By Raymund Tamayo
The Em chord is the easiest chord to play and you learned how to play it in the previous lesson.
Now, here is how you play the C major chord:
In this case, you use your ring finger to press the No. 5 string of the third fret, your middle finger to press the No. 4 string of the second fret, and your index finger to press the No. 2 string of the first fret.
If you will notice, the No. 6 string has an “x” mark on top. This means that you should not play this string when you strum the chord.
Try making a single downward strum with this C major chord.
Practice fretting the Em and C chords in turn using only a single downward strum.
You already know how to play the Em and C chords. It is time to add a few more basic chords to your inventory.
Here is the G major chord: 
The middle finger is used to press the No. 6 string on the third fret, the index finger on the No. 5 string on the second fret and the ring finger on the No. 1 string on the third fret.
Notice the three circles on top of the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 strings. It means you include those three open strings in strumming the G major chord.
Here is another way to play the G major chord, which you may find more relaxing:
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In this variation, you place your ring finger on the No. 2 string on the third fret, instead of on the No. 1 string. Then you add your pinky on the No. 1 string of the third fret.
Some guitar players find this easier to fret than the standard G major chord.
Meanwhile, here is the D major chord:
The index and middle fingers are on the No. 3 and No. 1 strings on the second fret, respectively. The ring finger is on the No. 2 string on the third fret. In this case, the No. 6 and No. 5 strings are muted, which means you must not play them when playing the chord.
Practice playing these two chords making a single downward strum.
Spend a few minutes practicing until you can hear the chords clearly.
2. Keep your fingers cupped and press the notes using only your fingertips.
3. Ensure that your fingers are not touching others strings that are not supposed to be touched. The palm of your hand should not be touching the high E string as well.
4. Keep your thumb on the back of the neck. DO NOT hold the guitar neck like your are holding the neck of a bottle.
5. Make sure your wrist stays straight or slightly bent, not overly bent. Your wrist, arm, and shoulder should all be relaxed and not tensed.
6. Do not bend the strings as they will give off an inaccurate sound. Bending strings is a technique you will learn further down the road, but not now.
Always remember these fundamentals because they will help you a lot in getting your techniques right from the start.
The Em chord is the easiest chord to play and you learned how to play it in the previous lesson.
Now, here is how you play the C major chord:
If you will notice, the No. 6 string has an “x” mark on top. This means that you should not play this string when you strum the chord.
Practice fretting the Em and C chords in turn using only a single downward strum.
You already know how to play the Em and C chords. It is time to add a few more basic chords to your inventory.
Here is the G major chord:
Notice the three circles on top of the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 strings. It means you include those three open strings in strumming the G major chord.
Here is another way to play the G major chord, which you may find more relaxing:
.jpg)
Some guitar players find this easier to fret than the standard G major chord.
Meanwhile, here is the D major chord:
Practice playing these two chords making a single downward strum.
Spend a few minutes practicing until you can hear the chords clearly.
Fundamentals of Playing Chords
1. Keep your fingers clustered when fretting a chord. Don’t let them fly apart from each other.2. Keep your fingers cupped and press the notes using only your fingertips.
3. Ensure that your fingers are not touching others strings that are not supposed to be touched. The palm of your hand should not be touching the high E string as well.
4. Keep your thumb on the back of the neck. DO NOT hold the guitar neck like your are holding the neck of a bottle.
5. Make sure your wrist stays straight or slightly bent, not overly bent. Your wrist, arm, and shoulder should all be relaxed and not tensed.
6. Do not bend the strings as they will give off an inaccurate sound. Bending strings is a technique you will learn further down the road, but not now.
Always remember these fundamentals because they will help you a lot in getting your techniques right from the start.
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