To play a C chord on a guitar, put your ring finger on the third fret on the A string, your middle finger on the second fret on the D string, leave the G string open, and put your index finger on the first fret of the B string. Before you try to strum the chord, play each note individually until the note sounds clear. When you've mastered the C chord, try moving on to other chords like G or F.
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Electric guitars can have solid, semi-hollow, or hollow bodies; solid bodies produce little sound without amplification. Electromagnetic pickups convert the vibration of the steel strings into signals, which are fed to an amplifier through a patch cable or radio transmitter. The sound is frequently modified by other electronic devices (effects units) or the natural distortion of valves (vacuum tubes) or the pre-amp in the amplifier. There are two main types of magnetic pickups, single- and double-coil (or humbucker), each of which can be passive or active. The electric guitar is used extensively in jazz, blues, R & B, and rock and roll. The first successful magnetic pickup for a guitar was invented by George Beauchamp, and incorporated into the 1931 Ro-Pat-In (later Rickenbacker) "Frying Pan" lap steel; other manufacturers, notably Gibson, soon began to install pickups in archtop models. After World War II the completely solid-body electric was popularized by Gibson in collaboration with Les Paul, and independently by Leo Fender of Fender Music. The lower fretboard action (the height of the strings from the fingerboard), lighter (thinner) strings, and its electrical amplification lend the electric guitar to techniques less frequently used on acoustic guitars. These include tapping, extensive use of legato through pull-offs and hammer-ons (also known as slurs), pinch harmonics, volume swells, and use of a tremolo arm or effects pedals.
^{Some piezo-equipped guitars use a hexaphonic pickup. "Hex" is a prefix meaning six. A hexaphonic pickup produces a separate output for each string, usually from a discrete piezoelectric or magnetic pickup for each string. This arrangement lets on-board or external electronics process the strings individually for modeling or Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) conversion. Roland makes hexaphonic pickups for guitar and bass, and a line of guitar modeling and synthesis products. Line 6's hexaphonic-equipped Variax guitars use on-board electronics to model the sound after various vintage instruments, and vary pitch on individual strings.}
Jump up ^ "We know from literary sources that the five course guitar was immensely popular in Spain in the early seventeenth century and was also widely played in France and Italy...Yet almost all the surviving guitars were built in Italy...This apparent disparity between the documentary and instrumental evidence can be explained by the fact that, in general, only the more expensively made guitars have been kept as collectors' pieces. During the early seventeenth century the guitar was an instrument of the people of Spain, but was widely played by the Italian aristocracy." Tom and Mary Anne Evans. Guitars: From the Renaissance to Rock. Paddington Press Ltd, 1977, p. 24.
The black dots found on the chord diagrams tell you which fret to press down, and on which string and with which numbered finger. Additionally, you will sometimes see circles above the nut. These circles tell you to play that open string without pressing any fret. So using what we know so far about strings, finger numbers, and dots, let’s check out that same chord diagram again:
As a beginner guitar player, one of the most difficult hurdles to overcome is that of transition between chords. We learn the chords to our favourite songs or a new complex chord shape, but when it comes to making music with them, our lack of muscle memory and dexterity inhibits us from stringing these chords together in a meaningful and comprehensive manner.
_{Whether you just started guitar lessons or you've been playing for a while, you may be itching to learn some new songs and take on some new challenges. You might be wondering: where can I go from here? That's where alternate guitar tunings come in! With this guide from Michael L., you'll learn how alternate guitar tunings can take your playing to the next level... One of the amazing things about the guitar is its versatility. Not only can you play rhythm and/or melody in different genres,}
^{With so many options available in the world today, buying a guitar that perfectly represents your own style, tastes, and attitude has never been easier. Whether you're a classical guitarist looking for that perfectly balanced nylon flamenco, or a hard rock enthusiast who needs Pete Townshend crunch combined with Jack White power, there is simply no shortage of axes to choose from.}
The playing of (3-5 string) guitar chords is simplified by the class of alternative tunings called regular tunings, in which the musical intervals are the same for each pair of consecutive strings. Regular tunings include major-thirds tuning, all-fourths, and all-fifths tunings. For each regular tuning, chord patterns may be diagonally shifted down the fretboard, a property that simplifies beginners' learning of chords and that simplifies advanced players' improvisation. On the other hand, in regular tunings 6-string chords (in the keys of C, G, and D) are more difficult to play.
After you've made your selections from the best selection of guitar and bass tabs, you'll want to download the Musicnotes.com apps for your Android, iPad, iPhone, or other device to gain access to your digital library anywhere. The option to print the file is still available, and you will also have all of your sheet music stored in your personal account to access your digital file from any computer or mobile device. If any issues arise, make sure to contact our customer support of musicians, ready to help fellow musicians.

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Play the A Major. This is another "big chord," sonically. There are several ways to play this. You can use one finger across the 2nd fret of the B, G, and D strings (playing C#, A, and E, respectively), or any other combination of fingers. For this example, we'll use the 4th finger on the B string, 3rd finger on the G string, and 2nd finger on the D string.

Unlike many string instruments which use a bow to create a sound, guitars are played by plucking or strumming the strings on the instrument, which vibrate to create a sound. Chords are played when the guitarist holds their fingers down on more than one individual string to change its length, which in turn changes the frequency of the vibration created - in other words, it creates a different note. Performers often use guitar tabs, rather than sheet music, when learning music: this acts as a kind of 'map' to teach guitarists where to put their fingers on the strings.