Guitar Lessons For Beginners | Guitar Chords For Beginners

How Online Guitar Lessons for Beginners Could Work for You

One of the easiest ways for you to begin playing the guitar and learning more about guitar music is through the internet.  There are even a wide variety of guitar lessons for beginners available online.  Some of these lessons will offer video tutorials and other things that could make learning simpler.

Now if you have decided that you are going to start taking guitar lessons for beginners online then you should do some research before choosing your lessons.  If you know someone who is good at playing guitar it is always a good idea to have them look over the lessons.  The big thing here is that you want to make sure that you know that you have high quality lessons and that you are learning how to play guitar in the right way.

There are some additional considerations that can help you have the most success with beginner guitar lessons.  One of these is to choose guitar lessons for beginners that are comfortable for you.  There are even lessons that are free and available in a video format where you can watch your computer screen and practice along with the video.

These are better choices for someone who does not have a lot of musical background and knowledge and would not be able to recognize things without seeing them.  If you do not think that you need to watch the videos then there are a ton of websites that offer links to guitar lessons for beginners.  These are typically in a format that is similar to a book and something that might not be the best for everyone.

No matter what type of guitar lessons for beginners that you choose to go with one of the first things you will have to know is guitar chords for beginners.  Keep in mind that some things will help you to be more successful in learning the necessary chords.  One of these is that you should take a three step approach to learning the chords.

The first step in learning guitar chords for beginners is to practice the chords while looking at them until you are comfortable.  The next step will be to practice them while closing your eyes.  Finally you will practice the chords as part of your guitar lessons for beginners while focusing on something else.  One all of these are mastered you will be ready to learn more new chords.

Want to learn how to play the guitar with free online lessons? Click here to check out the internet’s best guitar site that also gives you a free chord book! I’m serious. Also, if you are so inclined, there are also guitars with HDMI cables that are built in which are cool too!

If you are looking for guitar chords, I recommend you take a look at the image I got for you below.

Guitar Chords

I advise you print this out and practice!

Easy Songs To Play On Guitar

Three Easy Songs to Play on Guitar That You Should Try

There are many reasons that you might want to learn to play the guitar.  For me it was the idea that I too could create beautiful music like all of the greats.  What I found very encouraging was being able to learn easy songs to play on guitar because then I could play them and entertain and impress my friends.

Going online I quickly discovered hundreds of songs that came up as being easy songs to play on guitar.  However from my experience this was actually quite frustrating because so many of these songs were not at all easy and required a level of skill that I did not have yet as a beginning guitarist.  What I did find though were that the following five songs were easy for me to learn and they greatly helped me to improve my skill level.

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One of the first songs that I personally was able to master was “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynard Skynard.  This song was not only easy to learn but fun to play especially when my friends and family were around because everyone could join in the fun of singing along.  There are actually just four chords that are played in this song and one of them is only played one time so it is one of the easy songs to play on guitar.

Another song that I was actually quite surprised to learn was so easy was “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan.  Of course, being a Dylan fan, it was exciting to play a song that I had grown up listening to and enjoying.  This song is another that uses just four chords which makes it one of the easy songs to play on guitar but it also has great lyrics that are fun to sing with others around you.

In addition to these songs I found that another of the easy songs to play on guitar was Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.”  This was really another shocker for me because I have always considered Pink Floyd to have an immense amount of talent so to think that I could actually play something that they had written and played surprised me.  It is such a popular song too that everyone is sure to recognize it.

So you can easily see that learning easy songs to play on guitar does not have to be boring.  There are many popular and fun songs that are not at all difficult to play so you can easily enjoy them while you continue to improve your skills as a guitarist.

Want to learn how to play the guitar with free online lessons? Click here to check out the internet’s best guitar site that also gives you a free chord book! I’m serious.

Jamorama | Jamorama Review

 

A Look into Jamorama – My Jamorama Review

Personally Jamorama was a tool that I did not know that I would need.  I have been playing around with a guitar for years but have never really been too serious or dedicated.  I was really only able to play some of the more basic chords and do the basic strumming.

