Below are the commonly used open major guitar chords. The best way to practice these chords is to play them first each individually. Once you are comfortable with each chord then start using them in progressions.
The basic idea is this. Music is arranged in keys. Each key has a set of notes within it. The key is a guide to which notes and chords are played within a song. Keys and their corresponding chords can be figured out by using a format guide called scales. There are seven notes in each scale. The first note identifies the name of the scale. The first note is also called the root and is refered to as "R". The next six notes can be numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Romans numbers are often used to identify these notes. There are intervals between these notes and each note has a corresponding chord. Like this: R-ws(whole step)-2minor-ws-3minor-hs(halfstep)-4-ws-5-ws-6minor-ws-7dim-hs-R. The R, 4th, and 5th are major chords. The 2nd, 3rd, and 6th are minor chords. We will not be covering the 7th chord, which is called a diminished chord.
The chords can be used in a song which consists of chord progressions. A common chord progression is called I - IV - V progression. This means the I - IV -V corresponds to the first, fourth, and fifth notes in a key in the form of a chord.
The example goes like this. A common key is the key of "C". The notes of the key of "C" with its corresponding chords are C-Dm-Em-F-G-Am-Bdim-C. The progression I-IV-V's with it corresponding chord C - F - G.See the chords below.
Below are the commonly used minor guitar chords. Minor chords are the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th chords in the major keys.
In the I - IV - V progression, the V chord is commonly used in a 7th chord form. It can be completely replaced by a 7th chord or the 7th chord can be added just after it in a progression.
