Guitar chords are amazing. You can learn three of them and gain the ability to play dozens, if not hundreds of songs.
Yet getting a hang of even the basic chords is a hurdle many beginner guitarists never overcome.
And that’s OK because learning guitar chords is not easy for a complete newbie. You have to memorize the position for each finger, place your fingers correctly so every note actually rings out, strum every string, and pray that it all ends up alright.
To make the journey easier, you should try Card Chords.
What Are Card Chords & How Do They Work?
In plain terms, Card Chords are cards with chord tabs that you can slide between your guitar’s neck and strings and play over.
The way it works is:
1) From the Card Chords deck, take the card of the chord you want to learn.
2) Slide the Card Chord between your guitar neck and the strings. Position it over the first three frets.
3) When placing the Card, make sure the frets fit the fret slots on the Cards. This way, you will be able to play over the Card Chords without muting the notes.
4) Place your fingers in the right position as indicated on the cards.
5) Strum away!
The key challenge with Card Chords is making the cards fit the fretboard of your guitar without altering the sound or muting any of the notes. That is why the cards are available in two editions: the Stratocaster version for Fender Strats, Strat copies, Ibanez, and Guild Guitars, and the Les Paul version for Gibson Les Paul, Epiphone, and Gretsch Guitars.
Michael Grande, the creator of Card Chords and a guitar teacher of 30 years, explained:
“I’ve come across lots of these playing card-type things where these playing cards would show you a picture of the chord, which was great, and then you’d have to line it up to the guitar and then pull it away, and then put your fingers there and just hope that you remembered where those fingers and those strings were supposed to be played.
“And that never worked.
“And then you’d put the card between the strings and the fretboard and then nothing would ring out because the card prohibits the strings from ringing so what I decided to do was create a die-cut where it actually cuts out the frets so I can slip this card between the strings and the fretboard.
“It sits perfectly, my fingers are able to play the chord, and the chord rings out perfectly. And then, when I get comfortable enough, I simply pull the tab out and it works perfectly.”
What Do the Symbols on Card Chords Mean?
The Card Chords keep things simple. There are a few symbols you should recognize, and they are all highly intuitive so you can focus on playing ASAP. Let’s take a moment to explain them.
- The blue circles indicate frets you should press. Basically, put your finger on the blue circle. The number on the circle shows which finger of your fretting hand you should place on the fret. Your index finger is 1, the middle finger is 2, the ring finger is 3, and the pinky is 4.
- The 0 sign means you should play an open string. Basically, don’t place any finger on the string but still strum it. Pay attention not to mute the string with your fingers.
- The X sign means you should mute that string, whether with your thumb or other fingers of your fretting hand or by using your strumming hand.
Card Chords Demo
In the embedded video, you can check out how to learn “Without You” by Kid Laroi using Card Chords. The song revolves around A Minor, F Major, C Major, and G Major.
Card Chords Are Approved By Marty Schwartz
The man, the legend himself, Mr. Marty Schwartz, has given Card Chords a thumbs up! Marty gave Card Chords a spin and pointed out the tool will “really help beginner guitar players learn their beginner chords.”
In his demonstration video, Mr. Schwartz said about Card Chords:
“It’s a deck of cards with the shapes of all the basic chords, and you can slide it like a template or a guide behind your strings. They will show you the shape of the basic chords.”
Marty also demonstrated Card Chords by performing the iconic Bob Dylan track “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” The song utilizes the G Major chord, D Major, and C Major.
If you’re ready to learn how to play guitar in minutes, check out Card Chords for Stratocaster, Yamaha, and Guild guitars here or the Les Paul and Epiphone version here. You can find more info right here on the official site or hit us up via cardchords@gmail.com. Stay safe and rock steady!
