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Lesson 3 of 4

C and G

C and G finish your set of beginner open chords. With D, they make the three main chords in the key of G major.

C: ring finger on the A string, 3rd fret; middle on the D string, 2nd fret; index on the B string, 1st fret. The open G and high e must ring, so keep your fingers arched. Strum from the A string.

G: middle on the low E, 3rd fret; index on the A string, 2nd fret; ring finger on the high e, 3rd fret. Strum all six strings. (Some players use the pinky on the top string; either is fine.)

Pick each string on its own first. In C, the open G string is the one that usually gets muted by the ring or middle finger. Roll your wrist forward a little to give it room.

Then strum four downstrokes per chord. G-C-G-D should sound open and bright.

The most common mistake is a stretched C shape with a flat index finger, which mutes the high e. Keep your thumb low behind the neck so your fingers can come down from above.

Exercises

Pick through C and G

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, fret 3
    2. D string, fret 2
    3. G string, open
    4. B string, fret 1
    5. high E string, open
    6. B string, fret 1
    7. G string, open
    8. D string, fret 2
  2. Bar 2
    1. low E string, fret 3
    2. A string, fret 2
    3. D string, open
    4. G string, open
    5. B string, open
    6. high E string, fret 3
    7. B string, open
    8. G string, open

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

G-C-G-D

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. low E string, fret 3 + A string, fret 2 + D string, open + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
    2. low E string, fret 3 + A string, fret 2 + D string, open + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
    3. low E string, fret 3 + A string, fret 2 + D string, open + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
    4. low E string, fret 3 + A string, fret 2 + D string, open + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
  2. Bar 2
    1. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
    2. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
    3. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
    4. A string, fret 3 + D string, fret 2 + G string, open + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
  3. Bar 3
    1. low E string, fret 3 + A string, fret 2 + D string, open + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
    2. low E string, fret 3 + A string, fret 2 + D string, open + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
    3. low E string, fret 3 + A string, fret 2 + D string, open + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
    4. low E string, fret 3 + A string, fret 2 + D string, open + G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
  4. Bar 4
    1. D string, open + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
    2. D string, open + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
    3. D string, open + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2
    4. D string, open + G string, fret 2 + B string, fret 3 + high E string, fret 2

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Bass note, then strum

50 → 90 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, fret 3
    2. G string, open + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
    3. D string, fret 2
    4. G string, open + B string, fret 1 + high E string, open
  2. Bar 2
    1. low E string, fret 3
    2. G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3
    3. D string, open
    4. G string, open + B string, open + high E string, fret 3

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Checkpoint

Move on when you can do all of these.

  • C and G each ring cleanly on all strings you strum
  • The G-C-G-D loop at 90 bpm with no gaps
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