The First 5 Chords Every Beginner Should Learn

If you learn just five open chords — Em, C, G, D, and Am — you unlock an enormous chunk of popular music. The secret isn't learning more chords faster; it's making these five clean and switchable.

Learn them in this order

• ✦Em — one of the easiest; get your fingers used to pressing cleanly.
• ✦Am — a tiny shift from Em; trains a common finger shape.
• ✦C — introduces a bigger stretch; go slow.
• ✦G — the classic; there are two fingerings, try both.
• ✦D — the trickiest of the five; be patient with the shape.

Why this beats learning theory first

Playing a real song in week one is what keeps you coming back. Theory is powerful, but momentum is more powerful. Get these five under your fingers, play a song you love, then let curiosity pull you into the theory.

Want a shortcut? Our Beginner 30-Day Track walks you through exactly this — book a free trial and we'll get you strumming your first song.

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