I was not even able to play any songs because I had just never been that serious with it.  Recently I decided that I would like to be able to play songs and spend time enjoying my own music.  I had heard wonderful things about Jamorama so I decided to give it a try.

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The first thing that I should tell you with this review of Jamorama I s that I decided to download the guitar lessons.  I was able to start the lessons the same day which was nice and I was actually able to quickly advance through them.  Since the program is available online it gives you the ability to download the lessons or to use them at any time.

The lessons were also very easy to get started with.  Even though I had been playing for some time casually I was not really that experienced in a variety  of different areas.  Thanks to Jamorama I have since been able to get started and actually play the guitar.

I am not one of those lucky few who are instantly able to play the guitar and have it be like second nature.  I have to work hard for each new chord or note that I learn.  With Jamorama it was easy for me to be able to follow along even as I progressed to the more difficult and advanced skills.

There were some negative aspects to Jamorama as well.  One of these is that it did take quite a bit of time to download.  Another is that in some cases I had a hard time seeing what the instructor was doing but typically everything is very clear and simple.

Plus once you have completed the initial Jamorama courses you are bale to move on to the more advanced ones like learning how to play lead guitar.  This additional lesson set was really great for me because I would have never known about how to get started as a lead guitarist without it.

So my Jamorama review is that the system is great for anyone who has wanted to learn more about the guitar.  The system actually offers a wide variety with its forty four lessons which feature one hundred and forty eight step by step videos.  Plus you learn how to play twenty six jam tracks in the process.

Want to learn how to play the guitar with free online lessons? Click here to check out the internet’s best guitar site that also gives you a free chord book! I’m serious.

Step By Step Guide On How to Tune Your Guitar

In order for a guitar to give out the desired sound, it has to be tuned in the right way. This means that you should have effective tips and guidelines on how to tune your guitar in the desirable way. Without a guide tuning a guitar might prove to be a difficult and frustrating task especially to beginners. The guitar should be tuned each and every time that you want to play. This will ensure that the guitar gives out the best sound all the time. Tuning usually does not take a long time and the more you get familiar with it the faster you will tune it.

The most common guitar tuning method is the standard one and it is simpler than any other method. Here you will have to start with the E string and the bottom one should be tuned as accurately as possible. This is done although most of the time it does not go out of tune considering the fact that it is the thickest string. If there is any other instrument that you will be playing with you will need to make sure that they are in sync.

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The next string to be tuned will be the A string. Here you will need to place your first finger of the left hand behind fret number five on the bottom of the E string to get the A note. You should then pick string number five and six with turns while your finger is still on that fifth fret. You should then adjust the fifth string very gently by tuning its peg until these two notes are the same. This is when you will be sure that the A not is perfectly tuned.

After this you should take your first finger of the left hand and place it behind the fifth fret but this time on the A string. Here you will be tuning the D note which is basically the 4th string. The tuning should be done by adjusting the string by tuning its peg until it is in synchrony with the other strings. When you feel that the note is perfect then it is the time to get to the next string. This is basically the G string whereby you will need to still put your first finger of the left hand behind the same fifth fret. This time it should be put on the D string and this is known as the G note. The string should then be tuned to the perfect note just lie all the others have been tuned.

The B string should be next on line whereby you will need to repeat the same process of putting your first finger of the left hand but this time it should be on the fourth fret. The B string is the only string that comes from the fourth fret since all the others come from the fifth one. The tuning process should be the same till the note becomes synchronized with the others. The last E string is usually the last one to be tuned and here you will need to put the first finger of the left hand behind the fifth fret to be on the B string and tune it as required.

Want to learn how to play the guitar with free online lessons? Click here to check out the internet’s best guitar site that also gives you a free chord book! I’m serious.

What to Look for in Guitar Software

One of the best ways of learning how to play the guitar is by the use of guitar learning software. This is a program that has been established for the purpose of providing the person trying to learn how to play, an option that is both convenient and very cost effective. With a guitar software, it is possible to learn everything that is of importance to playing a guitar with confidence. The fact that these programs are developed by professionals and accredited individuals it is guaranteed that one will get quality training and instructions from experienced quarters. It is important to evaluate the type of software that one is buying so that only the most effective program is purchased.

