**NOTE** Click to DOWNLOAD an Open chords chart PDF
When you know 3 chords, it’s easy to remember which string to strum from when playing your open easy chords. When
you’re working with a lot more, it can be easy to forget! So, instead of memorising each one, let me share a little system of
thinking that will automatically answer the question ‘which string should I strum from’ without going back and checking the
chord chart.
First thing you need to know: The guitar has 3 bass strings. The Big E (6th String), the A (5th) and the D (4th). I.e. The 3 that
are closest to your head. Now, if you’re playing any E open chord eg. E or E7 or Em or Em7 etc. you will strum all of your E
chords from the big bassy E string. Makes sense right? So we’re having the root note E as the lowest, bassiest note. It
sounds great!
Same deal with your A open chords. If you play an A or A7 or Am etc. you’ll want to strum them from the A string. All your D
open chords (D, D7, Dm etc.) you want to aim to strum from that D string. So, hopefully that makes sense – Strum your E
open chords from the E string, your A open chords from your A string and your D open chords from your D string!
OK, what about all the others? Easy! Just play from the lowest note you’re holding down as part of the chord. And when I say
lowest note, Imean lowest in pitch. Spatially, it will be the highest string you’re holding down i.e. the one closest to your
head. Eg. For a C chord we don’t have a C bass string, so we will strum from the A string – because on that string is the
lowest note that we are pressing down. For a G chord, we don’t have a G bass string (yes, we have a G string, but it’s not
one of the 3 bassy strings!), so we will need to strum from the big E string, which is the lowest note we are holding down.