If you are going to play the guitar for the first time, this is your place. In this post I will explain the basic steps to play your first chords on the guitar.

I have chosen the easiest chords, thinking in someone who play the guitar for the first time. They are the easiest chords to play, and among the three they complement each other and can be the basis of thousands of songs. These chords are:

A MAJOR

It is the easiest chord to play on the guitar, because all the fingers go in the same fret:

1. Place your index finger (1) on the fourth string at the second fret.

2. Place your middle finger (2) on the third string at the second fret.

3. Place your ring finger (3) on the second string at the second fret.

4. Leave strings five and six open.

All strings are played except the sixth. The fundamental note (main), which is A, is in the open fifth string.

This chord is the tonic chord (the main one) of the key of A Major. This post is based on the key of A major.

E MAJOR

To play this chord:

1. Place your middle finger (2) on the fifth string at the second fret.

2. Place your ring finger (3) on the fourth string at the second fret.

3. Place your index finger (1) on the third string at the first fret.

4. Leave the strings one, two and six open.

All the strings are played. The fundamental note of the chord (main), which is E, is on the open sixth string.

This chord is the dominant one (the second most important) in A major key.

D MAJOR

To play this chord:

1. Place your index finger (1) on the third string at the second fret.

2. Place your ring finger (3) on the second string on the third fret.

3. Place your middle finger (2) on the first string on the second fret.

4. Leave the string four open.

Only the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings are played. The fundamental note, which is D, is in the open 4th string.

This is the subdominant chord (the third more important) in A Major key.

EXERCISE

The next exercise combines these three chords. You can see the video first:

This is the exercise tab and score (click on it to enlarge):

WHAT SONGS CAN I PLAY WITH THESE CHORDS?

Thousands of songs are composed with just 3 chords, and they are precisely these: tonic, dominant and subdominant. Although many other songs require more chords, these are the main ones, and with these you can play many songs.

HOW TO TRANSPORT A SONG FROM OTHER KEY TO A MAJOR?

If the song you want to play is not in the key of A Major, like this lesson, you just need to transport it. To do this, you must first take into account what scale degree that chord is (the scale degrees are named with Roman numerals:

TONIC = I (the main chord)

DOMINANT = V (the second more important)

SUBDOMINANT = IV (the third more important)

In A major key:

A Major is equivalent to I

E Major equals V

D Major equals IV

Now we are going to transport. Imagine that the song you want to play is in G Major key, and is based in the chords: G Major, C Major and D Major. Then, in G major key:

G Major is I (tonic)

Counting 5 from G is D, since D Major is V (dominant)

Counting 4 from G is C, since C Major is IV (subdominant)

Now you just have to change the chord sequence of G Major key, using the numerical equivalent (I, V or IV) into A Major. In the previous example:

G Major (I) = A Major (I)

D Major (V) = E Major (V)

C Major (IV) = D Major (IV)

This last step may be somewhat more complicated, but with a little practice it is done even on the fly.

Good luck with your first guitar day!