♫♫♪♫Learn How To Play♫♪♫♫ ♫♪♫♫Guitar Chords♫♫♪♫
♀Introduction To Chords And The CAGED Fretboard System
Chords are 3 or more notes played at the same time. There are all types of chords, but all will fall under two categories: major and minor chords.
On the guitar there are only 5 basic major chord patterns. These primary chord patterns found on the guitar are C, A, G, E, and D. Together they spell the word CAGED which should help you remember them. All other chords that you will learn in the future come from the C, A, G, E, and D chord patterns.
CAGED is system of fretboard patterns for chords, scales, and arpeggios. It is derived from the unique tuning of the guitar. The C, A, G, E, and D basic chord patterns are just the beginning of the CAGED system. They are the first step in opening up a door to total fretboard domination.
Every other chord, scale, and arpeggio can be built from these 5 patterns. It has been rumored that Jimi Hendrix's vast abilities stem from his knowledge of the CAGED system and look at what it did for him. Understanding and mastering the CAGED system is the greatest achievement for any guitarist and
GuitarAlliance.com Member's Site will show you how to do this and more!
☼First Things First
Obviously the first thing you should do is to learn the basic chord patterns. Below I've taken a few pages out of the member's area that will teach you the basics of playing chords, how to play the C, A, G, E, and D major chord patterns, a complete guide to power chords, and a little bit of chord theory:
♀How To Read A Guitar Chord Diagram
Chord diagrams show you how to play new chords.
Below is a blank chord diagram. Think of it as a picture of your guitar sitting in front of you.
The 6 vertical lines represent the 6 strings on a guitar (low E on left side, high E on right). The horizontal lines represent frets except for the top line which is the nut of the guitar.
♀The Basic Guitar Chord Patterns
Introduction To CAGED
The CAGED system is derived from the unique tuning of the guitar. To sum it up: there are 5 basic major chord patterns on the guitar. These basic chord patterns are the C, A, G, E, and D chords. There are also minor chord version of these 5 basic patterns.
You'll notice that there are chords that seem to be missing such as F chords and B chords as well as chords with sharps or flats. Well, these chords don't have their own patterns. To play them (and all the other major and minor chords for that matter) you have to use one of the patterns on this page, so your first step is to master the chords on this page.
The 5 Basic Major Chord Patterns
Learn and memorize each chord pattern. Take your time to insure that you are playing them correctly. Each pattern is accompanied a picture of the chord being played and an audio sample of what the chord sounds like when played properly.
♀Chord Trouble Shooting
When you're first learning to play chords, it can be very difficult to get your fingers to cooperate. After a few days of practice your fingers will start remembering where to go. It's important to spend a little time everyday with these chords until you are comfortable with playing them.
Your fingertips on your fret hand will become sore and tender to the touch. If it becomes too painful, by all means stop practicing for the day and try again the next day. With steady practice you will develop calluses on your fingertips and this won't be any more problem.
If you're hearing a buzzing sound or the sound of the notes being played sound dull, then your not pressing hard enough on the strings, or one or more of your fingers is catching a nearby string. When you strum the chord each not should ring out clearly. You may find it hard at first to press all of the strings down firmly against the frets. If this is the case, don't fret. Your hands will build up the strength in no time with practice.
Chord Tips:
Don't let your fingernails get too long! They will prevent you from fingering the fret board correctly.
Make sure your fingers are standing straight up and down. Otherwise they may mute other strings.
When playing chords your fingers should be arched at the joints so that your fingertips come in contact with the strings and not the flat fingerprint part of your finger.
Your fingers should make contact with the strings slightly behind the frets if at all possible. The further your finger is from the fret the harder it is to apply the proper amount of pressure, hence the more likelihood that you'll get a "buzzing" sound.
The size of your hand and the width of your instrument's neck can significantly affect which fingers you use to play the chords. All of the chord charts on this site use the most commonly used chord fingerings. These fingerings will work for 95% of all guitarists.
You may come across a suggested chord fingering that you simply cannot contort your fingers to play. In this case try experimenting with alternate fingering
