Mostly Mlb Notes
Easy Beginner Notes – One Chord Contour Around Rule Them All
C major will be the granddaddy of all guitar chords, so we should start playing it right away.
I often don’t resort to C major right off the bat with my total beginner students because it does involve stretching the fingers a little, and it also requires that the fretting fingers come down very vertically around the fingertips lest the nonvertical fingers accidentally mute other strings.
But let’s live dangerously-C major it’s for us.
To make C major, just in case you’ve forgotten: place your index finger around the 1st fret with the 2nd string. Then, place your middle finger around the 2nd fret with the 4th string. Finally, place your ring finger around the 3rd fret with the 5th string. Strum all of the strings on the guitar except for the 6th string. Ta da! C major!
Now, if you can make C major in what we call “1st position,” which is the section of the guitar fretboard closest to the head of the guitar where the strings tie off at the tuning pegs, then you’re a lot more than halfway there. It’s actually easier to play that same chord shape anywhere else on the guitar. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
Without getting into a bunch of inevitably confusing music theory stuff, I cannot be able to tell you just what chords you’re about to play using just that C major shape. I’m going to be referring to the chords we play instead as “some kind of” whatever lettered chord we’re making. Just roll with me at night on this and you’ll be making sweet music in no time.
So here’s what we will do. Start with your C chord. Play it normally, and be sure to savor it. Then, slide your three fretted fingers up two frets toward the soundhole with the guitar. This makes some kind of a D chord. Just strum the chord along with your fingers now two frets up each. This puts the index finger around the 3rd fret with the 2nd string, your middle finger around the 4th fret with the 4th string and the ring finger around the 5th fret with the 5th string.
Once you have grown a little bored playing that D chord, slide your fingers up so your ring finger is around the 10th fret with the 5th string. Another fingers remain in the identical relationship to one another so that they all still resemble the initial C major chord fingering that people began with.
Play this G chord thingie-enjoy the newest and unusual mix of high notes with open strings.
Then, slide your fingers back down now two frets toward the pinnacle of the guitar. This puts your ring finger around the 8th fret with the 5th string with the other fingers yet again maintaining the C shape orientation.
This is a sort of F chord.
So there, you have four different positions that you can play the basic C major chord shape to get pretty cool results that immediately enable you to get 1) playing different sounds and 2) learning how to slide down and up the neck of the guitar.
I wrote a song a few years back using exactly this sequence of chord changes, plus it sounds way harder laptop or computer actually is. Let’s just say non-guitar players will totally buy your parlor trick if you play this sliding C-shape chord sequence at your next backyard BBQ or campfire shindig.
Just thought you might be interested in reading this guide: all guitar chords and acoustic guitar chords.