Discover what the 7 most used beginner guitar chords are (+ finger position charts & exercise tips).
Are you a beginner guitarist? Are you looking to learn the basic chords but are confused about which ones to learn first?
We hear your struggle.
This post is tailor-made for you! We’re here to guide you through the essential beginner guitar chords that you should kickstart your guitar-playing journey with.
The deal is that chords are important no matter what style of music you want to learn to play on the guitar. And because mastering open chord shapes means you can learn how to play your favourite songs, this is one you can’t afford to miss.
Let’s get this show on the road!
Pro Tip
NO SHORTCUTS! If it's worth learning, it's worth learning properly. There's no point in wasting your time with 'easy versions' or 'cheat' chords. Learn the correct way. Learn once. Sound epic.
FYI: All of the chord diagrams featured in this lesson are from my popular book Essential Guitar Chords for Beginners. Click below and can grab yourself a copy on Amazon. ⬇
Table of Contents
What Guitar Chords Should I Learn First and Why?
The 7 essential most used beginner chords ALL guitar players should learn first are E major, E minor, A major, A minor, D major, C major and G major.
With these chords, you’ll be able to play thousands of songs, from pop hits to classic rock tunes. You’ll also be able to jam with friends and even write your own music.
Gateway to 1000’s more chords
One of the great things about learning the C major, A major, G major, E major, D major, E minor and A minor open chord shapes is that as you improve as a guitar player, you can use them to create many other chords by moving them up the guitar neck.
These movable chords are called barre chords. To play a barre chord, you need to use your index finger to press down on two or more strings across one fret, pretty much like a guitar capo.
By doing this, you can alter the chord’s starting (root) note while keeping the same finger shape. It’s a key part of the CAGED system, but we won’t go too deep into the details here.
Barre chord shape examples
Before we dive into the 7 essential guitar chords beginners need to learn, let’s briefly check out two common barre chords rooted in the CAGED system: the F major chord (F, F maj) and the B minor chord (Bm, B min).
Please don’t panic!
The barre chords we are about to show you are for demonstration purposes only.
If you are a beginner guitarist, it’s important to focus on playing songs using the basic open chord shapes we cover in this lesson before attempting barre chords.
It’s crucial to be able to play these chords cleanly and consistently in lots of beginner-friendly guitar songs first.
F major barre chord example:
This F major barre chord shape is made from an open E major shape. To play this chord, you need to move the E major shape up one fret and then use your index finger to barre all the strings on the first fret.
B minor barre chord example:
This B minor barre chord shape is made from an open A minor chord shape. To play this chord, you need to move the A minor shape up two frets and then use your first finger to barre the top 5 strings on the second fret.
Mute the low, thick E string by dampening it with the tip of your first finger to avoid unwanted string noise.
The 7 Most Used Guitar Chord Shapes
Chord 1 – E minor
Out of the seven chords, the best 2 guitar chords to learn first are E major and E minor.
Specifically, I highly recommend starting with E minor as your first chord. It’s hands-down the simplest shape to play on the guitar.
The E minor chord is made of the notes E, G and B. Below is the easiest way to play the open Em:
- Place your middle (2nd) finger on the second fret of the fifth (A) string.
- Place your ring (3rd) finger on the second fret of the fourth (D) string.
- Strum all six strings from the low E string to the high E string.
Here is the E minor chord diagram:
Chord 2 – E major
The second chord to learn on guitar is the E major chord. This chord is made up of the notes E, G#, and B.
The chart below shows you the standard way to play the open E major chord. Here are the steps:
- Place your index (1st) finger on the first fret of the third (G) string.
- Place your ring (3rd) finger on the second fret of the fourth (D) string.
- Place your middle (2nd) finger on the second fret of the fifth (A) string.
- Strum all six strings from the low E string to the high E string.
Chord 3 – A major
Next in line for your chord learning journey is the A major shape. The A major chord is made up of the notes A, C#, and E.
Below is the most common way to play A major:
- Place your middle (2nd) finger on the second fret of the fourth string (the D string).
- Place your ring (3rd) finger on the second fret of the third string (the G string).
- Place your pinky (4th) finger on the second fret of the second string (the B string).
- Strum five strings from the fifth (A) string to the first (top E) string.
Chord 4 – A minor
Next up, the fourth chord shape beginners need to learn is the A minor chord.
The A minor chord is made up of the notes A, C, and E.
Let’s take a look at the standard way to play the open A minor chord:
- Place your index (1st) finger on the first fret of the second (B) string.
- Place your ring (3rd) finger on the second fret of the third (G) string.
- Place your middle (2nd) finger on the second fret of the fourth (D) string.
- Strum five strings from the fifth (A) string to the first (high E) string.
Chord 5 – D major
Are you ready to learn the next chord on your journey? The D major chord is essential for any guitarist, as it crops up in countless songs.
The D major chord is made up of the notes D, F#, and A.
Check out the chord diagrams below for a clear visual of finger placement and numbering.
- Place your index (1st) finger on the second fret of the third (G) string.
- Place your middle (2nd) finger on the second fret of the first (high E) string.
- Place your ring (3rd) finger on the third fret of the second (B) string.
- Strum four strings from the open fourth (D) string to the first (high E) string.
Chord 6 – C major
The open C major chord is the fifth chord on our list. C major is made up of the notes C, E, and G.
Below is a chord chart of the open C major chord and steps to help you play it:
- Place your index (1st) finger on the first fret of the second (B) string.
- Place your middle (2nd) finger on the second fret of the fourth (D) string.
- Place your ring (3rd) finger on the third fret of the fifth (A) string.
- Strum five strings from the fifth (A) string to the first (high E) string.
