In order to play the chords, the beginner should first start with the three most common chords. They are the G major chord, C major chord and the D major chord. These are the easiest chords and they should be the ones practiced first.

When playing the G major chord, the guitar player should place the second finger on the sixth string of the third fret. Then he can place the first finger on the fifth string of the second fret. The third finger is then placed on the third fret of the first string. It is important to remember that the fingers should be curled and should not be touching any other strings that they are not supposed to touch. He can then strike all the six strings in one continuous strum. They should make the sound at the same time and not one at a time.

In playing the C major key, all he can do is place the third finger on the third fret of the fifth string. Then, the second finger may be placed on the second fret of the fourth string. He can finally place the first finger on the first fret of the second string. It is important to be careful and not hit the sixth string. Only the bottom five strings should be strummed when playing the C major key.

The D major key may be difficult for some beginners because all three fingers crowd into a very small area. After the technique id learned this should not be a problem to everyone. The beginner can put the first finger on the third string of the fourth fret. Then he can place the third finger on the second string of the third fret. Finally, he can put the second finger on the first string of the second fret. He can then strum the four bottom strings to play the D major key.

It is important to be familiar with these three basic chords before starting to learn the more complicated ones, as these are the chords that are commonly used to play many songs. He can start learning by choosing songs that only have these three chords for his practice and remember, it is by practicing that a person will be able to master playing chords with the guitar.

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Tuning the guitar prior to playing it will ensure that you create harmonious music; for each string has a specific note to play and if it goes out of tune, the sound will seem to be disarrayed. Note that some guitars may not need frequent tuning (well constructed / expensive), but if it is played (to the point of abuse, actually), then it may need tuning. Read on for an essential guide for guitar tuning.

The guitar presents a particular kind of difficulty in tuning because it has six strings, each of which has an individual pitch or a place in the musical staff assigned to it. The string numbers, as more popularly known, from top to bottom are 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, while their musical counterpart are mi, la, re, sol, si, and mi or E, A, D, G, B, and E respectively.

In order to tune the guitar correctly, you must have an axis or a reference pitch. You will need a commercially available pitch pipe or, better yet, acquire a tuning fork in case you dont have a reliable instrument at hand to give you an axis. Pitch pipes have the bad reputation of changing pitches after some time. Tuning forks are more reliable and easier to use.

First, make the fork vibrate by tapping it lightly on any hard object while holding the handle and then let the handle touch the guitars soundboard below or above the sound hole while gently moving it toward the bridge. This will locate the spot where the resonance is at its loudest. You are supposed to hear a high pitched A (la) which should be the same as the sound produced by striking the first string while it is being depressed on the fifth fret.

Now that you have tuned the first string (E/mi), its open sound is the same as the sound of the second string pressed on the fifth fret. The third string on the fourth fret is equal to the open second string (B/si); the fourth string/ fifth fret equals open third string (G/sol); fifth string/ fifth fret equals open fourth string (D/re); and the sixth string/ fifth fret equals open fifth string (A/la).

In order to check the accuracy of your tuning, gently or lightly touch the fifth string directly above the fifth fret wire without pressing the string to the fingerboard. By striking the string in this manner, it should sound similar to that high-pitched tone produced by the tuning fork. Sounds of the string produced this way are called harmonics.

Harmonic 5 (Harmonic on the fifth fret) of the sixth string equals harmonic 7 of the fifth string (which is also similar to the open sound of the first string). Harmonic 5 of the fifth string equals harmonic 7 on the fourth string; harmonic 4 of the third string is equal to the harmonic 5 of the second string and harmonic 7 of the first string. Incidentally, harmonic 4 may require lots of practice for some, so I suggest that harmonic 7 of the sixth string be used to tune the open second string. These pairs of harmonics, when sounded together, should produce only one steady tone. If the sound they produce clashes or seems wavy, they are not in tune.

