FINGERSTYLE GUITAR LESSONS

Chords are one of the things that guitar players use all the time. From a simple folk song to a difficult standard Jazz, we need chords to outline the harmony of the tune so that we can sing, solo, or improvise on it. Chords can be quite challenging to learn, so in this lesson, I am going to show you a few tips on how to switch guitar chords fast no matter if the chords are simple or challenging to play.

So, how do you change chords fast on guitar? To change chords, quickly keep your fingers as close as possible to the strings. For beginner chords, visualize the chord shape on the fretboard, then build the chord from the bottom string up. For advanced chords, start by fretting two notes only and add more notes afterward.

Changing chords fast requires a lot of work. I see a lot of beginners getting stuck practicing two chords over and over. Even though this approach works, it can be quite frustrating and boring to repeat the same chords on a loop so in this lesson I am going to show you a few tricks to make any chord change easy to achieve.

We will learn

• Left-hand position for a fast chord change.
• Fingerpicking technique helps chord changes.
• How to change chords fast in C major.
• How to change chords fast in G major.
• How to change chords fast in D major.
• How to change advanced chords fast.

Left-Hand Position for Fast Chord Change

You can’t change chords fast if your left-hand position isn’t correct. One of the most common beginner mistakes is thinking that you will become better at changing chords on guitar by simply repeating the chord change over and over. This is proven to be wrong. If you don’t learn how to position the left-hand correctly, you might be wasting a lot of time.

So how should you position the left-hand for fast chord change? Lower the thumb and position the finger phalange right in the middle of the neck. There should be space between the bottom neck and the palm of your hand. Also, place the fingertips very close to the fret. This position helps you stretch your fingers, improve strength and control, and it works perfectly with chord changes.

Check the example below:

Fingerpicking Technique Helps Chord Changes

Another awesome thing that you can do to improve your chord changes on guitar is practicing the chords with the fingerpicking technique.

One of the remarkable things about fingerstyle guitar is the fact that we can single out some of the notes of the chord to make it easy to play. This approach is impossible with the strumming technique.

Let me show you how to simplify a few chords, such as G major and B minor. Play the simplified chords with two strings only. The bass note of the chord will be played with the thumb while the other note with the index finger.

How to Change Chords Fast in C major

Now that you learned the basics of fast chord changing it’s time to learn how to practice the chord change with some of the most common chord progressions on guitar. In this example, we will have a look at the C major and A minor key.

Quick Music Theory Tip: The C major and A minor key share the same chords as they come from the same scale. The A minor is the relative minor key of C major because it starts on the six degree 

The chords in C major are C Dm Em F G Am Bdim.

Let me break down the chords into some of the most popular chord changes.

• C major to G major.
• C major to A minor.
• C major to F major.
• C major to D minor
• A minor to G major
• A minor to F major
• A minor to D minor

C major to G major

The best way to practice the C-G chord change is by playing the C major on the 5th and 2nd string only followed by the G major with the 6th and 1st string.

C major to A minor

The C to A minor is one of the most simple chord change on guitar. Remove the third finger from the A string fret 3 and play the open A string. Notice that for the simplified chords you should only pluck the 5th, 4th, and 2nd string.

C major to F major

The fingerpicking technique makes this chord change fast. Play the F major with the 4th string fret 3 and B string fret 1.

C major to D minor

There are no notes in common between the C major and the D minor chord. To make the chord change fast, play the D minor with the three strings only. Start with the 4th string open, G string fret 2, and 1st string fret 1.

A minor to G major

The A minor to G major is one of the most common chord changes on guitar. In this example, we are playing the simple G major with the low E string, G, B, and top E string. The A minor chord is played with three strings only.

A minor to F major

Another simple chord change. Just swap over the middle and ring finger and play the F major chord with the 4th string fret 3, G string fret 2, and 2nd string fret 1.

A minor to D minor

For this chord change, we will lower the index finger down to the 1st string fret 1, and the middle finger to the 3rd string fret 2.

How to Change Chords Fast in G Major

Let’s move on to the G major key. The awesome thing about the G major is that it has a few chords in common with the C major key such as C major, G major, E minor, and A minor.

There are also different chords, such as the D major and B minor. The chords in  G major/B minor key are G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em, F#dim.

These are the chord change we are going to practice in G major key.

• G major to D major
• G major to B minor
• G major to C major

G major to D major

When there are notes in common between two chords, we keep these fingers in the same frets to make the chord change faster. This is called the pivot finger.

We can use this approach between the G major and D major chord. Keep the B string fret 2 between the G major and D major chord.

G major to B minor

Another example of a pivot finger between the G major and B minor chord.

How to Change Chords Fast in D major

The D major is one of my favorite key on the guitar. The chords in D major becomes a little bit more challenging though so you must learn how to change chords smoothly.

In the D major key, we have the following chords: D major, E minor, F# minor, G major, A major, B minor and C# diminished. We have already explored some of the chords such as the D major, E minor, B minor, and G major but in the D major key, we will also deal with the A major and F# minor chord which are indeed more challenging to learn.

We will work on:

• D major to B minor
• D major to F# minor
• D major to A major
• B minor to F# minor

D major to B minor

In this example, we are going to combine two chords we have already simplified, the D major to B minor chord. If you play the D major with the left-hand finger 1 and 2, you can use the B string fret 3 as a pivot note. Hold this note down as this is a note in common between the D and B minor chord.

D major to F# minor

The fingerpicking technique allows you to make difficult chords simple. In this exercise, we are simplifying the F# minor chord, which is usually a six strings bar chord played on fret 2. We can change the two chords faster by playing the F# minor on the Low E string, G, and B string only.

D major to A major

One of the most popular chord change on guitar. The A major is indeed a simple chord to play even though it can become a struggle if you have big fingers. In this chord, you should squeeze three fingers within the same fret. We can simplify this chord by only playing the top three strings.

B minor to F# minor

Let me show you how to change these two guitar chords fast. The B minor and F# minor chord are very difficult to play in their basic shape. Both chords should be played with a bar chord on the 2nd fret. You can simplify the chords by playing three strings only.