What to look for in guitar software are also some of the things that are used to evaluate the effective nature of the program. There are various aspects that are of importance when an individual is looking for the best guitar lesson program. First of all the program should be easy to use. The use of softwares may at times be more technical than a simple person may understand. Therefore, the program should be able to take into account that not everybody is technology savvy. Thus, it should be easy to use by persons of all ages and various levels of technology experience.

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Secondly, a program’s abilities and flexible nature also have to be considered when choosing the software. These two features should be able to fit the needs of the person taking the lesson. Every human being is created differently and that is why it is common to find people who are left handed and those who use their right hands. Each program should be able to offer the flexibility of use in both cases. Additionally, they should be able to have a variety of songs from various genres that an individual may choose from.

The other aspect of what to look for in guitar software is the ease it provides when making the installation. The number of training programs that can be found in the market today has soared and each one of them has its own level of difficulty when it comes to installing. The best products to use in such a case are those that are far much easier either to download or to install and those that do not involve major processes, like additional downloads. With high end programs it is possible to get a variety of lessons and useful tools that can make the learning process much easier. That means that the software that is to be used has to come with a variety of lesson coverage, instructions and interactive tools with different techniques, rhythm, chords and intervals.

It should not be forgotten that the program has to be practical.  It is only a software that is practical that can be able to accord the person using it the interactive features that make learning how to play a guitar simple and easy. Furthermore, a program that is able to offer interactive capabilities makes the whole process of learning even more fun and comprehensive.

Want to learn how to play the guitar with free online lessons? Click here to check out the internet’s best guitar site that also gives you a free chord book! I’m serious.

What to Look for in an Online Guitar Course

Technology has helped in making work a lot easier for people. For example, people are nowadays studying various courses online. One of the latest courses being offered online is the guitar course.

If one wants to pursue an online guitar course, there are some certain elements to consider.  First of all, one should ensure to evaluate their individual ambitions and goals. This should always be a starting point for everyone so that they know where exactly they want to head to and how far they are willing to go.

There are very many ways in which one may learn to play the guitar and there are also different areas of study. An online guitar course thus provides a wide variety of options so that an individual may get one which is suitable for them. However, some of the online courses may offer very little skills and so one should avoid such.

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When looking for an online guitar course, one should read through the specific website and gauge whether it is a systematic program. This is very important because the online course should be able to work the same way as an actual teacher. Therefore, just as teachers go step by step following a certain curriculum, so should the online program.

Also, this program should be one that explains procedures thoroughly not just pointing them out.  For example, how to play a guitar’s different notes, what notes are required to be held for longer and the reason why are among the things to be looked at. This enables one to have professional tactics and emerge as a complete player.

Moreover, the online course should be able to teach students all the major and most important chords. This is because the chords are the very basic elements to learn in guitar music. They form a base for a beginner therefore it’s a comprehensive element. They are however very easy to learn and it doesn’t take much time to learn and once a student manages to grasp the skills, they are good to go.

Also, because instruments are meant to give rhythm, a good online guitar course should be able to focus on this. The course should teach the students how to get rhythm and maintain it when playing the guitar. When one manages to develop their rhythm before they are through with the course, then the course is definitely worth it.  Unfortunately, many of the courses usually overlook rhythm because it is difficult to teach and learn, therefore one should research and find a program which teaches rhythm clearly.

When one is looking for a course, it doesn’t matter the number of songs are there, just as long as one is able to grasp the important factors which are the chords and the rhythm. Thus, when shopping around it is the quality and not the quantity that matters.

One should also look for an online course which is affordable so as not to spend too much money for just a short course. After one gets a suitable course that suits them individually, they should put their all in the process so as to be the best they can.

Want to learn how to play the guitar with free online lessons? Click here to check out the internet’s best guitar site that also gives you a free chord book! I’m serious.

