Singing comes naturally to some, but for others it’s a learned skill. Guitar-playing is another skill that takes time to develop. If you’d like to learn how to sing and play guitar at the same time, get ready to devote a lot of time to practice.
Singing and playing guitar, also called “strumming and singing”, looks easy when the pros do it. But if you’ve never tried it before, you might be daunted the first time you try to strum and sing.
It will take time, but you can learn how to sing and play guitar by following these simple rules:
Rule 1: Choose the Right Song
Watch video footage of singers who play the guitar while they sing. Chances are, they are performing songs specifically written to be sung and played at the same time. Even rock singers are probably strumming along to the rhythm while they play instead of trying to sing and play a complex melody.
Choose songs that lend themselves well to strumming and singing. If you just can’t figure out how to sing and play guitar on a particular song, you might need to make an easier selection until you’ve advanced your skills.
Rule 2: Memorize the Song
You’ll have an easier time learning how to sing and play if you have a natural sense of rhythm and timing. You’ll have a much easier time if you don’t need to think about the song’s lyrics while you play the guitar.
Practice singing the song several times a day until you can easily sing it from memory. Then keep singing it until the words flow on their own, without too much thought from you. At this point, you’ll have become so familiar with the song that you will be able to sing the words while you concentrate on playing the right chords on the guitar.
Rule 3: Take it Slow
When you’re first learning how to sing and play guitar, don’t try to master fast, difficult songs with lots of complex fingering and vocal acrobatics. Start off with a simpler tune that is easy to remember and fits your natural vocal range.
By starting slow and taking your time, you will learn proper techniques. If you rush things, you could pick up bad playing habits that keep you from realizing your full potential as an artist.
Rule 4: Master Your Basic Chords
By the time you learn how to sing and play at the same time, you should be so familiar with basic guitar chords that you can play them without a lot of concentration. Practice your chords and scales daily until you can play them largely from muscle memory.
Later, after you’ve mastered the basics, you can work your way up to more challenging riffs without sacrificing the quality of your strumming or your singing.
Rule 5: Give It Time
It takes a while to learn how to sing and play guitar simultaneously. How much time? Some experts estimate that it takes the average person six months or longer to be able to sing and play easy to moderately difficult songs. That’s with a half hour of practice each day.
Don’t get discouraged if it takes longer for your skill to develop. It might take a year or longer to get the hang of difficult songs. Practice makes all the difference, so make time for it every day.
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http://singorama.churchchoirmusic.com
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Learning to play the Guitar can make you the life of the party or someone who is really adored by music lovers or get the girls attention, the list goes on and on. You can play really good music through the strumming and picking your guitar. There is the thrill of hearing people shout “Encore!” All of these things are great advantages. Wouldn’t you agree? Read on to discover some of the most satisfying and exciting advantages when you have learned to play the guitar.
Learning to play the guitar enhances the brain to work and to initiate such signals that commands your hands on mentally memorizing where to put your finger on a particular fret, pressing on the right chord and engaging in the proper manner of strumming, not to mention the health advantage for your hands.
The pleasure of gratification is satisfied. Thus, your self-esteem is working its way through your personality. Someone once said, that man has to satisfy basic needs to be able to advance to his self to the highest level which is the self-actualization.
Let’s face the fact that a guitar is one of the most convenient instruments there is. You can’t bring your drums wherever you go. It would be exhausting on your part to carry a drum set around your campus and constantly beat it. It can cause so much distraction. Whereas if you have been a full pledged guitarist your whole life, you could play music where you can.
Being able to drag your guitar around town, might as well earn something from it. A talent like that would not go on unnoticed. Playing along the streets of downtown is not really the idea but if you consider it, then yes, you could try. You could ask some of your friends to back you up.
You, yourself, is a unique individual. Out of ten people only one becomes a pure musician. And by some luck, that person is a guitarist. Or can be someone with pure musical talent who can play not only the guitar but similar instruments or some percussion ones. Some say it is taught but real talent comes from deep inside. It is that spirit within you that makes you distinct.
Nobody can call you a loser with no specific talent. Yes, you could flunk all of your exams and miss every graded recitation during class hours but when school or house parties come, you are the star. Even an A+ won’t top the popularity you can get from being an artist.
