Learn The C Chord on Guitar

In this easy beginner guitar lesson we take a quick, in-depth look at how to play the C chord.

When you’re first learning how to play guitar, I recommend practicing chord switching between two chords. That way, you’ll be able to learn some easy 2 chord songs on guitar, and can focus on the strumming patterns and all that other (very important) stuff.

Once you learn a few two chord songs, you’ll be able to expand your chord vocabulary and learn some 3 chord songs, etc. It’s more important to focus on the whole picture (putting chords & strumming together) than getting carried away with how many chords you know – quality over quantity!

C Major Chord Diagram

Not sure what this chord diagram means? Learn how to read guitar chord diagrams!

Tips For Playing C Chord on Guitar

The C chord is probably the trickiest of the basic guitar chords. However, getting the fingers to reach all the way, and curling them enough so you don’t touch adjacent strings takes a while to get used to. In my free eBook, you’ll find the following C chord tips along with helpful diagrams and visuals to make this chord easier to play.

1. Make sure your thumb is in a good spot near the middle of the neck (up vs down), pointing upwards, and halfway between your index and ring finger
2. Sit up straight, with your shoulders back and pull your elbow in a bit, in order to give your ring finger a bit more reach
3. Keep your fingers curled so they don’t mute adjacent strings
4. Press as close to the fret as possible

To speed up the process, I recommend doing some quick & easy warmup exercises that’ll help build up your strength and reach. To help with that, here’s a page with some great guitar warm up exercises for beginners (and beyond!)

Switching Between C and Other Basic Guitar Chords

To play the C chord properly on guitar you need to move your elbow in and get your palm parallel to the bottom of the fretboard. C and D minor are the only two chord shapes that require this position. This is a fact overlooked by almost every guitarist and guitar teacher alike, and the main reason why C is a little bit trickier than the rest of the basic shapes.

To help you practice this tricky little switch, I’ve put together an entire page dedicated to switching between C and other basic chord shapes.

Easy Songs Containing The C Chord

Here is a list of easy C chord songs. If you’d like to find more, check out this list of 2 Chord Songs on Guitar. There are plenty containing the C major chord and one other basic shape. You can also try using the song finder, here on my website. Simply check the box for “C” and search for any song containing the C chord!

G to C

• Jambalaya Guitar Tutorial (Hank Williams)
• Everyday People Guitar Tutorial (Sly and The Family Stone)
• You Never Can Tell Guitar Tutorial (Chuck Berry)
• Itsy Bitsy Spider Guitar Tutorial
• Five Little Ducks Guitar Tutorial

C to F (easy F)

• Feelin’ Alright Guitar Tutorial (Joe Crocker)

C to Em

• Eleanor Rigby Guitar Tutorial (The Beatles)

C to D

• Dreams Guitar Tutorial (Fleetwood Mac)

If you’re looking for a complete path, that will transform you from an absolute beginner into a confident guitarist, check out my Beginner’s Course. It’ll teach you all the fundamentals of guitar: rhythm, dexterity, accuracy, all while learning real songs that you can enjoy playing at home, or with your family and friends.