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Video / Updated 11-09-2022

Open chords are chords that fall within the first four frets typically using open strings. They sound twangy because they include unfretted strings that are permitted to ring open. This chart represents 24 of the most useful open chords you use to play guitar:

Article / Updated 09-22-2022

You can use chord patterns to track chord progressions in the open position on the guitar, although doing so takes some extra work and requires that you identify the actual note name of each chord. To play in the key of G using common open chords, visualize the 6th string chord pattern starting on G at the 3rd fret and replace each barre chord with an open chord. Here’s how: Visualize the 1st barre chord, the I chord (G), but play an open G chord instead. Visualize the 2nd chord, the ii chord (Am), but play an open Am instead. Because there’s no open chord iii (Bm), play Bm at the 2nd fret of the 5th string close to the open position instead. Use common open chords to play chords IV, V, and vi (C, D, and Em). Play through all the chords forward and backward, calling out the numbers as you go. Follow along with your eye using the 6th string chord pattern even though you’re not using its barre chords. After you get the hang of playing like this in G, you can move the chord pattern and use open chords in other keys like F and A. When you do this, play open chords when you can and use the barre chords to fill in the rest, staying as close to the open position as possible. For example, in the key of F, you can play the Am, C, and Dm as open chords, but you have to use the barre chords to play the rest. In the key of A, you can play A, D, and E as open chords, Bm and C♯m at the 2nd and 4th frets of the 5th string, and F♯m at the 2nd fret of the 6th string. Do the same thing with the 5th string chord pattern starting in the key of C. In C, you can play all the chords as open chords except for F, which guitarists usually play as a partial barre chord when it’s paired with open chords. Move the chord pattern and use open chords in other keys; just remember to stay as close to the open position as possible when you need to fill in with barre chords.

Article / Updated 09-16-2022

Regardless of style, certain guitarists have made their mark on the world of guitar so that any guitarist who comes along after them has a hard time escaping their legacy. Presented here, in chronological order, ten (or 12, but who's counting?) guitarists who mattered and why. Andrés Segovia (1893–1987) Not only was Andrés Segovia the most famous classical guitarist of all time, but he also literally invented the genre. Before his arrival, the guitar was a lowly instrument of the peasant classes. Segovia began performing Bach pieces and other serious classical music on the guitar (writing many of his own transcriptions), eventually elevating this "parlor" activity to a world-class style. His incredible performing career lasted more than 70 years. His signature pieces include Bach's "Chaconne" and Albeniz's "Granada." Django Reinhardt (1910–1953) Born in Belgium, Django Reinhardt was a ferociously virtuosic acoustic guitarist who defined the gypsy jazz guitar sound. His blistering single-note runs, vocal-like string bends, and rapid-picked tremolo technique became hallmarks of the style. Reinhardt was centered in Paris for most of his career and made the bulk of his important recordings with his band, the Quintette du Hot Club de France, and with jazz violinist Stephane Grapelli. His stunning instrumental work is all the more amazing when you consider that his left hand had been severely injured in a fire, leaving him the use of just two fingers. His signature tunes include "Minor Swing," "Nuages," and "Djangology." Charlie Christian (1916–1942) Charlie Christian invented the art of electric jazz guitar. His fluid solos with Benny Goodman's big band and smaller combos were sophisticated, scintillating, and years ahead of their time. After hours, he used to jam with fellow jazz rebels at Minton's in New York, where his adventurous improvisations helped create the genre known as bebop. Christian played the guitar like a horn, incorporating intervallic (non-stepwise) motion into his lines. His signature tunes include "I Found a New Baby," "Seven Come Eleven," and "Stardust." Wes Montgomery (1923–1968) A legendary jazz player, Wes Montgomery's brand of cool jazz was based on the fact that he used his thumb, instead of a traditional guitar pick, to sound notes. Another of his innovations was the use of octaves (that is, two identical notes in different ranges) to create fat, moving, unison lines. He died young, but his proponents still call him one of the all-time jazz greats. His signature tunes include "Four on Six" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams." Chet Atkins (1924–2001) Known as "Mr. Guitar," Chet Atkins is the definitive country guitarist. Building on Merle Travis's fast fingerpicking technique (see Chapter 13), Atkins refined the style, adding jazz, classical, and pop nuances to create a truly sophisticated country-guitar approach. He played with Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, and countless country stars over the decades. His signature tunes include "Stars and Stripes Forever" and "Yankee Doodle Dixie." B.B. King (1925–2015) Although he wasn't the first electric bluesman, B.B. King is easily the most popular: His swinging, high-voltage guitar style complemented charismatic stagemanship and a huge, gospel-fueled voice. Along with his trademark Gibson ES-355 guitar, nicknamed "Lucille," King's minimalist soloing technique and massive finger vibrato cemented his place in the annals of electric blues history. His signature tunes include "Every Day I Have the Blues" and "The Thrill Is Gone." Chuck Berry (1926–2017 ) Perhaps rock's first real guitar hero, Chuck Berry used fast, rhythmic double-stops to create his signature guitar style. Although some regard him equally for his songwriting and lyric-writing skills, his fire-breathing breaks made his signature tunes "Johnny B. Goode," "Rockin' in the U.S.A.," and "Maybelline" bona fide guitar classics. Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) Considered the greatest rock guitarist of all time, Jimi Hendrix fused R&B, blues, rock, and psychedelia into a mesmerizing sonic soup. His 1967 breakthrough at the Monterey Pop Festival instantly rewrote the rock guitar textbook, especially after he whipped off his Stratocaster and lit it on fire. Young guitarists religiously copy his licks to this day. Hendrix was known for his fiery abandon (even when his guitar wasn't actually on fire) and innovative work with feedback and the whammy bar. His signature tunes include "Purple Haze" and "Little Wing." Jimmy Page (1944– ) Jimmy Page succeeded Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck in the Yardbirds, but he didn't really find his niche until forming Led Zeppelin, one of the great '70s rock bands — and of all time. Page's forte was the art of recording guitars, layering track upon track to construct thundering avalanches of electrified tone. Yet he could also play sublime acoustic guitar, regularly employing unusual tunings and global influences. In rock circles, his six-string creativity in the studio is unmatched. His signature tunes include "Stairway to Heaven" and "Whole Lotta Love." Eric Clapton (1945– ) In many ways, Eric Clapton is the father of contemporary rock guitar. Before Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page showed up, the Yardbirds-era Clapton was already fusing electric Chicago blues with the fury of rock 'n' roll. He later expanded upon this style in Cream, Blind Faith, and the legendary Derek and the Dominos. Clapton eventually went solo, turning into one of the most popular recording artists of the last 40 years. A true living legend, his signature tunes include "Crossroads" and "Layla." Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954–1990) A Texas-born-and-bred rock and blues virtuoso who declined a gig with David Bowie so he could instead record his first solo album, Stevie Ray Vaughan played Texas blues as a high-energy amalgam of B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. So explosive and pyrotechnic was his playing that people had trouble categorizing him as a blues or a rock player. Vaughan was tragically killed in a helicopter accident leaving from a gig, but every blues guitarist who comes up today has been influenced by him, and his work is the benchmark for modern electric blues playing. His signature tunes include "Pride and Joy," "Texas Flood," and "Love Struck, Baby." Eddie Van Halen (1955–2020 ) Rock guitar's equivalent to Jackson Pollock, Eddie Van Halen's improvisationally inspired splatter-note approach to metal guitar completely reinvented the style starting in the late '70s. He turned two-handed tapping into a common guitar technique (thanks to his groundbreaking "Eruption"), while pushing the limits of whammy bar and hammer-on expertise. Van Halen is also a master at fusing blues-based rock with modern techniques, and his rhythm playing is one of the best examples of the integrated style (combining low-note riffs with chords and double-stops). A guitar hero in every sense of the term, his signature tunes include "Eruption," "Spanish Fly," and "Panama."

