On first look, there’s an endless number of chords for guitar, but that’s not the case.
While it is true that the total number of guitar chords in the world is finite, there’s no definitive answer.
There are about 4083 guitar chords. However, the exact number differs based on the mathematical formula used to determine it.
There are many guitar chords since there are many possible combinations of notes.
The number derived depends on the mathematical formula used to calculate the number of chords.
For beginners, it is recommended to be able to master at least ten kinds of chords to play a variety of musical genres.
Each type of chord contains 12 different chords to make the number of notes heard in music. And this means that there are many chords and notes.
How Many Guitar Chords Are There?
More than 4200 + guitar chords are possible by using the permutation and combination of notes!
However, as a beginner, you should not feel overwhelmed and focus only on a few of them.
Chord meaning and most apt chords which are there for a beginner:
A chord typically comprises three or more distinct notes that are combined.
If we use the term unique, it implies that the notes aren’t of the same pitch or even an octave which is already part of the chord.
- A chord is composed of notes of different pitches to simplify the definition.
- In the main, consider the term chord as a combination of three or more notes played together in the beginning.
- When you begin studying guitar, you’ll begin by learning the fundamental chords or the combination of notes.
- The chromatic scale has 12 notes because a chord is composed of three-plus notes. One chord could contain between 3 and 12 notes.
- You can describe the chords of 3 notes (triads) as the simplest to play, and the higher the number of notes, the harder they are to play.
If you are looking to learn to play guitar, it is recommended to learn some basic chords first and then move to more complicated ones.
Here are the things that you must be aware of:
- E major
- E minor
- A-Significant
- A minor
- D major
- C major
- G major
With a guitar with a six-string, you can play six notes at a time, which means you can only play six notes at a time.
Of course, there are many chords that you need to master, and we’ve just identified the chords that guitarists typically learn at the beginning.
Major types of chords:
01. Open vs. Barre chords when playing open chords open chord, it is necessary to play one string played open.
However, barre chords are performed by pressing all frets in a fret using your index fingers.
02. The same type of chords
It refers to various chords of the same kind, such as minor or major chords.
Minor and an E minor aren’t the same chords. However, they’re both minors.
03. Power chords
These are chords made up of two chords (two notes) which means they’re not chords with three notes.
04. Equivalents
As with C6 and A-7, some chords have compositions of the same notes, and consequently, they appear the same.
05. Triads
These chords have a composition of three notes stacked into intervals of three thirds.
06. 7th chords
For creating the 7th chord, you can add an interval starting at the root onto an already existing triad.
07. Extended chords
The cords come in jazz music and are also famous by the name of jazz chords.
Further thirds need to be added to the seventh to create an extended chord,
08. Suspended chords
And This happens when the second interval stacks instead of the third.
Thus, the third gets substituted in the next and the 4th in the scale.
09. Add chords
As opposed to a suspended chord, an added chord signifies that a new note has been added, while the third note is not eliminated.
2 Plus and nine-plus are the most famous chords to add.
10. Slash chords
A slash chord may also be known as a compound chord. It is the chord with a slash symbol and the note of the bass and is placed following the root note’s note.
11. Chords that are altered
They are commonly heard in jazz. And these are extended chords or 7th chords with raised or lowered fifth or 9th. It could include both.
Some most famous chords to master soon:
01. C Major
It is usually the first guitar chord beginners learn to play.
You don’t have to force your fingers to perform the proper fretting of the neck of your guitar.
02. A Major
At first, you might have to work hard to play this chord as you must squeeze all three fingers on only one fret. But eventually, you’ll get a grasp of it.
03. A Minor
Imagine you know how you can fret an A major chord. You’ll have no trouble fretting the minor chord.
Make sure you fix any fretting fingers to the fret on the fret.
However, bring the left finger down to the first fret on the second string.
Bring your middle finger up to the fourth string. Then, bring the left index finger up to 3rd string.
