Must Have Tips to Learn the Guitar Chords
You Must Know

 
When it comes to learning how to play the guitar, most beginner guitar player get confused as to where they need to start. Whether it is learning the right finger placement, or hitting the right notes, learning guitar chords is one of the most important techniques that can make or break a person’s guitar playing success. Basic chords form the backbone of most pop and rocks songs and they also provide the harmonic accompaniment to instrumental solos and melodies.

Take for example AC/DC’s “Back in Black” or The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. These songs utilized a rhythm guitar based on basic chords created songs that have become quite memorable for many years after their creation. The best part is by learning only 10 to 15 basic guitar chords, you will be more than well equipped to play thousands of rock or pop songs that have been popular with music lovers for many years. Here we discuss some simple tips that can help you learn to play guitar chords so your guitar playing dreams can finally become a reality.

First, in order to learn the guitar chords you will need to know what a chord is. A chord is most commonly known as three or more different musical note that are played together. When it comes to the guitar, this usually means that at least three strings are strummed or plucked at the same time in order to sound three or more notes. Since a standard guitar has a total of six strings, the maximum number of notes that can exist in a chord is six. Chords can be put in one of three different groups that are based on the chords musical structure. These groups are Major, Minor, or Seventh with each chord group having its own unique sound or feel. Chords in the Major group sound stable and complete while those in the Minor group create more of a somber or pensive mood. Seventh chords on the other hand are jazzier and somewhat incomplete sounding.

Second, when learning the guitar chords you need to keep in mind that there is no standard list “basic guitar chords” that everyone knows. While no two people can agree on a basic list of chords, there is a general agreement that the list includes somewhere between 8 and 18 different basic guitar chords that every guitar player must know by heart. These chords are used in every genre of music and no matter what your goal is you will want to take the time to master these chords. If you get these chords right, you will have the skills needed to learn any song you want which can help to increase your guitar playing enjoyment.

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Third, some of the most basic chords are the A, G, C and D chords.  When considering some of the most basic chords, A, G, C and D are also most commonly referred to as the four most common musical keys from the major and minor chords.  These chords are usually played as open chords. This means that at least one string of the chord is not fretted, or pressed down with a finger. An open chord is usually easier to learn than the more advanced Barre chords or the more complex chords that are located even further up the neck of the guitar.

Here is a basic list of both the major and minor chords which are:  

A Major (or A), A Minor (or Am), C, D, Dm, E, Em, F, G

In order to avoid overwhelming yourself with the idea of learning so many different chords at once, its best to approach learning the guitar chords as families.

When grouped by families the basic chords are:
  A Family (Key of A): A, D, E
D Family (Key of D): D, Em, G, A
G Family (Key of G): G, Am, C, D, Em
C Family (Key of C): C, Dm, Em, F, G

Lastly, now that you know the basics, here is some more in depth tips that can help you achieve your goals of learning to play guitar chords.

First, you will want to pick a chord family and master it. Instead of trying to learn every chord at once, it’s best to learn the basic chords one family at a time. This way you will achieve success in a shorter amount of time and you will be able to play some great sounding progressions sooner rather than later.

Second, you will want to utilize your guitar chord chart as a reference. When you are learning guitar chords you will need to utilize some form of reference to check and make sure that you have your finger position correct. If you don’t use this reference there is a good chance that you could possibly teach yourself the wrong finger placement which could result in the learning of the wrong chord. 

Third, start by practicing the chords you have learned on an easy song. Since many songs are based on only three chords, you should be able to find at least one song that will give you the chance to test your skills.  

Fourth, make sure each string sounds right as you learn the guitar chords. In order to play the chords correctly you will need to make sure each string sounds clear and that only the strings you should be playing are being played. 

Fifth, always remember to practice. Regardless of how busy your schedule may be, you always need to find time to practice if you want to become proficient at playing the guitar. Go slow by learning one chord family at a time and soon you will be playing songs that you may once have only dreamed of playing. 

Sixth, make sure to master all the basic chords first. Before you try and challenge yourself with more complex chords, you will want to take the time to become proficient with the basics. Only then should you move on to harder chords. 

Seventh, add to your basic chord skills by learning the 7^th chord. Adding the 7^th chord is an easy next step to expanding your basic chord knowledge.  

Lastly, remember to have fun with your new skills. While it may seem like it takes so much work, improving your skills will allow you to play songs you may have once only dreamed of. Take the time to have fun with it since that is the reason why you are learning to begin with.  

These are just a few of the must have tips to learning the guitar chords that you must know. Start by learning one chord family at a time, and keep practicing until you are proficient, and you are sure to achieve chord playing success sooner than you may have ever thought possible.  

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by Liam Gibson