These two methods of tuning must always go together. You may use the harmonics method first then check with the other or vice versa. If, after crosschecking, the strings do not agree with each other, you may have to repeat the whole process. If you still cannot get them in tune, your strings might be defective. If your strings are new, this may even be worse – your ears need tuning!

To avoid all the hassles of manual tuning, a costly electronic device called a strobo tuner is available. Just turn the dial to the strings name and it will pick the strings sound through a condenser microphone and tell you if it is in tune through a meter

Other conventional methods of tuning are through imitation of pitches from different musical instruments like the piano, flute, etc. You can even use that portable but silly investment, the pitch pipe. But you have been warned!

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Harmony as an element is more sophisticated than rhythm and melody. It was virtually non-existent in primitive cultures. It is an element which appeared comparatively late in the history of music and was developed primarily in western civilization.

Harmony is a musical element based on the simultaneous combination of musical tones (as distinguished from the consecutive tones of a melody), or the accompaniment of a melody using chords.

A combination of three or more tones, played simultaneously and perceived as sounding as a whole is called a chord.

A few rudimentary principles will help you understand the nature of conventional chord construction. The simplest chord is the major triad, which consists of three tones. We can build a triad by selecting the tones of a certain major scale and by adding two or more tones above it in alternate degrees of the original scale. For example, if we start with the tone C as do, the tonic of the C-major scale, we get the triad do-mi-sol, 1-3-5, or using the letter names C-E-G.

The tones of any chord maybe arranged in different order, and they maybe duplicated an octave above or below without changing the essential nature of the chord. This is the reason why we often see chords such as C/E, (the first inversion of the C major triad using the chord tone E as the bass) or C/G (the second inversion of the same triad using the chord tone G as the bass)

Building chords in thirds (on alternate scale degrees as described) was the basis of all conventional harmony from 1700-1900.

In the twentieth century serious music composers expanded the chord vocabulary by additional means of construction for the sake of more colorful and complex effects. Although additional means of construction have been introduced, modern pop, rock and jazz music still follow the conventional way of chord construction by thirds.

Going back to the major chord, you may be wondering why there are several fingerings for a certain major chord. This is possible because in the 12 frets of the guitar, the notes simply repeat themselves in increasing octaves, at their corresponding string. C, for example, is on the first fret at the B string, third fret at the A string, fifth fret at the G string, and on the eighth fret at the E string. For reference, here are the other notes and their possible fingerings:

D: 3rd fret at B, 5th fret at A, 7th at G and 10th at E;

E: 2nd at D, 5th at B, 7th at A, 9th at G and 12th at E;

F: 1st at E, 3rd at D, 6th at B, 8th at S and 10th at G;

G: 3rd at E, 5th at D, 8th at B, 10th at A and 12th at G;

A: 2nd at G, 5th at E, 7th at D, 10th at B and 12th at A;

B: 2nd at A, 4th at G, 7th at E, 9th at D and 12th at B.

Depending on how the melody of the song is arranged, the chord formation can assume any fingering position as long as the triad is formed and however it is conveniently played.

Now that you have an understanding of the major chord, let us investigate its parallel counterpart the minor chord. If the third of the major triad is altered by lowering it by one semitone (one fret on the guitar and two frets for each whole tone), the resulting triad will be C-E /flat-G, which is the minor triad.

Check the fret board and investigate all of the possible fingerings, for the minor chord. You may see that if comparing it with the major chord fingerings, only one string is lowered when forming the minor chord, unless there is a doubling of the minor third (E /flat).

If you are wondering why all the examples mentioned here are on the C chord, it is because it now your turn to apply the lesson. Chart down the major and minor chord triads for the rest of the notes and start strummin!

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In learning the basic 4/4 guitar strumming, you must be knowledgeable about the different basic requirements for guitar playing:

Strokes

Guitar strumming is basically composed of two different strokes: the downward stroke and the upward stroke.