You are the “it” guy. Everyone can hate you or mess you up. But the moment you have learned to become a master in your own craft, everyone will recognize how good you are. Even those who never or didn’t know you will find an effort to. People will love you for the talent that you are.
There are many advantages to learning to play the guitar, so pick up that guitar, or order you one, and grab that guitar course and start to play.
I have been asked how to play Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday is a very simple song and is best played in the key of C in 3/4 timing. You can play it using only 3 chords, C F and G (or G7).
If you are a Guitar player the first thing you learned to do was tune your Guitar. Every Guitar player whether your choice is the Acoustic Guitar or the Electric Guitar, you know or at least you should know how to tune your Guitar. Starting with the lowest string (top string closest to you) to the highest string (bottom string farthest away from you) the standard tuning for a Guitar is E A D G B E. There are several ways of tuning a Guitar. You can just guess at the top or bottom E and tune the other strings to the E, this will at least have the Guitar in tune with itself. If you are going to play with other instruments it is absolutely imperative that your instrument be in tune with the other instruments. I have a good friend who was a successful Nashville studio session rhythm Guitar player who told me they had a saying in Nashville; “tune it or leave it on the bus!”
It is best to have an electronic tuner to aid in accurately tuning the Guitar, but if you do not have a tuner, you will need a reference point to start with. This can be done with a pitch pipe, or using another instrument that is in tune and tuned to standard A440 such as a piano. Again, it is imperative that your reference instrument is in tune or this will defeat the whole purpose. Once you have your reference tone established I recommend starting with the Low E on the Guitar.
Put your finger on the fifth fret of the sixth string and adjust the fifth string to this pitch. Once the sixth and fifth strings are in properly tuned put your finger on the fifth fret of the fifth string and adjust the fourth string to this pitch. To properly adjust the pitch of the third string put your finger on the fifth fret of the fourth string and match the third string to this tone. For the second string you have to alter the pattern of tuning to the fifth fret of the previous string, now you will put your finger at the fourth fret of the third string to match the second string. Finally, to tune the first string you will go back to the fifth fret of the previous string by putting your finger on the fifth fret of the second string and tuning to that pitch. This is standard E A D G B E tuning for the Guitar, but there are actually many other alternate tunings, a veritable plethora if you will, for the Guitar.
Alternate tunings for the Guitar fall into one of four categories; open tunings, instrumental tunings, regular tunings and special tunings. The open tunings are named for the chord that is sounded when you strum the open strings such as Open D or Open C tuning. The instrumental tunings are named from the tuning of the instrument that it emulates such as Banjo tunings, Mandolin or Dobro tunings. Regular tunings involve tuning all six strings to the same interval such as fourths of fifths. Special tunings are simply miscellaneous tunings that were created and made popular by specific singers or artist and are usually named for the song that utilized the tuning such as the Admiral or the Buzzard. The most popular special tuning used by most Guitar players is the Drop D tuning. It involves tuning the Bottom E down a full step to D. this gives the Guitar a full, rich bottom end sound. This can actually be accomplished with two capos, use one capo to cover all the strings except the E string then use another capo to cover the E string two frets below.
Experiment with alternate tunings, a simple Google search for alternate tunings for the Guitar will return plenty of tunings to keep you busy for years.
The Seagull S6 Acoustic Guitar is comparable to the sound and quality of entry level Martins, Taylors and Takamine Guitars. The sound of the Seagull S6 is actually quiet impressive. When you first take the Seagull S6 in your hands you can tell right away that this is a quality made instrument reminiscent of hand crafted guitars. It makes no difference if you are a beginning guitarist or an experienced, seasoned professional you will be awed by the superior workmanship in this instrument.
The Seagull Acoustic Guitars are hand crafted Guitars made by Godin in La Patrie, Quebec Canada. They are specifically made to fit into the budget of the working musician.
Most every Guitar has some type of neck reinforcement. This neck reinforcement is to keep the Guitar neck straight due to the string tension. The Martin DRS1 Acoustic Electric Guitar has a non-adjustable square rod to keep the neck stable whereas the Seagull S6 Acoustic Guitar uses an adjustable double action truss system to regulate under-bowed as well as over-bowed correction.
