Guitar Start Guide
The best easy guitar chords for beginners are the open chords — shapes played near the top of the neck using open strings. Learn just eight of them and you can play a genuinely huge number of songs. In this guide we’ll cover Em, C, G, D, A, Am, E, and Dm, with clear finger positions for each and a difficulty ranking so you know what to tackle first.
A quick note on numbering: fingers are 1 (index), 2 (middle), 3 (ring), 4 (little). Strings run from the thickest (6th, low E) to the thinnest (1st, high E). Press just behind the fret wire, not on top of it, and arch your fingers so they don’t mute neighbouring strings.
Before you start: tune up first
Chords only sound right on an in-tune guitar, so tune before every session — a perfectly-fretted chord on an out-of-tune guitar still sounds wrong. If you’re new to this, our guide on how to tune a guitar walks through the quickest methods. It also helps to know how to read guitar tabs, since chords are often written as stacked numbers.
The 8 chords at a glance
| Chord | Difficulty | Songs that use it |
|---|---|---|
| Em | Very easy | “Wonderwall” (capo), “Horse With No Name” |
| Am | Very easy | “Stairway to Heaven” (intro), “House of the Rising Sun” |
| C | Easy | “Let It Be”, “Riptide” |
| G | Easy | “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” |
| D | Easy | “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Brown Eyed Girl” |
| A | Easy | “Three Little Birds”, “Free Fallin'” |
| E | Easy | “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, many blues songs |
| Dm | Moderate | “Mad World”, “Eleanor Rigby” |
Start with the two easiest: Em and Am
E minor (Em) is the friendliest chord on the guitar. Place finger 2 on the 5th string (A) at the 2nd fret, and finger 3 on the 4th string (D) at the 2nd fret. Strum all six strings. That’s it — two fingers, big rich sound.
A minor (Am) uses almost the same shape moved over. Finger 1 on the 2nd string (B) at the 1st fret, finger 2 on the 4th string (D) at the 2nd fret, finger 3 on the 3rd string (G) at the 2nd fret. Strum from the 5th string down (avoid the low E).
The workhorses: C, G, D and A
C major (C): finger 1 on the 2nd string, 1st fret; finger 2 on the 4th string, 2nd fret; finger 3 on the 5th string, 3rd fret. Strum from the 5th string down.
G major (G): finger 2 on the 6th string, 3rd fret; finger 1 on the 5th string, 2nd fret; finger 3 on the 1st string, 3rd fret. Strum all six strings. (A common variation adds finger 4 on the 2nd string, 3rd fret.)
D major (D): finger 1 on the 3rd string, 2nd fret; finger 3 on the 2nd string, 3rd fret; finger 2 on the 1st string, 2nd fret. Strum from the 4th string down. The fingers form a neat little triangle.
A major (A): place fingers 1, 2 and 3 in a row on the 4th, 3rd and 2nd strings, all at the 2nd fret. Strum from the 5th string down. Squeezing three fingers into one fret is the only fiddly part.
The last two: E and Dm
E major (E): finger 1 on the 3rd string, 1st fret; finger 2 on the 5th string, 2nd fret; finger 3 on the 4th string, 2nd fret. Strum all six strings. It’s the Em shape with one extra finger.
D minor (Dm): finger 1 on the 1st string, 1st fret; finger 2 on the 3rd string, 2nd fret; finger 3 on the 2nd string, 3rd fret. Strum from the 4th string down. The little stretch is why it ranks slightly harder.
How to practise chord changes
Playing a single chord cleanly is only half the job — real songs need smooth changes. Try this:
- Pick two chords (start with Em and Am) and switch back and forth slowly, aiming for clean notes over speed.
- Look for shared or nearby fingers between shapes so you move as little as possible.
- Use the “one-minute change” drill: count how many clean switches between two chords you manage in 60 seconds, then beat it tomorrow.
- Add a simple strum only once the changes feel comfortable.
Once your changes are landing, pair them with a rhythm from our basic strumming patterns guide and you’ll be playing actual songs. For more of the fundamentals, the Guitar Basics hub has you covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest guitar chord to learn first?
E minor (Em) is the easiest — it uses just two fingers and you strum all six strings. Many teachers start beginners here because it sounds full and satisfying with almost no effort.
How long does it take to learn these chords?
Most beginners can fret each shape within a few days, but smooth changes between them take a few weeks of regular practice. Short daily sessions progress faster than occasional long ones.
Why do my chords sound buzzy or muted?
Usually because a finger is touching a string it shouldn’t, or you’re not pressing quite hard enough or close enough to the fret. Arch your fingers, press just behind the fret wire, and check each string one at a time.
Do I need to learn barre chords too?
Not yet. These eight open chords will carry you through hundreds of songs. Barre chords come later, once your fretting hand is stronger — there’s no rush to tackle them as a beginner.
What to Read Next
Next up: got your first chords down? Put them straight to use with our easy guitar songs for beginners.