How to Change Advanced Chords Fast

Once you familiarize yourself with the basic chords, you can then learn how to change intermediate and advanced chords easily. For me, advanced chords are all the chords that are played with three or more fingers. Think about extended chords such as the maj7, majr9, add9, add11, 13, and suspended chords.

In this section, you will learn how to change advanced chords smoothly by practicing them with the fingerpicking technique. Switching guitar chords faster is very simple to do with fingerstyle guitar because we can single out some of the notes of the chord and simplify the chord shape quite a lot.

You will learn:

• How to switch between the Major 7th chords.
• How to change Minor 7th chords fast.
• How to simplify advanced chords for a smooth chord change.

How to Switch Between the Major 7th chords

The Major 7th is a chord played with the Root note, 3rd, 5th, and 7th. Playing a chord with four notes is more challenging, but we can use the same technique to simplify the chords so that you can switch fast between Major 7th chords.

Think about a C major 7th chord (Cmaj7) played with the Root note on the A string.

To simplify the Cmaj7 chord, only pluck two strings at a time. You could, for example, pluck the A and G string, or the A, G, and B string. I always recommend that you keep the bass note (the root note of the chord) all the time.

These are two ways of playing the Cmaj7 chord for the fast chord change.

We can use the same concept for Major 7th chords played in different positions and shapes. Always use the fingerpicking technique to isolate two or three strings of the chord to make it easy to play.

How to Change Minor Chords Fast

The same approach can be used for the Minor 7th chords. Let’s have a look at a simple example.

How to Simplify Advanced Chords for a Smooth Chord Change

You should apply this simple concept to any other chord, you know. The method I showed you in this lesson works for any chord shape and species.

Try this approach on Maj9, Sus2, Sus4, Add9, Add11, 13, Dim, and altered chords.

If you always struggle with chord changes, learn how to simplify the chords using the fingerpicking technique, as shown in this lesson. I recommend that you simplify the chords starting from two strings only before moving on to more strings.

Related Questions

How should I practice the chord change with strumming? Start by practicing the chord change with two chords only. Position the first chord down and strum the strings. Count four beats before quickly changing the chord as promptly as possible. Don’t strum too quickly, instead, brush the strings slowly and look out for muted notes.

How to know when to change chords on guitar? To change chords smoothly and evenly, decide for how many beats you want the chord to last. A four beats chord will last for four counts. Strum or pluck the chord on the first count then let it ring out for the remaining three beats. Start at a slow pace. Also, try different time signatures such as three or two beats per measure.

I get a lot of questions about chords. One of the most common is about writing a chord progression for a song on the guitar. You see, there are so many different combinations of chords that it can be intimidating to get started. In this lesson, I am going to show you how to easily write chord progressions on guitar and how to structure the chord progression so that it doesn’t sound boring or repetitive.

So, can you write a chord progression on the guitar? To write a chord progression on the guitar start by learning the C major scale. Then, add a Roman numeral to the scale degrees and build a chord on each note of the scale. Learn the seven chords C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major,  A minor, B diminished. Use the Roman numerals to write different chord progressions such as I IV V, or I VI II V. 

In this lesson, I am going to show you how to write a chord progression on guitar in five simple steps from learning the scale to building beautiful chord progressions with both fingerpicking and strumming technique. There are many reasons why you would want to write a song. This system works for any type of chord progression and key so learn it, use it, and have fun with it.

Here are the five steps to writing chord progressions on guitar:

• Step 1. Start with the C major scale.
• Step 2. How to chords using the scale.
• Step 3. The ten most common chord progressions
• Step 4. Five Chord Progression with the Fingerpicking Technique
• Step 5. Five Chord Progression with the Strumming Technique.
• Common Questions
• Let’s Wrap This Up

Step 1. Start With the C Major Scale

Chords come from the scale. If you want to learn how to write chord progressions on the guitar (and other instruments) you should always start by learning the major scale in whatever key you want to write the chord progression. In this example, we are going to start by learning the C major scale.

Step 2. How to Build the Chords

Once you learn the notes of the C major scale, you should then build a chord on each scale degree. To create a chord using the C major scale select the I, III, and V degree starting on each note of the scale. The first chord, the C major,  will have the notes C, E, and G (I III V), the second chord, the D minor, has the notes D, F, and A (II IV VI), the third chord, the E minor, has the notes E, G, and B (III V VII), etc.

Do the same thing starting on each note of the scale to build seven chords from the C major key: C major (I), D minor (ii), E minor (iii), F major (IV), G major (V), A minor (vi), B diminished(VII).

Important Tip! The pattern Maj(I), Min(ii), Min(iii), Maj(IV), Maj(V), Min(vi), Dim(VII) is the same for any major scale. If you apply Step 1 and Step 2 to a different major scale the pattern will be the same. Example: In D major key, the progression of chords will be D major, E minor, F# minor, G major, A major, B minor, and C# diminished. 

Now that you know all the chords that you can use in the C major key, learn each chord shape on the guitar. Start by learning the basic chord shapes in the first position of the neck. If you already know them, skip to Step 3 where I am going to show you how to write different chord progressions using the Roman numerals.

Below, the basic chords played on guitar in the key of C major.

Step 3. The 10 Most Common Chord Progressions

So far we learned where chords come from and how to build the chords in the C major key using the C major scale. You also learned the most common chord shapes in C major so it’s finally time to start writing our chord progressions.

The reasons why we use Roman numerals is to simplify the writing process and narrow down out chord choices. If you had to write a  chord progression using any chord in music, that would be really difficult. But in this example, we are only playing the chords in the C major key so it should be easy to write a chord progression.

Below you will find the ten most common chord progression on guitar. The chords are displayed with the Roman numerals as well as the name of the chord. Writing the chord progression with the Roman numerals make it easy to transpose the chords in different keys, however, I recommend that you also memorize the name of each chord in relation with the number. Ex C-I, Am-vi, Em-ii, etc.

Play some of the chord progressions below before.

