Now that you’ve picked out a guitar that is comfortable to play, your first step should be learning the most basic guitar chords. Included below are finger positioning guidelines for each of the eight common major and minor guitar chords.
The eight guitar chords here are often signified by C-A-G-E-D-a-e-d. If you don’t already understand what this means, don’t worry. A good first step will be refreshing your mind on the differences between chords and notes and the general terminology used in chord diagrams, which you will need to be able to interpret if you are going to learn how to play the guitar.
What Are Guitar Chords?
A chord in a guitar consists of three or more notes that are played together. Chords are distinguished from one another by intervals, or distance, between the notes. In a simple fiddle tune, you will hear mostly major and minor chords. Major chords differ from the minor chords in that they tend to sound brighter or “happier.”
As soon as you pick up a guitar, your first step will be learning how to play the simplest chords. Before diving into the finger positioning of each chord, it is crucial to cover the basic terminology.
What Is the Difference Between A Chord and A Note on the Guitar?
Beginners can find themselves confused by the technical jumbo, especially if this is their first time learning to play an instrument at all. The first thing that you should be made aware of is that the strings themselves are the notes. These notes are organized from lowest to highest (sometimes also described as from thickest to thinnest). It looks like this, assuming that you are in standard tuning:
| Letter | String |
| High E | 1 |
| A | 2 |
| D | 3 |
| G | 4 |
| B | 5 |
| Low E | 6 |
Now you know the difference between notes and chords. It doesn’t matter which genre of music you are playing; the notes for the guitar strings will remain the same in any guitar with standard tuning.
Do you have to memorize guitar notes? Yes, notes and chords go hand in hand. One way to think about the relationship between notes and chords is to think of notes as the letters and chords as the words. One useful mnemonic device for memorizing the order of notes on a guitar is “Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears.”
Another great way to memorize guitar chords would be by chord progressions or groupings often found together in music.
Are Left-Handed Guitar Chords Different?
Much of the time, left-handed guitar players choose to play a guitar right-handed since most guitars you find at a store will be made for righties. There are some left-handed guitars on the market, but they can be a little bit harder to find. If you choose to purchase a left-handed guitar, you will likely be presented with a smaller diversity of brands and styles at the store. However, you can find left-handed guitars like this one online.
The primary motivation for a left-handed player choosing to get a left-handed guitar is that the strumming hand is generally accepted as the dominant hand. At the same time, the fretting is handled by the other hand. For left-handed players, it may be challenging to use their right hand to strum the guitar. An excellent way to determine whether or not you actually need a left-handed guitar would be to go to the store and play a few simple chords on both types of guitars.
Here are how chords are played on a left-handed guitar:
- Finger positioning is mirrored
- 6th string = 1st string
- 5th string = 2nd string
- 4th string = 3rd string
- Your right hand will be handling the fretting so that your dominant hand will be strumming the guitar. For many lefties, this positioning may be noticeably more comfortable.
For your convenience, the finger positioning for left-handed chords has been included below. You can also find chord books like this one online that is tailor-made for left-handed players. Most chord charts that you see online and in books will only include the right-handed charts, leaving lefties responsible for translating the mirror image within their own minds.
Which Guitar Chords Should You Learn First?
Since you’re a beginner, you will be directed to remember the first five major open chords from the word CAGED. After including the minor chords, you will have eight total beginner chords to learn, shown by C-A-G-E-D-a-e-d. The three lower case letters at the end of CAGED are the minor chords.
For each of the basic chords, some alternatives are more comfortable for beginners to learn but sound very similar. Some of these alternatives are included in this list. The ultimate goal should be learning how to play each of the chords listed in CAGED before moving on to more complicated chords such as the F chord or B chord.
What Are Chord Diagrams? How Do You Read Chord Diagrams?
Let’s start off with a brief refresher on guitar fretting and strumming. If you took your guitar and stood it upwards in front of you, then you would see:
- Six Strings: The 6th string (also called the low E) is the furthest to the left, the first string (also called the high E) is the furthest to the right.