The First Step to Take When Learning Guitar

Learning a guitar can seem very intimidating especially if it is the first time you are doing it. However, it is basically a lot easier than you think. In case you do not own a guitar, you can buy a cheap one from a pawnshop or buy it online. Learning a guitar takes nothing less but time as well as determination. In order for the learning process to be effective, you are required to take one step at a time.

Keep in mind that it is not necessary for you to reach too far too fast. You can start learning guitar via simple melodies that require the presence of one string. After learning how to read all the guitar tabs, don’t make an assumption that you will be able to play something complicated using your fingers instead practice what you learn often for you to commit fingering patterns to your muscle memory.

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Remember that muscle memory is the basis of learning guitar in more advanced manner. A majority of people who love playing guitar have not been satisfied with their progress. This might be because they didn’t set a firm foundation when beginning to learn guitar. This is why this article has been designed for you in order to help you know the first step to take when learning guitar. You ought to consider the following:

  1. Listening: This is the basic thing that is required in order to facilitate learning guitar. You should train your ears well in order to be able to listen what is being taught which in turn you can put will enhance your learning process. A number of people term this step as quite boring not knowing the benefits that come with it. Remember without this step, you cannot be able to progress to an advanced level. To facilitate this, you can opt for Ear training software from the internet that will make your listening ability improve step by step which in turn will increase your enjoyment as you go on with learning guitar.
  2. Daily practice: This is another aspect in the first step to take when learning guitar. This can be in form of finger exercises, practicing for basic scales etc. The first practice is for you to begin with the pentatonic scales since they are the simplest when it comes to learning guitar entailing only five tones. Take about twenty or thirty minutes of your time on daily basis to concentrate on practicing which will make your learning guitar easier.
  3. Look for a Qualified Expertise: Being among the first step to take when learning guitar, it is necessary for you to choose a teacher with who you are comfortable with. You can either hire the services of a private guitar teacher or through lessons from the internet. From the two mentioned, learning guitar by taking lesson over the internet is much better as it is cheaper and more convenient. Due to the various guitar lessons online, ensure that you make the perfect choice before you can embark on learning it.

Want to learn how to play the guitar with free online lessons? Click here to check out the internet’s best guitar site that also gives you a free chord book! I’m serious.

Beginner and Intermediate Guitar Lessons – The B Minor Bar Chord

The B minor barred chord for Acoustic or Electric Guitar

If you have been following along in this series of acoustic guitar lessons (which can also be played on the electric 6 string guitar), you may not realize it, but there is a method to our madness. In looking at all of the possible chords that you could learn in your first 10 to 15 guitar lessons, we have presented the chords that are not only the most commonly played chords, but the most fundamental building blocks of intermediate and advanced guitar playing. Additionally, learning through this series of lessons will help you to become quickly adept at playing most songs and chord progressions that you will find in popular songs, music and exercises.

I’m reminded at this time about the movie “the Karate Kid” where the student was learning from the master while unaware of his learning. He thought that for weeks he was just being used to paint fences, sand floors and wax cars, while his master was developing defense techniques that stunned him when he first had to use them. Though this is not quite the same scenario, learning fundamentals from an advanced player in a manner that may not make sense at first will pay off much more quickly and thoroughly than haphazardly going through random lessons, videos and exercises, not knowing what is being built upon. Keep at it, and you will soon be the best beginner acoustic guitar player you can possibly be.

With that said, we are going to introduce you to the B minor barred chord (using 5 strings).

First, recall the Am or A minor open chord form from a previous lesson. We shared a few variations, but the one that will be used for this lesson is the variation using the 2nd, 3rd and 4th finger.

First, bar strings 1 through 5 on fret 2 (or all 6, as long as you don’t play the 6th string at any time).

Next, place your 2nd finger on string 2 of fret 3. Then, side-by-side, place finger 3 on string 4 fret 4, and finger 4 on string 2, fret 4. Now, strum only strings 1 through 5 and you should have played the B minor barred chord, which should have the same string voicing as the A minor open chord, only being 1 whole step or note higher in pitch.

