If you’re just getting started on guitar, open chords are the first shapes you’ll want to learn. In the video above, we’ll walk through every open major and open minor chord so you have a complete reference in one place. If you’re working through our open chords guide, this lesson fills in any gaps you might have.

Open chords use a mix of fretted notes and open strings. They sit in the first few frets and are the easiest chords to play, which makes them perfect for beginners. Let’s look at all of them.

The Open Major Chords

There are seven major chords you can play in open position: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Now, not all of them are equally common. A, C, D, E, and G are the ones you’ll use most often. B and F are trickier — they require a partial barre, so most beginners save those for a bit later.

Here are some tips that apply to all of them:

  • Press down with the tips of your fingers, right behind the fret wire.
  • Curl your fingers so they don’t accidentally touch neighboring strings.
  • Strum each string one at a time to check that every note rings out clearly.

If you’re brand new, start with our beginner’s guide to open chords — it breaks down the five most common shapes step by step.

The Open Minor Chords

You can also play five minor chords in open position: Am, Bm, Cm, Dm, and Em. Minor chords have a darker, moodier sound compared to major chords.

Am, Dm, and Em are the ones you’ll run into most often in songs. Bm and Cm both need a barre across multiple strings, so they take a bit more hand strength. Don’t worry if they feel hard at first — that’s completely normal.

A great way to practice is to switch between a major chord and its minor version. Try going from A to Am, or from D to Dm. You’ll hear the difference right away, and the small shape changes help train your fingers.

Major vs. Minor — What’s the Difference?

Major chords sound bright and happy. Minor chords sound sad or serious. The difference comes down to one note inside the chord. You don’t need to understand the theory right now — just know that songs use both types, and learning them all gives you a much bigger toolbox.

Which Chords Should You Learn First?

If you’re wondering where to start, here’s a practical order:

  1. Em and Am — two of the easiest shapes on the guitar.
  2. G, C, and D — these three chords together let you play hundreds of songs.
  3. A and E — round out the most common open chords.
  4. Dm and the rest — fill in once the first group feels comfortable.

You might also enjoy trying a simple riff for beginners to put your new chords to use in a musical way. And if you’re looking for ways to add flavor to a basic G shape, check out these tips for the open D chord.

Keep Going

Open chords are the foundation for almost everything else on guitar. Once these shapes feel natural, you can move on to barre chords, chord progressions, and songwriting. Head over to our guitar chords hub for more lessons on chords of all types. You’ve got this!