Fretboard Lab Guitar chord and voicing reference

2026-06-18

First 10 Guitar Chords Every Beginner Should Learn

Start with these 10 chords: C, G, D, A, E, Am, Em, Dm, F, and B7. They cover thousands of songs and build the foundation for barre chords and advanced voicings.

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Learn these in order. Each one builds on the previous.

  1. E minor — two fingers. Easiest chord. Builds confidence.
  2. A minor — three fingers, one string apart. Introduces the "A shape."
  3. C major — three fingers, wider stretch. First chord that feels like real music.
  4. G major — four fingers. The folk and rock foundation.
  5. D major — four strings only. First chord that skips strings.
  6. A major — three fingers in a row. Teaches finger crowding.
  7. E major — similar to A minor but on different strings. Reinforces the shape concept.
  8. D minor — minor version of D. Introduces the half-step difference.
  9. F major (simplified) — two-string barre on first fret. First barre experience.
  10. B7 — four fingers, uses all strings. First dominant seventh chord.

With these 10 chords, you can play thousands of songs. Master the transitions between them before learning more shapes.