The first 4 chords every beginner should learn

When someone first starts learning guitar, one of the most common questions is:

“Which chords should I learn first?”

There are dozens of chords you could learn, and if you look at a chord chart, it can feel a little overwhelming.

The good news is that you don’t need to learn dozens of chords to start making music.

In fact, with just four chords, you can play many songs.

Here are four great chords for beginners to start with:

G, C, D, and Em.

These chords show up in countless songs, and they work well together.

To make these chords easier, you can just play the three or four strings closest to the floor.

Once you learn these four chords, you can practice switching between them in different orders.

At first, the changes may feel slow or a little awkward. That’s completely normal.

The key is to go slowly and aim for accuracy.

Place your fingers carefully, strum the chord, and then move to the next one. Over time, your fingers will start to find the chords more quickly and naturally.

One helpful exercise is to set a steady tempo and practice changing between two chords at a time. For example, switch back and forth between G and C, then G and D, then C and D, and then D and Em.

After you feel comfortable with those pairs, try playing all four chords in a simple progression.

Before long, you’ll notice something encouraging:

You’re not just practicing chords anymore; you’re starting to make music.

And that’s the goal.

So if you’re just getting started on guitar, try focusing on these four chords this week: G, C, D, and Em.

For a visual demonstration of how to play the simple versions of these chords, check out this video. 

Keep making music!