# Guitar/Open Chords

Open chords are chords that include unfretted strings of the guitar.
Open chords contain one or more open strings. For example the Em chord
diagram on this page shows 4 open strings but the D major chord diagram
only has 1 open string. They are both classed as \"open chords\".

Open chords are the easiest chords to play on the guitar and many famous
songs can be played using just 3 or 4 open chords. Learning a handful of
open chords at the first position (first four frets) and memorizing
their shape is an important step towards mastering barre
chords.

When you strum any chord, all of the strings (open and fretted) should
ring out clearly. If any of the strings cannot be heard; check to make
sure that you are not stopping any string from sounding. If you are
accidentally muting any strings, arch your hand more and curl your
fingers to ensure that it is the tip of the finger pressing the string
and not the flat of the finger.

## Major Chords

Major chords are defined by the major triad. The major triad consists of
three notes which are spaced at specific intervals. In ascending order:
the root, major third and perfect fifth. These intervals are also found
between the first note of a major scale and the third note (major 3rd),
and the first note and the fifth note (fifth). When combined they have a
bright happy tone, and are often used in upbeat music.

There are 6 major chords commonly used in the open position; A, C, D, E,
F and G. The standard tuning of a guitar is designed so that chords can
be easily played. Beginners often find the G major and the F major shape
challenging to play but a small amount of extra practice overcomes any
initial difficulties.

### E Major

<File:E> major chord for guitar (open).png

Many early blues songs are written with E major as the root chord. The
chord contains the notes E, G#, and B, and can be played with three
fingers.

Fingering 1: (o231oo)

First, place your second finger on the second fret of the fifth string.
The string now plays a B note. Then, place your third finger on the
second fret of the fourth string. This note is an E, which is an octave
higher than the open sixth string. Finally, place your first finger on
the first fret of the third string. You can alternatively switch the
second and third fingers.

When you strum this chord, all of the strings should ring out clearly.
If any string sounds dull or muffled, check to see that you are not
accidentally touching strings, and that all the strings are pressed
firmly against their frets. It is important to build good technique
early, as bad habits tend to linger. Make sure that your fingers are
arched on your left hand, and that your thumb is positioned to give you
a strong grip.

### A Major

<File:A> major chord for guitar (open).png

There are several ways to play A major. You should learn how to play all
of them, then use the most suitable to each musical context. In an A
major, the notes are A, C# and E. When playing an A, it is considered
good form not to let the low E string ring out. While an E is one of the
notes in the A major chord, playing an E below the other notes puts this
A major in second inversion. This changes the tone
of the chord, and may not achieve the desired effect.

Fingering: (xo123o)

Put your first, second, and third finger on the second fret of the
fourth, third and second strings respectively. When you strum, ensure
that all strings sound clear, except for the sixth string which should
be muted. This is probably the most popular fingering, but is tough for
people with thick fingers. (xo213o) is a variation by switching the
first and second finger, with the second on the third string, first for
fourth string, third for fifth string.

Alternatively you can finger this chord (xo112o), this requires that the
first finger fret two strings (using the finger\'s pad rather than the
tip). This leaves two fingers free and is often favoured by classical
and flamenco performers, depending on musical context.

(xo234o) fingering allows for easy transition into higher position barre
chords,

(xo231o) fingering allows for easy transition from open E, makes a
transition from A to Amin a breeze (great if A is the IV chord), and is
more comfortable for some with chubby fingers.

Finally, (xo111o) by using one of your fingers, most commonly the first
or third finger, and barre the aforementioned frets. This one is tough
for beginners, but easier for players with large hands. For more
information on barring, see the section on barre
chords.

### D Major

<File:D> major chord for guitar (open).png

Fingering: (xxo132)

Use your first finger on the third string, third finger on the second
string, and your second finger on the first string. Be careful not to
play the sixth and fifth strings, since they are not required for this
chord. At first this may feel awkward, but it will be comfortable to
play. Watch that you keep your thumb low when you play this chord. To
play D minor, try the most common fingering (xxo231), with your first
finger on the first fret of the first string, third finger on the third
fret of the second string, and your second finger on the second fret of
the third string. You can also try to finger the D major chord as
(xxo243), which will help you to later use this as a barred, movable
chord shape.