Chord 7 – G major
Our final chord you need to know on guitar is the G major chord. To play this open G major chord voicing (shape), you need to use four fingers to hold down the notes G, B, and D.
Adding the extra D note on the B string gives the chord a fuller and richer sound compared to the old-school three-finger G chord version.
Here are the steps followed by the chord chart:
- Place your index (1st) finger on the second fret of the fifth (A) string.
- Place your middle (2nd) finger on the third fret of the sixth (low E) string.
- Place your ring (3rd) finger on the third fret of the second (B) string.
- Place your pinky (4th) finger on the third fret of the first (high E) string.
- Strum all six strings from the low E string to the high E string.
FYI: All of the chord diagrams featured in this lesson are from my popular book Essential Guitar Chords for Beginners. Click below and learn more on Amazon. ⬇
How to Read Guitar Chord Charts
The vertical lines in the chord diagram charts represent your guitar strings. The horizontal lines in the chord boxes show the metal frets.
The string notes are written under the strings, with the fret number shown on the left of the chart.
The numbers in the circles show what finger you should use to fret the string:
1 = 1st (index) finger
2 = 2nd (middle) finger
3 = 3rd (ring) finger
4 = 4th little (pinky) finger
x = don’t play the string
o = open string
Warning
Always use the same finger placements on chords. A common beginner and self-taught guitarist mistake is to change chord fingerings randomly. This only slows you down and makes muscle memory and fast chord changes difficult. Make life easy for yourself.
Top 7 Chord Tips
Notes buzzing or muting when you play chords? Follow these top tips to learn how to play chords cleanly, smooth, and fast.
Tip #1. Lightly wrap your thumb around the guitar’s neck
The first thing to try if your chord changes feel slow and messy is to adjust your thumb position.
Placing your thumb low down at the back of the neck when playing open chords is outdated advice. It makes it hard to grip and change between the chords easily.
Don’t make hard work for yourself.
An added bonus to gripping your thumb lightly around the neck is you can also mute the low E string with it on chords that don’t use string 6 (A’s, C’s, D’s, for example).
Tip #2. Keep your thumb by fret 2
Your thumb acts like an anchor by helping to control your basic open chord changes and keeping your fingers in the correct position.
Your thumb may fight you at first and want to move to the left or drop down. Be patient. It takes time to build proper muscle memory
#3. Press the string with the tips (pad) of your fingers
To get chord notes to ring out clearly, press down on the string with your fingertip. Doing this will allow you to apply the optimal amount of pressure.
Fair warning: your fingers will be very sore at first. Good news? They get tough pretty quickly though when you practice daily.
#4. Curve your fingers
Curving your fingers around will help you avoid touching the strings below, which stops them from ringing out.
Muted and buzzing strings aren’t only caused by pressing down too lightly; the angle of your fingers, if too flat, will kill your sound.
#5. Press your finger down with the correct pressure
Many beginner players press down too lightly on guitar strings, but a few press too hard. Follow this simple rule – if your notes ring out clearly, you’re using the right amount of pressure. If they’re not, try pressing harder.
With practice and dedicated repetition, you’ll find the sweet spot.
#6. Don’t place your fingers on the metal frets
Contrary to some advice, you risk the notes muting horribly if you place your fingers too close to the fret when you play guitar chord shapes. Position your fingers too far back, though, and you’ll have to apply way more pressure.
Work on finding the sweet spot, which is midway between the middle of the fret box and the metal fret.
#7. Practice chords every time you pick your guitar up
It’s always a good idea to practice your chords every day to make sure you’re getting the best sound possible. Don’t be afraid to aim for the best!
With regular practice and dedication, you’ll definitely see improvements in your musical skills.
Pro Tip
Never settle for inconsistent-sounding chords thinking: "I can get away with that." You're better than that. Strive for the best.
3 Exercises to Improve Your Chord Changes
Exercise 1:
Strum up and down on individual chords for repeated reps of 30-60 seconds to build up muscle memory and finger strength. Increase the time as your fingers get stronger.
Exercise 2:
Practice changing between pairs of chords to start with. Take E major and E minor as your first pair.
Exercise 3:
Pick through the chords using alternate picking for 30-60-second reps. Increase the time as your fingers get more robust. Use a metronome to work on yet another vital skill; good timing.
Go here to get more chord change tips and tricks.
3 Chord Practice Goals
1. Learn the new chord shapes and memorise the name along with the shape. Knowing chord names means you’ll learn new songs quickly.
2. Get the chord notes ringing out clearly. They should eventually be mute and buzz-free consistently.
3. Build up smooth and clean changes between the different chord shapes. Practice guitar daily and always use a metronome to work on your timing and rhythm.
Summing it Up
In this article, you learned how to play seven essential chord shapes on guitar: four major chords – C, A, G, E, D, and two minor chords – Em and Am.
These chords are the building blocks of many songs and genres, and they can help you develop your guitar skills and musical knowledge.
You also learned you can use these open chord shapes to make other chords by moving them up the neck as you go along on your guitar-playing journey. These are called barre chords, and they are very handy and versatile.
You can practice these chords by playing along with your favourite songs or by writing your own chord progressions.
Have fun, and keep strumming dudes and dudesses!
Essential Jazz Guitar Chords Chart Poster
Featuring 65 of the most used common jazz (blues, funk and country too) chord shape voicings & extensions + bonus Guitar Fretboard Notes Chart
Downloadable music prints that make your time learning guitar easier…
Jazz Guitar chord shapes include:– Major seventh (Maj 7th)- Minor Seventh- Diminished – Half Diminished- Dominant seventh- Major 9th / minor 9th / dom 9th- Maj11th / minor 11th / dom 11th- Maj13th / minor 13th / dom 13thand more…
