15 Singer-Songwriter Guitar Chords You MUST Know

Learn How to Play Thousands of Hit Acoustic Songs with These Must-Know Guitar Chords

Marty FriedmanTommy EmmanuelSteve VaiEric GalesEric Johnson

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15 Singer-Songwriter Guitar Chords You MUST Know

About this course

Picture yourself sitting on a stool on stage, a spotlight illuminating your form. The audience is a sea of expectant faces, awaiting the first strum of your guitar. Practice smart and dream hard and that might be you!

The good news is, to play your favorite tunes or write your own, you don't need to master hundreds of chords. Just a handful of essential chords can transport you to thousands of musical landscapes. We'll explore how 15 specific chords can be your passport to the world of singer-songwriter music.

The chords we'll be covering are: G, C add9, D, D sus4, D sus2, E minor add9, E, F# minor 11th, A sus4, A sus2, F, F add9, D minor 6th, A minor 11th, and B sus4.

The "Four-Chord Progression"
This progression forms the backbone of countless popular songs, primarily because it’s pleasing to the ear and versatile. The pattern is typically G - D - E minor - C add9, but other variations exist.

The "D-Dsus4-Dsus2" Progression
This is another popular progression that uses just three chords: D, D sus4, and D sus2. It's simple yet adds a depth of musical texture.

The "E minor add9 to A sus2" Progression
This chord progression is often employed for its melancholic and introspective feel, making it a favorite among singer-songwriters.

The "F# minor 11th - E - D sus4" Progression
These three chords might seem unlikely companions, but together they form a progression that's distinct and captivating.

The "F-F add9-C add9" Progression
This progression is a staple in the world of singer-songwriter music, especially because of its romantic resonance.

The "A minor 11th – B sus4 – G" Progression
A darker, more contemplative progression, this combination of chords is often found in more introspective songs.

While it's true that the world of music can seem dauntingly vast, it's also stunningly simple. These 15 chords, and the various progressions they form, are proof that you don't need to master a countless number of chords to create beautiful music. It's all about how you use what you have. So, pick up that guitar, and start strumming your way to thousands of songs!

You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace.

You can loop, slow down, or speed up any section of a lesson. Plus, all of the tab and notation is synced to the videos for the optimal learning experience. You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and all of the backing tracks to practice with.

Grab your guitar and lets write a hit song!

What you'll learn

  • Expand chord vocabulary for songwriting applications
  • Avoid playing the 5th and 6th strings when strumming D
  • Learn 15 interesting chord voicings commonly used in singer-songwriter music
  • Understand how to add color and interest to basic chord progressions
  • Develop ability to play more sophisticated harmonic textures
Release date: 08/09/2023 • 0h 11m runtime
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Sample lessons
C add9 Chord
C add9 Chord
Singer-Songwriter Guitar Chord You MUST Know

What's included

16 lessons • 1 charts

15 Singer Songwriter Guitar Chords You MUST Know
In the following video guitar lessons, you will learn how to play Singer-Songwriter guitar chords.
G Chord
In this video guitar lesson, you will learn how to play the G chord.
C add9 Chord
In this video guitar lesson, you will learn how to play the C add9 chord.
D Chord
In this video guitar lesson, you will learn how to play the D chord.
D sus4 Chord
In this video guitar lesson, you will learn how to play the D sus4 chord.
D sus2 Chord
In this video guitar lesson, you will learn how to play the D sus2 chord.
E minor add9 Chord
In this video guitar lesson, you will learn how to play the E minor add9 chord.

+ 9 more lessons

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Reviews

2 results

tknipe

Verified buyer

06/20/25

Familiar and useful

The chord voicings in these lessons were familiar, for the most part. The suggestions for different uses of the chords was very helpful.

dwa79

Verified buyer

09/02/23

Good Intro to Chord Variety

Intro to some sus, add 9, 11 etc to basic chords and how they might be applied.

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