This post gives five beginner level tips that will help you succeed in learning how to play guitar chords. If you follow these tips, and practice every day, you’ll be playing chords and songs in no time.
Before You Start
To learn to play guitar chords, you’ll first need to learn to read chord diagrams. Chord diagrams are pictures that show which strings to press down at which frets in order to make a chord. The most useful chord diagrams even show which fingers you should use to press down the strings. Here’s a quick lesson in how to read them: How to Read Guitar Chord Diagrams
1. Start With The CAGED Chords
You should start by learning the so-called CAGED chords, also known as the cowboy chords. These are the chords whose names spell the word CAGED. That is, the C, A, G, E, and D chords. By learning these five easy chords, you will be able to play many songs in the keys of G, A, and D, and some songs in the keys of C and E.
After you’ve mastered the CAGED chords, the next chords you should learn are F (which will let you play many more songs in the key of C) and B7 (which will do the same for the key of E).
2. Learn Chords By Key
For this tip, you’ll need to understand just a tiny bit of music theory. In each key, there are certain chords that work best to accompany songs in the key. The most commonly used chords in any key are the major chords based on the first, fourth, and fifth notes in the scale for the key. These chords are sometimes called the one, four, and five chords for the key.
For example, in the key of C, the notes in the scale are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. So the most common chords in the key are the C Major, F Major, and G Major chords. If you learn those chords, you’ll be able to play lots of songs in the key of C.
The following table lists the one, four, and five chords in the keys of C, A, G, E, and D.
Table of Common Chords
Key
One
Four
Five
C
C
F
G
A
A
D
E
G
G
C
D
E
E
A
B
D
D
G
A
So to play songs in the key of C, practice the C, F, and G chords together. To play songs in the key of A, practice the A, D, and E chords together, and so on.
3. Practice Changing Chords In Each Key
Instead of practicing chords in isolation, or just practicing how to play the chords in a key, you should practice changing between the chords in a key. For example, if you’re working on the key of A, you should not only practice playing the A, D, and E chords, but practice changing from A to D and back, A to E and back, and D tp E and back. This will helpyou get ready to play songs much more quickly than if you just practice the chords by themselves.
4. Use Anchor Fingers When Changing Chords
Sometimes, you’ll find that you can leave one finger in the same place when you change from one chord to another. Noticing this, and practicing it, can make it easier to change chords.
For example, if you finger an A chord using your index finger on the second fret of the third string (and your second and third fingers on the second fret of the fourth and second strings) you can leave your index finger there when changing to the D chord.
If you can’t find a finger that’s in the same place, sometimes there’s a finger that only needs to move a short distance. Staying in the key of A, but changing from the A chord to the E chord, the index finger moves from the second fret of the third string to the first fret of the third string.
5. Add Minor Chords and Seventh Chords Next For Tonal Variation
When you’ve mastered the CAGED chords, plus F and B7 (note: in the key of E, use B7 instead of B for the Five chord – it’s easier and sounds fine), then learn some 7th chords and some minor chords. These will let you introduce different sounds and moods into your playing, and will let you play more songs. Start by learning the 7th chord for each of the CAGED chords (i.e. C7, A7, G7, E7, and D7), and substitute a 7th chord for the five chord in whatever key you’re playing. Then learn E minor, A minor, and D minor.
If you follow these tips, and practice every day, you’ll be well on your way to learning how to play guitar chords and achieving your musical goals.
Guitar Chords for Beginners
5 Tips To Get You Playing Now
This post gives five beginner level tips that will help you succeed in learning how to play guitar chords. If you follow these tips, and practice every day, you’ll be playing chords and songs in no time.
Before You Start
1. Start With The CAGED Chords
You should start by learning the so-called CAGED chords, also known as the cowboy chords. These are the chords whose names spell the word CAGED. That is, the C, A, G, E, and D chords. By learning these five easy chords, you will be able to play many songs in the keys of G, A, and D, and some songs in the keys of C and E.
After you’ve mastered the CAGED chords, the next chords you should learn are F (which will let you play many more songs in the key of C) and B7 (which will do the same for the key of E).
2. Learn Chords By Key
For this tip, you’ll need to understand just a tiny bit of music theory. In each key, there are certain chords that work best to accompany songs in the key. The most commonly used chords in any key are the major chords based on the first, fourth, and fifth notes in the scale for the key. These chords are sometimes called the one, four, and five chords for the key.
For example, in the key of C, the notes in the scale are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. So the most common chords in the key are the C Major, F Major, and G Major chords. If you learn those chords, you’ll be able to play lots of songs in the key of C.
The following table lists the one, four, and five chords in the keys of C, A, G, E, and D.
Table of Common Chords
So to play songs in the key of C, practice the C, F, and G chords together. To play songs in the key of A, practice the A, D, and E chords together, and so on.
3. Practice Changing Chords In Each Key
Instead of practicing chords in isolation, or just practicing how to play the chords in a key, you should practice changing between the chords in a key. For example, if you’re working on the key of A, you should not only practice playing the A, D, and E chords, but practice changing from A to D and back, A to E and back, and D tp E and back. This will helpyou get ready to play songs much more quickly than if you just practice the chords by themselves.
4. Use Anchor Fingers When Changing Chords
Sometimes, you’ll find that you can leave one finger in the same place when you change from one chord to another. Noticing this, and practicing it, can make it easier to change chords.
For example, if you finger an A chord using your index finger on the second fret of the third string (and your second and third fingers on the second fret of the fourth and second strings) you can leave your index finger there when changing to the D chord.
If you can’t find a finger that’s in the same place, sometimes there’s a finger that only needs to move a short distance. Staying in the key of A, but changing from the A chord to the E chord, the index finger moves from the second fret of the third string to the first fret of the third string.
5. Add Minor Chords and Seventh Chords Next For Tonal Variation
When you’ve mastered the CAGED chords, plus F and B7 (note: in the key of E, use B7 instead of B for the Five chord – it’s easier and sounds fine), then learn some 7th chords and some minor chords. These will let you introduce different sounds and moods into your playing, and will let you play more songs. Start by learning the 7th chord for each of the CAGED chords (i.e. C7, A7, G7, E7, and D7), and substitute a 7th chord for the five chord in whatever key you’re playing. Then learn E minor, A minor, and D minor.
If you follow these tips, and practice every day, you’ll be well on your way to learning how to play guitar chords and achieving your musical goals.
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