Guitar Chords for Beginners: The 10 Essential Chords
Guitar chords for beginners can feel overwhelming. You buy a chord chart, and there are hundreds of shapes on it. Which ones do you learn first? Which ones actually show up in songs? If you have ever stared at a chord book and closed it again, this lesson is for you.
In the video below, Steve Stine gives you what he calls "the essential 10": the ten chords he would learn first, in the order he would learn them. You don't need all ten today. But together they cover a huge number of songs, and they give you a clear path from your very first chord to your first barre shape.
Video: 10 MUST KNOW Guitar Chords for Every Beginner, Steve Stine. Watch on YouTube
Key takeaways
- You don't need a thousand chords. Learn the 10 most important ones, then start playing songs with them.
- Learn them in order: G, C, D, then Em, Am, A, E, Dm, and finally F and Bm.
- G, C and D alone let you play a huge number of songs. Add Em and you have one of the most common chord sets in popular music.
- Major chords sound happier, minor chords sound sadder or darker. Training your ear to hear the difference helps you learn songs by ear later.
- Pay attention to which strings you strum. Not every chord uses all six.
Why guitar chords for beginners should start with just 10
There are literally thousands of chords. That is why so many new players get stuck. Steve's most important advice is simple: don't try to learn a thousand chords. Learn the most important chords, and then start learning songs that use them.
The reason this works is that most songs reuse the same chords over and over. Once you know a small set well, you can play a lot of music. And every new song makes those shapes stronger, so your chord changes get faster without extra drills.
Steve also says there is more than one way to finger most chords. If you already play a chord with different fingers, that is fine. The shapes below are the standard, most popular ways to play them.
How to read the chord diagrams in this lesson
Each chord below is written as a small tab chart. The six lines are the six strings. The top line is the thinnest string (high E, string 1). The bottom line is the thickest string (low E, string 6). The numbers are frets:
- 0 = play the open string.
- x = don't play that string.
- 1, 2, 3, 4 = press down at that fret.
When Steve says "strum the bottom four," he means the four thinnest strings, the ones closest to the floor when you hold the guitar.
Step 1: The three major chords G, C and D
Major chords tend to sound happy and bright. These three are where Steve starts, and with good reason. He says G, C and D alone will let you play hundreds, if not thousands, of songs.
Chord 1: G major (G)
Steve uses the four-finger G. Middle finger on string 6, fret 3. Index finger on string 5, fret 2. Ring finger on string 2, fret 3. Pinky on string 1, fret 3. Strum all six strings. Steve calls this one of the most important chords you could possibly learn. For more ways to play it, see our G chord guitar lesson.
G e |--3-- B |--3-- G |--0-- D |--0-- A |--2-- E |--3--
Chord 2: C major (C)
C works really well with G, and you will see them together in a lot of songs. Index finger on string 2, fret 1. Middle finger on string 4, fret 2. Ring finger on string 5, fret 3. Strum the five thinnest strings and try to skip the low E. There's more on this shape in our C major chord guide.
C e |--0-- B |--1-- G |--0-- D |--2-- A |--3-- E |--x--
Chord 3: D major (D)
Index finger on string 3, fret 2. Ring finger on string 2, fret 3. Middle finger on string 1, fret 2. Strum only the four thinnest strings. You can find other D shapes in our D major chord lesson.
D e |--2-- B |--3-- G |--2-- D |--0-- A |--x-- E |--x--
Quick summary so far: G uses all six strings, C uses five, D uses four. Getting that right is a big part of sounding clean.
Step 2: Add the minor chords Em and Am
Minor chords are written with a small "m" after the letter. They tend to sound a little sad or dark. Steve points out that they are really important to use alongside major chords, and you hear them mixed together in a lot of songs.
Chord 4: E minor (Em)
Middle finger on string 5, fret 2. Ring finger on string 4, fret 2. Strum all six. Listen to how much darker it sounds than G.
Em e |--0-- B |--0-- G |--0-- D |--2-- A |--2-- E |--0--
With G, C, D and Em you have four chords that, put together, sound like many songs you already know. In the video Steve mentions that this set covers songs by artists like Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam, Pink and Adele.
Chord 5: A minor (Am)
Index finger on string 2, fret 1. Middle finger on string 4, fret 2. Ring finger on string 3, fret 2. Strum the five thinnest strings.
Am e |--0-- B |--1-- G |--2-- D |--2-- A |--0-- E |--x--
Step 3: A major, E major and D minor
Now you add three chords that sit right next to shapes you already know. This is a great time to compare major and minor sounds side by side.
Chord 6: A major (A)
Index finger on string 4, fret 2. Middle finger on string 3, fret 2. Ring finger on string 2, fret 2. Strum the five thinnest strings. Play Am, then A, and listen: one sounds sad, the other sounds happy.
A e |--0-- B |--2-- G |--2-- D |--2-- A |--0-- E |--x--
Chord 7: E major (E)
Make your Em shape, then add your index finger on string 3, fret 1. That one finger turns E minor into E major. Strum all six.