- Nut: The uppermost portion or base of the guitar neck
- 20 frets: The metallic parts along the neck of the guitar, the fret closest to the nut is called the first fret
- Fretting Refers to the act of positioning your fingers on top of the strings at the top of the guitar
- Strumming Refers to the act of strumming, plucking, or playing the guitar down by the soundboard
Knowing this information will make it possible for you to read chord diagrams to tell you where to place your fingers for each specific chord. In a chord diagram, you will also notice some X’s and O’s at the top. An X above the diagram indicates that the string immediately beneath the X is not to be played. An O indicates that a string is to be played. On some charts, you may not see an O. This means that the string is implied to be played as a part of the chord.
You may also see an R next to the O’s and X’s at the top of the guitar. This indicates the root of a guitar. The root of the guitar is the first note within a given chord.
Throughout this article, you will see a row in each table that refers to which strings can be played or “strummed.” This is an aspect of learning chords that beginners may gloss over because they focus on having the proper finger positioning at the top. If you randomly pluck at strings at the bottom, then your chords will not sound exactly right.
The key takeaway here is that you should always pay attention to what you are doing with both your fretting and your strumming hand. This will help ensure that you do not develop bad habits. Now that you are aware of this fact, you are welcome to dive on in to the eight basic chords of C-A-G-E-D.
C Major
| Right-Handed Guitar | Left-Handed Guitar | |
| First Finger | second string, first fret | fifth string, first fret |
| Second Finger | fourth string, second fret | third string, second fret |
| Third Finger | fifth string, third fret | second string, third fret |
| Strumming | Five highest strings | Five lowest strings |
Since this is your first time doing this, you may be surprised at how much you have to arch your first finger and stretch your third finger on the fretboard. The very tips of your fingers should be touching the string; otherwise, you will be playing a muted note.
If you find yourself having difficulty learning how to play the C chord, you may start by trying the one finger variation first. This will require you to play the second string, first fret. You will only be strumming the three highest strings with this variation of the C chord. The sound will be similar to a C chord, but it will be dulled to some extent.
For this reason, the one-finger variation is not adequate as a substitute for the C Major. Once you become used to the motion after a few days, you should begin practicing the standard C chord described in the chart above.
A Major
| Right-Handed Guitar | Left-Handed Guitar | |
| First Finger | fourth string, second fret | third string, second fret |
| Second Finger | third string, second fret | fourth string, second fret |
| Third Finger | second string, third fret | fifth string, second fret |
| Strumming | 5 Highest Strings | 5 Lowest strings |
This chord has you positioning your first three fingers in a row on the second fret. The finger positioning is not as complicated as some of the other common chords. You don’t have to stretch or strain the finger excessively, but it may be challenging to make the transition from other chords.
Emphasize using the end of your fingers to play the guitar. Even using your fingerprints will not produce the desired sound. Instead, you should be playing with the crowns of your fingers. When it comes to strumming, you will need to make sure that you are not playing the sixth string. Otherwise, the chord will sound a little off. If you are having trouble not touching the sixth string, you may consider muting the string with your thumb. Beginners are generally discouraged from doing this right away, instead keeping their thumb on the guitar’s neck. This will help you build up some much-needed muscle in the space between your thumb and first finger.
Asus2 & A7- Alternatives for Beginners
If you are having trouble playing the A chord, you may benefit by practicing first with either the Asus2 or A7, both variations of the A major:
- Asus2:
- First finger: 4th string, 2nd fret
- Second finger: 3rd string, 2nd fret
- Play the 5 higher strings
- A7:
- First finger: 4th string, 2nd fret
- Second finger: 1st string, 2nd fret
- Play the 5 higher strings
These are by no means permanent alternatives to the A major, but it will get you familiar with the note before transitioning to the standard A full time.
G Major
| Right-handed Guitar | Left-Handed Guitar | |
| First Finger | fifth string, second fret | second string, second fret |
| Second Finger | sixth string, third fret | first string, third fret |
| Third Finger | first string, third fret | sixth string, third fret |
| Strumming | All six strings | All six strings |
The major challenge with the G chord is that you have to stretch your fingers all the way across the six strings. At the same time, you need to make sure that the ring finger is placed firmly on the first string. The next challenge is making the rapid change from the G chord to other chords and back again.
