Guitar Chords for Beginners

Learning to play guitar chords is one of the most important aspects of guitar playing. The reason guitar chords are so important is they are the "root" of songs and are the "center" of the building of a melody. A guitar chord is comprised of two or three notes that are played at the same time. A chord should not make any annoying sounds such as buzzing or muting when played.

Guitar Chords are created from individual notes from the fret board that are pieced together to form a colorful sounding multinote called a chord. Chords are divided into six categories: Major, Seventh, Augmented, Minor, Diminished, and Minor Seventh Flat Fifth. All chords can be placed in one of three groups based on the musical structure of the chord: Major, Minor, or Seventh that can be combined into great sounding chord sequences that make up lots of popular songs. There are all types of chords, but all will fall under two categories: major and minor chords.

Major Chords

The most basic chords are the seven major chords, A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Major chords consist of a root note, a major third above the root, and a perfect fifth above the root. Major chords are always shown by their name alone. Numbers correspond to notes of the relevant Major scale. Using a bar chord, the transition between a major and a minor chord is relatively simple.

Minor Chords

Another common chord shape, and the usual contrast to the major chord, is the minor chord. A minor chord is a chord, which has a minor third above its note or pitch. Minor chords are the same as major chords except instead of a major third, there is a minor third. Minor chords can evoke a more somber or pensive mood. Minor chords are always shown with the small (m). With any bar chord, you can lift a finger and be playing the minor bar chord.

Beginner Chords

If you are a beginner guitar player you know you have to learn chords. For beginners, guitar chords can be difficult at first, and making a transition from one chord to another can be difficult too. Don't get in a rush to start playing beginner chords, learn how to do it first. Beginners often find G major challenging to play and B major impossible, but this changes with practice. Learn all the basic guitar chords you need to know as a beginner and you can start playing songs today. Even though they are designed to be easy to finger with the left hand, the real difference between the advanced and beginner guitar chords are the way they are played.

Did you Know?
Chords can help you learn songs by ear and they can also help you learn to play lead guitar solos that rock!

Guitar chords are one of the most important aspects of guitar playing. Guitar chords, (chords played specifically on a guitar,) differ only from other types of chords by virtue of instrument; they're simply a series of three or more notes played together. Guitar chords might very well be the most important element of guitar playing; after all, they're the basis of what makes a song. Most people don't understand how powerful guitar chords really are. Changing from one chord to another is without a doubt the best way to learn guitar chords. What?s really amazing is that by learning no more than 10 to 15 basic guitar chords, you will be equipped to play thousands of rock and pop songs.