Guitar Chords for Beginners: Chord Chart and First Chords

Chords are the fastest way to start making real music on guitar. A chord is three or more notes played together, and with only a handful of them you can strum along with most of the songs you know. The chart above shows the essential "open" chords. They are called open chords because they mix fretted notes with strings played open, close to the headstock where the strings are easiest to press. Every chord on this page uses standard tuning: E, A, D, G, B, E from the thickest string to the thinnest. If those letters are new to you, our guide to guitar string names explains them, and a clip-on tuner gets you there in a minute.

How to read a chord box

A chord box (also called a chord diagram) is a little map of the neck. Imagine standing your guitar up in front of you with the strings facing you. That is the view the box shows.

• Vertical lines are the strings. The line on the far left is the thickest string, low E. The line on the far right is the thinnest, high E. The letters under the box name each one.
• Horizontal lines are the frets. The thick bar at the top is the nut, at the top of the neck. The space just below it is the 1st fret, the next space is the 2nd fret, and so on.
• Dots show where to press. Put your fingertip in that space, just behind the metal fret wire, not on top of it.
• The number in the dot is the finger. 1 is your index finger, 2 your middle, 3 your ring and 4 your pinky. The thumb is not numbered; it rests behind the neck.
• O above a string means play it open, with no finger on it.
• X above a string means leave it out. Do not strum it, or rest a finger lightly on it to keep it quiet.
• A long bar across two or more strings means one finger presses all of them at once. That is a barre. The small F chord on our chart uses a tiny one.

Your first three chords: G, C and D

G, C and D belong together. In the key of G, they are the three main chords, so they sound right next to each other in almost any order. Learn them in this order.

1. G major. Middle finger (2) on the 3rd fret of the low E string. Index finger (1) on the 2nd fret of the A string. Ring finger (3) on the 3rd fret of the high E string. Strum all six strings. Some players use fingers 3, 2 and 4 instead; both are standard, and the 3-2-4 version makes the change to C a little easier later.
2. C major. Ring finger (3) on the 3rd fret of the A string. Middle finger (2) on the 2nd fret of the D string. Index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the B string. The G and high E strings are open. Strum from the A string down, and leave out the low E.
3. D major. Index finger (1) on the 2nd fret of the G string. Ring finger (3) on the 3rd fret of the B string. Middle finger (2) on the 2nd fret of the high E string. Strum only the top four strings, starting from the open D string. The fingers make a small triangle.
4. Check each chord string by string. Hold the shape and pick each string one at a time. Every one you are meant to play should ring clearly. If one buzzes or sounds dead, adjust the finger nearest it, then strum the whole chord again.
5. Add E minor. Middle finger (2) on the 2nd fret of the A string, ring finger (3) on the 2nd fret of the D string, and strum all six strings. It is the easiest chord on the chart, and it sounds great after G, C and D.

Easy chord progressions to practice

A chord progression is just the order you play chords in. These are some of the most common progressions in popular music. You will hear them in countless songs, so once you can play them smoothly you can play along with a lot of music. Strum each chord four times, then move to the next.

The next chords: A, E, Am and Dm

• A major. Fingers 1, 2 and 3 side by side on the 2nd fret of the D, G and B strings. Leave out the low E. The fingers are crowded; angle them slightly so each one sits in the fret space. Some players use fingers 2, 1, 3 instead, which also works.
• E major. Middle finger (2) on the 2nd fret of the A string, ring finger (3) on the 2nd fret of the D string, index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the G string. Strum all six.
• A minor (Am). The E shape moved one string thinner: middle (2) on the 2nd fret of the D string, ring (3) on the 2nd fret of the G string, index (1) on the 1st fret of the B string. Leave out the low E.
• D minor (Dm). Middle (2) on the 2nd fret of the G string, ring (3) on the 3rd fret of the B string, index (1) on the 1st fret of the high E string. Strum the top four strings only.

Major or minor? A major chord sounds bright and settled; a minor chord, written with a small "m", sounds darker or sadder. The difference is a single note. Compare E and Em: lift your index finger off the G string and E major becomes E minor.

Seventh chords: E7, A7, D7 and G7

A seventh chord (properly a "dominant seventh") adds one extra note to a major chord. It gives a slightly bluesy, unfinished sound that pulls toward the next chord. They are also some of the easiest shapes on the chart.

• E7. E major with the ring finger lifted: middle (2) on the 2nd fret of the A string, index (1) on the 1st fret of the G string. Strum all six.
• A7. Middle (2) on the 2nd fret of the D string, ring (3) on the 2nd fret of the B string, with the G string open between them. Leave out the low E.
• D7. Middle (2) on the 2nd fret of the G string, index (1) on the 1st fret of the B string, ring (3) on the 2nd fret of the high E string. Top four strings only.
• G7. Ring (3) on the 3rd fret of the low E string, middle (2) on the 2nd fret of the A string, index (1) on the 1st fret of the high E string. Strum all six. G7 leads beautifully into C.

The F chord, made easy

The full F chord is a barre chord: the index finger presses all six strings at the 1st fret. It takes most beginners a few weeks to make it ring, so start with one of these two shapes. Both play the top four strings only.

• Fmaj7 (easy F). Ring (3) on the 3rd fret of the D string, middle (2) on the 2nd fret of the G string, index (1) on the 1st fret of the B string, high E open. It sounds soft and dreamy, and it fits in place of F in most beginner songs.
• Small F. The same shape, but your index finger lies flat across both the B and high E strings at the 1st fret. Roll the finger slightly onto its bony side and keep your thumb low behind the neck. This is the stepping stone to the full barre chord.

How to change chords smoothly

Every beginner can hold a chord long before they can change to the next one in time. Changing is the real skill, and it improves fastest with these habits.