The Top of the Seagull S6 is solid cedar and the sides and back are wild cherry with a semi-gloss lacquer finish. The saddle and bridge are made of rosewood. This produces a sound between the mellow mahogany tone and the bright tenor of maple. Given the mix or cherry wood and cedar wood, the sound production is warm, dark and full.
In comparison, the Martin DRS1 has a Solid Sapele Top, side and back. While Sapele wood is similar to Mahogany, some do consider it a downgraded cheaper wood. The tone that it will produce is very rich with depth and good quality.
As far as playability, this of course is going to vary from Guitar to Guitar even from the same maker. Every Seagull S6 Acoustic Guitar is not going to play exactly alike neither is every Martin DRS1. For that matter, all Martin D18s, D28s, D35s and D45s are going to play different in some degree.
Overall, the Seagull S6 is going to play just as well and in some cases even better than the Martin DRS1. With the DRS1 comes the prestige of owning a Martin Guitar; the prestige of the name. There are some Bluegrass enthusiasts that will insist that nothing is in the class of the Martin D45. This for the most part is true, but in that case you are really comparing apples with oranges. You are looking at a price of tag of over $2,000.00 versus a price tag under $400.00.
If money is no object and you can afford the price tag of a Martin D45 then by all means, without hesitation, go with the Martin D45. If, however, money is an issue as it is in today’s economy, you will be just as happy, maybe even more, with the Seagull S6 Acoustic Guitar over the Martin DRS1.
All guitars are not created equal. There is a difference between steel-stringed Acoustic Guitars and nylon stringed Classical and Flamenco. There is also a difference between Classical Guitar and Flamenco Guitar even though both have nylon strings.
The major difference between the steel-stringed Acoustic Guitar and the nylon stringed Classical/Flamenco Guitar is the strings and the width of the neck. There are advantages and disadvantages to both Acoustic and Classical Guitars especially as it relates to beginners.
As far as the advantages or pros of the Acoustic Guitar, the neck is slightly narrower than the neck of the Classical Guitar so it is definitely easier to Chord an Acoustic, particularly for younger students or anyone with small hands. The advantages of the Classical Guitar is although the neck may be wider, the strings are much easier on the fingers.
The cons are exactly opposite because what is an advantage on one type of Guitar is a disadvantage on the other and vice versa. The steel strings on the Acoustic Guitar will be harder on the fingers at least until callouses are developed. There will be a minimal period of pain on the finger tips but if you will work through the minor pain there will be major rewards after the callouses form and the pain subsides.
The Acoustic and Classical Guitars also differ in relation to sound as do the Classical and Flamenco Guitars. The Classical Guitar is going to have a more mellow sound that will differ from the sound of popular music of today. The Acoustic Guitar is going to have a more familiar sound especially if you listen to Country or Bluegrass and even some Pop music and Rock and Roll makes use of the Acoustic Guitar.
Classical Guitars are more common that Flamenco Guitars in the nylon stringed category. During the Renaissance Era of music the Guitar was shunned and was associated more with taverns. It was also used more as accompaniment for a soloist or a small group. The Baroque and Romantic era would embrace the Guitar and would even have compositions specifically for the Guitar. Baroque composers such as Francesco Corbetta, Gaspar Sanz and Robert de Visee and Romantic era composers such as Tchaikovsky, Chopin and even Brahms and Beethoven composed music specifically for the Guitar and incorporated its use giving legitimacy to its recognition as a musical instrument.
Classical guitars typically have cedar or spruce tops and rosewood back and sides which tend to produce a combination of mellow tones, affected by the cedar, and slightly crisper high tones as well as power from the Spruce. The grain of the wood is also going to affect the sound as well. Stronger bass response will be produced by a wide grain top whereas a narrow grain top will generate stronger treble and subtle bass.
The Flamenco Guitar, which descended from the Classical Guitar, had its beginnings in Southern Spain. Flamenco music is a savoir-faire permutation of singing, dancing and guitar music influenced by Mediterranean and European music styles. The Flamenco style picking engages a much more forceful, aggressive right hand technique. The back and sides of Flamenco Guitars are not Spruce, but rather Sycamore which produces a brighter sound. The body as well, is slightly thinner than classical guitars. All of these combined elements give the Flamenco Guitar a brighter percussive tone.