04. D Major
It’s also a simple note to be fretting.
It is only necessary to fret the final three strings with just two fingers to allow your guitar to be ready to play in the chord D.
The other three strings are open, so you can leave them as it is. You can also strum them if you like.
Some other questions,
Related Questions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q1.) What are the twelve chords of the guitar?
Answer: These are the major chords of guitar like A Major, Bb Major, C Major, C# Major, D Major, Eb Major, E Major, B Major.
Q2.) How many chords do guitarists need to know?
Answer: Barre chords are the moveable shapes, and out of the seven chords, some of the most important are E major, E minor.
And E Minor is the first chord that one should learn.
Q3.) What is a C chord?
Answer: C-Chord is the major triad that contains three notes C, E, and G.
We can note that these chord shapes can have multiple fingerings.
Q4.) How hard is it to learn the guitar chords?
Answer: Well, a guitar is quite hard to learn from most beginners, and just like others, it becomes easier with time.
Chords one can learn quickly with time and especially those beginners one.
Q5.) How many chord types are there for guitar?
Answer: There are mainly twelve chords that depict the total number of music notes.
And these are the chord types that one should learn initially.
Q6.) Which are the three most famous types of guitar chords?
Answer: G, C, and D are the most popular kinds of chords that have their usage in literally thousands of songs.
And you are not too difficult for learning, and you sound good.
Q7.) What is the G7 chord?
Answer: G7 is an interesting chord, and it has three same chords, which make the G Major chord G, B, and D.
And when strumming a G7, try to listen to all these four notes, which you can blend and make a full chord.
Q8.) What is C7 Chord?
Answer: The C7 chord has a variation on the standard C with a small addition, the Bb, a 7th note.
So, you can swap the 7th chord into any root node or add when you want to give a twist to the song.
Q9.) What is E7 Chord?
Answer: It is a dominant seventh chord with a major triad and flatted seventh.
An E major triad one can spell as G#B or D.
Q10.) Who invented the guitar chords?
Answer: Link Wray is the father of power chords, and he is the one who inspired the legends such as Pete and Neil young.
Q11.) What chord can I learn first?
Answer: The initial chords of learning guitar are Em, C, G, and D.
And the open chords are best to learn first because they allow you to play near the nuts and utilize those open strings.
Q12.) What is the most difficult guitar chord to learn?
Answer: The sixth string of F-Chord is the hardest to master, and most people struggle here.
And many of the influential guitarists also suffer.
Q13.) What are the happy chords?
Answer: If one needs to create a happy-sounding progression of the chord, one can use the I, IV, and V chords as well.
They create a highly energetic sound.
Q14.) What is the famous three-chord trick?
Answer: The three-chord trick is the practice of accompanying a melody using only three chords.
You can harmonize it in the same way.
Q15.) What are the cowboy guitar chords?
Answer: Technically, a cowboy chord for guitar is any chord that employee at least one open string.
And also, make sure that notes are past the 3rd fret because you need not move anywhere without switching.
Q16.) What is a C6 chord?
Answer: A C6 chord is a sixth and major chord with an additional major C6.
And a C6 has the notes like C1, E3, G5, A6, and remember that the 6th chord never has a 7th!
Q17.) What is a C9 chord?
Answer: The C9 chord has the notes such as C, E, G, Bb, and D and Ninth chords are the family of extended chords.
And you can create them by adding the major/ minor chords.
Final Verdict:
It would be best if you didn’t rush your progression in learning chords. Let them naturally play themselves in the song’s context.
Beginners’ common mistake is to master all the chord forms that open but not use them in songs.
This approach doesn’t allow you to learn the chord variations (which are crucial to master), and it doesn’t aid in the consolidation of the chords from within your brain.
One of the most effective learning and practicing chords is through learning songs that employ similar chords and progressions.
So, let yourself learn every chord naturally and keep practicing.
Thanks For Reading!