Chord Progression #1I IV V – C F G

Chord Progression #2I  IV vi V – C F Am G

Chord Progression #3I  V vi IV – C G Am F

Chord Progression #4I  ii iii IV V – C Dm Em F G

Chord Progression #5I iii vi V – C Em Am G

Chord Progression #6I vi IV V – C Am F G

Chord Progression #7IV vi ii V – F Am Dm G

Chord Progression #8ii V I – Dm G C

Chord Progression #9ii V I vi – Dm G C Am

Chord Progression #10ii vi IV V – Dm Am F G

Step 4.Five Chord Progression with the Fingerpicking Technique

You learned some of the most common chord progressions in the major key. Now, it’s time to show you how to make these chord progressions beautiful and musical.

In this step, I am going to show you how to play five chord progressions using the fingerpicking technique. One of the things that I love about fingerstyle is the fact that we can single out some of the notes of the chords. We can also easily add additional notes to the chords to write interesting chord progressions.

Below you can listen and learn five chord progressions played with the fingerstyle technique.

Chord Progression #1 – I IV V – C F V

This is indeed one of the most common chord progression in music. In this example, I am going to transform some of the chords from basic to extended.

Chord Progression #2 – I IV vi V – C F Am G

Another common chord progression similar to the first one. The Am chord adds a different color to the chord progression. Now each chord can be played in one measure.

Chord Progression #3 – I V vi IV – C G Am F

Not all the chord progressions should finish with the V chord. In this example, we are going to finish with the IV chord.

Chord Progression #4 – I ii iii IV V – C Dm Em F G

This chord progression follows the major scale pattern. We are going to use extended chords again to make the chord progression more folk. The fingerpicking pattern can be quite rhythmic so take things step-by-step.

Chord Progression #5 – I iii vi V – C Em Am G

The I – iii is one of the most melancholic chord progression we have in music. I really love the sound of the C major going to the E minor chord. We are going to play the chords with a simple fingerpicking pattern and a slightly different chord shapes.

Step 5.Five Chord Progression with the Strumming Technique

Let’s move on to another technique. The strumming is definitely more rhythmic and groovy than the fingerpicking technique. The chords played with strumming share almost the same chord shape as the basic chords you learned in Step 3. However, we can still play beautiful extended chords with the strumming.

Chord Progression #6 – I vi IV V – C Am F G

In this first example, we are going to play a simple strumming pattern and a bunch of extended chords. We will play a Cadd9, Am9, Fadd9, and Gsus4 chord.

Chord Progression #7 – IV vi I V – F Am C G

A chord progression can also start from a note different than the root note. This is an example that features the F major as the first chord, followed by the A minor, D minor and G major chord. We don’t play the C major at all.

Chord Progression #8 – ii V I – Dm G C

A jazzy chord progression. The ii V I is one of the most common progressions used in Standard Jazz music.

Chord Progression #9 – ii V I VI- Dm G C Am

Same chord progression as number 8 but with the A minor chord to.

Chord Progression #10 – ii vi IV V- Dm Am F G

Last but not least, the ii vi IV V chord progression. Not quite the most popular but still pretty good for a song.

Common Questions

Can I use the same system to write chord progressions in other keys? Yes indeed. Follow the same steps shown in this lesson. Step 1, learn, for example, the E major scale (E F# G# A B C# D# E). Build the chords on each scale degree as shown in Step 2 and learn the basic chord shapes. Use the examples in Step 3 to write different chord progressions in E major. 

Can I use the same steps to write minor chord progressions? You can use the same steps but the scale will be different. To write minor chord progressions you should use the Natural Minor scale, which has a different internal structure than the major scale. 

Let’s Wrap This Up

I hope you enjoyed this lesson guys. Music theory can be daunting that’s why you always need a simple system that shows you exactly how to do it.

In this lesson, we covered the Major key only. I recommend that you try this exercise in different keys before moving on to minor keys.

Write everything down and record the chord progressions if you can. It’s always nice to go back to old recordings to compare your level after a few months of writing.

Good luck!

Marco.

In this guitar lesson, we are going to learn 8 beautiful E major chord shapes and how to use them in different chord progressions. The E major is one of the most simple chords on the guitar, and one of the very first chord beginners learn.

But what’s an E major chord?

The E major is a chord played with the notes E G# B. On the guitar this chord is played on the E string open, A and D string fret 2, the G string fret 1, B and top E string open. Check the open E chord diagram below. 

There are a lot of different E major chord alternatives on the guitar. Each chord shapes will inspire you to play a different musical idea, a song that you always wanted to learn, or to simple chord changes exercise.

The majority of examples shown in this lesson are played with the fingerpicking technique. The reasons why I prefer the fingerstyle approach over strumming is because with the fingerpicking technique we can single out some of the notes of the chord and make it more exciting and easy to play.

In this lesson we will learn:

• What’s an E major chord.
• How many chords can I play in the E major key?
• 1. The simple E major triad.
• 2. The Eadd9 chord.
• 3. Esus2 and Esus4.
• 4. The Emaj7 chord.
• 5. The Eadd11 chord.
• 6. The E major over G# (E/G#).
• 7. The Emaj9 chord.
• 8. The E#11 chord.

What’s an E Major Chord?

The E major is a chord built on the 1st degree of the E major scale. It’s played with the notes E G# and E, also called Root note, 3rd, and 5th. This type of chord is called triad, which represents the most basic chord in music.  

Check the E major chord diagram below to learn how to play the simple E major triad on different chord set of strings. This is indeed the easiest way to play the E major chord.

How Many Chords Can I Play in E Major Key?

If you want to learn how to use the E major chord, then you should determine which chords work best with the E chord. For this reason, we will have to learn the chords in the E major key.

All the chords in the E major family come from the E major scale. The notes of the E major scale are E F# G# A B C# D# E.

We can build a chord from each degree of the scale.

To build chords from the E major scale select the I, III, and V degree starting from each scale degree. The 1st degree is E, which build the E major chord, the 2nd degree is the F#, which build the F# minor chord, the 3rd degree is the G#, which build the G# minor chord, etc. 

There are seven chords in the E major key: E major, F# minor, G# minor, G major, A major, B minor, C# diminished

Below, all the chords that you can play in the E major key.