Current Classical Guitarist include Yorgos Foudoulis, Jose Gonzalez, Pablo González Jazey and Xuefei Yang. Modern Flamenco artist include such names as Paco de Lucia, Tomatito, Vicente Amigo, Gerardo Nuñez, Juan Martín, Niño Josele. Of course the three greatest Acoustic Guitar pickers of modern times would have to be Doc Watson, Clarence White and Tony Rice.
There is as much difference in the Artist and their choice of Guitar as there is in the musical style of each. Explore all of these different types of Guitars and the styles of music that utilizes each. You will be amazed at the differences yet still see the similarities. The one thing that all of these Guitars share is tuning. There are of course many alternate tunings for Guitar, but that, is a another discussion entirely. We’ll save that for another time and another article.
The Acoustic and Electric guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments in use today. Just about every kind of music that you listen to on the radio makes use of the guitar in many ways. Rock and Roll, Country and Western, Southern Gospel, Praise and Worship has all been influenced by the guitar.
Along with the drums and the piano, both the Electric Bass and Acoustic Guitar make up the modern music rhythm set. The versatility of the Acoustic Guitar has made it one popular instrument. A guitar can be played by a learning child or an experienced guitar player.
Most modern music of today features the Electric Guitar and most Rhythm sections of Country and Gospel music depend heavily on the Acoustic Guitar. The guitar has gotten a very good accompaniment in the form of the effects box. Electric Guitar can imitate the sound of a piano, violin, pedal steel guitar, harmonica and even the human voice by making use of a device called a Talkbox.
With the features and functions of the modern day electric guitar and its various effects, you just can’t help thinking about the beginnings of the instrument. Where did the guitar come from? This is a brief history of the wonderful musical instrument, which is the guitar.
The conception of the guitar can’t be traced to a single individual. The modern electric guitar came about through the development of its predecessor the Acoustic Guitar. Its representation has also experienced many modifications throughout the centuries. Today, playing the guitar is a symbol of talent and musical ability, but this was not so in earlier times; the guitar was actually a symbol of being poor and it was frowned on by most classical musicians.
There have been myriad musical instruments in the ancient times that were similar to the Guitar, dating back at least 5,000 years ago. Instruments which resemble the guitar were seen in ancient art and statues. However, the first documented mention of the instrument dates back to the 1300′s. The guitar’s predecessor had three pairs of two strings and a single high tone string.
Some guitar historians claim that the word “guitar” came from the Arabic word “qitara.” Qitara is an Arabic name for the diverse kinds of lutes used during the early times.
The modern Acoustic Guitar, at least as we know it, most likely originated in Spain. It is believed that the people of Malaga invented the instrument. The guitar evolved from having three pairs of strings to four pairs of strings and eventually six single strings that it now has.
The guitar gained popularity in the 16th century. It was played by the lower and middle classes as an equivalent to the vihuela played by the aristocrats. The vihuela was tuned similar to a lute but had a body similar to that of the guitar.
The guitar began to evolve during the 18th century: the double strings where replaced by single strings and a sixth string was added. In the 1800s, Antonio Torres de Jurado is credited with the birth of the modern Acoustic Classical Guitar. Essentially, he enlarged the size of the body of the guitar. The Acoustic Guitar still struggled for recognition during these times because it was regarded as an instrument for the taverns – an instrument which cannot be used for classical music. The Spaniards hated the piano and it was there, in Spain, that the guitar found refuge. However, it was also marred with the reputation that guitars are for undesirables.
The birth of the modern electric guitar was 1931. The electric guitar utilizes electronic “pick-ups” to be able to produce sound. The vibrations from the strings are converted into electrical signals by the pick-ups and transferred to the amplifier. The body of the electric guitar is either a hollow body or solid body. This is dependent upon the design.
With the birth of the Electric Guitar, the structure of the guitar took a great leap. The sound no longer depended upon the construction and structure of the body, but also on the quality of the pick-ups and soundboard.
There is much debate as to the inventor of the modern Electric Guitar, but three names are associated with the invention of the Electric Guitar. Adolph Rickenbacker invented the first modern amplifiable guitar; it was a semi-hollow bodied guitar with sound holes. In 1941 Les Paul invented the first solid body electric guitar. Later in the 1940′s Leo Fender invented his first electric guitar calling it the Broadcaster. It was later renamed the Telecaster which was later upgraded to the Stratocaster.
