BC-108

Supplementary Material

Chords - a set of notes played together to create harmony.

This is a chordbox or chord diagram representing the G chord.  The vertical Lines represent the strings, with the leftmost string being the thickest (string 6), and the rightmost string being the thinnest (string 1).

Horizontal lines represent the frets. The frets shorten the vibrating portion of the string when you place your finger higher up on the fretboard, changing the tone.

Chords can also be represented with a set of numbers surrounded by brackets {}, representing the strings. Compare the two methods below. Chord boxes are on the left, and the text format is in the right. The chord names (D, E, Am) are in the middle.

The X's above the strings (vertical lines) are strings that should not be played. The O's stands for Open, and represents strings that should be played without fretting.

The blue dots are the frets on which you place your fingers. Many beginner resources tell you which fingers to use (see video), but the best fingering will often come naturally. As you gain experience you should have no problem quickly playing a chord written in text (e. g. {XX0232}).

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Categories: Absolute Beginner | Video Lessons