How Guitars Work

The next chord shape we’re going to look at in this lesson series is the D shape.  Just like the other chord shapes, you can use this to play any chord on the fretboard.  In this lesson, you’re going to learn how to: join the E shape and the D shape on the fretboard create and move chords using the D shape play major chords with the D shape change major chords into minor chords with the D shape Just like the other shapes, the D chord is linked to the shape that comes before it, the E shape.  To move from the E shape to the D shape, you replace your annular finger in the E shape, with your index finger in the D shape. This effectively then becomes the nut of your guitar, and leaves the rest of your fingers to play the D shape. There are a couple of ways to use the D shape to play major chords. The first way is to simply play the top three strings, using the D shape, anywhere on the fretboard. Your root note is in the middle of this triad. So whichever note that index finger is on, is g

The fourth shape we’ll be looking at in this lesson series, is the E shape. Arguably, this is one of the most useful, and commonly used shapes, especially in pop music. Just like the other shapes, the E shape is fully moveable up and down the fretboard to make other chords.  In this lesson, you’ll learn how to: join the G shape and the E shape on the fretboard create and move chords using the E shape play major chords with the E shape change major chords into minor chords with the E shape The G shape is connected to the E shape by the notes we play with our anular and little fingers. Those notes become the barre, or our new nut of the guitar, and from there we play an E shape. One thing to note with the E shape is that when we play an E chord, in the first position, the root note (E) is actually just played as the open E string. Therefore, if you are playing any other major chord using the E shape, and you want to include the sixth string, you have to use your index finger to bar the f