The downward stroke is done by drawing the picking hand (usually, this is the right hand) from the uppermost string down to the other side. The upward stroke is the opposite of the downward stroke.

Finger placing

When reading guitar instructional materials, the fingers are usually assigned numbers. The left-hand fingers are numbered from 1 to 4: the index finger is numbered as 1, the middle finger is numbered as 2, the ring finger is number 3 and the little finger is 4. This numbering is important to remember because tablatures show a beginner how to form chords by placing the fingers properly on the fret board.

The fingers of the left hand are supposed to be placed near the succeeding fret bar to ensure that you get quality sounding vibration from the strings. You must remember not to stress your fingers when pressing the frets.

4/4

If are playing the guitar by reading notes, you can refer to the beat shown near the clef sign to determine if the song should be played with a 4/4 beat as this is what you call the time signature. The time signature looks like a fraction when written in musical notation, the upper number tells one how many beats there are in one measure and the bottom number indicates what kind of note will receive one beat.

D-A-G-A

In learning the basic 4/4 guitar strumming, one can use the different chord families when practicing. One of the most popular chord patterns used in practicing this particular technique is the D-A-G-A chord pattern. Its very popular because the chord patterns are easy to remember and very easy to perform.

You must first memorize the placement of the fingers on the fret board to be able to do the chords. This can take some time and beginners must be patient. Learning the guitar takes time and dedication and cannot be done overnight.

When you are able to master the chords, you should practice doing the chords one after the other, and this is where the 4/4 strumming comes in. In strumming the guitar in a 4/4 rhythm, you should count 1-2-3-4 repeatedly for each chord and shift to the next chord as you repeat the count. You can use downward strokes for each chord when you begin and then practice strumming the chords upward and then downward-upward.

A beginner will almost always find that the left hand is left out when practicing strumming because the fact is that the fingers are still adjusting to doing the chords properly. It will take time and a lot of practice to do the 4/4 strumming technique but it will be worth it.

When the left hand is being left out, you must not stop the right hand and wait for the left hand to form the chord patterns. Be consistent in your counting and strumming to prevent the right hand from becoming slower and train the left hand to be faster in forming the chord patterns.

After you become comfortable doing the 4/4 strumming technique with the D-A-G-A chord pattern, then shift into doing other chord patterns such as C-E-F-G or G-C-F-G. Opt to learn the different chords and familiarize your fingers with forming them. Learning the chords and strumming should be done simultaneously which will allow you to be able to learn at a much faster rate and understand the mechanics behind playing the guitar.

You must remember that the guitar is an instrument of passion and you cannot be a guitar expert in one night. There are many things that you must learn about the guitar to truly appreciate the beauty of the instrument.

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If one wants to play a 3/4 song using a guitar, he must first know what 3/4 means: 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 are what musicians call time signatures. The time signatures are usually placed beside the clef sign. The upper number
(or numerator) indicates the number of beats per measure and the lower number (or denominator) indicates the kind of note that will receive one beat.

3/4 Chord pattern

In playing a 3/4 guitar riff, one has to count 1-2-3 and use this count as a guide when strumming the guitar. In practicing the 3/4 guitar strumming, one can use the chord pattern: D- A7- G.

This is a variation of the 4/4 chord pattern D-A-G-A. Again, this pattern is recommended because of the playability of the chords. This allows the player to be able to concentrate on strumming and chord formation simultaneously without prioritizing one above the other.

The strokes in practicing the 3/4 strumming pattern can be varied, depending on the players preferences. He can practice the pattern using only downward strokes, or upwards strokes or he can use both alternately to get the feel of the guitar.

The traditional song Down in the Valley can be used by beginners to practice strumming the guitar with a 3/4 time. Another song which could be used in 3/4 strumming is the song Time is on my Side by Jerry Ragovoy.

