The C Major Chord

Trying Out a 3 Finger Chord

The C major chord can be a bit more challenging than the D7. It requires 3 fingers to play in this first position. Playing on the finger tips is the big challenge here. If you play more on the pads than the tips your fingers may end up at too steep of an angle. This can cause the open G string to be muted. Don't beat yourself up if you're not getting all the notes clear at first - that's normal. In time, you'll learn to make the hand posture adjustments necessary to get the notes clear. Every note you are able to play clearly is a success to be celebrated. Don't expect to get it all right the first try. Give yourself time, and pat yourself on the back for the things you're doing right.

As with the other chords, plant your thumb as you complete each strum.

In the next lesson we'll work on switching between G and C chords.