Article
In this article, we’re going to teach you four beginner-friendly guitar chords—but not just any chords! These have been used in millions of love songs. Together, they tell the story of love:
G Major – Home. It’s the safe, familiar and cozy place you always want to return to.
D Major – Joy. It’s all the happiness, the best friend to our G Major home.
E Minor – Setbacks and longing. Even the happiest of loves see some darkness!
C Major – The bridge back home. The force that uplifts us and makes us stand strong again.
When played together, you’ll realize you might recognize their sound. That’s because many popular songs, especially love songs, use these chords all the time. By learning these four, you’ll open up the amount of songs you can play, and even write your own love ballad!
G Major
G Major requires just three fingers. Place your middle finger on the third fret of the sixth string, your index finger on the second fret of the fifth string, and your ring finger on the third fret of the first string.
D Major
D Major also requires three fingers: index finger on the second fret of the third string, ring finger on the third fret of the second string, and middle finger on the second fret of the first string. Do not strum the fifth and sixth strings for this chord.
E Minor
This chord only needs two fingers! Place your middle finger on the second fret of the fifth string, and your ring finger on the second fret of the fourth string. Strum all strings.
C Major
You’ll need three fingers for this chord. Place your ring finger on the third fret of the fifth string, your middle finger on the second fret of the fourth string, and your index finger on the first fret of the second string. Strum strings five through one, avoiding the sixth string.
Remember, start slow – give your hands time to build up the muscle memory for the shapes and transitions between them. Practice with your eyes closed, or in the dark, that way you’ll learn to rely more on how the chords feel and sound rather than how they look.
Don’t forget to check out our post teaching E Minor, E Major and A Minor. Looking to learn the basics of guitar? Check out our 10-minute lesson for beginners!