The sounds of the electric guitar can also be changed and modified to achieve a desired tone. The use of electric guitar effects has given the electric guitar a wide range of sounds. The electric guitar is continuously harvesting popularity in every field of music, even in classical music.
The guitar is a very vibrant musical instrument. Through the evolution of the Guitar it has made its mark on the modern music scene. From rudimentary instruments with many alternate variations, the guitar has become a desirable and much-sought after musical instrument. One great thing about the Guitar is once you learn to play, migrating from and Acoustic Guitar to an Electric Guitar or vice versa is no problem since they both play the same.
What would be the best and most appropriate type of Guitar to learn to play? A flat top Acoustic Guitar? A hollow body Electric Guitar? A solid body Telecaster or Les Paul style? No one can really answer that question but you.
You must first determine the style of music that you will be playing. If you are going to play Bluegrass then unequivocally the answer is an Acoustic Guitar. Most all Bluegrass Guitar players will recommend a Martin. As a matter of fact, many Bluegrass pickers swear by a Martin and will play nothing else although Taylor and Blueridge Guitars are quickly solidifying their place with Bluegrass enthusiasts.
If you are more into Country, you have several choices and a few things that you must determine. Are you going to play Rhythm Guitar or Lead Guitar or even Bass Guitar. If you are going to play Rhythm then as with Bluegrass you will want to select an Acoustic Guitar. If you are going to play Lead Guitar then your best choice would be an Electric Solid Body Guitar like the Fender Telecaster or the Gibson Les Paul. If the Bass Guitar is going to be your passion then the Fender Jazzmaster Bass is the standard.
If you are into Rock and Roll, Heavy Metal or Punk there are various body designs such as the classic Fender Stratocaster, the Gibson SG, the Flying “V” and a plethora of other styles.
The style of music you are going to play will dictate your selection. Here are some things you will want to consider.
1. Acoustic or Electric? There are two sides when choosing which is which. The pros and the cons are oftentimes weighed. Compared to an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar is easier to operate but is more complicated with all those strings attached and buttons to push. An Acoustic Guitar can be played without any additional equipment. Picks, a Strap and a Capo of course are almost required necessities, but you can get along without them. If you decide upon an electric guitar, you will need to buy an amplifier and a cable. You will most likely want a case as well, either a hard shell or soft shell gig bag will do.
2. Your Budget. Money is always a determining factor with any purchase. Try to question your better judgment on how to determine a cheap yet good guitar. If you have limited finances on hand, stay within your means. Don’t settle with something you love yet the price isn’t that friendly. But if you saw something that made your heart melt, and you’d really, really, really like to have it, ask someone who works inside, a sales person who could help you work out on something, like paying for it on an installment plan. Good communication results in better understanding. There are more than a few Guitars that are good quality yet not outrageously priced. The Yamaha FG700S is a great choice.
3. Features. After you have settled the question of your Budget and decided on an Acoustic or Electric Guitar, what features do you want? If you have opted for the Electric Guitar do you want Single-Coil Pickups or Humbucker Pickups? Single coils produce that bright, glassy cutting sound found in the Strats and Telly style Guitar while the Humbuckers are two single coil pickups that are wired together creating higher output while cancelling out hum and interference from other electrical sources like fluorescent lights. These are usually found in the Les-Paul style Guitars producing that fat, beefy wailing rock and metal sound heard by such artists as Jimmy Page, Slash and Ace Frehley of Kiss. Humbuckers are also fantastic for Jazz as they can produce a nice, warm tone.
The combination of Pickups on the Electric Guitar can also vary. Some Electric Guitars have 3 Single Coil Pickups, others 2 Humbuckers or 2 Singles and a Humbucker. You have to decide the best sound. The best way to do this is simply to go to a Music store, like Guitar Center and try them all out.
The style of music that you listen to will greatly influence your decision on which type of Guitar to purchase. Once you have mastered your choice, and I use that word mastered loosely, broaden your horizons and get a second Guitar. Many Guitarist, myself included, own more than one Guitar and more than one style. I personally own an Acoustic Guitar and three Electric Guitars, a Hollow body jazz style, a Fender Telecaster and a Gibson Les Paul style. Never be secluded on your decision and learn to be versatile.
You have many options and many things to consider, the next step will be to hit that music store and start playing.