1. The Simple E Major Triad – Closed vs. Open Position

Let me show you how to write a beautiful chord progression with a simple E major triad.

One of the things I don’t like about the basic triad is the way the notes stuck up together. If we use the 1 3 5 formula, then all the notes are played as close together as possible. This way of playing the chord is called closed position. 

In this example, I am going to show you how to E major triad in open position, which makes the chord harmonically and melodically more interesting.

I also have a video lesson where I talk about open position chords you can check later on when you are done with this lesson.

Music theory Tip! To play a chord in open position play the 3rd one octave higher. 

Let me show you the E major chord diagram played with the close and open position.

Chord Progression With the E Major Open Triad

One of the most common chord progressions with the E major open triads are the ones played with I IV VI V, E major, A major, C# minor, B major.

We are going to use the same chord shape for each chord, except for the C# minor, which will be played slightly different. The E major finger position is the same for the A major and B major chord, which is played with the same interval structure.

The chords will be played sliding up and down the neck; for this reason, I recommend that you learn the root note position for each chord. The root note is played with the first finger. For the E major, the root note is on the D string fret 2. For the A major, on the fret 7. For the C# minor on the fret 11, and the B major on the fret 9.

The example is played with a simple fingerpicking pattern P i P a, thumb, index, thumb, middle.

2. The Eadd9 Chord

The Eadd9 chord is one of the most beautiful E major chord variation you can play on the guitar. The “add9” next to the chord’s name means that an additional note should be added to the chord, which is, of course, the 9th. These type of chords are called “Extended” chords because they add additional notes to the basic chords.

To build the Eadd9 chord select the I, III, V, and IX scale degree.  The Eadd9 is played with the notes E G# B F#.

The Eadd9 Chord Shape

Let me show you the Eadd9 chord we will use in this exercise.

One of the reasons why I love the Eadd9 so much is because of the number of different finger positions we can use. There are countless of beautiful options to be played.

For this chord, the notes are E F# G# E. The 9th is played on the G string fret 11 and works perfectly with the major 3rd, G#, on the B string.

This is the chord diagram.

Chord Progression Using the Eadd9 Chord

The chord progression using the Eadd9 chord is very dreamy and beautiful to play. We can play the chords in the same position of the neck and benefit from playing this simple chord shape with different bass notes.

The chords are Eadd9 | C#m6 | Dadd11 | Amaj7(6). Despite the mouthful names, these chords are straightforward to play. The top three strings, the G, B, and E keep the same notes while the bass note will be moving from the note E to C#, to D and A.

One of my favorite chord progressions in E major.

3.The Esus2 and Esus4

Let’s learn the next E major family chord. The Esus2 and Esus4 are suspended chords played without the 3rd.

To play the Esus2 chord lower the 3rd-degree G# down to the 2nd. Select the I, II, and V degree of the E major scale.

To play the Esus4 chord raise the 3rd degree to the 4th. Select the I, IV, and V degree of the E major scale. 

Esus2 and Esus4 Chord Shape

The suspended chords can’t be classified as major or minor because the 3rd, which is the note that determines if the chord is either major or minor, is omitted.

Check this simple example played with the E | Esus2 chords.

Here is the chord diagram for the Esus2 and Esus4 we are going to use in this exercise. The 4th is played on the B string.

Chord Progression Using the Esus2 and Esus4

In this example, we are going to play these two chords in a higher position of the neck so that I can show you how interesting can be to combine fretted notes and open strings above fret five.

The chord progression is very busy, and the chord changes all the time. I recommend that you practice one bar at a time to make each chord change smooth and simple. Some of the chords can be stretchy on the left-hand so take it step-by-step.

4.Emaj7 Chord

The Emaj7 chord is another beautiful extended chord played with the Root note, 3rd, 5th, and 7th chord.

To play the Emaj7 chord select the I, III, V, and VII degree of the E major scale. For the Emaj7 chord, the notes are E G# B D#. 

The Emaj7 chord sounds beautiful and dreamy. It’s a chord played in many jazz and folk songs. In this example, we are going to explore the melodic side of the chord played with a simple chord progression and melody.

Emaj7 Chord Shape

This Emaj7 chord shape is simple to play and works perfectly with the fingerpicking technique. The notes are all played on the fret four on the D, G, and B string. To play this Emaj7 chord pluck the low E string, and the D, G, and B string fret four.

Chord Progression Using the Emaj7 Chord

In this chord progression, we are going to combine two maj7 chords, the Emaj7 and the Amaj7 as well as the C#m9 and the Asus2(11) chord.

The chords are plucked simultaneously with a P i m a fingerpicking pattern. Let the chords ring out beautifully.

5.The Eadd11 Chord

The Eadd11 chord is another extended chord played with the Root note, 3rd, 5th, and 11th.

To play the Eadd11 chord select the I, III, V, and XI degree from the E major scale. For the E major chord, the notes are E, G#, B, and A. 

The Eadd11 chord works beautifully in the E major key. We can benefit from playing open strings and fretted notes on a high position of the neck and write amazing chords.

First things first, let’s learn the chord shape.

The Eadd11 Chord Shape

This is the chord diagram for the Eadd11 chord.

Chord Progression Using the Eadd11 Chord Shape

It’s time to put this chord into practice. In this chord progression, we are going to play just two chords, the Eadd11 and the Asus2(11).

Both chords keep the same shape, and the bass note is the only thing we will change.

Notice that the fingerpicking pattern is based on two different set of strings.

6.The E Major Over G# (E/G#) – The Slash Chord

A slash chord is a chord played with a different bass note. The E/G# is essentially an E major chord played with the G# on the bass.

The E/G# is a simple triad played in its first inversion.

A chord inversion occurs when either the 3rd or 5th is played as the bass note of the chord. A basic chord can be played in three different forms.

• Fundamental. The chord is played with Root, 3rd, and 5th. (1 3 5)
• First inversion. The chord is played with 3rd, Root, and 5th. (3 1 5)
• Second inversion. The chord is played with 5th, Root, and 3rd. (5 1 3)

Check the Tab below to learn how to play the E major chord in the three different forms.

