I’d say learn 2 or 3 chords and see what songs you can play with those chords.
If there is anything I’d say is the easiest thing to learn on a Cigar Box Guitar I think it’s probably a 2 chord song using just G and C power chords.
An example of this is John Lennon’s ” Give Peace A Chance” . It starts and ends on the G chord and you play the C chord on the word chance and then go back to the G chord for all we are saying.
With 3 chords, you can play literally thousands of songs. In this article I’ll show you how to play G, C and D power chords. I’ve also given a few examples below for songs using just G, C and D power chords.
First, Check You Are In Tune
The very first thing you need to do when you get or make your cigar box guitar is learn to tune it.
In some ways it doesn’t matter what you tune it to as long as it is tuned to itself, but if you want to follow along with any lessons or chord charts tuning to G D G is the most common tuning.
Read my absolute beginner’s guide here: https://beginnercbg.com/3-string-cigar-box-guitar-tuning-absolute-beginners-guide/ This post includes a link to a twenty second YouTube video that will help you if you are struggling to get your guitar tuned to the correct octave.
I also have this longer video to help you:
A Quick Note About Alternative Tunings
The next thing you need to learn are the first 3 chords that will get you started in playing absolutely tons of songs.
If you are tuned to G D G, these are the G power chord, the C power chord and the D power chord. These are referred to as the one, four and five chords.
You don’t really need to worry about that, but if you are tuned to any other tuning, just remember that these chord diagrams will show you how to play a different group of chords that make up a different family of chords.
E.g. if you are tuned to open E, that is E B E then the chord shapes shown below will be E power chord, A power chord and B power chord.
If you are tuned to open D, that is D A D then the chord shapes shown below will be D power chord, G power chord and A power chord.
I am gradually building up a library of chords in other tunings which you can find using the menu at the top of the page.
Learn Your First 3 Chords On Cigar Box Guitar Tuned To G D G
So try strumming the open strings, starting at the thickest string which is the one nearest the ceiling and guess what? You’ve just played a G power chord. It’s really that easy!
Now take your forefinger ( or put your finger into a slide) and place it across all 3 strings at the fifth fret. Strum the strings again and you’ve just played a C power chord.
Now take your forefinger ( or put your finger into a slide) and place it across all 3 strings at the seventh fret. Strum the strings again and you’ve just played a D power chord.
Bet you never thought it could be that easy to play 3 chords?
Here are some chord charts for these chords:
You will notice that there is a second version of the D chord. Some people, myself included, would rather not always have to play up on the 7th fret , and you can play the D chord with 2 fingers on the second fret. Just put your pointer finger on the bottom string and your 2nd finger on the top string.
Now OK you might not have a great sound yet and you might need some tips to improve, but you’ve made a start. 3 whole chords in under 3 minutes- a whole lot quicker than learning on a six string guitar!
If you are really struggling with one finger pressing across all 3 strings, just put one finger on each string: Your first finger on the bass string, your 2nd finger on the middle string and your 3rd finger on the top string.
Try playing those chords while singing a song you know and see how they fit in. Some examples are:
Leaving On A Jet Plane, Sweet Home Alabama, Brown-eyed Girl, Many Beatles songs
An Even Easier Way To Play The C Chord
There is a little trick I’ve discovered if you are finding it hard to fret across the fifth fret for that C power chord and it’s a chord you can use instead. It just needs your finger pressed down on the middle string on the second fret:
It’s not really a C power chord because it doesn’t contain the C note, but because it contains the E and G notes which are found in C major, it sometimes fits in. ( This shape can also be used for Em or E minor which is a useful chord to know because it is the minor chord that goes with G)
I have a video coming soon that will let you hear what I mean.
Tips For Sounding Better With One Finger Chords
When you need some tips to improve the sound try reading this article and watching this YouTube video:
https://beginnercbg.com/learn-your-first-three-chords-on-a-cigar-box-guitar/