Guitar Chords
A major
My Top 10 Guitar Learning Tips
Learning Guitar Basics Tips and Tutorial
- Memorise the string names in standard tuning starting with the bass string E A D G B E.
- Memorise the string note names. Starting on the bass E string. E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D#. That was 12 notes, after D# Sharp it goes back to E in the next octave up.
- Learn sharp and flat notes. F Sharp is the same note as G Flat and there is only two set of notes that do not contain a sharp or a flat in between, and they are between E to F and B to C.
- Learn the tone tone semitone tone tone tone semitone pattern. Notice how there is no # Sharp between E to F and B to C. This is because they are semitones. This might seem complicated but if you can learn the T T S T T T S structure you can work out any note anywhere on the neck of the guitar.
- Learn the basic open chords in standard tuning. You can use the tool above to select the chord name and start with the open major and minor chords.
- Learn how to play a bar chord, again in minor and major. See diagram below. Here you can see the string names E A D G B E and the fret numbers in roman numerals and the numbers on the chords represent your fingers, 1 being your index finger and 4 being your little finger. The elongated 1 bar represents your index finger pushing down all the strings on that fret. Underneath the chord patterns are the chord names.
- Learn how to read tablature (tabs), this is the easiest way to learn any song and there is literally and endless supply of websites that offer free tabs.
- Learn how to play the pentatonic minor scale. It is by far the most commonly used scale for playing guitar solos. See diagram below.
- Find the key of any song by locating the root note of the pentatonic minor scale. In the diagram below the root note is bass string E (1). In standard tuning the key of A root note will be on the bass E string 5th fret. The key of G will be the bass E string 3rd fret.
- Learn the major and minor scales.
- And that’s basically all you need to know. Now comes the fun part. Practice Practice Practice.