To play the E/G# chord play the 3rd of the E major chord, the note G#, on the bass note. For the E major chord, the notes are G# E B. 

The E/G# Chord Shape

The E/G# chord shape can be quite stretchy on the left hand, so I recommend that you try the chords a few times before playing it with the other chords.

Check the chord diagram below.

Chord Progression Using the E/G# Chord

One of the things that I like the most about this chord progression is the simple bass line played with the thumb. The slash chord makes it easy to create walking bass lines that connect the chords beautifully.

7.The Emaj9

The Emaj9 is a chord played with the Root note, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th. This chord is beautiful and rich.

The only problem guitar players have with the Maj9 chord is the number of notes that should be played. The Maj9 chord is a five notes chord, and we know for a fact that it isn’t easy to play five notes chords on the guitar. For this reason, we usually omit the 5th and only play the Root note, 3rd, 7th, and 9th.

The Emaj9 Chord Shape

This is the Emaj9 chord shape we are going to learn in this lesson.

Chord Progression Using Emaj9 Chord

In this chord progression, we will be playing two chords only. Notice how with extended chords we can create a beautiful melody with just two chords.

The fingerpicking pattern can be quite tricky rhythmically so listen to the example below many times to memorize the rhythmic pattern.

8.The E#11 Chord

Last but not least the E#11 chord, one of my favorite chord on the guitar.

The E#11 is a chord played with the Root note, 3rd, 5th, and #11. It’s a chord built on the IV degree of the B major scale, so it comes from a different key.

To build the E#11 chord select the IV, VI, I, and III degrees of the B major scale.  For the E#11 chord, the notes are E G# B A#.

The E#11 Chord Shape

Chord Progression Using the E#11 Chord

The chord progression we are checking out in this lesson is in B major, and it has a lot of beautiful extended chords in it.

The E#11 is built on the 4th degree of the B major scale, and it will be played as the second chord. Notice how the chords all look the same except for the bass note. We have been using this simple trick a lot in this lesson.

Let’s Wrap This Up

I hope you enjoyed this lesson. When you feel ready, use the same chords to write your chord progressions. You can also use the chords to play the songs you love.

Everything you learn should be then played in your music. Make it a rule, and your guitar playing will improve drastically.

Good luck.

Marco.

The awesome thing about playing guitar is that we can always come up with new ways of play chords. Just think about it for a second. The same chord shape can be played in many different positions and shapes.

In this guitar lesson, we are going to explore 8 beautiful D major chord shapes on guitar and how to use each chord shape in a chord progression. We will have a look at different chord families such as major 7th, as well as suspended, major 9th, and more.

For each chord shape, there will be a musical example that you can listen and learn.

But what’s a D major chord and how can we play it in different shapes?

The D major is a chord played with the notes D, F#, and A. On guitar, this chord has a triangle shape, and it’s played by fretting the G string on fret 3, the B string on fret 4, and the top E string on fret 2. 

In this lesson we will learn:

• What’s a D major chord.
• How many chords can I play in the D major key?
• 1. The most simple D major shape for beginners.
• 2. The Dadd9 chord.
• 3. Dsus2 and Dsus4.
• 4. The Dmaj7 chord.
• 5. The Dadd11 chord.
• 6. The D major over F (D/F#).
• 7. The Dmaj9 chord.
• 8. The D major open triad.

What’s a D Major Chord?

The D major chord comes from the D major scale, and it’s played with the notes D, F#, and G (The root note, 3rd, and 5th). This chord is also called triad, which represents the purest form of chord we have in music.

To play the D major, major chord, select the I, III, and V degree of the D major scale and play the three notes simultaneously.

Now, we can’t use the D major chord in its basic triad form in a song because the shapes are not “Song friendly”. These are a few D major triad shapes that guitar players NEVER use for songs.

If we want to make the D major chord more “Guitar friendly” we will have to change its interval structure and repeat some of the notes of the chords.

This is one of the most common D major chord shapes on guitar which is played with the note D, A, D, and F# (Root, 5th, root, 3rd). The root note of the chord is played twice. The 5th is now played in the middle of the chord, and the 3rd is the singing note (the voicing) of the chord. A quite common way to make the basic triad “guitar friendly.”

How Many Chords Can I play in D Major Key?

All the chords in D major key come from the D major scale. If we can build the D major chord by selecting the I, III, and V degree of the scale than we can create another seven chords starting from each degree of the scale.

Here is how we build all the chords in the D major key.

To build all the chords in the D major key, select the I, III, and V degree starting from each degree of the scale. The 1st degree is the note D, which build the D major chord (D F# A), the 2nd degree is the note E which make the E minor chord (E G B), the 3rd degree is the note F#, which build the F# minor chord (F# A C#), etc. 

Check the diagram below to learn all the chords available in the D major key.

1.The Most Simple D Major Shape for Beginners

What’s the most common D major chord shape on guitar?

If you ask this question to any guitar teacher out there, they will tell you that this is the most simple D major chord shape for beginners.

However, I think there is a way to simplify this chord even more and make it more beginner friendly. Of course, we will have to play the chords with the fingerpicking technique, which is a guitar approach that allows you to single out some of the notes of the chord.

Now, the D major chord can be played by plucking the D and B string only.

We can apply this concept to the other chords of the D major key. You can easily come up with a simple yet beautiful chord progression in D major.

Once you familiarize yourself with this simple shape, you can then play the full chord in a similar chord progression.

IMPORTANT! I like to practice chords with fingerstyle rather than strumming. I believe that the fingerpicking technique allows you to simplify chords easily.  

Let me show you this very simple example using the basic D major chord shape.

2.The Dadd9 Chord

The Dadd9 is a chord played with the Root note, 3rd, 5th, and 9th. When we add additional notes to the basic triad, the chord becomes an “Extended chord.”

To build the Dadd9 chord select the I, III, V, and IX degree of the D major scale. 

FUN FACT! The 9th is the 2nd played one octave higher. 

The Dadd9 Chord Shape

There are a lot of different Dadd9 shapes on the guitar. In this example, I am going to show you the one I use the most.

With this chord shape, the 9th is played with the top E string open.

