| The No Nonsense Approach to Learning Open Chords Make it through this regimen and you’ll KNOW your open chords. You’ll be up strumming, through your favorite songs. How to read the chord numberings: Each chord is given six numbers, as the guitar has six strings. The left number belongs to string 6; the right-most number belongs to string 1. The number identifies the fret to be fingered, on the given string. An “x” on a string position tells you not to pluck that string. A “0” indicates a note you pluck, but don’t finger (it’s an open note). Use the most comfortable fingerings. This method saves you paper, if you print out this page. And it’s efficient in writing diagrams over chord names on lead sheets; neck stampers are too large and hand writing neck sketches is sloppy. If the chord proves too difficult to play, finger only the top or only the bottom notes, until you have the necessary dexterity for playing the whole chord. The diagram for each chord is given only once. So you might need to look at another key, to find it. First, a little theory. The major key has seven notes; a chord is built on each. We’ll count them with roman numerals. Notice that chords I, IV and V are major; chords ii, iii, and iv are minor; vii is diminished. For each key, play the seven chords straight through. Then mix them up, following the common chord progressions listed at the bottom of the page. I ii iii IV V vi vii I 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 C Dm Em F G Am Bdim C Key of C C x32010, Dm xx0231, Em7 020000, F xx3211, G7 320001, Am x02210, Bdim x2313x, Cmaj7 x32000 Key of G G 320003, Am x02210, Bm7 x20202, C, D7 xx0212, Em 0220000, F#dim xx1212, Gmaj7 3x0002 Key of D D xx0232, Em, F#m7 x02222, G, A7 x02020, Bm x2443x, C#dim xx2323, Dmaj7 xx0222 Key of A A x02220, Bm, C#m7 x42100, D, E7 020100, F#m xxx222, G#dim x2313x, Amaj7 x02120 Key of E E 022100, F#m, G#m7 xx4444, A, B7 x21202, C#m7, D#dim x3424x, Emaj7 021100 Key of B B xx444x, C#m xx2120, D#m7 xx1322, E, F#7 xx2322, G#m7, A#dim x1202x, Bmaj7 x2434x Key of F F, Gm xx0333, Am7 x02010, Bb xx333x, C7 x32310, Dm7 xx0211, Edim 012020, Fmaj7 xx3210 Key of Bb Bb, Cm x3554x, Dm7, Eb xxx342, F7 xx324x, Gm7 xx3333, Adim x01212, Bbmaj7 x1023x Use a capo for more flat keys, until you can play bar chords. Common Chord Progressions Strum each chord four times. 1. I IV I I V IV I V. 2. I ii V ii V I. 3. I vi IV V I. 4. vii iii vi ii V I. |
| Barre Chords Each bar chord derives its name from the open chord that it’s like. So the E Form looks just like an E chord, except it’s barred (finger one holds down all the strings). To make use of them, you need to know the notes on the string that the root (the note that names the chord) is on. So for the E Form, you need to memorize string six, up the neck; the fret you bar names the chord. Memorizing the strings isn’t hard, if you remember the names of each open string (6: E, 5: A, 4: D, 3: G, 2: B, 1:E). And remember that E and F are one fret apart, B and C are one fret apart; all other notes are two frets apart. So string six is: E 0, F 1, G 3, A 5, B 7, C 8, D 10, E 12, F 13. Major Minor Min7 Dom7 E Form 799877 799777 797777 797877 Root: 6 A Form x7999x x79987 x79787 x79797 Root 5 D Form 7x578x 6x579x 6x576x 7x576x Root: 4 G Form 87555x 8655xx 6655xx 6755xx Root: 3 C Form Root: 2 x87565 xx6564 x6656x x8786x |
| Open Chords in Open G Tuning G 000000 G (with C note) 000010 G7 x03003 Csus x02010 C x02012 D7 (easy D) xx0210 D xx0230 Em xx2002 |
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