In this lesson, you’ll learn a bit of essential music theory that will skyrocket your guitar chord skills (helping you move from beginner to intermediate level).
All you need is a guitar, a circle of fifths, and a desire to elevate your playing!
We’ll dive into how chords fit together in a key, using C major as an example.
Enjoy!
This beginner lesson features…
… Which chords sound naturally good together.
… Why they sound good together.
… 3 musical examples.
You can download the tabs by clicking here (search for ‘HG28 – Learn This Bit of Music Theory to Watch Your Guitar Chord Skills Skyrocket’).
Download it. Print it. Use it.
In this video, you can listen to it, you can watch me play it, and I’ll teach you through it:
And here is everything else you need to know. Enjoy!
📈 Difficulty
1/10 (This gives you a rough idea of how difficult it is. If you feel it’s actually easier, great. If not, don’t feel bad.)
⏰ Time Estimation
15 Minutes (This is a rough estimation that can vary widely. If you’re faster, great. If not, don’t feel bad.)
💪 Action Steps
In the key of C, understand how chords are built. Stacking C E G gives you a C major chord. D F A gives you a Dm chord. E G B = Em. F A C = F. G B D = G. A C E = Am. B D F = Bdim.
In the key of C, understand that all these chords sound good together. After all, they all use the same notes. The ones from the C major scale (C D E F G A B C).
They work in any order. Experiment playing around with C Dm Em F G Am as open chords.
Look at the circle of fifths. Do you see all these chords gathered around C? The circle of fifths tells you the chords that sound good together. In any key.
Play the 3 musical examples demonstrated in the video lesson. It’s all tabbed out as well.
Get creative using chord alternatives for C Dm Em F G Am. How about Cmaj7 x32000? Or Dsus2 x00230? Try Gadd9 3×0005.
✏️ Extra Tips
This works in any key. The circle of fifths gives you the chords that go well together.
Playing open chords is fine. If you want more variety, try lifting one finger at a time off of an open chord. Does it still sound good? Keep that chord in your repertoire. Sounds a little strange? Skip it for now.
🎯 Encouragement
This little bit of music theory is super powerful! It allows you to connect all the chords that naturally sound good together. The circle of fifths is your cheatsheet. Enjoy experimenting!
Talk soon,
Florian from Hi Guitar
