Understanding Your Guitar Strings and Chords

So you want to know what number your strings are? Just for simplicity, when I try to show you a chord, I'll tell you about that.

String Numbers

• High E - 1
• B - 2
• G - 3
• D - 4
• A - 5
• Low E - 6

There you have it!

Common Chords

When I started playing the guitar, it seemed like A minor, C, E, G, and F were in a lot of the songs I was playing. The big ones were really A minor and C. The great thing about those two chords is that you can move easily from one to the next.

Playing A Minor

To play an A minor:

• Pointer Finger: Place on the second string of the first fret.
• Middle Finger: Place on the fourth string, second fret.
• Ring Finger: Place on the third string, second fret.

Tips for Chord Charts

When you look at chord charts (found in books or online), they will indicate:

• Frets
• Fingers
• Position on the string

This way, you can learn any chord through practice.

If you have really big hands, you might be able to add seventh chords and more with your pinky. However, I don't know a lot about seventh chords, so I'm not going to attempt to explain them to you.

Callusing Your Fingers

Warning and Tip

• Warning: If you want to get good at playing the guitar, you're going to have to callus your fingers. It hurts at first, but over time, you'll develop calluses, making it easier to play.
• Tip: After long stretches without playing, I've noticed it can be a bit painful at first to get back into it. However, the calluses will come back.

Finger Placement

For the A minor:

• Use your fingertips and get as close to the fret (the metal bar) as possible.
• Push down hard so that the string contacts the fretboard.

If you don't push down hard enough, the sound won't come through as you desire.

Transitioning Between Chords

As for the placement of your fingers:

• Your middle and ring fingers should not get in each other's way.
• Always aim for the fret as close as you can to achieve the best sound.

Here we go, this is an A minor!

Moving to C Major

A fun early exercise is to move your ring finger (third finger) up to the fifth string, third fret. This is how you can transition from A minor to C.

Practice Chord Transitions

Practicing among:

• A minor to C back to A minor
• C to D (which is a harder jump since you move to a different fret)

Believe it or not, it does get easier with practice.

A Minor and E Major

A tip I wish I had known earlier is this:

• If you move every finger from the A minor shape up one string, you get E.

So while making A minor and E, your fingers essentially just hop up one string while staying in the same position.

• A Minor to C: Great for building confidence since you don't have to move your fingers far.
• A Minor to E Major: Just hop every finger up one string.

Make it easy as you build confidence. You can move from chord to chord without panicking and moving your whole hand down the fretboard.