7 Chord for Blues

The squiggly line means that the string (#6, the thickest E string) is not played