Congratulations!

Keep at it and soon you will be playing all kinds of songs all over the neck of the guitar.

Also, just as with other barred chords from previous lessons, you can move this B minor chord form up and down the neck with consistent and predicable results. Moving this form up ½ step or 1 fret toward the body of the guitar will give you a Cm or C minor chord. Moving it down 1 fret will give you a Bb (B flat) minor.

Stick with it and soon you can begin learning some simple yet powerful scales and arpeggios that will take you to a more advanced level.

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This lesson on B minor barred for the acoustic or electric guitar was contributed by Aaron Schulman, an avid guitar player who teaches and writes acoustic electric guitar reviews for many popular sites including StrumViews.com. Whether you are looking to buy a beginner’s guitar, or a more intermediate model, such as the Taylor 110 Acoustic guitar, he recommends studying and understanding how to evaluate craftsmanship and quality before making any purchase. You can read more in depth reviews at Strumviews.coms

Beginner and Intermediate Guitar Lessons – The B Major Bar Chord

Learning B major barred chord on acoustic or electric guitar.

In the previous lesson, we learned how to play the F major barred chord, following the open form E major as a foundation or guideline. The unique thing about learning the acoustic or electric guitar is that skills build upon skills. In an earlier lesson, we made a special note of stating that your should master the open chords as well as variations because the variations would come in handy in future lessons while making you the most versatile and best beginner acoustic guitar player you can be. Now is the time when mastering those earlier chord formations will pay off. The more time you spent investing in your foundational skills, the easier these other lessons will prove to be.

Just like with the F major chord, being able to move the form up and down the neck and fretboard will allow you to play all major chords in that formation virtually anywhere on the neck. The B major barred chord is no different. Learning and mastering the B major chord on either the acoustic or electric guitar will help you to not only play any other major chord with the same barred formation, but it will also help you to become more proficient with other skills on the guitar neck including:

Power chord playing

Learning note positions and chord placements

Lead guitar playing

Scale playing

Learning other scales and less common chords and progressions

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Let’s get on with the B major chord for acoustic or electric guitar.

The B major is different from the F major barred form in that it does not use all 6 strings. Instead, you will strum or pick only strings 1 through 5. You will also learn 2 ways to play this using the open A chord form from previous lessons There were 2 variations taught, if you remember, that can be used for barring the B major with 5 strings.

Just like with the F major chord, use your index finger to bar all of the strings. It does not matter if you bar all 6 strings on the 3nd fret (or just strings 1 through 5), just as long as you only play strings 1 though 5 when playing the chord. Now, try to chord variation 1, using fingers 2, 3 and 4. Place all 3 fingertips, 2, 3 and 4 on strings 4, 3 and 2 of fret 4. Strumming or picking just strings 1 through 5 now will give you a B major chord.

Next, while working on and mastering the chord in this configuration, also work on variation 2. With variation 2, you will be doing a “double barred” chord whereby your index finger bars the same strings on the second fret, while the 3rd finger or ring finger bars only strings 2, 3 and 4. This might be a bit of a challenge at first because the ring finger has to be fairly flexible, bending quite a bit in order to only chord 3 strings without touching, chording or muting any other strings.

Just like you did with the F major chord lesson (if you completed that previous lesson) you can move the B major barred chord form up and down the fretboard in order to play different chords. The same rules apply, that each fret movement toward the body of the guitar represents ½ step or pitch increase.

Keep at it, and soon you will be playing all of the open chords as well as virtually all of the major barred chords using both 6 and 5 strings.

About the writer- Aaron Schulman, from StrumViews.com (an acoustic guitar reviews site), enjoys playing, writing, and teaching (for the past 25 years). Whether you are looking to find the best  acoustic guitar under $1,000, or one of many great kid’s guitars, he teaches people how to evaluate guitars before making any purchase.

Beginner and Intermediate Guitar Lessons – The F Major Bar Chord

Playing the barred chord F on Acoustic or Electric Guitar.

