022000
Em
minorThe easiest chord of all — two fingers, all strings ring.
Common mistake: Make sure your thumb doesn't mute the low E string; keep it behind the neck.
Wish You Were HereLosing My ReligionZombie
Em diagram & 246 songs →Learn chords
Learn guitar chords, from your first grip to the full neck
With just 4 chords you'll play hundreds of songs. Below you'll find every essential chord with diagram, exact finger positions, the most common mistakes and songs to practice right away.
- 4
- chords = 500+ songs
- 8
- grips = 90% of our songs
- 150
- chords with grip diagram
Start here
The 8 essential open chords
Open chords sound full and are easy to learn. Master these eight and you'll play along to about 80% of the top 40.
x02210
Am
minorWarm and widely used in pop and ballads — the foundation of countless songs.
Common mistake: Your fingers accidentally touch the high e string. Curl your index finger slightly so only the correct string rings.
Sultans of SwingLosing My ReligionThe Sound of Silence
Am diagram & 265 songs →x32010
C
majorBright, open sound and the foundation under hundreds of songs.
Common mistake: Your index finger accidentally touches the high e string — it gets muted. Curl your index finger higher.
Let It BeLet Her GoHotel California
C diagram & 364 songs →320003
G
majorFull and open — a true all-rounder that fits in almost any key.
Common mistake: Your ring and pinky fingers are too far apart at first. Practice placing them together; that muscle memory builds quickly.
Knockin' on Heaven's DoorBrown Eyed GirlGood Riddance
G diagram & 419 songs →xx0232
D
majorTight, clear sound — the driving force behind many folk and pop songs.
Common mistake: Accidentally striking the thick E or A string sounds wrong. Practice your strumming so you skip those strings.
Wagon WheelSweet Home AlabamaHere Without You
D diagram & 301 songs →x02220
A
majorThree fingers next to each other on fret 2 — takes some getting used to, then it becomes reliable.
Common mistake: Three fingers in one space is tight. Try the mini-barre version as an alternative — easier for many people.
Wonderful TonightHere Comes the SunLa Bamba
A diagram & 243 songs →022100
E
majorPowerful root position chord and often the very first chord you learn.
Common mistake: The G string on fret 1 sounds muted if your index finger isn't far enough behind the fret. Press just behind the metal fret.
Sweet Child O' MineBack in BlackKnockin' on Heaven's Door
E diagram & 209 songs →xx0231
Dm
minorWarm and somewhat melancholic — the color beneath many minor songs.
Common mistake: Strike only the bottom four strings (x, x, D, G, B, e); the low strings don't belong.
Stairway to HeavenEleanor RigbyBella Ciao
Dm diagram & 142 songs →
Module 1Je eerste akkoorden
Sytse Bakker· Docent beginnersmodules
2:34 / 8:001×
Professionele videoles
You don't have to figure this out yourself — we'll guide you through it
In our video lessons, an instructor demonstrates every grip and switch slowly. You simply watch and play along at your own pace — no walls of text to get through. This is how you build your first chords step by step.
Leer 7 akkoorden in 14 dagen zit in de abonnementen Gitaarles en Alles-in-één. Probeer een maand voor € 1.
Example: the C chord (x 3 2 0 1 0)
How do you read a chord diagram?
A diagram is a map of the guitar neck. The vertical lines are the strings (from left thick to right thin), the horizontal lines are the frets. The thick top line is the nut.
- ●Press your finger here — on this fret, on this string.
- 1–4Which finger: 1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, 4 = pinky.
- ○Open string — play it without pressing a fret.
- ✕Don't play this string.
- 3A number on the left means: start on that fret (higher up the neck).
The complete library
Chord types: from major to power
Each type has its own sound and function. Click a diagram for the detail page with songs.
Major
Happy, bright sound. Chords with just a letter are always major (C = C major). The major third determines the open, joyful tone.
Minor
More melancholic and deeper. You recognize them by the lowercase 'm' after the letter (Am = A minor). The minor third gives the somber tone.
Seventh (7)
The dominant seventh adds tension that demands resolution — the heart of blues and much pop music. Recognizable by the 7 (E7, A7, B7).
Maj7
Soft, jazzy and dreamy. The major seventh (maj7) sounds refined and calm — widely used in soul, jazz and ballads.
Sus & add
Suspended and add chords replace or add a note for color and movement. Perfect for making a progression more interesting.
Professionele videoles
More than one grip per chord: chords & voicings
Want to go beyond standard shapes? In this video lesson you'll learn voicings — the same chords at different positions on the neck, so you play smoother and sound richer.
Gitaar akkoorden & voicings zit in de abonnementen Gitaarles en Alles-in-één. Probeer een maand voor € 1.
Switching chords & progressions
Music only comes alive when you play chords smoothly one after another. Practice these common sequences — and apply the 5 switching techniques.