Beaten up with the conventional way of learning how to play an acoustic guitar without even perfecting a single tune? Are blisters forming on the tips of your fingers and yet nothing’s making sense? Maybe you have to double check your resources or better yet, yourself. There must be something terribly wrong with the way you handle your guitar.
Here are some of the numerous ways to learn play an instrument as lovely as an acoustic guitar. All you need is a piece of pick, your own or borrowed guitar, and a lot of patience. Well, a couple of manuals will do and if you’re not satisfied with that, an internet access.
First, you have to make sure that your guitar is properly tuned. Nobody would dare listen to a complete mess. If you don’t know how, find someone who knows.
Then choose from the wide variety of resources. You could search for a private teacher, go online, or settle on being alone with your references like books and manuals. Examples of private tutors are those whom you know, friends, neighbors, your relatives or someone who is paid. An online opportunity is endless. Some sell you copies of their video recorded lectures others are on the spot. Still, your choice.
After which, find the right spot to play in. It has to be comfortable. Your guitar must be supported, if not by your thighs. Hold it steady maintaining your right hand on the strings just above the sound hole and the left hand on the fretboard.
Now, a lot of suggestions were implied by numerous guitarists who had your position once before, a beginner. They suggested that, above everything else, you have to use those two organs hanging on the side of your head just below your temporal lobe, your ears. Right.
Of course you have to use other important senses, like your eyes. That would be a very positive view. But what about those who are blind? Haven’t it occurred to you that at some way they have mastered the art of playing a guitar without even seeing what it looks like. They just follow their instincts and feel the chords. Yes, they listen.
Listening. One of the most effective ways of learning.
Remember you’re handling an acoustic guitar. It doesn’t require any contraptions just to make music work. You need more than an amplifier to change your voltage of music current. All you need to do is effectively listen to the melody and determine whether you’re getting the tunes right.
In the event that practicing goes wrong and absolutely mystified, you could always go back to the drawing board. Memorize the chords. The emphasis on your memorization must be on the basic. The C,A,G,E,D chords are considered as the building blocks to your bountiful success in guitar playing. Not only are these chords easier to achieve but they are included in most of the songs played nowadays. Surprisingly, including R & B.
Keep on practicing with these basic chords. Try it without looking. That would be able to help you figure out if you’re strumming the wrong way. Feel your strings tremble and stop. You have to take control of your music. These various ways of playing isn’t the exact key to learn but only a guide.
I have a tremendous course on Learn to Play the Guitar in 30 Days that you can purchase here
You can also get a free Guitar Chord book with over 1,100 chord here
Another very helpful site to learn the Chords in the key of G is www.squidoo.com/guitar-chords-key-of-g
There are many amateur Acoustic Guitar players who struggle and try to get by on only three chords, G, C and D, but there are only 4 more basic chords that you could learn that would give you the ability to play in almost any key utilizing a capo.
When you are finished with this brief article you will not only know all of the chords in the key of G, but you will also be able to find a free resource that will show you how to form over 1,100 chords. That’s right, a FREE chord book.
Let’s move on to the Chords in the key of G. One thing that will be helpful in understanding chords and progressions is that most all of the time your three main chords in any given key, in this case the G, the C and the D chords are almost always going to be major chords. We are also going to refer to these chords by a number as well as a letter. The chords in the key of G (in this order) are G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. They can also be referred to as the 1 2 3 4 5 6 and 7. G being the 1 chord, C, the fourth one up being the 4 and D, the fifth one up being the 5.
Following this pattern, G would be the 1, A would be the 2, B would be the 3, C would be the 4 , D would be the 5, E would be the 6 and F would be the 7. Technically, F# would be the 7, but for our purposes we will refer to the F chord as the 7. This is what is called the Nashville Numbering System. Check out my lens on squidoo for a full description of the Nashville Numbering System.
Most of the time, the 1 chord, 4 chord and 5 chords will be major chords. The 2, 3 and 6 chords will be minor chords and the 7 will be a diminished chord.
I will show you how to form all of the major chords in the key of G as well as how to modify the 2, 3 and 6 chords to form minor chords.
The strings on the Acoustic Guitar are numbered from the bottom to the top from the thinnest string to the thickest string numbered 1 (being the thinnest) to 6 (being the thickest and the top string as you are holding the guitar).