In most songs, you will be making transitions to and from the C and D Major chord. For a fuller sound, you can play G chord variations in the Open theme:
- Index finger: 5th string, 2nd fret
- Middle finger: 6th string, 3rd fret
- Ring finger: 2nd string, 3rd fret
- Pinky finger: 1st string, 3rd fret
E Major
| Right-handed Guitar | Left-Handed Guitar | |
| First Finger | third string, first fret | fourth string, first fret |
| Second Finger | fifth string, second fret | second string, second fret |
| Third Finger | fourth string, second fret | third string, second fret |
| Strumming | All six strings | All six strings |
As you can see in the table above, the three fingers will need to be arched at the third through fifth strings. For players who have not yet built up any manual dexterity, this may be difficult to play. On the plus side, it is an easy chord to strum. You don’t have to worry about having to potentially mute any strings.
The E-chord is known for producing an upbeat sound and, as such, is an essential part of many rock, pop and country songs.
E7- Alternative for Beginners
There is a variation of the E Major called the E7 that will help beginners adapt to the feeling of playing the guitar. The E7 is not an absolute must for beginners, but it may be a good start if you have never played the guitar before.
This is what the E7 looks like:
- First finger: third string, first fret
- Second finger: fifth string, second fret
- All six strings are played
D Major
| Right-handed Guitar | Left-handed Guitar | |
| First Finger | third string, second fret | fourth string, second fret |
| Second Finger | first string, second fret | sixth string, second fret |
| Third Finger | second string, third fret | fifth string, third fret |
| Strumming | 4 Highest Strings | 4 Lowest Strings |
This is often the very first chord that you will be taught to play on the guitar.
- Learn to place your fingers just behind the fret. If the fingers are further back than this, then the chord will buzz. If you place your finger directly on top of the fret, then the chord will sound muted or dead.
- You must be arching your fingers when you are touching the strings. It may feel uncomfortable for a while until you can build up a little more finger strength.
This chord does hold a reputation for being difficult to learn. This has to do with the fact that the third finger must be straddled by the first and second fingers, in the fret below these two. A good jumping-off point for beginners is the Dsus2 chord.
Dsus2- Alternative for Beginners
This is what the Dsus2 looks like:
- First finger: third string, second fret
- Third finger: second string, third fret
- Play the four highest strings
A Minor
| Right-handed Guitar | Left-handed Guitar | |
| First Finger | second string, first fret | fifth string, first fret |
| Second Finger | fourth string, second fret | third string, second fret |
| Third Finger | third string, second fret | fourth string, second fret |
| Strumming | Five highest strings | Five lowest strings |
The Am chord is an absolute must for beginners to learn since it is commonplace. The good news is that it’s not as difficult to learn as some of the other common chords. It’s made relatively easy by the fact that you only have to position your fingers along two different frets. The second and third fingers will also be close together.
The toughest part may be learning how to quickly transition to the Am from other chords where your fingers may further spread out. Fortunately, there is a 2-finger alternative for beginner players:
- Place your first finger on the second string, first fret.
- Place your second finger on the fourth string, second fret.
- Strum the five highest strings.
E Minor
| Right-handed Guitar | Left-handed Guitar | |
| First Finger | fifth string, second fret | Not used |
| Second Finger | fourth string, second fret | second string, second fret |
| Third Finger | Not Used | third string, second fret |
| Strumming | All Six Strings | All six strings |
The Em is a common chord that only requires you to use two fingers. You will also be playing all six strings, so there is no need to mute a string at the guitar’s bottom. Since this chord is easier to learn, it shouldn’t be necessary to learn a simpler alternative before making the transition to the real deal.
D Minor
| Right-handed Guitar | Left-handed Guitar | |
| First Finger | first string, first fret | sixth string, first fret |
| Second Finger | third string, second fret | fourth string, second fret |
| Third Finger | second string, third fret | fifth string, third fret |
| Strumming | Four highest strings | Four lowest strings |
The Dm chord requires different hand positioning from the D major, as it requires you to be able to play across three different frets. This may require a bit of practice to get used to the finger positioning. It is a chord that comes up relatively often.