Chord Shifting

Another important thing that a beginner must learn in 4/4 strumming is chord shifting. This becomes an even harder thing to do in 3/4 strumming but it is not impossible to learn; it just takes time and patience. Dont let frustration get into the learning process.

Lets go back and review some of the important basic things one has to know in guitar strumming.

Playing position

When a beginner first holds the guitar and tries out some chords, he usually does these things in an awkward looking position. This is acceptable because beginners will always look at the fret board, put their heads closer to the left hand, etc. But when you want to get serious about learning further things about guitar playing, he needs to be able to play the instrument using the right position.

Here are some few tips for playing the guitar in the proper position:

-position the body, legs and arms in so that tension is avoided
-if tension is present, reassess the playing position
-tilt the neck of the guitar upwards and never tilt it downwards
-keep the body of the guitar as vertical as possible
-avoid slanting the top of the guitar so that you an see better

Holding the pick

If you are using a pick to strum the guitar strings, hold the pick in such a way that the hand is stress-free. So do not hold it too tight or too loosely. The pick should make good contact with the strings but should be done in a moderate way.

Reading tablatures

When you are comfortable with playing some chords and chord patterns, you can then shift into reading guitar tablatures. Tablatures or tabs are great tools in learning how to play the guitar as they translate the musical notation into readable symbols that reflect the way to play a musical piece using a guitar. The lines that are in guitar tabs represent the strings of the guitar. If you place the guitar adjacent to the tabs, you can see what this is all about. The numbers in the lines represent the fret number which is to be pressed by the player. This is basically all you have to know to be able to start reading tabs. Tabs are comprised of symbols and signs other than lines and numbers. More advanced tabs also indicate the type of plucking or string bending technique that should be used for striking each note.

Learning how to play the guitar is an arduous process, but its also fun. One must take it step-by-step and must not rush to learn more techniques if he still cant master the preceding technique. Have fun!

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Capos come in different brands but the common kinds are the elastic capos – which are the least expensive and most commonly used by guitar players, the nylon capos, and the steel string capos.

While it may look a bit strange and highly technical for non-guitar players, the capo can be easily attached to a guitar. It is placed on any of the frets of a guitar neck. A fret is a small ridge on the finger board of a stringed instrument. Or in layman’s terms, it looks like equal divisions located in a guitar’s neck or handle – the one attached to the guitar’s semi-elliptical body.

To use the capo, just attach the device to any of the frets and make sure the clamp can hold all the strings down. Inspect for any kind of pulling of the guitar strings as it may cause the guitar to sound out of tune.

A special kind of capo, the third hand capo, is a gadget that can easily clamp all the strings of the guitar in place. Like the ordinary capos, it allows the guitar player to play tunes that may be difficult to play using the bare guitar strings.

If you have tried singing accompanied by a guitar, or just playing the guitar, you may be familiar with songs that are either too low or too high in pitch and you just can’t reach the right pitch. This is where the capo comes to the rescue, by making the pitch right.

The capo is not only used by guitar experts but it also allows beginners to enjoy different kinds of tunes without difficulty. Using the capo can sometimes be frustrating for guitar players as they can hinder the proper playing or proper hand reaching.

While capos are used with stringed instruments, they are also commonly used with guitars. Guitars can either be acoustic or electric, but the basic method of playing the instrument remains the same.

Most guitars have a total of six strings but there are 12-stringed guitars so no matter how many guitar strings there are, they are most generally played by strumming or plucking the strings with a person’s right hand. Sometimes, though, a pick is used to do the plucking or strumming. The left hand is used to hold the guitar in order to play a note or chord.

A guitarist must possess the following essentials:
1. Extra Strings – guitar strings usually break when you least expect them to so do yourself a favor by keeping extra strings for emergency purposes. Guitar strings should be changed every two months even if they do not break. But if you use your guitar more often than the regular guitar player you should try changing strings more than once every two months to keep your guitar in shape.