01
Focus finger
Keep the finger that doesn't move in place while switching. In C → Am, the index finger already stays on the B string. This halves the movement.
02
Anchor finger
Some fingers can stay in place or only shift. In G → D, the ring finger stays on the B string (fret 3). Find the anchor finger in each transition.
03
Mental visualization
Think ahead to the next chord while you're playing the current one. Your fingers follow your thoughts — do this deliberately.
04
Slow with metronome
Ten minutes a day at quarter tempo is worth more than an hour of chaotic playing. Only speed up when you can do it flawlessly.
05
Count rule
Count out loud 1-2-3-4 and switch precisely on the beat. You'll immediately notice where you're too slow.
The F chord stops more beginners than any other chord — purely because it's unfamiliar, not because it's difficult.
The biggest hurdle, solved
The F chord: the 5-step approach that works
Your index finger presses all 6 strings flat on fret 1 at the same time (a barre). Build it step by step — after 3 to 4 weeks of daily practice, the F sounds as smooth as Am.
- 1
Start with the mini-F (only the 2 thinnest strings): index on the high e string fret 1, middle on the G string fret 2, ring on the D string fret 3. Practice until it sounds clear.
- 2
Add the B string: let your index finger also press the B string on fret 1. Check that both strings sound clear.
- 3
Add the A string: press your index finger slightly deeper so the A string comes in on fret 1.
- 4
Press the full barre: all 6 strings on fret 1, with your index as close as possible behind the metal fret.
- 5
Practice the C → F transition: the most common transition in songs with an F. Switch back and forth 10 times, every day.
Tip: position your index so the first or second knuckle (not the middle of your finger) runs across the strings. The middle has a small groove that mutes strings perfectly.
One technique, the whole neck
Barre chords: shift one shape across the neck
A barre is an open chord shape that you shift across the neck with your index finger as a "capo". Learn the E-shape and A-shape first — those two give you access to all major and minor chords.
Tip: start with a Bm or Am shape on the 5th or 7th fret. Those are lighter to press than the tight F chord at the bottom of the neck.
| Shape | Fret 1 | Fret 2 | Fret 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-major shape | F | F♯ / G♭ | G |
| Em shape | Fm | F♯m / G♭m | Gm |
| A major shape | A♯ / B♭ | B | C |
| Am shape | A♯m / B♭m | Bm | Cm |
Professionele videoles · met Jesse Buitenhuis
Master barre and power chords on video
Jesse walks you through basic, barre, and power chords step by step. He shows exactly how to get the barre sounding clean and shift the shape across the neck — the fastest way to really master this technique.
Basis, Barré en Power akkoorden zit in de abonnementen Gitaarles en Alles-in-één. Probeer een maand voor € 1.
Chords by music style
Each genre relies on different chord types. This way you know where to focus for the music you want to play.
Pop
Simple, often open chords. Think Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift — you can play hundreds of songs with just four chords.
Blues
The 12-bar structure revolves around dominant seventh chords. That tension is the blues sound.
Capo & transposing
With a capo you play in a different key without learning new shapes. You place the capo on a fret and use your familiar chord shapes — the sound shifts automatically.
Example
A C shape with capo on the 2nd fret sounds like a D. Same fingers, higher key.
Transposing
Does a singer need to go higher or lower? Shift all chords by the same number of semitones. Handy if a song doesn't quite sit right in your voice.
Progress faster: tips & common mistakes
Consistency beats long sessions
Practicing 15 minutes daily is better than 2 hours once a week. Consistency is king.
Press just behind the fret
Poor finger placement gives a muted sound. Position your fingertip just behind (not on) the metal fret.
Play relaxed
Tension is the enemy. Keep your wrist and shoulder loose; strength comes from technique, not tension.
Practice silently
Form chord shapes while watching TV. Your fingers learn the shapes even without playing.
Frequently asked questions
What are the easiest chords to start with?+
Start with Em, Am, C, G, and D. These are open chords with a full sound and require few fingers. With these five, you can play hundreds of songs.
How many chords do I need to play songs?+
With just 4 chords (Am, G, C, D) you can play over 500 popular songs. Master the 8 essential open chords and you can play roughly 90% of all songs in our library.
Do I need to learn to read notes for chords?+
No. You learn chords using chord diagrams, without music notation. A diagram shows exactly where to place your fingers.
What if my fingers hurt?+
That's normal at first. After a few weeks of practice, you'll build calluses on your fingertips and the sensitivity will fade.
How long does it take to learn guitar chords?+
You'll know the basic chords within a few weeks. Switching between chords smoothly and at tempo usually takes a few months of regular practice.
What's the difference between a major and a minor chord?+
It's in the third. A major chord (major third) sounds happy and bright; a minor chord (minor third) sounds more melancholic. C-major is C-E-G, C-minor is C-E♭-G.
Play your first song with chords
Play along right away. Practice each chord immediately on real music with the play-along player.