Article / Updated 09-16-2022

A triad is a set of three notes stacked in 3rds. Playing in 3rds on the guitar means that you start on a scale degree, count it as “1,” and then move to the scale degree that is three away, “3.” For example, the G major scale is G-A-B-C-D-E-F♯. If you start counting from G, then the 3rd is B (G-A-B, 1-2-3). If you start counting from A, then the 3rd is C (A-B-C, 1-2-3). A triad is three notes that are all a 3rd apart. For example, in the G major scale, G and B are a 3rd apart and B and D are a 3rd apart. Together all three of these notes are a 3rd apart, called two consecutive 3rds. G-B-D make a G triad. You also call the members of the triad root, 3rd, and 5th because counting from the starting point, G, B is the 3rd degree and D is the 5th. G A B C D E F♯ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 G B D 1 3 5 Harmonizing a root, 3rd, and 5th together (in other words, playing them simultaneously) produces a chord. Basically, the difference between any old chord and a triad is that a chord is a group of three or more notes, and a triad is specifically a root, 3rd, and 5th. You build triads on all scale degrees by following a formula of 3rds. Not all triads are the same. Because of the half step and whole step formula of the major scale, some 3rds are closer or farther apart than others. As a result, there are major triads and minor triads. One triad is diminished. Major triad: Building from the 1st scale degree of the major scale Building a triad starting from the 1st degree of the major scale produces a major triad. Sounding the triad’s notes produces a major chord. In the first diagram, you see all 7 degrees of the G major scale in one sample position. In the second diagram, you see just the root, 3rd, and 5th triad. When you strum all three of these triad notes simultaneously, you play a chord. Specifically, this chord is G major — G because the root is G and major because the distance between the root and 3rd is two whole steps, which make up a major 3rd. The third diagram shows you that the actual note names of the G triad are G, B, and D. Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna A G major chord is always made from the notes G-B-D; however, you can have more than one occurrence of each note. For example, you can play a G major chord as G-B-D-G or G-B-D-G-B. You can even stack the notes out of order like this: G-D-G-B. Whatever order you play the notes in and however many occurrences of each note you play, all combinations of G-B-D produce harmony that’s recognized as a G major chord. Notice that these common G major chord shapes all use the same notes, although not necessarily in the same number or order. Chords like the ones shown here are considered triads because, technically, they’re still based on three pitches even though they vary in the exact number and order of their notes. Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna Minor triad: Building from the 2nd scale degree of the major scale Using the G major scale, count one-two-three-four-five from the 2nd degree, A (A-B-C-D-E), and take every other note, 1-3-5 or A-C-E. This is an A minor triad — A because the root is A and minor because the distance from 1 to 3 is a step and a half, which makes up a minor 3rd or flat 3rd (♭ó3) interval. Check out how to build a triad from the 2nd major scale degree, A. The major scale used here is exactly the same as the one used for the previous triad, G major. The only difference is that you’re now counting from the 2nd scale degree, A, to determine its 3rd and 5th. The G note was left at the 3rd fret of the 6th string blank so that you know not to start on it. You can play the note A either on the open 5th string or at the 5fth fret of the 6th string. You need to do the latter to play the triad as a chord. You can see that the notes of this A minor triad are A-C-E. Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna Notice that these common A minor chord shapes all use the same notes, although not necessarily in the same number or order. (In case you don’t know, an “X” at the top of a string indicates that you don’t play that string.) Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna

Article / Updated 07-21-2022

To use the C form as a moveable barre chord, your 1st finger acts like a capo and lays across (barres) the guitar neck while your remaining fingers form the rest of the chord shape. One way to arrive at this fingering is to play an ordinary open C chord, replace fingers 1-2-3 with 2-3-4 (this puts your 4th finger on C at the 3rd fret of the 5th string), slide your fingers up two frets, and then barre across the 2nd fret with your 1st finger. The numbers indicate the fingering. Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna When everything is in place, this shape actually becomes a D chord. Your 4th finger ends up on the new root D at the 5th fret of the 5th string. Don’t fret (no pun intended) if this barre chord is hard to play. This shape is rarely, if ever, used in its entirety. Instead, it’s usually broken apart into smaller, more easily fingered pieces. However, to understand where these fragments come from, you need to know the full form. So just focus on visualizing the shape of the C form barre chord. If you’re having trouble, don’t barre completely across the fingerboard with your 1st finger. The only open strings in a C chord are the 1st and 3rd, so you need to barre only enough to cover those strings when you move the shape up. Slide this barre chord shape around and play a chord for notes along the 5th string. Note the root is always under your 4th finger.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-10-2022

Learning to play the guitar is a lot fun. Use this cheat sheet to help you get started with your guitar finger placement and guitar chords. If you need help with finger placement on your guitar, use tablature (tab) and fingerboard diagrams. Practice playing the most common open-position chords on your guitar to get that “jangly” sound, and make sure you know the notes on the neck of your guitar to change starting notes in scales, chords, and arpeggios.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-16-2022

On this Cheat Sheet, you find handy reference material that you can print and place conveniently in your practice area. Included are an explanation of guitar notation as it translates to actually playing the guitar, 24 common guitar chords, a fingerboard diagram showing all the notes on the guitar up to the 12th fret, and a list of essential tools and accessories that facilitate trouble-free and versatile music-making on guitar.

Article / Updated 04-24-2017

You don’t need experience reading music to use tablature (tab) and fingerboard diagrams to play your guitar. Check out these diagrams to help with finger placement on your guitar:

Article / Updated 04-06-2017

Although lead guitar is a studied craft with an established orthodoxy (that is, you can buy books on the subject), rhythm guitar is a universe without any rules. No one can say for sure what makes up a good rhythm guitar part, but you sure know one when you hear it. The best rhythm players in rock — such as Pete Townshend, Eddie Van Halen, and Keith Richards, just to name a few — all play in a style that’s hard to label or analyze. But part of that indefinable magic comes from the fact that these guitarists don’t limit themselves to just chords when playing rhythm guitar. They mix a healthy dose of single notes into their playing. Although he was known for his fiery leads and stage antics (such as playing with his teeth and lighting his guitar on fire), Jimi Hendrix was a superb rhythm player. In his ballads, notably “Little Wing” and “The Wind Cries Mary,” Hendrix plays lovely Curtis-Mayfield-inspired R&B chords that sound like a cross between gospel, country, and piano figures. Hendrix also played his share of double-stops, too. This is a hard rock progression that mixes power chords, open position chords, and single notes into one cohesive part. Note how it builds up dramatic power by starting slow and becoming increasingly active. The squiggly vertical lines in bar 2 tell you to draw the pick across the string in a quick arpeggio, creating a kerrrang sound. Experiment to see just how long you can drag out the strums without losing the sense of the rhythm. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t make the riffs sound exactly like the versions you hear in your favorite songs. As long as you can play the correct pitches in the specified rhythm, you’re doing fine. You have to find your own style.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

This figure of the nine-fret guitar neck has the notes in letter names for all six strings’ frets up to and including the 9th fret. Use this diagram to help you move any scale, arpeggio, or chord to a different starting note.