E e |--0-- B |--0-- G |--1-- D |--2-- A |--2-- E |--0--
Chord 8: D minor (Dm)
Steve says Dm is used a bit less, but it is a really nice, very dark sounding chord. Index finger on string 1, fret 1. Middle finger on string 3, fret 2. Ring finger on string 2, fret 3. Strum the four thinnest strings, just like D.
Dm e |--1-- B |--3-- G |--2-- D |--0-- A |--x-- E |--x--
A quick naming tip from the video: you don't have to say "major." If someone says "play a D," they mean D major. If they want minor, they will say "D minor."
Step 4: The two harder ones, F and Bm
Steve saves these for last because they are the most difficult of the ten. Don't worry if they buzz at first. That is normal.
Chord 9: F major (F)
Lay your index finger flat across strings 1 and 2 at fret 1. This is a small barre. Middle finger on string 3, fret 2. Ring finger on string 4, fret 3. Strum only the four thinnest strings.
F e |--1-- B |--1-- G |--2-- D |--3-- A |--x-- E |--x--
Chord 10: B minor (Bm)
A pretty chord, but it uses all four fingers. Index finger on string 1, fret 2. Middle finger on string 2, fret 3. Ring finger on string 4, fret 4. Then your pinky fills the gap on string 3, fret 4. Strum the four thinnest strings.
Bm e |--2-- B |--3-- G |--4-- D |--4-- A |--x-- E |--x--
All 10 beginner guitar chords at a glance
| # | Chord | Type | Frets (low E to high e) | Strings to strum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | Major | 3 2 0 0 3 3 | All 6 |
| 2 | C | Major | x 3 2 0 1 0 | 5 thinnest |
| 3 | D | Major | x x 0 2 3 2 | 4 thinnest |
| 4 | Em | Minor | 0 2 2 0 0 0 | All 6 |
| 5 | Am | Minor | x 0 2 2 1 0 | 5 thinnest |
| 6 | A | Major | x 0 2 2 2 0 | 5 thinnest |
| 7 | E | Major | 0 2 2 1 0 0 | All 6 |
| 8 | Dm | Minor | x x 0 2 3 1 | 4 thinnest |
| 9 | F | Major | x x 3 2 1 1 | 4 thinnest |
| 10 | Bm | Minor | x x 4 4 3 2 | 4 thinnest |
What these chords let you play: keys
With these ten chords you can play in several different keys. Steve explains a key in plain terms: if a song is in the key of G, G is the main chord. The song goes to other chords, but it keeps coming back to G. The key of A means A is the home chord, and so on.
Steve's advice for picking songs: these chords won't give you heavy metal, but they are perfect for folk songs, mellow rock songs and ballads. Those are great places to start. If you want a ready-made list, our easy 3-chord songs for beginners post uses just G, C and D.
Train your ear: major vs minor
Steve suggests getting comfortable with the sound of major and minor chords as you learn. Try these pairs, strumming each chord four times:
Pair 1: A -> Am -> A -> Am Pair 2: E -> Em -> E -> Em Pair 3: D -> Dm -> D -> Dm
Close your eyes and listen. Happy, sad, happy, sad. The more your ear knows that difference, the easier it gets to figure out songs you hear on the radio, because you can tell right away whether a chord is major or minor.
A 4-week practice plan for beginner guitar chords
Remember, you don't need to learn all ten right now. Here is a simple way to work through them, 15 to 20 minutes a day:
| Week | New chords | Daily practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G, C, D | Form each shape slowly and pick each string to check for buzzing. Then switch G to C and G to D, four strums per chord. |
| 2 | Em, Am | Play G, C, D and Em in a loop. Add Am and practice C to Am, which only moves one finger. |
| 3 | A, E, Dm | Do the major/minor ear pairs above. Learn one easy song that uses chords you know. |
| 4 | F, Bm | Spend a few minutes a day on the small F barre and on Bm. Keep playing songs with your first eight chords. |
Here is a simple loop to practice in week 2, four downstrokes per chord:
| G . . . | Em . . . | C . . . | D . . . | 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
If your changes feel slow, our lesson on how to change chords smoothly has exercises just for that. And if you want a step-by-step program for these shapes and more, Steve's course on guitar chords for beginners, Chords Made Easy, walks you through them.
FAQ
What are the first guitar chords a beginner should learn?
Steve recommends starting with G, C and D. Then add Em and Am, followed by A, E and Dm. Save F and Bm for last because they are the hardest of the ten.
How many chords do I need to know to play songs?
Not many. Steve says G, C and D alone open up hundreds, if not thousands, of songs. Add Em and you have a set used in a lot of popular music. Learn a few chords well, then start learning songs.
What is the difference between major and minor chords?
Major chords tend to sound happy or bright. Minor chords tend to sound sad or dark, and they are written with a small "m" after the letter, like Am or Em. If someone just says "G," they mean G major.
Do I have to use the exact same fingers shown here?
No. Steve says there are several ways to play most chords, and if you already use different fingers that is fine. The shapes in this lesson are the standard, most popular ways to play them.
Why are F and B minor so hard for beginners?
F asks your index finger to press two strings at once as a small barre, and Bm uses all four fingers with a skipped string in the middle. Both take more finger strength and control, so give them extra time and don't worry if they buzz at first.
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