How to take the very first 8 guitar chords fast and without pain
If you may already know, all the guitar music is built on the particular chords. And, as you understood, the best decision is to learn the basic chords, so then you can play merely everything needed on the basic level. If you google any chords to any song, generally you would find out that a lot of songs have common chords. Therefore, here we tried to explain you the path to take these chords and prepare you to become cool faster.
So, these chords are:
1) G, Em, C, D
2) Am, F, Dm, E.
You may ask why they are grouped. The answer is rather easy – you would be able to have more fun if you learn them in the row as mentioned. In both groups, the chords are connected to the special musical system. So, if you want to create your own song using these ones, you will probably succeed.
Where to find information how to take those chords?
Obviously, the Internet. I prefer Google Images. You just google “G”, or “Em” and get an immediate chord schema where your fingers should be located. I prefer chords schema because they are so easy-to-use and even better than the teacher sometimes. Obviously why: the teacher just teaches and goes; Google Image with perfect chords are always ready-to-go.
Here is how the chords look like, for you not to confuse with anything else:
Black dots represent your fingers, six strings represent six strings, and numbers below represent what fret your fingers should aim to push.
What about the moment that I really get stuck with the tabs?
Of course, there are a lot of other variants. Say, videos. YouTube is so rich in tutorials, especially concerning the guitar and everything connected with it. So, try to find it… and you will have a great teacher for free online.
What about the frequency of my lessons? How many new chords should I take a day?
No special receipt here. You are just starting, and probably you would feel a pain in the fingers because of the muscles working hard. Literally, that’s the only problem that may stop you from taking those first 8 chords. If you find the way to overcome it, you can train as much as you want. Short lifehack: never be aggressive with the guitar. It goes to your fingers, they become hard and not flexible. The result is no pleasure and surely lower results. I checked it hundred of times.
But what to do if you meet some frustration?
Here I dropped the most important learning strategies to follow (and then be happy with your level):
1) Learn with practice.
Just be imaginative. Better if you apply some words; when I teach my students to play the very first chords, we always make fun and (what a surprise!) even new songs. For example, chords G-Em are enough to create something very simple. You probably heard well-known rap song “I am not afraid” by Eminem. Print out the lyrics; take two first chords you learned and create your brand new song based on his. It doesn’t even matter how can you sing – believe me, after remaking another song these chords will not be forgotten.
2) Again, always try to sketch your own way of memorizing chords.
In general, it’s applicable to any subject. If you make your own path of building chord schemes in your head, it will be much harder to forget. The very good way is to record videos. If you are reading this material, you probably have a smartphone. If you have it, you are going to succeed. Set the goal (e.g. “I will record a video “How to play ”Let it be” by Led Zeppelin”), and then do everything to complete it. Social responsibility not to fail will be an engine to your perfect chords!
And, obviously:
3) Never give up.
May seem that easy, but you should come through technical moments. Nothing happens in a moment and taking chords as well. If your fingers pain or you feel that to take a chord today is an impossible task than try to do what is possible. Listen to other tutors who would show you other ways to learn the guitar. If you are tired, just glance through the stories of other guitar players (and, preferably, successful!) who had some troubles or challenges in learning. You would find a lot of interesting facts; for example, that the guitarist of the world-known group the Black Sabbath played all his life with injured fingers on the left hand. And, it doesn’t interfere him to be so great. Such examples can be found that easy.
So, my dear friend, any other excuse today to take one more new chord?