So far, we have learned all of the open chords from the C-A-G-E-D forms in this series, as well as 3 minor chords, A, E, D which were also in “open form”. To continue this series, we will begin working on intermediate chord formations, which will include some major and minor bar chords.

Although barring chords can be frustrating at first, because they require a different set o hand muscles and can require different strength in order to achieve as cleanly and consistently as some easier open chords, persistence will help make them as easy to play as the open chords.

Just as when a beginner guitar player has difficulties playing open chords for the first time, and then eventually works hard and consistently to become proficient with these easier open chord forms, the same can and will happen with any other kind of chord, including barred chords, if the same persistence and consistent practice is applied.

To start, let’s look at the F major chord, because when barred, this form does 2 things.

  1. Is built upon an earlier mastered chord – the open E form and
  2. sets you up to be able to play any other major barred chord up the neck of the guitar.

While playing barred chords, you will take note that 1 finger, usually the index finger, is used to represent or act as a temporary “nut” (remembering the lesson on guitar anatomy). The nut creates the opposite end of the bridge by which the strings are taut.

To play the F major barred chord, place your index finger across all 6 strings of the 1st fret as though you were creating a “nut” at the 1st fret (shortening all of the strings by 1 fret). Then, remembering the different “E” major chord forms you learned in an earlier lesson, you will create the open “E” form chord using fingers 2, 3 and 4. You may need to roll your index finger slightly toward the headstock of the guitar in order that the less fleshy or “bony” side of your finger is used to chord the strings. By doing this, you may not need to apply as much pressure in order to achieve a clean sound because the side of your finger is more solid than the grasping surface.

Next, place your 2nd finger tip on string 3, fret 2. Then, place your 3rd finger (ring finger) on the 5th string 3rd fret and your 4th fingertip (otherwise known as the pinky finger) on the 4th string 3rd fret. If you now look at your fingers 2, 3 and 4, you will notice that they resemble the open E chord formation, only raised 1 fret (toward the body of the guitar).

Strum all 6 strings now and make adjustments until you are able to hear all 6 strings cleanly and evenly.

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Now, for each fret that you slide this chord formation toward the body of the guitar, the pitch of the guitar chord will raise ½ pitch or step, following the chromatic scale – F, F#, G, G#, A, A# and so on.

Keep working at these barred chord formations, and interchange your practice between chords you have mastered and chords that are challenging so that you do not become either too bored or too frustrated. Also, it might be fun to slide this major chord formation up and down the neck while trying to figure out what chord you are playing (without looking at a chart). Then you can check your progress while becoming familiar with chords and note positions on the fretboard at the same time.

Keep working on it and look forward to our other lessons on barred chords for the acoustic or electric guitar.

Aaron Schulman, of Strumviews.com, has been an avid guitar player, musician, teacher and writer for over 25 years. At his site, he enjoys writing honest and thorough reviews on guitars, ranging from kids guitars to the full size Taylor 110 e acoustic electric guitar. Before buying any guitar, whether a beginner or advanced player, he believes in studying andbeing able to determine quality in guitar craftsmanship.

How to Keep Motivated When Learning Guitar

The one music instrument that has gained a lot of popularity globally is the guitar.

The question is what makes its so entertaining?

Well, learning guitar is very simple and anyone can do it. All that is required is ample time, dedication and determination to make it a success.

In addition, when learning guitar, you can do it alone i.e. solo. However, at times it can prove to be boring especially when trying to locate other group of guitarists to learn with them as newbie. There are several aspects you need to put into consideration in order to know how to keep motivated when learning guitar.

