{"id":3520,"date":"2015-05-14T10:09:05","date_gmt":"2015-05-14T17:09:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/classicalguitarshed.foureyes.com\/?p=3520"},"modified":"2025-09-10T00:00:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T07:00:20","slug":"learn-guitar-chords","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/learn-guitar-chords\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Learn Classical Guitar Chords (and Why They’re So Useful)"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Do classical guitarists need to know classical guitar chords?

Classical guitar demands that we build many skills at the same time. We need to learn to read music<\/a>, understand rhythm<\/a>, and learn proper technique.\u00a0 We tackle common right-hand patterns, weird vocabulary and left-hand exercises. Plus a host of other things.

But how many of us take time to learn chords?\u00a0 Yet guitar chords are as important for us as they are for electric or acoustic guitar players.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Contents:<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n

Why Learn Guitar Chords?<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Memory Challenge<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Which Classical Guitar Chords Should You Learn<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Common Guitar Chords<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Learning the Beginner Chords<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Chords that Sound Good Together<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

How Chords Make the Difference<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\nDownload the Guitar Chords PDFs<\/u><\/span><\/strong><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For many who begin their classical guitar<\/a> journey, chords<\/a> often get bumped to the back seat. Practicing guitar chords can get tossed into the “maybe later” pile.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

This could be because commonly, we expect chords to accompany a song.\u00a0 And when we play classical guitar, we don’t usually sing.\u00a0 We might also feel that because we read music notation, there’s no need to learn finger shapes on the fretboard.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

This is a shame because the guitar is organized around chords<\/a>. It’s what the guitar does well.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

We find chords in most musical genres.\u00a0 Yes, they underpin rock, Blues, pop and jazz.\u00a0 But they are as much a part of classical music as acoustic or electric guitar music.\u00a0 So chords can be thought of as “classical guitar chords” in the same way as we think of “acoustic guitar chords”.\u00a0 They are the same chords.\u00a0\u00a0It doesn’t matter whether we are reading from standard notation<\/a> or guitar tabs.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

The Masters Knew Their Classical Guitar Chords: Do You?\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n

Knowing common chords will help with almost everything that we play on the fretboard.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

The old masters of the 18th and 19th centuries knew this well.\u00a0 All the top players in those days were composers also.\u00a0 And many (like Sor<\/a> and Carcassi<\/a>) wrote method books championing classical guitar chords<\/a> and a systematic approach to harmony.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

Below is a beginner’s guide to<\/a> the most common chord shapes. You’ll find quite a bit of information, two videos, and a challenge. (Are you game?)<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

You’ll see chord diagrams and pictures of open chords.\u00a0 (“Open” means the chord uses strings with no fingers pressing.\u00a0 The string is “open”.)<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n

And finally, enjoy an anecdote showing the power of classical guitar chords.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n