What can hit a girl on the spot when she and you are fifteen? What can help you make new friends if your old ones are somewhere far away? What can tell about your feelings beloved? Everyone may have their own answer to this question, but it is difficult to make a mistake, arguing that the guitar in this case is a reliable and indispensable assistant. And if you are able to play chords on a guitar, and even sing a song for them, the result will be stunning!
Where to begin?
Learning to play the guitar, contrary to some judgments, is not so difficult. Of course, in this case, you won’t get any laurels or money that famous musicians earn by playing the guitar, but you can become the soul of the company, and this is also important. So how to play guitar chords, where do you start? Trite - with a guitar. More precisely, with her purchase. If you inherited any guitar from the time of the USSR, then at first it is important to try to bring it to mind. The tips below will help you when buying a guitar.
To the mind!
What does it mean to the mind, you ask. And this means that playing the guitar should bring a minimum of discomfort, and ideally pleasure. Alas, with old guitars this is sometimes impossible to achieve. Therefore, if your guitar is not “Musima”, but some “Lunacharka”, then it is best to look at a new instrument.
Attention, marriage!
Now guitars are quite affordable, including for the price. When buying and refining, first of all, pay attention to the bar. It should be even. In the budget segment it is difficult to find such (although it is possible), so do not bother, but it is necessary to look at the following parameters.
- The strings above the neck should not be too high. Usually 1.5-2 mm above the twelfth fret are the most comfortable. For nylon string guitars, this distance may be slightly larger.
- Also called attention is called crap. Usually it is present if the strings are too close to the fingerboard. Check it out is simple. Alternately, grip the string from the first fret and above, yank it. Each next sound should be different from the previous one. If it is repeated, then this is a sure sign of a defect. In this case, it is accompanied by a characteristic sound. Having found such a defect, put this guitar aside. Well, if you really, really liked her, contact the guitar master. If he can eliminate it, you can buy and use the tool without any fear.
This item is very important for beginner guitar chords!
Everything must be right
Now that you have a decent instrument in your hands, go directly to the game of chords. For playing the guitar, and especially chords, the convenience of not only the instrument but also its use is of great importance. Correct fit, the arrangement of arms and legs will help you quickly learn to play the guitar with chords.
If you are “right-handed”, then, sitting on a chair, spread your legs somewhere shoulder-width apart. Place the lower part of the body of the guitar between the legs so that the neck is directed upwards to the left. But not too high: its upper part should have been at shoulder level. The left hand should grip the bar loosely so that four fingers are above it. The thumb of the left hand should serve as an emphasis. This is the starting position for playing guitar chords.
What is a chord?
You play the guitar, alternately clamping the strings, and the result is a melody. And if you simultaneously clamp the strings appropriately, and draw them, you will get a chord. A chord is a consonance of several strings. As a rule, the basis of the chord is a triad. For example, a C major accord consists of notes in C, E, G. Without delving into the jungle of musical literacy, I can only say that three more are added to the guitar on three notes. Naturally, there are six strings. Although this is correct only when we are talking about a simple "yard" technique of playing chords.
In fact, there are different schools and manners of playing this instrument. In particular, in jazz, it implies playing with two-sound and triads, without using other strings.
Simple and affordable
When starting to master guitar playing with chords, it is necessary to add that there are major and minor harmonies. They are indicated in Latin letters. For example: C - in C major. If the minor chord is added a small Latin letter m - Cm (C minor). Playing chords in most cases serves as an accompaniment to a song or solo part in an instrumental composition. Therefore, choosing a composition, we begin to select or use ready-made resources, where chords for this song are presented.
Learning to play chords
In principle, you can start with simple songs from three “thieves” chords, and with compositions in which there are at least five main chords. Three thieves chords are A minor (Am), D minor (Dm) and E major (E). You can find many songs that are built on their combination. Most often these are ditties and some songs of the so-called urban romance.
So, we are learning to play these chords. A minor - put the index finger of the left hand on the second string of the first fret, the middle on the fourth string of the second fret, and the ring finger on the third string of the same fret. Make sure that fingers and other parts of the brush do not jam other strings! If you did everything right, by walking or hitting the strings with your right hand over the hole on the guitar body, you will hear what you bought the guitar for. The long-awaited chord sound! Having mastered other harmonies in this way, you will begin to accompany yourself or others. But it’s better to immediately learn to sing yourself. Then the result will be both clearer and more pleasant. Sing it! Even if it seems to you that you cannot sing.
Believe me, those who sing to their accompaniment, as a rule, do not abandon the process that has begun. And vice versa. All in your hands!