Starting out playing guitar is a great time. The excitement of learning the instrument is very high and the learning curve is a bit steep for most beginners. All beginners struggle with those first sounds on the guitar. For many, the sounds they begin with are not the sounds they want to make. It is important to remember that you are beginning. Don't get frustrated if it doesn't sound right the first time. That is why everyone has to practice.

I usually start beginners with three chords - the G, Cadd9 and D chords. These chords come very naturally to most beginners and help in changing from one chord to another. Lets start with the G chord.  

The G Chord is a very common chord and is a great first chord. From the diagram you can see that you should put your second or middle finger in the third fret of the sixth string. You first or index finger should be placed on the second fret on the fifth string. The third or ring finger should be placed on the thrid fret on the second string and the fourth finger or pinky should be placed on the third fret of the first string. The third and fourth strings are not fretted and are played open letting the strings ring out.

Once you have your fingers placed on the proper frets and strings, try sounding the strings by strumming down in a slow motion over the strings. How does it sound? You may not have every string sounding. If you do great. If not, try it again slowly and listen for strings that aren't sounding. Often strings won't sound if a fretted string isn't pressed hard enough or if a finger is muting the string causing it not to sound. Check your fingers. Is one of your fingers resting against another string causing it not to sound? If so, you will have to shift your fingers so that the don't touch strings that need to sound. Try rolling your hand one way or another and see if that helps. If you just aren't getting it, put the guitar down for a break and come back to it and try again. It may take several attmpts to get all the strings sounding.

The Cadd9 chord is the next chord we will try. Don't start with this chord until you feel confortable with the G chord. To set this chord up from a G chord, simply move your second and third fingers down one string. This places the second finger on the thrid fret on the fifth string and the first finger on the second fret on the fourth string. The third and fourth finger stay exactly where they were.

Give this chord a strum. Does it sound different from the G chord? Are all the strings sounding. This chord actually has a string that isn't supposed to be played. You might notice that there is an "x" above the sixth string. That means that this string is not to be sounded when playing the chord. Play through this chord as you did the G chord listening for every note of teh chord. If you get this one sounding good, start trying to move between the two chords.

Finally we have the D Chord. The great things about learning these three chords together is that they have something in common. Your third or ring finger never moves. It is always on the second string on the third fret. To finish this chord, simple place your second finger on the first string on the second fret and your first or index finger on the thrid string on the second fret. Try the D chord out like the others and make sure all the notes are sounding.

After you have made sure each chord is playing as it should, try moving between the chords as quickly as possible. Make sure to check for all the notes of the chord sounding. Have fun and good luck.