Beginner Acoustic Guitar Lessons Chords Part 1

Beginner Acoustic Guitar Lessons Chords Part 1 - Em & C chord


This Part 1 of our Beginner acoustic guitar lessons you are going to learn the basics of how to play the open chords easily. The most basic hand position that you will first learn when starting to learn the guitar is the Em (E minor) chord. It only uses two fingers which is 2 & 3. Figure 1 shown below was written this in tablature form. To play this, put your finger 2 on A string on the 2nd fret and your finger 3 on D string also in 2nd fret. The 0 means you play the open string and an open string is where you don't touch the string with your left hand finger. Then strum down all the 6 strings. Make sure that all the notes of the chords sounded. How to check this? Simple, pick each string individually from the 6th string to the 1st string. This will help you make sure that all of the notes of the chord are sounding.

e--------0----------------------------------------------- High e (smallest string)

B------- 0-----------------------------------------------

G-------0-----------------------------------------------

D-------2-----------------------------------------------

A-------2-----------------------------------------------

E-------0------------------------------------------------ Low E (biggest string)

Figure 1

Once all the notes on all string sounded perfectly strum all the strings down and up strokes. Learn to count each time you strum. Count 1, 2, 3, 4 and also 1 & 2 & 3 & 4.


The Next beginner acoustic guitar lessons is the C chord. The C chord is also one of the easiest chords to play not only that it is also one of the most used guitar chord in any song. To play this put your finger 3 on the 3rd fret on A string, finger 2 is in 2nd fret D string and finger 1 on 1st fret B string. Play the chord with only the 5 string starting from the 5th string which is the A. The E string should not be played it consider as dead string. In some cases it can’t be avoided to hit, just try to mute the string to stop from sounding. Again make sure that all the notes of the chords sounded.

e--------0----------------------------------------------- High e (smallest string)

B------- 1-----------------------------------------------

G-------0-----------------------------------------------

D-------2-----------------------------------------------

A-------3-----------------------------------------------

E-------------------------------------------------------- Low E (biggest string)

Figure 2

If all the notes on all string should be sounded perfectly then Strum all the 5 strings down and up strokes like the Em Chord. Then count each time you strum. Count 1, 2, 3, 4 and also 1 & 2 & 3 & 4.


Now its time play a basic chord progression with the 2 guitar chords lessons that we have learned. You have to practice switching between the 2 chords that we learned. Keeping a steady beat and counting. Strum the Em chord 4 times at the count of 1, 2, 3, 4 and then shift to C chord. Again play the C chord 4 times at the count of 1, 2, 3, 4 and then back and forth. Try not to stop because your goal here is to switch between chords with perfect timing and it sounds the best as possible.


Okay there you have it the easiest acoustic guitar lessons chords. Now its time for you to practice.

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Check out the part 2 of this Beginner guitar lessons chords.

Now we’re going to learn how to play the song knockin’ on heavens door by Guns n’ Roses. Check out on my next Beginner Acoustic Guitar Lessons.

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