Beginner Acoustic Guitar Basics lesson 3 – D, A and E chords.
Now that you have learned how to read guitar chord charts, and have been introduced to 2 of the most common chord forms, the G and C chords and some open variations, the next 3 chords will complete the series on open chord forms completing the C-A-G-E-D series of open chords. If you have missed these lessons, please review them on this site. Keep a consistent practice schedule and continue to add to your repertoire of studies in order to become a good beginner acoustic guitar player.
Recall the chords C and G. These 2 chords, along with the D chord are common chords in many songs, and are also notes included in the keys of C and G alike. Learning the 3 chords, C, G and D can enable you to play quite a number of popular songs.
Learning D major
The D major chord is the first in this series where only 4 strings of the 6 string guitar are employed. The smallest 4 strings are strummed, or strings 1 through 4. Refer to the diagram #1 for the D form open chord. In order to play this chord, place the index finger (#1) on the 3rd string 2nd fret. Then place the 2nd finger on the 1st string 2nd fret and the 3rd finger on the 2nd string 3rd fret. Strum only strings 1 through 4 and you should hear a D major cord.
On to the E and A Chord
The E is one of the most common chords for a 6 string guitar, as it is originally tuned in E. Refer to Diagram # 2 for this chord. To play an open E chord, place the 1st finger on the 3rd string 1st fret. Then place the 2nd finger on the 5th string 2nd fret and the 3rd finger on the 4ths string 2rd fret. This is the most common form of the open E chord. One fun thing you can try with this chord is to slide it up and down on the fretboard and play it in different locations until you find alternate E chord variations that sound like they “fit”. As you advance, you can focus on learning the technicalities of those other locations, and actually learn some songs that include them. The E chord in this location has 1 other variation that is used for barring major chords up and down the fretboard, but we will save that variation for bar chord lessons.
The A chord has 3 fingers in use to perform it in open form. There is also a variation that you can use when you refer to diagram #2. At this early stage, you may find it easier to fit 3 fingers together to chord an A major if you use the variation (because you will be using your 4th finger instead of your index, thereby not crowding the fret as much). To chord the A, simply place fingertips 1, 2 and 3 on strings 4,3 and 2 consecutively, all on the 2nd fret as it appears in the chart. Also, practice the alternate version as it may be easier, and it will also come in handy when you learn other bar chord variations using the A form.
That does it for D, E and A chords for beginners. If you have followed the other lessons, you should now be familiar with all open form chords in the C-A-G-E-D forms. Mastering these 5 chords will enable you to play a multitude of popular songs with ease. In future lessons, we will focus on minor chord variations of some of these chords, as well as taking these variations into barred or bar chords so that you will be able to play in many different keys as well as begin to learn how to play scales and lead guitar licks.
Aaron Schulman has been a guitar player, teacher, writer and enthusiast since 1990. He owns an acoustic guitar reviews website, StrumViews.com and teaches people how to understand how guitars are made in order to get the best guitar for their budget. You can read many reviews at his site, including a recent review, how to find the best guitar under $1,000.
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