Beginner Guitar Exercises: Incorporate chords into your strumming rhythm
Now it’s time to bring your fretting hand into the mix and create actual music. Let’s begin by forming our two simple chords: G and C. Just focus on the top three strings of your guitar for now.
Use your ring finger to hold down the note on the thinnest string behind the third fret for the G. Use your index finger to hold down the note behind the first fret on the B string to play the C chord.
Maintain the basic down-up strumming pattern while holding the chord. Focus on clean formation with your fretting hand, ensuring each string sounds clearly without muffling or buzzing. Next, keep a steady beat going while swapping chords.
With your beat at 50bpm, play a G chord with a down strum on every count from 1 to 4. Without hesitating, lift your ring finger and place down your index finger to play the C chord on the 1 beat and keep playing. When you feel comfortable changing from the G to the C switch it up and swap from playing the C to the G. Give the first chord one measure of 4 beats and then try to change without losing the rhythm.
When you can change back and forth from C to G every measure, you are playing the chord progression shown below.
As you change between chords, resist the temptation to stop your strumming rhythm. It’s better to miss a chord change but keep your rhythm steady than to pause your strumming to place your fingers. Your transitions will naturally speed up with practice, but your sense of rhythm needs constant reinforcement.
Be honest. How well do you actually know your guitar neck?
Total blur: I rely completely on tabs and basic open chords.
Getting there: I know the top two strings, but the middle of the neck is a mystery.
Mostly solid: I know my scale shapes, but I still get lost during solos.
20/20 vision: The whole neck makes complete sense to me.
If you didn't pick the last option, don't sweat it. Most of us have spent way too long stuck in the exact same spot.
We set up the NoisyClan community specifically to help players break past those brick walls and actually make sense of the neck. Drop by to ask questions, trade tips, and work through it with a group of guitarists on the same page.
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