Guitar chords for beginners

Start with Em, Am, E, A, D, G, C and Dm, in that order. They are all open chords (no barre), they share finger positions, and together they cover the chords of G, C, D, A and E major. Tap any chord to hear it.

Each diagram shows the strings from low E (left) to high E (right). Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. An x means don't play that string; an o means let it ring open. The notes under each diagram are the ones you'll hear.

Why this order

The order is about your fingers, not about theory. Each new chord reuses a finger position you already know, so you are never starting from zero.

1. Em uses 2 fingers and all six strings ring. You can strum everything without worrying about which strings to skip, so it's the best chord for learning how to press and strum at all.
2. Am is A, C, E. Keep your middle finger on the D string, 2nd fret pressed down the whole time. You also learn your first muted string: start the strum on the A string.
3. E is the Am shape moved over by one string. Every finger keeps its fret and shifts one string toward the ceiling, so the hand shape is already familiar.
4. A puts three fingers side by side on the 2nd fret. It is cramped at first; that is normal. Some players use one finger flat across all three.
5. D is a small triangle on the top 4 strings. From A, pivot move: your index finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the D string to the G and your middle finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the G string to the high E.
6. G stretches from the low E string to the high E string. It's the first chord that asks your hand to open wide.
7. C is the one most beginners find hardest of the eight, because the ring finger reaches to the 3rd fret on the A string. From Am, keep your middle finger on the D string, 2nd fret and index finger on the B string, 1st fret pressed down the whole time.
8. Dm completes the set. It is D, F, A, and changing from Am is a matter of shifting the shape across: pivot move: your index finger stays on the 1st fret and slides from the B string to the high E and your middle finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the D string to the G.

With these eight you can play the main chords in several keys. G, C, D and Em are the I, IV, V and vi chords of G major. C, Am, Dm, G and Em all belong to C major. A, D and E are I, IV and V in A major.

The first chord changes to practice

Knowing a chord and changing to it in time are two different skills. Practice changes in pairs. Each button below plays the pair back and forth four times at a slow, steady pace, so you can hear the target and play along.

• Em ↔ Am Play the change

  Keep your middle finger on the D string, 2nd fret pressed down the whole time.

• Am ↔ C Play the change

  Keep your middle finger on the D string, 2nd fret and index finger on the B string, 1st fret pressed down the whole time.

• G ↔ C Play the change

  Pivot move: your ring finger stays on the 3rd fret and slides from the high E string to the A.

• D ↔ G Play the change

  Pivot move: your index finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the G string to the A and your ring finger stays on the 3rd fret and slides from the B string to the high E.

• A ↔ D Play the change

  Pivot move: your index finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the D string to the G and your middle finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the G string to the high E.

• Am ↔ E Play the change

  Pivot move: your index finger stays on the 1st fret and slides from the B string to the G, your middle finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the D string to the A and your ring finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the G string to the D.

• Am ↔ Dm Play the change

  Pivot move: your index finger stays on the 1st fret and slides from the B string to the high E and your middle finger stays on the 2nd fret and slides from the D string to the G.

• Em ↔ G Play the change

  Keep your index finger on the A string, 2nd fret pressed down the whole time.

Look for anchor fingers like these in every change. A finger that stays down keeps your hand oriented, and a finger that slides along a string is faster than one that lifts off and lands again.

A simple ten-minute practice routine

1. Two minutes: tune up. Use the guitar tuner. An out-of-tune guitar makes correct chords sound wrong, which is discouraging for no reason.
2. Two minutes: one new chord. Place the fingers, strum once, then pick each string one at a time. Fix any string that buzzes or thuds before moving on. Compare against the Play button above.
3. Four minutes: one-minute changes. Pick one pair from the list. Set a timer for a minute and count how many clean changes you make. Write the number down. Do two pairs a day. The count goes up week by week, and that's the most honest measure of progress there is.
4. Two minutes: play in time. Set the metronome to 60 BPM and strum four down-strokes per chord through a short loop such as G, Em, C, D. If you miss the change, keep strumming and land late rather than stopping.

Practice most days rather than for a long time. Fingertips toughen with frequent short sessions, and your hands remember shapes better when they see them daily.

Common problems and fixes

Buzzing strings

Press just behind the fret wire, not in the middle of the space between two frets. The closer you are to the wire, the less pressure you need. If a single string buzzes, pick it on its own and nudge that finger toward the fret.

Muted or dead strings

A string that goes "thunk" is being touched by a neighboring finger. Bend your knuckles so each finger comes down on its tip, like a hammer rather than a flat hand. Your thumb sits behind the neck, roughly behind your middle finger, which lets the fingers arch.

Sore fingertips

Soreness is normal for the first few weeks while calluses form. Keep sessions short, stop if the pain turns sharp, and avoid practicing straight after a long bath or swim, when the skin is soft. Many beginners find nylon strings or lighter-gauge steel strings much kinder.

Slow changes

Look at the next chord before you need it, move all fingers together as one shape, and keep strumming even if the change isn't finished. A slightly messy chord on the beat sounds better than a perfect chord that arrives late.

The first barre chords: F and Bm

Once the open chords feel easy, two chords keep showing up that don't have a comfortable open shape. They use a barre: one finger pressing several strings at once.

• F 1-3-3-2-1-1 Play F
• Bm x-2-4-4-3-2 Play Bm

F is the E shape moved up one fret with the index finger laid across at the 1st fret. Bm is the Am shape moved up two frets, with the barre at the 2nd fret. That's the idea behind every barre chord: an open shape you already know, slid up the neck. The barre chords guide shows the technique and the full chart. If a song needs F and you're not ready, a capo can often move it to a key with open chords.

What to learn next

• Chord progressions: the loops these chords are used in, playable in any key.
• Seventh chords such as G7, A7 and E7, which are easier than they look and sound great in blues.
• Power chords for rock: two or three strings, one shape, every root.
• The notes on the fretboard, which turns barre chords from a memory test into a map.
• The full guitar chord library and a printable chord chart for the music stand.
• Prefer a structured course? See the guitar learning apps compared.

Every diagram and sound on this page is generated from the chord's notes by the same engine: what you see is what you hear. Updated September 2026.