Guitar Lessons: Learning the open chords, part 1

Learning the open chords need not be a difficult task. In fact, if you look at the similarities between some of these chords you will see that often only one finger needs to be moved to play a different chord. These lessons are designed to help you see these similarities and get you playing the open chords cleanly and help you to memorize them.

Click here if you’re not sure how to read the chord blocks.

Click on the diagrams for an MP3 audio example.

1) Lets start off by playing E Major, E Minor and E7 chords.

Play the E chord. Strum it trying to have each string ring cleanly.
Now remove your first finger and you have the E Minor chord. Again, strum it trying to have each string ring cleanly.
Now remove your 3rd finger and add your first again and you have the E7 chord. Once again, strum it trying to have each string ring cleanly. Repeat this back and forth ( E Major, E Minor, E7, E Minor, E Major etc. )

Did you notice how the 2nd finger is on the same string and fret in each of the above chords? When practicing these and any other chord exercises, look for fingers that are constant between chords and leave them down as you move your other fingers. This is called conservation of motion. In the next progression, you will notice that the 1st and 2nd finger need not move at all.

2) Now lets play the A Minor, Am7, C Major and C7 chords.

Play the A Minor chord. Strum it trying to have each string ring cleanly.
Now remove your 3rd finger and you have the Am7 chord. Strum it trying to have each string ring cleanly.
Now add your 3rd finger and you have the C Major chord. Again, strum it trying to have each string ring cleanly.
Finally, add your 4th finger and you have the C7 chord. Once again,  strum it trying to have each string ring cleanly.

Repeat this back and forth ( A Minor, Am7, C Major, C7, C Major, Am7, A Minor etc. )

TIP: As you practice these chords, notice how some shapes are almost identical. For example, the A Minor chord and the E Major chord are the same shape using the same fingers but are on a different set of strings. Once you master the E Major shape, the A Minor shape is easy. The same can be said of the Am7 and the E7 chords.

© Synaptic Systems Inc., 1999