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Introduction to Chords - Open Chords [MT-1]

What is an open chord?

The wiki definition is as follows:  "In music for stringed instruments, especially guitar, an open chord [open-position chord] is a chord that includes one or more strings that are not fingered." Let us deviate for a bit here.

The definition is technically correct, and I've had the same problem while developing material for Guitar Therapy Maldives [GTM], using the word "fingering". Now, this has to change, in my opinion, to something more apt, so at GTM, you will use "fretting" instead of "fingering." I've had problem adjusting as well, as we use to call any left-hand exercise fingering exercises, but never realizing it might have a vulgar tinge to it. As I will be teaching a lot of juniors, I feel calling it "fretting" exercises is way better than "fingering."

Anyways let's get back to business!



I hope the above explanation of a chord diagram makes sense to you and you can decipher them now, as you can actually see it's quite simple. The number is only the suggested finger to use, it does not mean you cannot you another finger to create the same form or pattern to ring that chord. All these little questions are best answered during one-to-one sessions our students get at Guiter Therapy Maldives [GTM].

Below are the first three open chords I want to share with you. 



I believe that in your initial introduction to these chords, it is best to progress your learning when you have mastered these first. It takes a bit of time and practice, if you are primarily a beginner, to get your motor skills acquiring the technique necessary for you to master changing chord patterns. As you can see, each chord looks like a pattern. 

Even though we only start with these three chords this session, if you are enrolled at GTM, you will have the privilege of getting all the chord diagrams that I have hand-tailored, especially for you. 

Now you should be sounding these three chords on your guitar and practicing your strumming. At the same time changing from one chord to the next might be difficult at first, But you will find that it is easy as time goes by as you progress from conscious incompetence to unconscious competence.

For my students at GTM, along with the introduction of these three open chords, not only are they going be learning their first guitar chords, but also progressing to another session, which is one of the sections of the course on improvisation, but also is going to have a lot of fun! Because our first jam starts here with the 12-bar blues, where I teach it using the above chords.

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