If you’re just getting into learning how to play the guitar, then it’s absolutely essential that you learn how to play the G chord. It’s one of the most widely used chords on guitar, and if you don’t learn it properly then you can kiss your chances of being an effective player goodbye!
In fact, G major is a staple of so many hit guitar heavy songs that you’d probably accidentally pick it up after a while of playing, due to the osmosis of sound and finger placement. However, if you’re driven to succeed in learning guitar, then pick this chord up very, very early into your playing days!
How to Start Playing G Major
Like learning all other chords, becoming effective at playing G major comes down simply learning where to place your fingers!
Step-By-Step
- Place your first finger on the second fret of the fifth string.
- Then, put your second finger on the third fret of the sixth string.
- Next, place your third finger on the third fret of the first string
- Play all six strings with your other hand.
That’s it, that’s all you need to do to get the chord down. Always make sure your guitar is in tune so that this chord, as well as other guitar chords, sounds right when you play it.
Try out the happy birthday song on guitar once you’ve got the G chord down!
Learn to Memorize the G Major Chord Quickly
If you’ve been playing guitar for a little bit, then you very well know that you can’t simply play a chord a few times and expect to be able to get your fingers to the right chord during a song! It takes practice, muscle memory even, in order to become proficient in leaping into any guitar chord or note without even having to think about it. That’s what it takes to become a guitarist…
A quick way to start memorizing it is to play the chord for four beats, take your fingers off of the guitar, and then quickly place your fingers back on for another four beats (on each beat, be sure to place the other six strings with your other hand. This will help you become proficient in the chord much, much quicker.
More Chords: Try the Gm Guitar Chord Next
Practice With Other Chords
After moving through the previous exercise for learning the G chord quickly, try to start playing other chords with this one on the same four beat pattern.
For example, you can move between the D major chord and the G major chord (this sounds quite nice) for four beats on, one beat off, and then four beats on.
Doing this, you’d play the D chord for four beats, take one beat off, play the G chord for four beats, and then play the G chord for another four beats (keep repeating this for as long as it takes to make it easy to move between the two chords without thinking).
Keep the fire going: Play faster and faster until you’re fingers are struggling to move between G and D major, this is where the progress to learning guitar will really start to ramp up!
Practice These Other Key Chords:
Bm Guitar Chord – Learn B Minor
Bb Guitar Chord – Memorize B Flat Major Now
As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
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