### G Major

<File:G> major chord for guitar (open).png\|three finger method <File:G>
major chord for guitar open position (no doubled third).png\|four finger
method

There are two common ways to play a G major, a three finger method
(Frets: 320003) and a four finger method (Frets: 320033), both with a
slight difference in sonority. In either way, the notes are a
combination of G, B and D. From this point forward, the fingerings will
be shown in parentheses for the sake of simplicity.

Fingering 1: (32ooo4)

Put your third finger on the sixth string, second finger on the fifth
string, and fourth finger on the first string. This is a favorite among
beginners, and it allows for easy change to the open C major chord.
Alternatively you can finger it (21ooo3), which may be easier for
players with small hands or guitars with small necks and is recommended
when changing to or from a open D7 chord.

Fingering 2: (21oo34)

This uses all four fingers and makes for an easy G to D major chord
change. This has a more \"stable\" sound than the first fingering
because the note played on the open B string is a D therefore avoiding
the doubling of the *third*. Don\'t worry if that explanation isn\'t
clear; just remember the difference between the two chords (one has a
doubled *third*). The theory of chords and how they are constructed from
the intervals of a scale is a subject that requires some
*off-the-guitar* learning but with applied study can be easily
understood.

### C Major

<File:C> major chord for guitar (open).png

Fingering: (x32o1o)

This is the most common fingering. Alternatively, you can use (x42o1o).
(x32o14) or (x32o13) provide C chords with different voicings.

### F Major

<File:F> major chord for guitar (open).png

Fingering: (xx3211)

To play this, use the pad of your first finger, and press the first and
second strings down at the first fret. You need to press firmly, or the
strings will not ring out properly. Then take your second finger and put
it on the third string, and put your third finger on the fourth string.
The fifth and sixth strings should not be played with this chord.

## Minor Chords

Minor chords use the first, third and fifth of the minor scale. They
have a dark, melancholic tone and are most often used in darker music.

### E Minor

<File:E> minor chord for guitar (open).png <File:Em> open chord for
guitar (doubled third on high e).png

Fingering: (o23ooo)

Alternatively you can finger this chord (o22ooo). For variation you can
also add a G on the high E string, and play the cord using these frets:
(o22oo3).

### A Minor

<File:A> minor chord for guitar (open).png

Fingering 1: (xo221o)

You can also finger this like (xo342o).

### D Minor

<File:D> minor chord for guitar (open).png

Fingering 1: (xxo231)

Also often fingered using the fourth finger in the place of the third.
Make sure your first finger does not \"fold\". If you are doing it, you
will know what I mean because your first finger will hurt around the
joints. The proper technique should apply to this chord just as much as
any other. Keep your thumb back.

## Other kinds of chords

There are a variety of other chords that can be played in open position,
and often it involves taking a chord you are already familiar with and
adding or removing a finger. Experimentation can yield a lot of
interesting sounds, and you are only limited by your imagination when it
comes to using them.

### Dominant-type seventh chords

Dominant-type seventh chords are notated as A7, C7 etc. They add an
extra note to a major chord. The extra note is found at an interval of a
minor seventh above the root note of the chord. For example, a D chord
major would contain a D, an F#, and an A making the intervals 1,3,5. A
D7 adds a C to these notes resulting in 1,3,5,minor7. The minor seventh
interval can be easily found by an alternative method. Take any chord,
and lower one of the root notes downwards in pitch by two frets (a whole
step) to locate the minor 7th. The chord will usually sound more settled
if the root remains as the bass note of the chord, so a root note higher
than the bass is the better choice to alter. The chords already shown
above all allow you to do this. Below are some chord shapes you should
know. These are only the open sevenths, which are easier than others
covered in the barre chords section.

**D7**

<File:D7> chord for guitar (open).png

Notice how we moved the octave D from the D major chord (third fret
second string) down two frets, making it the minor 7th. That\'s pretty
much what we are going to do with all the other 7th chords. You can take
any chord and, by moving one of the root notes down two frets, find the
minor 7th.

**E7**

<File:E7> chord for guitar (open).png

Easy, and again, we moved the octave E down two frets.

**A7**

<File:A7> chord for guitar (7th on high E).png <File:A7> chord for
guitar (open).png

Same again.

**G7**

<File:G7> chord for guitar (open).png

A bit unfriendly. Remember, it is not much different from a C chord
shape, except you stretch more.

**B7**

<File:B7> chord for guitar (open).png

This one looks funny, but you will use it a lot in songs in the key of E
major, which is the natural key of the guitar.

