What Is A Chord?
A chord is a group of three or more notes that are played together. Chords are used to accompany a singer or an instrumentalist who is playing the melody of song.
Chord Types
The most common types of chords are:
From these chords other chords called extended chords are formed. These chord types are also quite common.
Here are four other chord types used in Pop/Rock music. Although less common you will come across them.
For Jazz and Classical music more complex chord types can be used. The chord shapes for these chord types are generally more difficult to play. The most important of these chord have been included in this book.
For playing Rock, Pop, Blues and Country styles of music you should be familiar with these 10 chord types.
Chord Shapes
There are three main group of chord shapes a guitarist will encounter.
1. Open Chords
These chord shapes are found within the first four frets and contain at least one open (i.e., not fretted) string. These chord shapes are the first shapes you should learn to play. They are commonly used to play Pop, Rock, Country and Blues music. Open chords sound particularly good played on acoustic guitars either strummed (rhythm guitar) or fingerpicked.
In this book the most useful open chord shapes are shaded. There are about 25 of them and you should know how to play all of them as they are very useful. These open chords are also the basis for bar chords. With these open chord shapes and knowledge of substitution, transposing, and use of a capo, you will be able to play almost every song ever written. To learn all these useful open chord shapes and how to play them see Progressive Guitar Method: Rhythm.
