Chords You Need to Know on the Guitar
If you could choose a guitar playing superpower what would you cull? Pooling the guitar world, there would be some very unlike answers. Some players volition desire to master crosspicking inside and out. Others have ambitions of sweeping and tapping their way to the top of Shred Mountain.
Simply what if your superpower was to know and instantly recollect every chord shape and voicing? Now, that would exist something.
Spoiler: we can't get you that. Non all the same, anyway, but here, Total Guitar has compiled a comprehensive list (fifty all in), of the chords that every guitarist should know.
Information technology doesn't thing if you lot play acoustic guitar or electric, considering these can work in all kinds of contexts, and consigning them to memory may well unlock new possibilities in your songwriting (there are even a couple of voicings for seven-string and eight-string guitars in here, too).
Then dig out the guitar and permit's get to piece of work. We'll starting time out with the basics…
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1. F (Basic Barre Chord)
Barre chords are tough to play at get-go. Many players detect it takes a few weeks to develop the forcefulness to press down on the strings and play cleanly. All the same, this 'E-shape' F barre chord is an essential voicing, so start your journey here and make sure to endeavour playing the shape in other fretboard positions too.
ii. C (Fingerstyle Friendly)
You surely know the open up C chord, right? Well, with the uncomplicated add-on of a high Grand note you'll transform the basic C into a staple fingerstyle shape. From Ralph McTell to John Smith, it's a shape employed by well-nigh every fingerpicker around.
3. C/Chiliad
With a fingerstyle friendly C shape under your belt you'll 'go' the reasoning behind this chord. A elementary move of your third finger opens upwardly the opportunity to play alternate basslines – just swap betwixt the ii 3rd fret notes on the low strings. Johnny Cash strums out a cool bassline in The Man Comes Around.
4. F5 (aka the powerchord)
Possibly the most unremarkably used chord in all of rock guitar, the v chord is generally known as a 'powerchord' cheers to its chunky, solid sound. Creepo up the gain on your amp and power away to your heart's content. Just call up to go along the top strings (marked Ten) muted.
v. F5 (Drop D powerchord)
Lower your 6th string downwards a tone (two frets) to produce the drib D tuning. And what a tuning information technology is! This piece of cake, hard rocking powerchord shape tin be played with only one finger and easily moved around the fretboard. Soundgarden's Outshined is a classic example.
6. Csus2 (in Drop D)
Sus what? Well, information technology's short for suspended but don't worry too much well-nigh that. Dial in a distorted tone and this chord can audio epic in a mail service-grunge Foo Fighters meets Alter Bridge style. It'south a contemporary sounding variation on the basic powerchord.
seven. D5 (extended)
This extended version of the bones powerchord covers a full two octaves on the fretboard. What's the big bargain about that? You'll become a bigger, fatter audio and, let's face up it, that'due south ofttimes the point with powerchords.
8. E5/B
Some other powerchord at present as we wait at the mother of them all. This voicing is played across all half dozen guitar strings giving you lot the biggest, fattest audio possible from the apprehensive 5 chord. It's played as an inversion, which just means the root note isn't the lowest note you'll play.
9. A5/E
Power McPowerchordface? Aye, the well of powerchord puns has run dry here at TG Towers, simply yous should yet take a look at i concluding v chord, this fourth dimension covering 5 strings. Call back, with all of these extended powerchords, you tin merely play two or three side by side strings; mapping them out in full just gives you more than options to explore.
10. Bm7
We dear this chord. Admittedly it tin can be tough to manage the third finger barre but it'south no harder to play than, say, a conventional E-shape barre chord. In fact, this is essentially the same every bit said barre chord, but without the first or fifth strings. Try information technology in jazz or calorie-free blues progressions.
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11. Bm6
This minor sixth shape is great for an instant Django Reinhardt or Biréli Lagrène-way gypsy jazz audio. Alternate between a bass note and the upper notes of the chord with your pick for an authentic 'la pompe' groove.
12. B13
Ideal for jazz-blues, gypsy jazz or even funk, this 13th chord is a bit of a finger twister but it sure is versatile. Still struggling to play information technology? Try leaving out the starting time string. No one volition notice!
13. F#m7
The opening seconds of Oasis' biggest hit turned this otherwise bones Em7 shape into a full-on ear worm. At that place's a capo on the 2d fret, of form – so the actual pitch is F#. Y'all can't really play it as a standard barre chord and then the capo is vital.
14. A/C#
Bob Marley'southward P-ninety-fuelled reggae-mode skank grooves boil down to some very unproblematic chord shapes ofttimes played on but three strings. This shape is the peak 3 strings of an 'E-shape' barre chord. In 5th position it'southward an A chord and C# is the lowest note. Play staccato for true Marley feel.
