Basic Open Chords

This week at Guitar 101, we are going to talk about chords. Chords are the premise that the guitar was built upon. Once you learn your basic chords, you will be able to amaze your friends and family by playing their favorite songs for them. Without knowing how to play anything but chords, you could even join a band and play rhythm guitar pretty well.

The hardest things about playing chords are remembering where to put which fingers, and switching between chords. If you continue to practice, though, the fingering will become automatic and the switching will become easier and easier.

We will start with major open chords. An open chord is one that is played in the first position, with at least one string ringing open. We have already learned the E major chord—it forms the basis for barre chords and looks like this:

E---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------1--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------0---------------------------------------------------------

You will use your middle finger on the A string, your ring finger on the D string, and your index finger on the E string. The other three strings will ring open.

Here is a G major chord:

E---------------------------------3--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------3---------------------------------------------------------

You will use your middle finger on the low E string, your index finger on the A string, and your ring finger on the high E string.

It can also be, and often is, played like this:

E---------------------------------3--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------3--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------3---------------------------------------------------------

For this version, just slide your ring finger down to the B string and use your pinky on the high E string.

Here is an A major chord:

E---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let the A and high E strings ring open, but do not play the low E string at all. Then your index finger will fret the D string, your middle finger will fret the G string, and your ring finger will fret the B string.

A C major chord looks like this:

E---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------1--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------3--------------------------------------------------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You will use your ring finger on the A string, your middle finger on the D string, and your index finger on the B string. The low E is not played, and the G and high E strings are allowed to ring open.

Here is the open D major chord:

E---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------3--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The low E and A strings will not be played, and the D string will ring open. Your index finger will fret the G string, your ring finger will fret the B string, and your middle finger will fret the high E string.

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