2. Picks – stock up on these little things because they are easy to lose. Guitar players who only have one pick and lose it use alternatives like carving a pick from a hard plastic but the professional pick is always better.

3. Capo – the capo is a very important device for guitar players because it can help them strum a higher pitch if a song proves to be too high or too low. You do not want to be frustrated if you cannot get the right pitch so invest in a good capo.

Guitar teachers advise their students, especially beginners, to use an electronic guitar tuner so they can focus on learning how to play the guitar. Like the basic tuner, the capo is one of the essential accessories a guitar player should have because it can easily change keys that sound awkward, with ordinary strumming.

If possible purchase the most durable and reliable capo, even if they are more expensive than the ordinary ones. But before buying a capo, you must first have a guitar on which it can be attached.

The following are tips in buying and maintaining a guitar:

Price must be a consideration because you would want to buy a guitar which is within your budget.

The guitar of your choice must be easy and comfortable to play. Experts suggest that buying a guitar with strings that are close to the fret board would be good for easy playing.

A beginner should not only invest in a good guitar but should also invest in essential guitar accessories like the capo.

Keep your guitar rust-free by making sure you wash and dry your hands properly before playing the guitar. Remember that the guitar strings are pone to rusting so take care of them.

Keep you guitars in a safe guitar case and away from sudden weather or humidity changes.

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Playing the guitar, in particular, is one of the best ways to express the sentiments or feelings of a person. It is also one way of expressing the artistic skill of an individual who loves music. That is why many people are enticed to learn how to play this instrument.

When somebody is playing the guitar, it is assumed that the person has taken some guitar lessons from an instructor or that he has learned to play the instrument all by himself. Whatever method of learning is employed, it is important to use the correct techniques in order to learn how to play the instrument properly.

One of the best ways of learning to play the guitar is to use some simple guitar songs that make it easier comprehend the guitar tablatures. If a person knows how to sight read a particular guitar song, it is easier for him to learn how to play the guitar. This is more appropriate in a higher level of expertise. Some experts assert that some guitarists have started by singing along with their favorite songs and trying to play it on the guitar as they go.

The importance of using easy guitar songs to learn how to play the instruments is broken down into different aspects. Here is the list:

1. It helps the beginner learn the proper pace and rhythm of the song.

Easy guitar songs initiate proper pacing and rhythm enabling the beginner to learn to play the guitar easier. Just by listening to the song, the beginner can easily make some use of the strings and try to associate it with the tempo and the pattern of the notes.

2. Creates an ear for music

Using easy guitar songs provides the chance to create an ear for music. Once the guitarist learns how to listen attentively, he will be able to distinguish the right note coming from the right tab from those that are wrong.

Indeed, using these easy guitar songs can really make a big difference in every beginners learning session. As the experts insist, it would be easier for a beginner to learn the instrument if he will use tools that are not hard to use.

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Playing the guitar requires more than the requisite musical ability, dedication and practice. A guitar players fingers must be dexterous and agile to allow quick single string or chord changes in rhythm or solo musical performances. Those fingers also need to be tough and strong to be able to press the strings enough during quick changes to produce clean tones.

All beginners will remember the first time they played the guitar for an extended period. Our fingertips are originally soft at the very end, with thin skin protecting them. First we feel pain after pressing down on the strings too hard when playing the fretboard, especially all of the fingers except for the thumb. If the aspiring musician hasnt given up by then and continues to practice playing the blisters will eventually dry up and leave calluses on the fingertips.

These calluses will protect the fingertips from the pain of playing for a little while but eventually the pain builds up again as the calluses keep building you end up with thick rough fingertips on a guitarists left (or fret) hand. Graduating to full chords, the entire 1st and 2nd fingers, which form bar chords across the strings, will also go through the process of pain, blisters and calluses. This process toughens up the fingertips, and makes it easy to press on the strings to produce the needed musical tone on the guitar.