1. Practice pairs. Pick two chords, such as G and C, and switch back and forth slowly. Look at which fingers move and which can stay.
2. Find the anchor fingers. Some changes share a finger. From C to Am, only your ring finger moves; your index and middle fingers stay put. From E to Am, the whole shape simply moves over one string. Moving fewer fingers means faster changes.
3. Move all the fingers together. Lift the whole shape a little and land it as a unit, instead of placing one finger at a time.
4. Try the one-minute drill. Set a timer for one minute and count how many clean changes you make between two chords. Write the number down and try to beat it tomorrow. It is a simple, widely used exercise, and the numbers climb quickly.
5. Keep strumming, even if the change is late. In a song, the beat matters more than a perfect chord. If you are not ready, strum the open strings on the last beat while your fingers move. Players do this all the time.

Strumming basics

Strumming is your right hand's job (left hand if you play left-handed). Hold a pick between your thumb and the side of your index finger with only the tip showing, or strum with the side of your thumb. A medium or thin pick is easiest for strumming; browse our guitar picks.

• Strum from the wrist, not the elbow. Keep the motion loose, like shaking water off your hand.
• Down strums move from the thickest string toward the thinnest. Up strums come back the other way, usually catching only the thinner strings.
• Start with four down strums per chord, one on each beat, counting "1, 2, 3, 4". Keep it steady before you add anything else.
• Then try a common pattern: down, down-up, up-down-up (D, D U, U D U). Count it "1, 2 and, and 4 and". Keep your hand moving down and up all the time, and simply miss the strings on the beats you skip.
• Start the strum on the right string. For C, start on the A string; for D and Dm, start on the open D string. That is what the X marks are for.

Good to know

• Sore fingertips are normal for the first two or three weeks. Short, daily sessions build calluses faster and more comfortably than one long session. Nylon strings, like those on a classical guitar, are gentler on new fingertips.
• Buzzing usually means a finger is too far from the fret wire or not pressing firmly enough. Move it closer to the fret, just behind it, and press with the very tip.
• Dead or muted strings usually mean a finger is leaning on its neighbor. Arch your fingers so they come down on the strings from above, like a tunnel, and keep your thumb behind the neck rather than wrapped over the top.
• Tune first, every time. Even a perfectly fingered chord sounds wrong if the guitar is out of tune. A clip-on tuner takes the guesswork out; see our guitar tuners.
• A capo clamps across the neck and moves your chord shapes higher in pitch, so you can play along with songs in other keys using the same easy chords. See our capos.
• Left-handed players can use the same charts flipped like a mirror, with the thickest string on the right. Our left-handed guitars are strung that way from the start.

A two-week practice plan

Ten to fifteen minutes a day is enough. Tune up, then follow the plan below. Move on when the current step feels comfortable, not when the calendar says so.

1. Days 1 and 2: Em and G. Learn each shape, check every string, then switch between them for five minutes with four slow strums each.
2. Days 3 and 4: Add C. Practice G to C and C to G, then the one-minute drill on each pair.
3. Days 5 and 6: Add D. Play G – C – D on a loop, four strums each.
4. Day 7: Play Em – C – G – D and G – Em – C – D. Try the down, down-up, up-down-up strum on one chord at a time.
5. Days 8 and 9: Learn Am and E. Notice they are the same shape on different strings. Practice C to Am and Am to E.
6. Days 10 and 11: Learn A and Dm. Play A – D – E and Am – Dm – E.
7. Days 12 and 13: Learn E7, A7, D7 and G7. Try G – G7 – C, and A – D – E7.
8. Day 14: Learn Fmaj7 and play C – Am – Fmaj7 – G. Then pick a simple song you love, look up its chords, and play along.

Guitars to learn chords on

Any guitar in good playing order will do. These are popular first guitars in stock now. Prices and stock update automatically.

See more steel-string acoustic guitars, classical guitars, acoustic-electric guitars and electric guitars; every chord on this page works the same on all of them. For a child, our child-size guitars and our guide to choosing the right size guitar for a child help you pick a guitar their hands can reach around.

Keep learning

• How to read guitar tabs: the other half of reading guitar music, for riffs and melodies.
• Guitar string names: E, A, D, G, B, E and easy ways to remember them.
• Parts of a guitar and parts of an electric guitar: labeled diagrams of every part named on this page.
• How to restring a guitar: fresh strings make chords ring and stay in tune.

Frequently asked questions

What are the easiest guitar chords for beginners?

E minor is the easiest: two fingers on the 2nd fret and all six strings strummed. E7 is close behind. The best first set is G, C, D and Em, because they sound good together and play a huge number of songs.

How many chords do I need to know to play songs?

Three or four. Many popular songs use only G, C and D, or Em, C, G and D. With the 14 chords on this chart you can play most beginner songbooks.

Why do my chords sound buzzy or muffled?

A buzz usually means a finger is too far from the fret wire or pressing too lightly; move it just behind the fret and press with the fingertip. A muffled string usually means another finger is touching it; arch your fingers more and keep your thumb behind the neck.

How long does it take to learn beginner guitar chords?

Most people can hold G, C, D and Em within the first week of short daily practice. Changing between them in time with a steady strum usually takes a few weeks. Daily practice of 10 to 15 minutes makes the biggest difference.

Should beginners learn the F barre chord?

Not first. Start with Fmaj7 or the small F on our chart, which use the same finger positions on the top strings. Once those are comfortable, usually after a few weeks, the full barre chord comes much more easily.

Do my fingertips have to hurt?

Some soreness in the first two or three weeks is normal while calluses form. Stop when it hurts, play a little every day rather than a lot at once, and consider a nylon-string classical guitar, which is gentler on the fingers.