Easy Beginner Guitar Chords - One Chord Shape to Rule Them All

C major is the granddaddy of all guitar chords, so we might as well start playing it right away.

I often don't resort to C major right off the bat with my total beginner students because it does involve stretching the fingers a bit, and it also requires that the fretting fingers come down very vertically on the fingertips lest the nonvertical fingers accidentally mute other strings.

But let's live dangerously-C major it is for us.

To make C major, in case you've forgotten: place your index finger on the 1st fret of the 2nd string. Then, place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string. Finally, place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the 5th string. Strum all the strings on the guitar except for the 6th string. Ta da! C major!

Now, if you can make C major in what we call "1st position," which is the section of the guitar fretboard closest to the head of the guitar where the strings tie off at the tuning pegs, then you're more than halfway there. It's actually easier to play that same chord shape anywhere else on the guitar. And that's exactly what we're going to do.

Without getting into a bunch of inevitably confusing music theory stuff, I won't be able to tell you exactly what chords you're about to play using just that C major shape. I'll be referring to the chords we play instead as "some kind of" whatever lettered chord we're making. Just roll with me on this and you'll be making sweet music in no time.

So here's what we're going to do. Start with your C chord. Play it normally, and be sure to enjoy it. Then, slide your three fretted fingers up two frets toward the soundhole of the guitar. This makes some kind of a D chord. Go ahead and strum the chord with your fingers now two frets up each. This puts the index finger on the 3rd fret of the 2nd string, your middle finger on the 4th fret of the 4th string and the ring finger on the 5th fret of the 5th string.

Once you've grown a little bored playing that D chord, slide your fingers up so that your ring finger is on the 10th fret of the 5th string. The other fingers remain in exactly the same relationship to one another such that they all still resemble the original C major chord fingering that we began with.

Play this G chord thingie-enjoy the new and unusual combination of high notes with open strings.

Then, slide your fingers back down now two frets toward the head of the guitar. This puts your ring finger on the 8th fret of the 5th string with the other fingers once again maintaining the C shape orientation.

This is a sort of F chord.

So right there, you have four different positions in which you can play the basic C major chord shape to get pretty cool results that immediately get you 1) playing different sounds and 2) learning how to slide up and down the neck of the guitar.

I wrote a song a few years back using exactly this sequence of chord changes, and it sounds way harder than it actually is. Let's just say non-guitar players will totally buy your parlor trick if you play this sliding C-shape chord sequence at your next backyard BBQ or campfire shindig.

Come on over to Nashville guitar lessons to learn more about how to get better at the guitar.

Or pick yourself up some beautiful guitar music today!

Matt Coffman lives in Nashville, Tennessee and wants you to be the best you can be on your guitar.