The most effective way to strengthen the fingers and improve dexterity is to practice scales and chords on the guitar itself. Chords and scales will help the beginner become familiar with the different chord progressions and musical configuration of the fretboard – it will help the student master the instrument. Knowing and playing chords and scales will embed the musical secrets of the guitar to the player and make it easier to read, learn and perform music, and to create or write your own music for the guitar. As an added bonus, all that practice will greatly improve the strength and agility of the fingers. With the dual advantage of musical training and strength and endurance improvement, a guitarist can develop the ability to perform several full pieces or songs necessary for a long performance event.

However, there is a danger of over-training. Tendonitis is a common affliction of over-exercising and is prevalent in professional athletes and musicians alike. Tendonitis is caused by a repetitive action of a limited set of muscles, causing inflammation and possible damage to tendons and joints. Because certain athletes and musicians tend to use a focused set of muscles in their activities, they share a certain propensity to this injury. But this can be easily avoided. Many persons over-train when they choose to ignore pain during practice and instead continue to perform the activity which directly leads to tendonitis. For guitarists, once you feel pain in your wrist or the tender part of your hands, stop. You should incorporate 5-15 minutes of rest between sets of scales or chord practices. Put the guitar down and shake your hand for a few seconds. If you are not tired but still feel pain, change the practice method: if you are doing scales, switch to slow strumming with full chords.. Changing the set of muscles you exert can help avoid injury and increase the strength of your fingers.

Finally, like an athlete, a guitarist should take care of his body with exercise. Following are two stretching exercises that will improve the flexibility and strength of your fingers:

1. Stand straight with your arms at your sides and hands facing forward. Stretch your fingers down and outward as far as you can and count to ten. Relax and rest for a few seconds and do three repetitions.

2. With the same posture, hold the four fingers of your left hand (except the thumb) with your right and push them towards the back of the hand. Hold the stretch for ten seconds then relax and continue by doing three repetitions.

Remember, strength and agility is achieved by practice, proper rest, and stretching exercises. Now play on!

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The best or perfect level of humidity for a guitar changes from one musical instrument to another, subject to the humidity situations in the workshop or factory where the guitar was assembled.

The humidity at the time that the instrument was being assembled set up the primary dimensions of your guitar. This configuration of dimension is permanently sealed into the entire structure when it is being assembled. Therefore, when humidity changes, each component will expand or shrink unevenly and yet the dimensions of the guitars structure will remain uniformly constant.

The most frustrating problem in the care and maintenance of a guitar of high quality is the woods tendency to either expand or shrink with humidity changes. Damage brought about by humidity changes requires costly repairs because high quality guitars are made from solid wood. These guitars are expensive the sound is superior compared to the lower priced instruments. However, solid woods are very susceptible to changes in humidity because of their propensity to expand or shrink.

High humidity connotes a waterlogged sound from your guitar; it will lack projection and volume having a lifeless and damp tone. The guitar can also be damaged structurally by high humidity.

Usually “bloating” at the back is a problem, most specifically when the back of the guitar is made of extremely hard wood – particularly rosewood. This problem is brought about by the expansion of wood causing the glue on the braces edge to detach.

When a guitar is kept in the basement, a problem that may occur is wood deterioration triggered by the intense humidity

The problems brought about by extremely low humidity levels are even more severe. Excessive loss of moisture in the wood makes the sound of the guitar brittle and at some point stress on the wood due to uneven shrinkage results in cracks.

Here are ways to fight humidity:

1. Watch your guitar closely. Examine it every so often so you can watch out for signs of humidity damage. Observe its back; when there is a drop in the humidity it will sink a bit and you can notice this clearly. When humidity rises, backs grow an arch. If the back becomes very, very flat, introduce some moisture, such as placing a dish of water in your storage area.

2. Store your guitar in its case away from any heat, especially in winter. Keep the case lying flat on the floor and never let it lean or hang it on the wall.