Chord Progression with the Dadd9 Chord

The Dadd9 is indeed a beautiful chord that works perfectly with fingerpicking guitar.

We can write a beautiful chord progression by using a bunch of extended chords, including the, and a simple fingerstyle patter.

In the chord progression below I am going to play similar chord shapes with different bass notes.

3.The Dsus2 and Dsus4 Chord

The suspended chords are indeed the most some of the most popular chords on the guitar. They are very popular in folk, pop, and country music.

Simply put, the Suspended chord is a basic triad without the 3rd.

The question is, “How can we play a chord without the 3rd?”

Let me show you how we play the Dsus2 and Dsus4 on the guitar.

• For the Dsus2 chord lower the note F# (the 3rd) down to the note E (the 2nd).
• For the Dsus4 chord raise the note F# to the note G (the 4th).

IMPORTANT! The Suspended chord only occurs when the 3rd is either raised (sus4) or lowered (sus2).

In the diagrams below I am going to show you the difference between the D major and the Suspended chords.

What’s The Difference Between Dadd9 and Dsus2?

We learned that the 2nd and 9th is the same notes. In the D major scale, the note E is on both the 2nd and the 9th degree.

If the 2nd and 9th is the same note, how can we tell the difference between the Dadd9 and Dsus2 chord?

We should analyze the notes of both chords.

• The Dsus2 is played with the D E A (Root, 2nd, and 5th).
• The Dadd9 is played with the D F#A E (Root, 3rd, 5th, and 9th).

Music Theory Tip! Even though the 2nd and 9th is the same note, it has a different harmonic function when played in the Add9 and Sus2. In the Add9 chord the 3rd and 9th work perfectly together. In the Suspended chord, the 3rd is omitted. 

Chord Progression with the Dsus2 and Dsus4

The suspended chords are perfect if you want to create movement. Go from basic to suspended chords to create a simple melody within the chords.

In this example, the D major lasts for the entire measure. We can play the Dsus2 and Dsus4 to create movement beween the chords. I am also playing an Asus2 and the A7 chord in the second measure.

Take a look at this simple example in which we keep changing between the D major and Dsus chords.

4.The Dmaj7 Chord

The Maj7 is a chord played with the Root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th. It can be either major or minor and belongs to the extended chord family just like the Dadd9 chord.

To build a Dmaj7 chord select the I, III, V, and VII degree of the D major scale. 

The Maj7 chords are very popular in Jazz music. It’s impossible to think of all the jazz songs written with this beautiful chord, as in some cases the entire songs are built upon the Maj7 and Min7 chords.

The Dmaj7 is one of the most simple chords on the guitar and can be easily played with a bar chord on the G, B, and top E string on the 2nd fret.

This chord sounds dreamy, and it works perfectly with chords such as Gmaj7, Em7, A13, Bm.

Chord Progression with the Dmaj7 Chord

Let’s take it up a notch with this beautiful Jazz chord progression in D major key.

The II V I progression (also 2 5 1) is one of the most famous Jazz chord progression. It takes its name from the chord degree is built upon, the 2nd, 5th, and 1st chord of the scale.

To write a II V I chord progression select the 1st, 5th, and 1st degree from the D major scale. You can make the chords sound Jazzy by playing Maj7, Min7, and Dominant 7th chords.

• The Em9 notes are E G B D F#
• The A13 notes are A C# G F
• The Dmaj7 notes are D F# A C

This is the Jazz chord progression in II V I.

5.The Dadd11 Chord

The Dadd11 is a basic triad played with the 11th. The 11th is the 4tf degree of the D major scale played one octave higher.

To play a Dadd11 chord select the I, III, V, and XI degree of the D major scale and play the notes simultaneously. 

How to Play The Dadd11 Chord Shape

Let me show you the most popular Dadd11 chord shape on guitar.

This chord is played with the notes D (root), F# (3rd,), G(11th), and D(root). If you have been playing guitar for a while, you should recognize this chord as it’s indeed one of the most loved chords on the guitar.

This is the chord shape.

FUN FACT! This chord has the same shape as a C major chord played a whole-step up.

Chord Progression with the Dadd11 Chord

In this chord progression, we are going to play an Em9 – Dadd11 – Cadd9 chord.

All these chords have a similar shape.

6.The D major over F# (D/F#)

Let me tell the number one questions I get the most every time this chord shows up on a guitar tab. “Why does this chord have two names and what’s the slash for?”.

The D major over F#, better named as the D/F#, is a slashed chord.

The slash chord is a chord played with a different bass note. Usually, we assume that the bass note of the chord is the root note, but occasionally a different bass note can be played over the chord. Some of the most popular slash chords are performed with the 3rd or 5th on the bass. 

The D/F# is a D major chord played with the F# on the bass.

The D/F# Chord Shape

To play a D/F#, make the F# the lowest note of the chord. You can do so by playing a basic D major triad with 2nd fret on the low E string.

Chord Progression with the D/F# Chord

We use slash chords to emphasize a different bass note of a chord.

The different bass note has both harmonic and melodic function, and it can be used to connect the chords melodically.

If I am playing a chord progression such as G, D, and E minor I can use the D/F# to connect the three chords with a melodic bass line.

In the example below the bass note goes from G to F#, to E.

Once you embrace this concept, it becomes easy to use the slash chord almost everywhere.

Check this beautiful chord progression using the D/F# chord.

7.The Dmaj9 Chord

The Dmaj9 is another chord that falls into the Jazz family. This chord can also be played in Latin music a lot.

The Maj9 chord is a very rich chord played with the Root, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th.

To play a Dmaj9 chord select the I, III, V, VII, and IX degree of the D major scale. We usually leave out the 5th to make the chord “Guitar friendly.”

This chord can also be played with other extensions such as the 6th and 13th, but it should always have root, 3rd, 7th, and 9th.

The Dmaj9 Chord Shape

There are a lot of different chord shapes for this chord. In this example, we are going to learn one of the most popular shapes.

Check the diagram below.

Chord Progression with the Dmaj9 Chord

I love this chord. It’s easy to play and works perfectly with a ton of other chords.