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These include the following:

  • Expectations: You should not base your expectations too high in that, you can be able to learn guitar over night. Keep in mind that for you to facilitate the process of learning about guitar, it is necessary for you to know that it takes time, commitment as well as dedication to learn it. You should start out slowly when learning guitar so that you can be able to monitor your progress in accordance.
  • Set goals: This is another way of how to keep motivated when learning guitar. To enhance this, you can set up small goals of learning a new chord as well as a song which will keep your motivation spirit high by feeling confident and at the same time successful after you have learnt something new. Remember, the goals should be set with an aim of giving you a slight challenge as a basis of something to put your aim at.
  • Friends: The presence of a friend (s) makes it even more interesting as you continue to know how to keep motivated when learning guitar.  Having a friend (s) who specializes in playing guitar can prove to be very helpful as you will be inspired to work extra hard in order to be perfect as them. In addition, a qualified guitar teacher can be a good motivation as he or she offer you support in each and every stage you take while learning guitar.
  • Music Genre:  You can keep motivated when learning guitar by simply centralizing in playing the music that you love listening to. This way you will enjoy much in learning to play as song you love and know on the guitar than playing a harder song that doesn’t interest you a bit.
  • Practice: To keep motivated when learning guitar, ensure that your practice lessons are more mixed up to prevent nay boredom or repetition. Learn different aspects and make sure that you have split up some of those practices in order for you to get some breaks in between the lessons. By doing this, you will be giving your brain some time in order to absorb the information that you already have at hand.
  • Inspiration: During your free time, make sure that you take time to listen to songs done by different guitarists who inspires you most. Remember, the act of being inspired by someone else is a big way of keeping yourself motivated in order to become better at learning guitar.

Want to learn how to play the guitar with free online lessons? Click here to check out the internet’s best guitar site that also gives you a free chord book! I’m serious.

Open Minor Chords – D minor and beyond

If you have been following along in these open major and minor chord lessons, you will have accomplished 7 chords with many variations. 5 of those chords have been major open chords, while the other 2 have been minor chords.  In continuing this lesson progression, we will be working on the D minor open chord variations.  The first two will be for common use, and the 3rd will help you learn future scales and barred formations of minor chords.  These chords work equally well whether playing on a Taylor 110e Dreadnought (which is a full size guitar) or one of many kids guitars, including travelers, ¾ sizes and mini acoustic or electric 6 string guitars.

A tiny bit of chording music theory

Now in past lessons, as well as in future lessons, you will learn that on guitar, not all 6 strings are always played.  Some chords use 6 strings, some use 5, some 4, and some use as few as 3.  Technically, in order to form a full chord, you only need 3 notes and for major cords in order to form what is called a “tonic triad”, these 3 chords include a root (1st), a mediant (or 3rd) and a dominant (or 5th ).  When you learn minor chords, you replace the 3rd note with one pitched ½ step below.  That is the major difference between major and minor chords.  Filling in the other strings or notes can add to the voicing of the same chord, or they can actually change the name of the chord all together, so it is important to learn the major and minor open chords in their pure forms and then build on that foundation.

Let’s get strummin!

In order to play the first form of the open D minor (and all D minor forms in this lesson), you will only play strings 1 through 4.  The first form uses fingers 1, 2 and 4 and is included in this lesson to help beginners who may have challenges stretching their fingers apart a bit.  The second form is perhaps the most commonly taught of the 3, except for lead and electric playing where it is fundamental to playing scales, arpeggios and other barred chords.

To play the first form in the figure, place your 1st finger on string 1, fret 1, place your 2nd finger on string 3, fret 2, and your 4th finger (the pinky finger) on string 2 fret 3.  Be sure to only play strings 1 through 4 as the other 2 strings, 5 and 6, do not belong in these forms and will actually alter the chord so that it is not longer a Dm (D minor).

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Next, notice in the 2nd and 3rd formations of the Dm chord, that the same string and fret combinations are used, but the fingers are different.  For the second formation, place your 1st finger on string 1, fret 1, your 2nd finger on string 3 fret 2, and your 3rd finger on string 2 fret 3.  An easier way to say this would be to play the first form, except that you simply exchange your 3rd finger (ring finger) for the 4th finger.

Next, play the 3rd variation which is commonly used for scales, lead playing, barred chords and arpeggios up and down the neck or fretboard.  This is used for barred chords and lead because it frees the index or 1st finger to be used as a temporary “nut” while being able to slide up and down the neck, changing keys with ease.  However, that will be reserved for a future lesson.  Be sure to master this form as well as it will make barred chords and lead guitar playing much easier when the time comes to grow into that style of playing.

