The 8 Guitar Chords Every Beginner Must Know

If you had to pick eight chord shapes to learn first — eight shapes that would let you play the most songs, across the most genres, with the least frustration — this is the list. Not twelve. Not thirty. Eight.

These chords are all open-position shapes, meaning they're played near the nut using a combination of fretted notes and open strings. Open-position chords are louder, fuller, and more forgiving than chords higher on the neck. They're also the foundation for almost every beginner song you'll want to learn. Once you're comfortable with these chord shapes, move on to learning chord progressions — the movement between chords is where music actually happens. If you're not yet confident reading chord diagrams, see our guide to reading chord diagrams first — the finger positions described below will make more sense with that context. To read the chord diagrams below fluently, see our guide to reading chord diagrams.

Here's each one, with exact finger positions and what to watch out for.

1. Em (E minor)

Em is almost certainly the first chord you should learn. It only uses two fingers and the hand position is natural and comfortable. Every string rings out.

Finger positions:

Press both fingers down, strum all six strings, and you have Em. The most common mistake is accidentally touching the G string with your ring finger and muting it. Curve your finger just enough to clear it.

Songs that use Em heavily: Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Am variation), Wonderwall (uses Em7, which is even simpler — just middle finger on A string 2nd fret).

2. Am (A minor)

Am shares two fingers with Em — ring on D and middle on G — but adds an index finger on the B string. It's a three-finger chord with a slightly melancholy sound.

Finger positions:

The transition from Em to Am is one of the most useful beginner transitions because the two chords are structurally similar — your middle and ring fingers barely move. Practice going back and forth between these two before anything else.

Am appears in Riptide (Am–G–C throughout the whole song) and forms the foundation of the famous Am–F–C–G pop progression.

3. C (C major)

C major is the first chord where beginners usually struggle. Three fingers, three different frets, one muted string. But it's also one of the most useful chords in guitar — you'll play it in dozens of songs.

Finger positions:

The most common problem is the ring finger accidentally touching the low E string. Keep it arched. The second problem is the index finger muting the high e string — it needs to press firmly enough that high e rings out clearly.

Try the C chord one string at a time. Press all three fingers, then pluck each string individually from the A string to the high e. Any muted or buzzing string tells you exactly which finger needs adjustment.

4. G (G major)

G major comes in several common voicings. The beginner version uses three fingers on the outer strings only:

Finger positions (three-finger G):

Alternative (four-finger G — fuller sound):

The four-finger G is worth learning because it makes the transition to Cadd9 effortless — your ring and pinky don't move at all. That transition is the defining feature of songs like Good Riddance.

5. D (D major)

D major only uses the top four strings (D through high e). The low E and A strings are not played. This is often the trickiest part — training your strum to stop at the D string without hitting the A and low E.

Finger positions:

Practice strumming just the top four strings, starting from the D string. If you keep hitting the A string, slow down your strum and focus on where it begins — not where it ends.

G–C–D is one of the most common three-chord sequences in guitar. Once you have all three of these chords, you can play a significant chunk of country, rock, and folk music.

6. E (E major)

E major is essentially Am moved down one string. It's a full six-string chord with a big, bright sound. All six strings ring out, which makes it one of the most resonant chords on the instrument.

Finger positions:

E major is used constantly in rock music — it's the root chord in the key of E, which is one of the most guitar-natural keys. The transition from E to A is a fundamental country and rock move worth drilling until it's automatic.

7. A (A major)

A major has an unusual shape — three fingers crammed into the same fret on adjacent strings. This feels awkward at first, but it's manageable with practice.

Finger positions (common version):

Alternative for larger hands: Some players use a small barre with the ring finger across D, G, and B strings at the 2nd fret. This is actually easier for many people — experiment with both.

A is the IV chord in the key of E, making it essential for countless E–A–D and E–A–B7 progressions. It also appears frequently in the key of D as the V chord.

8. Dm (D minor)

Dm closes out this list with the final minor chord in the open-position core set. It shares two fingers with D major but adds an index finger on the high e string and drops the open high e.

Finger positions:

Dm has a darker, sadder sound than D. It appears in the Am–Dm–G–C minor key progression and shows up any time a song moves through a melancholy section. It also acts as the iv chord in the key of A minor — a progression you'll encounter constantly once you start learning more intermediate songs.

What to Do With These Eight Chords

Don't try to memorize all eight in a single day. Pick three chords that form a progression — Em, G, D is a good starting trio — and practice transitioning between them until the movements are automatic. Then add a fourth chord. Build from there.

Once you have all eight shapes under your fingers, you can play Let It Be, Riptide, Good Riddance, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, Horse with No Name, and many more — all with the correct chord voicings synced to the actual artist performances.

The fastest way to make these shapes stick is to use them in songs you actually want to play. Abstract chord memorization fades. Music made from these shapes stays with you.

Put these 8 chords into practice with real songs — verified chords synced to artist videos.

Start Playing on TrueChord — Free →