In this chord progression, we want to emphasize the melodic side of the chord by changing the voicing a lot.

Each chord sounds pretty rich, and it can be overwhelming to memorize all the chord shapes. Just take it step-by-step and learn one chord at a time if you have to.

The fingerpicking pattern helps a lot as we single out the notes of the chords and melody.

The chord progression is straightforward and only played with the Dmaj9 and A major. Both chords sound beautiful. Let me show you how to play a chord progression with the Dmaj9 chord.

8.The D Major Played with the Open Triad

Last but not least the D major chord played with the open triad. We already talked about this chord in the 8 C major chord shapes I posted a while ago.

The 153 chord shape is essentially a triad played with a root note, 5th, and 3rd. It’s also called “Open triad” due to the interval structure of the chord.

Let me show you the difference between “Close triad” and “Open triad.”

D Major Open Triad Shape

This chord shape is simple to memorize and doesn’t use open strings. For this reason, it’s pretty simple to transpose this chord in a different position.

This is the chord diagram.

Chord Progression With D Major Open Triad

We can take advantage of this simple chord shape to create easy chord progression. Also, with the fingerpicking technique, it becomes easy to add rhythm and melody.

In this example the chord progression goes as follows: D | A/B | Bm | A | G | D/F# | G | A. All the chords are played as open triads.

Let’s Wrap This Up

The D major is indeed one of the most popular chords on the guitar. It can be played in a ton of different shapes and progressions.

I hope that with this lesson you can find the inspiration to create your ideas in D major. Remember to learn each chord explained in this lesson before writing your chord progressions.

Good luck.

Marco.

One of the fantastic thing about guitar chords is that we can play them in different shapes and positions of the neck. Every major, minor, or extended chord can be played in different inversions. If we also add the set of strings in which the chord can be played, the combinations become countless.

But how can we play beautiful chords on the guitar and how can we progress from simple chords to more advanced chord shapes?

The C major is a chord played with the notes C, E, and G. On guitar, this chord it’s played by pressing the third fret on the A string, the second fret on the D string, and the first fret on the B string. 

In this guitar lesson, I am going to show you how to play 8 beautiful C major chord shapes on guitar and how to use each shape in different chord progressions.

The best way to learn new chords is to put them into practice. You should always avoid learning more than one or two chords per session. Your brain (and fingers), only have enough space to memorize a few things at a time.

You are better off learning one chord shape and play it in five different chord progressions then learning five different chords at a time.

We will learn:

• What’s a C major chord.
• 1. The most simple C major shape for beginners.
• 2. The Cadd9 chord.
• 3. Csus2 and Csus4.
• 4. The Cmaj7 chord.
• 5. The Cadd11 chord.
• 6. The C major over E (C/E).
• 7. The Cmaj9 chord.
• 8. The C major played with the 153 interval structure.

What’s a C Major Chord

The C major chord is a basic chord played with the root note, major 3rd, and perfect 5th. When you put together the notes C, E, and G you are playing a C major chord.

Just like any other chord in music, a basic chord is also called “Triad.” A triad is the most simple chord we have in music and consist of the Root note, 3rd, and 5th degree of the scale.

If you know how to play basic chords such as C major, G major, A minor, E minor, etc., then you know how to play triads.

The reasons why it is so important to learn the notes of the C major chord is because as we progress with this lesson, you will also learn extended chords such as Cadd9, Cmaj7, Csus2, etc. These chords have the same interval structure of a basic chord (or triad) played with root, 3rd, and 5th but with additional notes such as 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, sus2, sus4, and 6th.

We will talk more about extended through the lesson.

QUICK TIP! You can skip the music theory stuff if you want and learn the chord shapes and the exercises only. Don’t feel like you have to know the theory behind each chord; you don’t have to.

1.The Most Simple C Major Shape for Beginners

The most simple chord shape for beginners is the one played with two fingers only.

The reasons why we start with such a simple shape is to show you how to simplify and model the chords based off of your level.

This chord is played with the root note only.

This chord is only possible if you use the fingerpicking technique.

Pluck the A and B string with thumb and index finger. Feel the stretch between the fingers and adjust the left-hand thumb.

Once you are good with the chord, add the G and top E string.

The fingerstyle pattern is straightforward and should be played as evenly as possible.

Learn more about how to pluck the strings correctly in this article I wrote a while back.

2.The Cadd9 Chord

The first variation of the C major chord is called “the Cadd9 chord”. In the Cadd9 chord, we are adding a note to the chord, the 9th. This chord belongs to a chord family called “Extended chords,” which are chords played with, well, extended notes on top of the basic triads.

The Cadd9 chord is played with the note C, E, G, and D (Root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, and major 9th).

The Cadd9 Chord Shape

Learn how to play the Cadd9 chord by following the chord diagram below. Lower the left-hand thumb so that you can easily stretch the fingers.

Chord Progression with the Cadd9 Chord

In this simple example, I am going to show you how to implement the Cadd9 chord in a simple chord progression.

The exercise is played with the fingerstyle technique. The reasons why we prioritize the fingerpicking technique over the strumming technique is because with fingerstyle you can single out some of the notes of the chord and make it simple for the left-hand to handle the chord change.

The remarkable thing about the Cadd9 chord is that that it can be quickly moved in different positions of the neck.

This is the chord progression: Cadd9 – Em(add9) – Fadd9 – Gsus4.

Notice how the Cadd9, Em(add9), and the Fadd9 share the same chord shape.

3.Csus2 and Csus4

The second C major variation is called “Csus2” and “Csus4” chord.

Quick Music Theory Lesson: The “Sus” chords are suspended chords played without major or minor 3rd. They are called suspended because without the 3rd the chord is neither major or minor.

Here is how we play the Csus2 and Csus4 chord.

The C major is played with the notes C, E, and G.

• To play the C sus2, lower the 3rd down to the 4trh and play the chord with only C, E, and G.
• To play the Csus4, raise the 3rd to the 4th and play the chord with only C, F, and G.

What’s the Difference Between the Csus2 and the Cadd9

A lot of beginners get confused between the Csus2 and Cadd9 chord as they are both played with the note D.

