Can someone explain guitar chords to me?

Question

I'm teaching myself guitar playing, and I'm doing fairly well I think.

But now comes guitar chords, and I don't understand them. Are guitar chords independent of tabs and notation? Do you need guitar chords if you're just reading notation? What is the purpose of them?

Please explain as if you are explaining to a total novice.

Answer 1

Tabs and notation are ways of writing down which chords you are to play. They are the simplified method of writing music for people with no musical training. Chords are what you are playing if you play several notes together at one time.
Check this out, it may help you.
http://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=78

Answer 2

I teach and play (semi-professionally, I'm an engineer by profession)-a chord is .."two or more notes played simultaneously) You're starting with what we call the "Major chords." When you play a C, F, or G chord, you are really playing a C Major, F Major, and G Major chord.
Guitar chords are not independent of tabs/notation-Playing chords is part of playing the guitar.Knowing them-and more important, knowing how each type is formed-Major, Minor, 7th, etc. is even more important to your development as a musician.
Take it slow at first- start with two and three-string versions of chords in your songs-work on the changesand get them smooth-for example, if a song starts with a G, then goes to a C, back to G, then to a D, back to C, and finishes up with a G(this is a very common progresssion), practice the following changes:
G to C
C to G
G to D
D to C
C to G
It may sound a little overwhelming at first, but take it little by little, and you'll get it done...

All the Best,
Seamus

Answer 3

Get a guitar book for beginners. It teaches all the chords from A to G. I had one years ago, when I was reasonably ambitious, but all I can remember right now is something about 'frets.' But "what is the purpose of "chords." That's most of what guitar playing is.

Answer 4

Chords are independent of tabs and notation. Chords usually include the strumming of all 6 strings (sometimes the E's could be dropped). Tabs.. well consider those the book for the song you want to play. Tabs can include chords and notation. Notation is single string playing...sometimes you can pluck a few strings at once.
I dunno...I taught myself too and I hope this helps somewhat?

Answer 5

Guitar chords are three notes together all at once. Like the c chord is c, e and g played all at once to make a chord. You play all 3 AT ONCE.

Answer 6

G D Em C e |--3-- --2-- ----- ----- -----| <-thinest sting B|----- --3-- ----- --1-- -----| G|----- --2-- ----- ----- -----| D|----- ----- --2-- --2-- -----| A|--2-- ----- --2-- --3-- -----| E|--3-- ----- ----- ----- -----| <-thickest string intro: e|----3-------2-------0------0----| B|-----0----3--3-----3-3----3-3---| G|---0--0----2--2-------0--0---0--| D|--0----0-0-----0--2-----2-------| A|-----------------2-----3--------| E|-3--------------0---------------| ok. so the lines like this------------------------ are the strings. the numbers are which frets you put your fingers on. when there is a 0 it means that you play the sting without any fingers lets focus on the first bit this is the G its talking about. e |--3-- (so put your pinkie on the 3rd fret) B|----- (empty) G|----- (empty) D|----- (empty) A|--2-- (put your first finger on the second fret) E|--3-- (and put the next finger on the 3rd fret) now the only reason i know which fingers to use, is because i know how to play guitar, and thats what a G looks like. so now just follow the same concept with the other bits ( =