6 Basic Guitar Chords

The 6 basic guitar chords every beginner needs are: G, C, D, Em, Am, and Bm. These six chords are all in the key of G major — learn them and you can play hundreds of songs.

Five of these are open chords (easy). The Bm is a bar chord, which takes more hand strength, but Colin shows some shortcuts if you’re not there yet.

6 Basic Guitar Chords – Video Lesson

The Chord Fingerings

Why These 6 Chords?

G, C, and D are the three major chords in the key of G. Em, Am, and Bm are the three relative minors. Together, they cover every chord you’ll need for any song in G major.

Notice that G-C-D go very well together, as do Em-Am-Bm. In fact, all six work together — try strumming random combinations and you’ll hear how natural they sound.

Songs You Can Play Right Now

With just these six chords, you can play hundreds of songs. Here are a few to get you started:

• Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) — Green Day (G, C, D, Em)
• Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door — Bob Dylan (G, D, Am, C)
• Wanted Dead or Alive — Bon Jovi (D, C, G, Em)
• Wonderwall — Oasis (Em, G, D, C, Am)
• Horse With No Name — America (Em, D)

Most of these songs skip the Bm chord, so you can start playing immediately with just the five open chords.

Practice Tips

1. Start Slow
Don’t rush. Focus on getting clean-sounding chords before you worry about speed. Press firmly enough that each string rings clearly.

2. Random Chord Changes
Since all six chords are in the same key, you can strum random combinations and everything will sound good together. This trains your ears while your fingers learn the shapes.

3. The One-Minute Change Test
Pick two chords (like G and C). Set a timer for one minute. Change back and forth between them as many times as you can. Write down your number. Practice for a few days, then test again. You’ll see real progress.

4. Common Trouble Spots

• G chord: Make sure your 3rd finger doesn’t touch the 2nd string
• C chord: Curve your fingers so the 3rd string rings clearly
• D chord: Only strum the top 4 strings (easy to accidentally hit the 5th string)

Keep Learning

These six chords are your foundation for guitar playing. Once you’ve got them down, check out simple guitar chords to expand your repertoire, or our 3 beginner guitar chords lesson if you want to start even simpler. When you’re ready to improve your transitions, learn about changing chord shapes smoothly.

For more beginner chord lessons, visit our Beginner Guitar Chords guide. And explore the full Guitar Chords section for everything from basics to advanced techniques.