The 2nd and 9th is the same note. The D is the second note of the C major scale but also the 9th played one octave higher. 

So why these two chords have different names?

The difference between the Csus2 and the Cadd9 is that

• The Csus2 is a chord played without the 3rd, hence C D G.
• The Cadd9 is played with both 3rd and 9th, C E G D.

REMEMBER: Suspended chords are chords without the 3rd.

The Csus2 and Csus4 Chord Shape

Let me show you the two chord shapes we are going to learn for the Csus2 and Csus4 chord.

In this example, we are going to combine both chords in one chord progression.

The chords are played with the fingerstyle technique.

Chord Progression with the Csus2 and Csus4 chord

In this exercise, we are going to combine both Csus2 and Csus4 chord.

The chord progression goes like this: Csus4 – C | Em | Csus2 – C | Em |.

I am changing the chord voicing a lot so that you can get an idea of how to use the suspended chords in a chord progression. Because of their “Suspended” sound, the sus chords work perfectly in chord progressions where the voicing of the chord changes all the time.

4.The Cmajor 7th Chord

Moving on to the next C major shape! Let me show how to play the Cmaj7 chord. 

The maj7 chord is a basic chord played with the Root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th. The notes are C, E, G, and B.

I love the dreamy sound of the Cmaj7 chord to the point that it became one of my favorite chords to play.

There are a lot of different ways to play the Cmaj7 chord. For obvious reasons, I am not going to teach the most common shape.

I am sure you already know how to play this shape right?

Instead, I want to show you something more interesting and musical as well as challenging, beautiful and inspirational.

The Cmaj7 Chord Shape

This is a fascinating Cmaj7 chord shape. You can play the root note on the 6th string FRET VIII, which makes this chord similar to the Gmaj7 chord played in the first position. 

Again, this chord is only possible with the fingerpicking technique.

Learn the chord shape below.

Chord Progression With the Cmaj7 Chord

This Cmaj7 chord shape is very similar to a G major shape played on the eight fret.

I love that with the fingerpicking technique we can single out the bass note and top B and E string. The chord becomes very simple to play yet beautiful.

We can also play the rest of the chord progression in the same position.

5.The Cadd11 Chord

We can’t talk about different C major chord shapes without mentioning one of the top 3 C shapes I know. 

We already discussed the Cadd9 interval structure and how to play one of the simple shapes.  

In this lesson, we are going to learn a chord coming from the same “Add” family called Cadd11. 

The Cadd11 chord is played with the root note, major 3rd, perfect 5th, and perfect 11th. 

The perfect 11th is the same note as a perfect 4th.

You learned that the difference between the Csus2 and Cadd9 depends on whether or not we play the 3rd of the chord. 

We can apply the same music theory concept for the Csus4 and Cadd11. 

• A Csus4 is a chord played without the 3rd, hence C, F, and G.
• The Cadd11 is played with both major 3rd and perfect 11th.

The Cadd11 Chord Shape

This is the Cadd11 chord shape we are learning in this lesson.

It can be a little stretchy on the left-hand so take it step-by-step and save your tendons.

Chord Progression With the Cadd11 Chord

In this exercise, the chord progression goes as follows: Csus4 | G | Dm(add9) | Am(add11). 

The fingerpicking pattern allows you to play the chords uniquely and it almost feels like there is a melody within the chords.

6.The C major Over E, a.k.a C/E

Not all the chords have the root note on the bass. 

In this example, I am going to show you how to play a C major chord with the 3rd on bass. This type of chord is also called a “Slash chord” due to the slash between the chord and the bass note.

This is how to write the chord.

C/E Chord Shape

The C/E can be played easily in the 1st position with the low E string open.

Notice that I am not playing the root note C on the 5th string fret 3. The lowest note of the chord

Chord Progression With the C/E Chord

The slash chord can be used to create a walking bass line between different chords. 

For this example, we are going to play a chord progression with different slash chords. 

The chord progression goes as follows: C, G/B, Am, F, C/E, Dm, F/C, and C. 

7.The Cmaj9 Chord

Moving on to more Jazzy chords with the beautiful Cmaj9 chord. 

This chord is played with the root note, major 3rd, perfect 5ht, major 7th, and major 9th. Notice how we also play the major 7th even though it isn’t specified in the chord name. 

REMEMBER: A “Maj9” chord is a chord played with both major 7th and major 9th. 

The Maj9 chord is a five notes chord, which makes it difficult to play on guitar. For this reason, guitar player always ditches the perfect 5th and play the chord with the Root note, major 3rd, major 7th, and major 9th. 

Don’t feel sorry for the 5th! This note is useless for this chord. 

Cmaj9 Chord Shape

This is the chord shape. 

Chord Progression With the Cmaj9 Chord

In this example, we are going to play a beautiful jazzy chord progression. We are also going to play with the bass notes of the chords a play a Latin rhythm. 

I am sure you will enjoy these chords.

8.The 153 Chord Shape

It is normal for a lot of guitar players to think that extended chords are more advanced and sound better than basic chords. 

In this example, I am going to show you how we can write a beautiful chord progression with a simple triad. 

As you just learned a triad is a chord played with only three notes, the root, 3rd, and 5th.

When you play the chord with such interval structure, it’s called a “Close position” chord, meaning that the notes of the chords are played as close as possible.

If we spread out the notes and change the interval structure of the chord, we can also play an “Open position” chord. This chord shape works better on guitar.

This is the chord shape for the C major triad played with the 153 shape.

C Major 153 Chord Shape

This is the C major shape for the 153 chord. You could also play it with the G and E string open, but in this example, we are only using fretted notes.

Chord Progression With the C major 153 Chord

One of the best ways to implement this chord is by playing a chord progressions where all the chords have the same structure.

The chord progression we are checking out in this lesson is C, Em, F, C, and G. All the chords are played with the 153 chord shape.

Notice how we can easily transpose the chords up and down the neck.

Let’s Wrap This Up

Guys, I hope you enjoy these beautiful C major chord shapes on guitar.

Make sure you play the chords in other chord progressions and songs that you already know.

You should check my next lesson about the essential fingerpicking exercises you should know.