Discover the basic guitar chords and master songs on the guitar!

This post is for the complete beginner in guitar playing and aims to introduce you to beginner guitar chords.

To make learning the first few chords easier, I’ve focused on the fundamental and most commonly used guitar chords in popular rock, pop, and related music genres.

I’ve also added some easy-to-play “color” chords (the blue diagrams below) so your playing will sound richer from the start.

(Besides, they are easier to play).

In this short lesson, you’ll find explanations about how to “read” the downloadable chords chart provided and some tips and ideas for interchanging between chord shapes.

This way, when you start tackling songs, you will already be “armed” with some chord skills.

At the end of this guitar chords lesson, I’ll give you tips on how to use these “color” guitar chords.

Let’s start,

Also Read:

What Do You See in The Chords Chart?

Guitar chord diagrams = Imagine a tiny map of your guitar’s neck. A chord diagram is like that map, showing you where to put your fingers on the strings and frets to make specific chords.

Shape = The way you should organize your fingers on the fretboard to press and get a specific guitar chord.
Fingers = are marked as balls with numbers inside.
1 = first finger, 2 = 2nd finger etc…
A red ball with a number = chord’s ROOT.(this note determines the chord’s name.) The number still indicates the finger.

X = Don’t play this note or string.
O = Play an open string, meaning you fret the string even though you don’t press any note. The open string is a note to itself.

Some Guide Lines For These Beginner Guitar Chords:

The complete beginner with guitar chords should learn the four blue diagrams first! (put aside the Bsus7 chord just for now).

Why?

For two reasons:

First, these chord shapes are easy to finger because they are built from only two pressing points. That will prepare your hands for later chords, and you’ll feel progress much faster than the average guitar player.

By this, I mean you’ll produce some sound from your guitar quicker.

And that’s very good for your motivation!

Secondly, You can use the easy blue shapes to replace the chords next to them in most cases.

For example, You can play the Asus2 chord (first blue diagram) instead of the Am or A chord.

Another example: Use the G6 (2nd blue diagram) instead of the G chord until your hands are more familiar with the guitar and you can master the complete G chord.

BTW I call the blue chords “color” chords because you can use them instead of simple minor or major guitar chords even after you know the “official” beginner guitar chords shapes, thus coloring the harmony.

Whenever I have a three-chord song like “Knocking on Heaven Doors,” I will occasionally “experiment” with the chords and color them—just for fun.

Exactly like in the example above. ( I’ll change the G chord to a G6 chord just for the seasoning and interest.)

Now, I promised some exercises for you to download. These exercises will help you gain control over these beginner guitar chords. I’ve also included exercises that replace the original chords with a new “color” chord so you can use them in your chord playing right away and benefit more from this lesson.

Otherwise, it’s just another guitar chords lesson.

So, download this lesson’s free chord exercises now and make progress.

Oh, and another thing…

When you finish this lesson, please take some more of my guitar chords lessons. They’re built the same way. Do them in the following order!

1. Simple way to change a chord to a 7th chord – Beginner guitar chords lesson

2. Guitar Bar chords (barre) made easy – Beginner guitar chords lesson

3. Power chords for rock and heavy metal guitar 101- Advanced guitar chords lessons

Next Step > Guitar seventh chords

Or, back to beginner’s start here page.