Here are the most basic guitar chords and finger placement tips that you can learn. Plus they are the most fun ones to play when you’re starting out.

* Before you get started with these chords, make sure you’ve learned the previous beginner lesson: Learn Guitar Chords Easy and Fast.
They are sometimes called Open Chords because most of the notes that make up these chords are open strings on the guitar. Almost all classic rock songs can be played with a combination of these basic open chords. You might notice that some of these chord descriptions have a Tip that say “Don’t try to learn this chord yet”. That’s because within the sequence of A,B,C,D,E,F and G, they are a little more difficult to play, and are best learned as Barre Chords, which I will cover in another lesson.

CHORD	TIPS
	At the top of the diagram, on the chord to the left, there is an X. When you see an X on the top of a chord diagram, it means Do Not Play This String. Either skip it, or Mute it. See bottom of this page for explanation on muting. The 1, 2 and 3 below the chord diagram refers to which fingers you use to form the chord. 1 = first finger, 2 = second finger and so forth. You don’t have a fifth finger, so for now, don’t worry about that 😉 ALSO: Besides being an A chord, This is also know as an “A Shape”. [Remember that for the next lesson on Barre Chords.]
	Don’t try to learn this chord yet. I’m only including it to be consistent with the alphabet. It is basically a Barre Chord, and will be taught in the next lesson.
	At the top half of the diagram to the left, the X symbol means don’t play this string, and the two O’s are to let you know that they are to be played as a open strings (in this case it would be an open G, and an open high E string)
	This one is easy on the finger, bit the trick part is NOT to play the E and A strings that are marked with an X in the diagram above the chord chart. Then the D string (which is the root of this chord) is to be played open, as indicated by the O at the top of the chord chart.
	Besides being an A chord, this is also known as an “A Shape”. Remember that for the next lesson on Barre Chords. This is one of the more easy open chords to play because all of the strings on the guitar are played, and nothing is muted.
	Don’t try to learn this chord yet either. I’m only including it to be consistent with the alphabet. It is basically a Barre Chord. (See the lesson on Barre Chords).
	Here’s another great chord that is used in rock often. It’s the first chord in the song “You shook me all night long” by AC/DC, as well as many country and acoustic songs. Remember to keep the D and G strings open.

TIP: DON’T GIVE UP. Yes, I’m talking to you! It takes a while for finger strength to build evenly on all fingers. Everybody struggles with chords at first, and I mean everybody!

 
String muting overview
As mentioned above in the chord explanations. When you see an X on a Chord Diagram it means NOT to play that string/note. If it’s above the chord [example: E and A strings on a D chord] then it’s easy to skip. All you have to do is start the chord with a down stroke starting on the D string.

However, the tricky part comes with muting strings [like in the Chords A or C] when there is a note right above or below it that is O = open.

String muting takes some practice, but here are the basics

1. You can mute a string by using the palm of you hand. Use the palm that is resting against the bridge side of you guitar (the picking hand) or
2. Use the hand you are making the chords with. Or in the case of the open D chord, you can curl your thumb over the top of the neck so that your thumb is touching the E string just lightly enough for it to be muted.

Basic Guitar Chords and Finger Placement Problem Solver

Problem: One or several notes sound muted or are not ringing-out clearly.
Solution:

• Make sure that your thumb is on the guitar neck, behind the chord (not hanging over the top). If one of your fingers is not making good contact with the string/fret, and it sounds muted, try placing your thumb *directly* behind that note.
• Make sure you are pressing down firmly on the correct string on the correct fret.
• Make sure that another finger is not accidentally muting the string alongside it.
• Make sure the fingers of the hand that are forming the chord have a nice arch to them, so that they are not laying across the fretboard causing problems with the other strings.

Problem: One of the strings is ringing-out, or sounds out of tune.
Solution:

• Make sure you are “muting” the strings/notes of the chord that have an X on them in the chord diagrams.

 
Have fun, don’t give up, and I’ll see you in the next lesson.