15. Thou
Played famously by Paul McCartney on The Fab Four'southward Blackbird, this shape tin can easily be moved around the fretboard. The open third string comes in and out of melody as yous movement the shape, creating harmony and noise – so it'due south worth experimenting to discover the sweeter-sounding positions.
16. Em
Some other shape from The Beatles' Blackbird, this time played every bit a minor chord. Contemporary pop rocker James Bay has also taken these shapes to heart. Hold Back The River uses both of McCartney's chord shapes.
17. Badd11
Whenever we hear this chord nosotros think of No Excuses by Alice In Chains. Just slide in from 2 frets below to outline the intro. This is a versatile shape that you tin motion all effectually the fretboard. Avoid the more dissonant sounding 9th and 11th positions though.
xviii. F#7add11
Just to hammer dwelling the point, here'south the No Excuses chord once again, just played downwardly in 2nd position where there'southward a dissimilar flavour all together cheers to the open-string intervals. You can too hear it in activity as the opening chord to Hemispheres past Rush.
19. Bsus4
Pete Townshend's strumming tour de force on The Who's classic rock opera runway Pinball Wizard kicks off with this sus chord. Hook your thumb over the back of the neck to fret the sixth cord and aim to keep the fifth string muted out.
twenty. Cadd9
If you're later on a bright, happy folk or acoustic rock vibe then this is the chord for you. Information technology sounds great on audio-visual guitar or with a clean electrical tone. Mix in open G and Dsus4 chords for a absurd upbeat progression.
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21. E7sus4
This might seem similar an unassuming barre chord. Goose egg special, surely? Well, in the hands of disco rhythm guitar great Nile Rodgers this is 1 of the genre'due south great chords, establish amidst the riff in Chic's Good Times. For a true Nile vibe, strum only two or three strings at a fourth dimension.
22. A6
Another chord from Skilful Times, this shape also sounds swell played fingerstyle in country and rockabilly styles. The 7th fret F# note on the 2d string is the all-important sixth interval giving the chord its trademark sound.
23. D6/9
Strum this with a steady stream of 16ths and you'll instantly be in Prince territory. As the opening chord from Buss, this shape is arguably function of the Purple I'due south greatest and most memorable guitar moments.
24. Daug
A highly recognisable shape to fans of rock 'n' whorl pioneer Chuck Drupe, this shape kicks off the archetype No Particular Place To Go. Also try using it in place of a standard D7 shape in a blues progression – the augmented chord has even tension than a ascendant seventh.
25. Badd9 (seven-string)
When six strings just isn't enough you've just got to have, er, seven strings, right? Honestly, there's a world of new shapes to try out if you want to play seven-string guitar and this one covers a full iii octaves.
26. F#madd9 (eight-string)
With viii-string guitars now available at under £200, it'd be remiss of us to forget fans of the bottom-cease! Just like our seven-cord chord, this 1 covers three octaves. Attempt and do that on a standard six-cord!
27. Yard/B
Played on its own this chord sounds a fleck odd – like an open G with a bit missing mayhap. Information technology comes into its ain every bit a passing chord. Play it in betwixt open C and Am chords and you lot'll hear the descending run of notes from C to B and to A. Clever stuff!
28. D/F#
Another shape that sounds great as a passing chord, you can hear D/F# in REM's Everybody Hurts between the Yard and Em chords. Instead of a straight change from G to Em you get a smoothen sound every bit the bassline goes via F#.
29. Cdim7
The last of our passing chords, the macerated seventh chord is ofttimes-heard as a chromatic move in jazz and dejection. Chromatic? Well, that simply means you'll be moving one fret at a time. For example, Cdim7 might exist plant between B7 and C#7, or between Bmaj7 and C#m7. B, C, C# are all one fret apart, hence it'due south chosen Chromatic. Simple!
30. EmMaj9
Okay, we admit it, this is a weird-sounding chord with piffling to no applied use – its jarring, dissonant sound makes it usable for only the most hardened jazzer! Oh, merely it is Vic Flick's signature closing chord from the James Bond theme!
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31. One thousand#m7b5
This is another unusual chord, but it's worth learning. Despite the tension in its sound it's a diatonic chord – that means it can be played 'in key' with no altered or chromatic notes to worry near. G#m7b5 comes from A major so try using it among other chords from the primal, A, Bm, D or E for example.
32. E7#9
Famously known every bit the Jimi Hendrix shape, the vii#9 chord tin exist heard in Regal Haze and Foxy Lady amid many other examples. The rock legend can't have all the credit though. 7#9s had long been commonplace in post-war jazz and early 20th century classical music.
33. D7#ix
More Jimi here as we look at a much less common voicing of his signature chord. It can sound a piffling dingy thanks to the close harmonies on the bass strings but, hey, information technology might be the sound you're looking for. In typical Jimi style, utilise information technology in blues-rock and funk jams, and don't feel like you have to play every cord.