Now, whether you are playing on the acoustic or electric guitar, be sure to master all 3 forms as well as playing and switching between forms and other chords you have learned so far.  The more you are able to do this, the more easily you will acquire the ability to play with other musicians and various songs.

This lesson on Dm was written by an avid musician, guitar player and teacher, Aaron Schulman from Strumviews.com.  He enjoys writing acoustic guitar reviews and does so to help people avoid buying inferior quality guitars at any budget, because he had a bad experience when he knew nothing about guitar craftsmanship when he was a beginner.  You can read more reviews, including a recent review on the Blueridge BR 160, a great sounding, quality built guitar for under $800.

Open Minor Chords – E minor and beyond

E minor in 3 forms for Acoustic and Electric Guitar

Just like Am (A minor), the chord we learned in the previous lesson, E minor is also a very important and common guitar chord.  Not only is it commonly used in many songs and progressions, it is also the basis or the foundation for many other bar chords and scale foundations.  Learning alternate forms of Em will equip you to be able to play many songs as well as lay the foundation for future and more advanced lessons on scales, power chords and barred chords.

Playing the Em chord is similar in ease to playing other open chord forms like Am, E, and A, and like those other open chord forms, there is more than one way to play the E minor.  It is the same on all 6 string acoustic or electric guitars like the Am, whether you are playing on a small Baby Taylor, or a full size Blueridge Br 160 guitar, the formation is the same (though the feel will be a bit different).

Also, it is fun to switch between Am forms and Em forms and continue to build up speed and accuracy while doing so.  Also, unlike the Am chord, the Em open chord uses all 6 strings so it may be a bit easier to play for those newbies just learning how to strum and control the pick (or plectrum).

Let’s start jamming the Em chord!

To play the first form of the Em chord, simply take your 1st and 2nd finger of your chording hand.  For right-handed players, this will be the left hand (and of course, the opposite for the leftie). Place your first finger or index fingertip on the 5th string, 2nd fret and your 2nd finger on the 4th string 2nd fret.  Now, strum away on all 6 strings.  If you hear anything amiss, simply pluck or flat-pick 1 string at a time and make adjustments until it sounds clean and full.  Notice that the Em chord might have a bit of a darker mood it projects.  Minor chords are often used in progressions and songs to put a bit of dissonance or set a different mood, depending on the key and progression in which they are played.

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Now, play the other two forms in the figure for E minor.  Also, it is good to note that these chords are the same for acoustic 6 string guitars as they are for electric 6 string guitars.  To play the  second Em form, notice that the string and fret configurations are identical to the first form and the 3rd form, but instead of using fingers 1 and 2, you will use fingers 2 and 3.  Place fingertip 2 on string 5, fret 2, and fingertip 3 on string 4 fret 2.  Strum all 6 strings and use the method in the previous paragraph if you need to make corrections after hearing your chord.

For the 3rd variation, simply use fingers 3 and 4 in place of 2 and 3.  Place finger 3 on string 5, fret 2, and finger 4 on string 4 fret 2.  Now strum all 6 strings.  Make a special note that this 3rd formation will be used up and down the fretboard in order to play future minor bar and power chords as well.  Also note that bar chords have alternate fingerings just like these open chords.  Be sure to learn all 3 Em variations in this lesson in order to achieve the best foundation for future guitar playing.

Next, practice switching and strumming between Am forms and Em forms until you become so comfortable with them that you can play them quickly, cleanly, with ease and without looking at the fretboard.  Also, practice the minor chord variations of A and E along with the major chord variations of A and E so that you will develop an “ear” – being able to learn and discern the differences between major chord and their minor chord counterparts.

This lesson on the E minor chord variations on the acoustic guitar was contributed by Aaron Schulman, avid musician, guitar player, writer, and teacher from StrumViews.com.  Whether you are searching for the best professional model guitar, or shopping for kids guitars, he suggests reading reviews and learning how to evaluate quality by learning about guitar manufacturing, tone woods and construction to protect your investment.

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