Guitar chords are precise notes which go together to create distinct sounds which will boost our vocals or create an attention getting moment.

They are played by pressing down on certain strings with your left hand and strumming across all the strings, or by plucking individual ones with your other hand. It is a common practice to make a strum more interesting by plucking the lowest or bass note of the chord with the side of your thumb prior to strumming downwards on the remainder .

A few basic rules apply to chords which you’ll need to know when reading music. 1) Chords are named according to letters going from A to G 2) An ‘m’ after a letter means that the chord is a minor chord 3) A ’7′ after the letter means that the chord is a dominant chord – a letter without ‘m’ or ’7′ means that the chord is a major chord

Here’s a couple of strategies to practice to attain some new sound. a) Rather than just dealing with one chord at any given time, try 3 at the same time. You`ll become familiar much faster this method. Practicing the chords together, for whatever reason has a tendency to stick with us easier. b)Whenever you feel a little at ease with your flow, try switching from chord, try doing the same thing, only blind folded. You’ll be amazed at how much this will help you.

Finger picking happens when each string is plucked individually rather than played together. Practice picking until you are able to create a seamless, rippling tune. Many people make use of a pic (plectrum) when using the picking method. Electric guitar players like the pic because it provides a larger, more vibrant sound. Pics are available in a dual thumb and finger design, along with the single pic which you hold in between your thumb and index finger.

Follow this exercise to practice finger picking: i) Hold down the E chord with your left hand and with the single pick, pluck every string individually beginning with string six. ii) Next do a strum of all of the strings together iii) Finally, starting with 6 string, choose each string 4 times, alternating up and down strokes iv) Repeat until you get the flow going.

TIMA – This is the acronym for the fingers used in picking. The baby finger is really only used for steadying and balance.

T = Thumb, I = Index finger, M = Middle finger, A = Ring finger

Try this, put your pinky against the body of the guitar to hold your hand steady and play this sequence, (T)four, (T)5, (M)6. Repeat this over and – over, 456,456,456,456 until you drive yourself nuts. Keep in mind the top string is always the smallest – 1, working through to the bottom string 6. This is method of playing is referred to as a roll.

Alex is a freelance graphic designer with a love of writing. She has been learning guitar herself for a while now, and would like to pass along her tips. Visit How Not to Touch the Wrong Guitar Strings or 10 Tips for Guitar Success to read up on more of Alex’s guitar tips.

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