34. C/E
Yep, more Hendrix. This is one of the most transferable chords on the guitar. Play a first finger barre across the second, third and fourth strings – your tertiary finger should naturally fall onto some absurd embellishments. Little Wing and Bold As Love use this shape across the fretboard.
35. Aadd9
Andy Summers recorded five albums with The Law, still guitarists will e'er retrieve him most for the add9 and sus2 chords he masterminded in Message In A Bottle and Every Breath Yous Take. Limber up! Yous're going to need to stretch those fingers for this tricky shape!
36. E7b9
In music, an altered chord is a voicing where an 'in key' annotation is replaced with an 'out of fundamental' chromatic annotation. In this example the 9th is exchanged for a b9th. It'll sound great in jazz-blues jams in the mode of Robben Ford, Larry Carlton or Scott Henderson.
37. G7#5
Some other altered chord, this time the fifth interval is played as a #5th. Try playing a I-4-V progression in C major (that's C, F and K chords, folks!) and replace the standard G chord with the contradistinct G7#v for a slick, jazzy sound.
38. AmMaj9/G#
Coming from the fingers of Led Zeppelin'southward guitar legend Jimmy Page, this chord sounds pretty whacky played on its own. However, the shape has foxed many a 'play past ear' guitarist – it's the 2nd chord in the intro to Zep'south epic Stairway To Sky.
39. C7sus4
You're probably nearly familiar with sus chords mixed in around their major and pocket-size brethren – think Queen's Crazy Fiddling Thing Called Love or Status Quo's Whatever You Want. However, for a more left-field jazz fusion sound endeavor staying on this sus4 shape without changing to major or pocket-size. Its unsettled sound is groovy to jam over.
forty. Emb6
Okay, 'horror motion picture' might be stretching the point but there'southward a dark and unsettled vibe to this pocket-sized b6th chord. Keep the two bass strings quiet and y'all'll have a movable shape that you lot tin play at any pitch on the fretboard.
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41. E7
It's a simple chord, this one – a basic open C7 shape moved up to the 5th position to put it in the key of E. It's a dandy dejection chord and a staple fingerstyle shape as well. Try moving the lowest note to the 6th string to create an alternating bassline.
42. D9
The tension in dominant 9th chords makes this shape a good pick for blues jams and funk grooves. Movement your fourth finger to the 7th fret on the get-go string and you lot'll be playing a 13th chord that'southward similar to James Brown's Get On Up.
43. EmAdd9
If you lot need a nighttime, moody sound across the more than bones minor chords, try out a minor add9 like this one. We're in the open position hither in E minor, merely information technology is possible to play it as a barre chord – it'll be a stretch at the lower frets though so perhaps try it higher upward the fretboard commencement.
44. Dadd9/xi
From dark and moody to bright and uplifting, this chord (sometimes written Dadd9add11) sounds rich and lush. The only downside is y'all tin can't play it every bit a barre chord – the open strings are too far away from the fretted notes. You'll only have to play in D major more than often then!
45. G9sus4
Loosely speaking, this is the much debated opening chord from the Beatles' A Difficult Day's Night. On the recording the chord is played on a 12-string Rickenbacker, a half-dozen-string acoustic and is accompanied by the piano and bass guitar, but our shape will go you equally close as 1 guitar can get.
46. Amaj7
There'due south a laid-back, relaxed quality to major seventh chords – whatsoever music y'all're into, it'southward a sound yous only have to accept in your arsenal. This closed position shape tin can be moved effectually the fretboard – the gap betwixt the bass and upper notes gives it a clear, focused sound.
47. Ab/Bb
A major chord played over a bass notation that's a tone college than its root, Ab/Bb (aka Bb11) has a fresh and gimmicky sound. Accept a heed to Midnight At The Haven, either Maria Muldaur'south or the Brand New Heavies' version – this chord rounds off the intro progression.
48. Cadd9#11
A wielder of many Lydian modes, it'south obvious that Satch's signature chord would utilise a #11 – this very interval is at the eye of the Lydian style after all. This shape is one hell of a stretch though. Ditch the commencement string note all together and practice farther upwardly the fretboard, we reckon!
49. C/K to F/A
This Keith Richards idea is actually ii chords: a start finger barre at the 5th fret (C/M); and a hammer-on with your 2nd and third fingers (F/A), which gives you a stock Stones-style rock 'northward' coil vamp. If you're in standard tuning play the second, tertiary and fourth strings. If yous're in Keith'due south preferred open G tuning y'all tin barre across the summit five strings.
fifty. D6/9
This is a staple chord in both jazz and rockabilly. It too has an uncanny effect of sounding like the end of a song. Seriously, endeavour information technology! Jam around D7, G7 and A7 chords so finish on D6/ix. A perfect, natural ending sound to round off proceedings!
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Source: https://www.guitarworld.com/lessons/50-guitar-chords-you-need-to-know
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