Dan Banks answered
Chord diagrams and guitar tablature can be daunting when you first pick up the instrument, but don't be scared as actually they are both really easy to understand.
A chord diagram tells the guitarist what positions on the guitar neck they need to fret, and what
strings need to be played, in order to make a specific chord.
Chord diagrams
For example, here is a chord diagram of a D major chord on a guitar neck in standard tuning:
E----2------
B----3------
G----2------
D----0------
A----X------
E----X------
In this case, the diagram is telling us to fret the second position on the high E string, the third position on the B string, the second position on the G string, and to play the open D string.
The X's in a chord diagram means do not play these strings.
Sometimes, in chord books, the diagrams are laid out as a birds-eye view of a guitar neck. In this instance, the symbols mean the same as they would on standard tablature, but the picture makes it easier for beginners to grasp what position their fingers should be in.
These diagrams should be easy to understand once you've looked at and played a few of them. After that, you won't even have to think about them while you're playing them.
A chord diagram tells the guitarist what positions on the guitar neck they need to fret, and what
strings need to be played, in order to make a specific chord.
Chord diagrams
For example, here is a chord diagram of a D major chord on a guitar neck in standard tuning:
E----2------
B----3------
G----2------
D----0------
A----X------
E----X------
In this case, the diagram is telling us to fret the second position on the high E string, the third position on the B string, the second position on the G string, and to play the open D string.
The X's in a chord diagram means do not play these strings.
Sometimes, in chord books, the diagrams are laid out as a birds-eye view of a guitar neck. In this instance, the symbols mean the same as they would on standard tablature, but the picture makes it easier for beginners to grasp what position their fingers should be in.
These diagrams should be easy to understand once you've looked at and played a few of them. After that, you won't even have to think about them while you're playing them.
