First
Guitar Chords
Mouse
over the First Guitar Chords link below and right
click "save target as", etc. and
print,
or left click First Guitar Chords and
print, download, save, etc.
Please Print This pdf Page First! First
Guitar Chords PDF
First/
Beginner Guitar Chord Charts/ Grids & How
To Read Them
We
will start with the A minor (Am) and E minor (Em)
guitar chords. Please hold your guitar vertical
so it matched the chord grids. The guitar strings
left to right are 6E, 5A, 4D, 3G, 2B, & 1E.
We will use string numbers for the two chords
below.
Why
is that X over string 6 ? What are the O's, Black
Dots, and White Numbers?
An
X over a string indicates that string is not played.
Am above we do not play string 6.
An
O over a string indicates that string is not fretted
but rather played Open. The Am chord has two Open
strings. Strings 5 and 1. The Em chord has four
Open strings, Strings 6, 3, 2, and 1,
A
Black Dot on a string indicates which Fret or
Frets are used on that string to finger the chord.
For the Am chord it is Frets 1 and 2. The Em chord
uses Fret 2.
A
White Number on a Black Dot indicates which left
hand finger to use on that string to properly
finger the chord. Finger 1 is index, 2 is middle,
3 is ring, and 4 is pinky.
The
chords below have the note number for each of
the 6 strings. Remember, from left to right the
string numbers are 6E, 5A, 4D, 3G, 2B, 1E.
Look
at the D chord below. Use numbers. Which
strings have an X and are not played?
Which
string has an Open string?
What
Frets are used to finger the chord?
What
finger is on string 1? string 2? String 3?
D
Chord Answers: Which strings have an
X and are not played? 6 and 5
Which
string has an Open string? 4
What
Frets are used to finger the chord? 2 and 3
What
finger is on String 1? Finger 2 | String 2? Finger
3 | String 3? Finger 1
Look
at the E chord: Use numbers. Which strings
have an X and are not played?
Which
strings are Open strings?
What
Frets are used to finger the chord?
What
finger is on string 3? string 4? String 5?
E
Chord Answers: Which strings have an
X and are not played? 0 or none, there is not
an X on an E Chord chart, because all 6 strings
are played.
Which
strings are Open strings? 6, 2, 1
What
Frets are used to finger the chord? 1
and 2
What
finger is on String 3? Finger 1 | String 4? Finger
3 | String 5? Finger 2
|
-
Hold
your guitar vertically along with
the printed Guitar Chord Chart next
to it at the first fret.
-
The
6 strings on the guitar match the
chord chart left to right, string
6 to string 1. The 6th string
is the thickest and on your left
-
On
some guitar chord charts the "Open"
string notes on the Chord Chart are
shown above each string: E,
A, D, G, B, E. Sometimes the Chord
Name is Above the chord chart, sometimes
it will be found Below it. See above.
-
To
recap:
-
An X over a string
indicates that string is not
played
-
An
O over a string indicates
that string is not fretted but rather
played Open
-
A
Black Dot on a string
indicates which fret is used on
that string to finger the
chord. The First, Second or Third
fret
-
A
White
Number on a Black
Dot indicates which left
hand finger to use on that
string to properly finger
the chord.
- Finger
1 is index, 2 is middle, 3 is ring,
and 4 is pinky
Some
Chord Charts have Numbers at the
Bottom of the string to indicate
which finger to use on that string instead
of a number on a black dot.
Compare
the two E chords below.
 
Some
guitar chords use the same finger
shape but on different strings.
Such as the E and Am (m = minor).
Remember,
the numbers below the string is the finger
number to use on that string, not the
string number.
For
the E chord the fingers are on strings
5, 4 and 3.
For
the Am chord the fingers move to string
4, 3 and 2 but stay in the same position.
This
Lesson With Extra Content
Is Available
For FREE Download!
First-Guitar-Chords-Lesson.pdf
There
is a song Beethoven composed for the piano
that I have arranged using these 2 chords
E and Am (for the most part). I arranged
it for Easy Guitar so beginners that know
the E and Am chords are able to tackle
it. I call the song For Elsy, but the
name is For Elise.
My
arrangement is short to keep it simple
for the student. The other chords in the
song are just parts of the C and G chords.
We can go over the song if you decide
to come in for lessons or I can teach
you by ZOOM.
Burt
Cell
Text 410-739-1511
Here
is a link to the
For Elise TAB if anyone is interested.
This is an easy one but sounds very hard
and complicated. Please don't admit how
easy it is! .
If you don't know what Tab is here is
an
Introduction to Reading Tab. Or, this
Intro
To Guitar Tab With Intervals Lesson
is a good follow up to the Introduction
to Reading Tab.
Please
let me know what you think. My email.
burt120@gmail.com
Learn
the chords on the Chord Chart
Page that you printed earlier
but save C and G for last.
The
chord chart shown below has some chords
and some chord fingering that I believe
are not for beginners. Specifically
the G fingering and the F fingering. Did
you notice F is not found on the First
Guitar Chords printout?
Some
of the teaching materials available I
just don't agree with and that is why
I do many myself. I had a very hard time
with the F chord when I was first learning
the guitar chords. And the C and G.
Skip
C , G, and F. Learn the other
chords and come back to C, G and F after
you master the others.
|
|
Please Like Island Guitar Studios!
I
now offer weekly, bi-weekly & monthly
guitar lessons. 
