Beginner Guitar Chords

Learn 8 easy open chords to play thousands of songs

Want a quick reference for beginner guitar chords? At first, it's easy to get overwhelmed with thick chord books and online dictionaries showing dozens of ways to play each chord.

If you are a "newbie", you should start with the basics and work up from there. There are eight relatively easy-to-play chords to learn first. Once you learn these and can play them well and transition smoothly between them, you are well on the way.

With these under your belt, you can play literally thousands of songs including rock, pop, folk, blues, country, worship, and traditional music, and much more. These chords are the "master" chord shapes that will serve as a springboard to learn more advanced forms such as Barre chords.

In learning them, concentrate on forming the chords correctly, and pressing the strings down firmly to get a clear sound. Then practice transitioning from chord to chord until you can do it smooth and naturally. At first, it will be feel awkward and the chords may not ring true, but in fact if you keep trying you will be able to conquer these easy chords for beginners, and start playing songs.

Chart of Beginner Guitar Chords

Next Beginner Guitar Chords Chart: Easy Barre Chord Substitutes

Learn Basic Chords and Chord Families

Get more basic guitar chord charts including printable .pdf files

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