STRUMMING OPEN CHORDS
A Chord is a combination of three or more tones / notes sounding simultaneously.
How to read Chord Charts ?
As you can see 6 vertical lines and 6 horizontal lines in the chart below, each vertical line represents 6 open strings of the guitar, while the horizontal lines shows the frets on the guitar fingerboard.
X = mute (not to strike the string) O = open strings are also to be struck
HOLDING THE CHORD
Hold the E minor chord - the easiest one to begin with. Use the left-hand fingers 2 & 3 as shown below
HOW TO STRUM THE CHORDS ?
- And strum downward along with 6th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st strings open. Open chords are relatively easier to strum because of the open strings being strummed along.
Strum this chord in 3/4 meter as instructed in the diagrams below.
The first column shows how the rhythm notes are written; the second column shows to which directions the three beats are to be strummed; and the third column shows which of the right-hand fingers are to be used.
[REMEMBER: While strumming chords, make the
habit of counting each beat as 
and so on as this will not only help to keep exact timing
but also develops
your rhythmic concept.]
Now, strum and then finger-pick these 2 chords in 3/4 meter as instructed below.
Count 6 beats for E minor chord and then count another 6 beats for A major chord.
The following 3 chords are also easier to hold and move from one position to another.
[The chord progressions in 3/4 meter may also be written as shown below.]
["Break" written below the last measure indicates to strum the Em chord for 1 beat only - the remaining 2 beats are rests.
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