3. During periods when the humidity is extremely high, keep your guitar in a room where there is an air-conditioning system as it dries out the air.

When outside conditions are not too hot, such as in spring or on a rainy day, keep your instrument in a warm room, but avoid the basement, as it tends to cool a great deal.

4. There are many available devices to handle extreme dryness. When low humidity occurs in your area during chilly or cold weather, the use of a furnace-mounted humidifier can be very effective as well as hassle-free.
There are also console humidifiers that have rotating belts that are very efficient and space saving which are ideal when your space is limited.

“Dampit,” is a very effective product that is placed inside the guitar to absorb any moisture that is inside your guitar.

A guitar that has a good sound now can be a wonderful sounding guitar even ten years later when it cared for properly and carefully.

The sound of a guitar is created by the echoing of wood. When the wood matures the echoing quality will improve, increasing your guitars worth. This, plus the model, make, and style of a guitar that will no longer be produced could be of much more value (often many times your purchase price) in 15-50 years.

Just keep in mind that a good quality guitar is also an investment worth your trouble.

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After learning the rudimentary chords on the fretboard, the aspiring guitarist always starts to learn strumming so that he can carry a tune or song. Strumming is one of the most difficult parts of guitar playing for the beginner. Many people still believe that the key to playing depends on learning to keep the strumming hand comfortable, flexible and moving fluidly. However, how the fretboard hand is used is just as important in strumming.

Included in this article is a very short lesson to illustrate and study different 1-bar strumming patterns that can be adapted and applied to songs that the beginning guitarist would like to play.

When playing the guitar in the example, or in any tune, it is very important to remember the following things:

-Do not tighten the muscles of your strumming hand, keep them very loose;

-When strumming, always use an up and down motion, (as one would when shaking hands), from the wrist up and down to loosen it up;

-When playing sheet or tablature music, and you encounter a muted chord (shown as notes or tabs with an “x” crossed over them), take the pressure off the strings that you are pressing, and strum the chord. You should hear just a deep scratch of the strings, with no notes ringing;

-If the chord includes open strings, you might have to block them out by very lightly pressing on them with your non-fretting fingers. You can also just take the side of your fretting hand and lay it lightly across all 6 strings, and strum the guitar.

-The muted chord is one of the most important aspects of strumming. In addition to stressing the rhythm of the song, the muted chord when strummed can aid a guitar player simulate a percussion instrument together with the regular guitar strumming.

First, lets pick three simple chords that you can interchange to practice strumming. These three chords have a structural relationship to each other and are usually found used together in one song. Simple songs, such as pop or folk songs, are examples of songs that use these major chords frequently. The E major chord can be played with the open 1st, 2nd and 6th strings. The 1st fret of the 3rd string and 2nd frets of the 4th and 5th strings are pressed to complete the chord. The A major chord is played with the 1st, 5th and 6th strings open. The 2nd frets of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings are pressed to complete the chord. The D major chord is played by the 1st 4 strings, and the 4th string open. The 2nd fret of the 1st string, 3rd fret of the 2nd string and 2nd fret of the 3rd string are pressed to play the chord.

Prepare by trying to get familiar with fretting just one particular chord (for instance, the A major chord). Practicing getting both strumming and resting hands in place for muted chords and then comfortably switching them back into the next position to play a chord. By practicing a few times, you can do this faster with the fretboard hand. Soon you can alternate muted chords while continuously moving the strumming hand up and down at the same time. This will make your guitar strumming sound a lot better.

In the short sample below, the timing is in 4/4 measure, meaning there are 4 beats to a bar. Down arrows mean a down strumming stroke, up means and upstroke and an x denotes a muted chord. Start slowly and complete the bars, then work up to a faster tempo when you are comfortable. Try to change the patterns and chords to develop your own practice sequence. Afterwards, apply this to chords and bars of a song you know, and you are on your way to playing songs on the guitar. The pattern is: ? ? X ? ? ? X ?

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