VERY Beginner Guitar Question, about Chords

[Mira]

So I just got a guitar and am trying to practice different chords but I feel like I am missing something HUGE because it makes no sense to me, when you play the chords, aren’t you only able to make a cool sound by putting your hand down all the strings at once? Because it makes a unique sound by the certain strings being silenced right? I’d think so, but I’m confused because I see so much videos of people playing chords while like strumming the guitar strings too, how does that work? Maybe I was doing the chords wrong, but I don’t think so because I made sure to put my fingers at the end of the frets and press as hard as the articles and yt videos say so.. I don’t know what to do..

[Crusoe]

Can you give us an example of the chords you are playing? If you play an open E chord you will finger fret 2 on the A and D strings and fret 1 on the G string. You will strum all six strings to play the chord. If you play an open A, you will finger fret 2 on the D, G and B strings. You will only strum the A, D, G, B and E strings, missing the thickest (E) string.

[Dad3353]

On 25/02/2023 at 07:48, Mira said:

... I don’t know what to do..

 

Don't panic; help is here; see below...

 

1 hour ago, Crusoe said:

Can you give us an example of the chords you are playing? If you play an open E chord you will finger fret 2 on the A and D strings and fret 1 on the G string. You will strum all six strings to play the chord. If you play an open A, you will finger fret 2 on the D, G and B strings. You will only strum the A, D, G, B and E strings, missing the thickest (E) string.

 

Yes, tell us what you are wanting to do (which chords..? Which song, if any..? Any particular style, such as folk, rock, red-hot jazz, or none of these..?).
Maybe spend a short while looking through these introductory videos, made especially for absolute beginners, and FREE..! Come back to us with answers to our questions, and pose others if you wish. Over to you..?

 

Beginner's Guitar Videos ...

 

Douglas