How to know what strings to strum in a guitar chord?
Asgiuan asked:
I’m getting my first guitar, and I’m confused. Is there some kind of way of figuring out what strings you need to strum to play a guitar chord? Or do you just need to memorize the strumming as well as the fingering?
I’m getting my first guitar, and I’m confused. Is there some kind of way of figuring out what strings you need to strum to play a guitar chord? Or do you just need to memorize the strumming as well as the fingering?
you have to memorize the strumming as well as the fingering. It’s kind of a drag, but it comes with learning how to play the guitar. Kurt Cobain
Most basic chords involve all of the strings when you strum. There are only 3 notes in most chords, but some of the notes are played more than once in the basic fingerings of guitar chords. Brinton
Here’s the deal… you need to learn a little music theory. Chords are all built out of scales. Major scales (Do-Re-Mi etc.) make major chords… minor scales make minor chords, etc.
A basic chord is the first, third, and fifth tones of the scale 1-3-5 A “C” major chord is C-E-G
Extended chords take more notes 7th, 9th, 11th etc. A “C7″ chord is C-E-G-Bb
So you’ve got 6 strings. Sometimes you can find notes in the chord on all of them. a “G” chord is a good example. G-B-D-G-B-G So you’d play all 6 strings.
A “D” major chord - unless you play a low F# with your thumb… you’re only going to find 5 strings with the notes of the chord X-A-D-A-D-F# from low to high. the X is the low E string, which isn’t part of the chord, so you just mute it or don’t play it.
Sometimes, you have to mute notes in the middle of the chord. You can do that either by plucking the strings and avoiding the “clinkers”… or by strumming and deadening the notes with your left hand. HOW you ask? Well.. you might fret a note with your 2nd finger… but tip it just enough to touch the next string… but not push down. So then you’re strumming all 6… but only sounding 5 or 4.
As you get better - this stuff will start to feel natural and you won’t think about it at all. Trust me- you’ll do great. It will be frustrating at fist but hang in there. Here’s two good free lesson sites on the Internet.
and
Good luck with your guitar ! KrudKutter
On the chord diagram there is usually an “O” above or below an open string, and an “X” above or below a string that is not played. A chord diagram is essentially a picture of the neck in the vertical position.
Tab (which is short for tabulature) is another common way to diagram the guitar neck. It is a horizontal depiction of the strings. It uses the same “O” for open and “X” for not played as the chord diagram.
There are 6 basic open chords that serve as the template for virtually all other chords, A C D E F G
The E and the G chords use all 6 strings.
The A and the C chords use 5 strings (no low E string which is the 6th, and thickest string)
The D and the F chords use only 4 strings (no low E or A which are the 6th and 5th strings)
This is a very basic guide to open chords so remember that their are exceptions to this.
I strongly suggest getting a good qualified local teacher to learn the proper way to play. gtarczar