One of the most common chord progressions across all styles of music is the ii-V. In the key of C, this chord is Dm-G. It is a progression that is frequently found in jazz music.
If you end up having trouble learning the Dm chord at first, you can get your hand used to the movement by playing a simpler two-finger alternative called the Dsus2 chord. To play this chord, you will:
- Place your middle finger at the third string, second fret.
- Place your ring finger at the second string, third fret.
This chord does at least sound very similar to the Dm chord. As your hand dexterity improves, the switch over to the Dm chord should be made. The Dsus itself is generally not recommended as a permanent placeholder for the Dm.
Tips for Learning Guitar Chords
Learning guitar chords may seem insurmountable at first. The good news is that every experienced player has been through this at some point in their careers and thus have shared some simple tips for beginners on how to go from one chord to the next seamlessly.
Transfer the Chords You’re Learning to A Musical Context
When you first start learning chords, it may be challenging to think of things within a musical context frame. When you first start out, you may be exclusively practicing scales up and down a metronome over and over again. Experienced players proclaim this to be a crucial mistake.
This is not to say that you should entirely avoid practicing scales to a metronome. Still, you must make the transition to simple music early on so that you will begin actually thinking of things within a musical context.
You are encouraged to look for a songbook of simple music, such as this Guitar Book For Adult Beginners. A resource such as this will help you learn some essential songs that are heavy on the basic chords covered in this article.
How to Get the Most Out of Guitar Practice
Practicing for hours upon hours per day is not a recipe for success with the guitar. Proper form is instrumental; if you practice too much, you may teach yourself to get used to doing things the wrong way.
At the very least, you should be practicing your chords for at least 5 minutes, twice a day. It’s even better if you can get around to doing two 10-minute sessions every day. Center your focus excruciatingly on the sound of every chord. Once you start your progressions, intently focus on the scale. Follow this mantra to a tee: quality over quantity.
How Do You Memorize the Guitar Chords?
The memorization of chords is a key part of the process of learning how to play the guitar. You aren’t going to be reading chord diagrams when you make the transfer to playing music.
You may find it difficult to memorize all 8 of these beginner chords at once. Instead, you should start by memorizing a few chords at a time. You should repeat this process for every chord at least 20 times. This may seem excessive, but this is how long it takes for this all to become second nature for your mind.
One of the most useful techniques for memorizing guitar chords is to place the chords within groupings of chords that look very similar to each other. For example, the Em (E minor) and A chords happen to have similar finger positioning.
What Are Chord Progressions?
Merely playing the same chords over and over again will not help you get any better at actually playing the guitar. This is the part that often frustrates beginners the most since experienced guitar players go from chord to chord so seamlessly.
It is important to remember that if you practice them enough, these movements will become second nature. Chord progressions are also usually shown as Roman numerals.
The most straightforward chord progressions usually will use the C, G, and D chords. This would be a good starting point. If you start with complicated chord progressions, you may become frustrated early on and be susceptible to giving up. It is best to start with simple chord progressions so that you will build confidence early on.
This chord progression handbook is full of simple progressions:
- Start by repeatedly playing a basic major chord
- Then repeatedly play a basic minor chord
- From there will play a simple G-C progression
- The chord progression handbook goes through a list of 20 different progressions for beginners.
Final Thoughts
There are eight guitar chords that every beginner should be able to memorize. They are the C-A-G-E-D- am-em-dm chords, with the first 4 being common major chords and the last 3 being common minor chords. The finger positioning for each of these chords is included above. If you are a left-handed player, you may find it easier to purchase a left-handed guitar. The caveat to learning chords on the left-handed guitar is that finger positioning is mirrored, as indicated in the tables above.
The last and most important tip is this: don’t let yourself become discouraged if you have trouble learning and memorizing them. To get the most productivity out of practice sessions, you are encouraged to do two 10- to 20-minute practice sessions per day. This way, you should be able to avoid bad habits that may come out of playing while tired. Once you have been able to nail down the required manual dexterity, then you should be able to extend the length of your practice sessions.
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