Another common chord type is the minor chord. Minor chords are often described as having a "sadder" or more intense sound than major chords. The following diagrams illustrate the three basic minor chord shapes. As with previous chords, memorize each shape and then practice changing between them. Once you are comfortable with them, try example 31 which uses all three shapes.
Am
Dm
Em
The symbol on the third beat of each bar of this example is a quarter rest (h). It indicates one beat of silence. Lift your fingers off the fretboard to stop the notes sounding before strumming again on the fourth beat. Rests are discussed in detail in the following lesson.