The fingers are numbered from your thumb as the index finger being finger 1, middle finger being finger 2, ring finger or third finger being 3 and pinky being 4. We will refer to the fingers by finger number
With this in mind, there are two different ways to form an open G chord.
The first way, which most beginning Guitarist know and use, is place your third finger on the first string behind the third fret. In short hand this would be simply stated as 3rd finger 1st string, 3rd fret. The next 3 strings, strings 2, 3 and 4 are referred to as open, in other words you don’t place any fingers on any frets.
Your 2nd finger should be placed on the 6th string 3rd fret and your first finger goes on the 5th string, 2nd fret.
An alternate way of forming the G chord which many Acoustic Guitar players use is 4th finger 1st string 3rd fret. Strings 2, 3 and 4 open; 3rd finger 6th string 3rd fret and 2nd finger 5th string 2nd fret. One benefit of forming the G chord this way is it makes passing from the G chord to the C chord much easier.
The C or 4 chord is formed 1st and 3rd string open, 1st finger 2nd string 1st fret, 2nd finger 4th string 2nd fret and 3rd finger 5th string 3rd fret. The 6th string is not played.
You can see the ease in switching from the G chord (using the second formation) by simply picking up fingers 2 and 3 and moving them each up a string, picking up the pinky and adding the 1st finger.
To form the D or 5 Chord, the 6th string is not played, the 4th and 5th strings are open; 1st finger 3rd string second fret, 3rd finger 2nd string 3rd fret and 2nd finger 1st string 2nd fret.
To form the A or 2 chord strings 1, 5 and 6 are open; 3rd finger 2nd string 2nd fret, 2nd finger 3rd string 2nd fret and 1st finger 4th string 2nd fret. Many Acoustic Guitar players will cover strings 2, 3 and 4 with two fingers, the 1st and 2nd.
You will use this chord, the 2 or A chord, often passing from the 1 to the 5 (G to D). This is referred to as a 1, 2,5 progression.
To form the 2m (2 minor or A minor) chord, again strings 1, 5 and 6 are open; 1st finger 2nd string 1st fret, 3rd finger 3rd string 2nd fret and 1st finger 4th string 2nd fret.
The next more common chord that you will use is the 6 chord (the E chord) and the 6m (6 minor or E minor). You will probably find yourself using the 6m more often than just a plain 6 (also referred to as a straight 6 or a 6 major chord).
To form the 6m, strings 1, 2, 3, and 6 are open; 3rd finger 4th string 2nd fret and 2nd finger 5th string 2nd fret. This one’s pretty easy, don’t you agree?
To form the 6 (E chord) strings 1, 2 and 6 are open; 3rd finger 4th string 2nd fret and 2nd finger 5th string 2nd fret and 1st finger 3rd string 1st fret.
The F chord is probably the most difficult chord for most Acoustic Guitar players and there are two basic ways to form the F or 7 chord.
Let me make a quick detour here and say that this system of numbers, or the Nashville Numbering System, that we are referring to works off what is called the diatonic scale. The true diatonic G scale is G A B C D E F# (F sharp). The technically correct way to refer to an F major chord in the key of G would be a 7b (7 flat) but many Nashville Session musicians just drop the flat and refer to it as a 1 7 progression. It is used most often going from G to F to C or a 1 7 4 progression.
Getting back to the formation of the F chord; the easy way to from and F (or 7) chord is strings 6 and 5 are not played; 1st finger covers strings 1 and 2 at the first fret, 2nd finger 3rd string 2nd fret and 3rd finger 4th string 3rd fret.
The alternate formation of the F chord is formed using what is called a Barre chord. The 1st finger “Barres” or covers all of the strings on the first fret; 2nd finger 3rd string 2nd fret, 4th finger 4th string 3rd fret and 3rd finger 5th string 3rd fret.
If you examine this chord you will see that it is basically an E chord (using different fingers). The beauty of this “Barred” chord is it is movable. If you slide it 2 frets up the neck you will form alternate G chord. (don’t lift your fingers, keep them in the same position, just slide everything up the neck so that your first fingers barres all strings on the third fret) Slide it up to more frets to the 5th fret and this is an alternate version of the A chord. Slide it up 3 more frets to the 8th fret and this is an alternate version of the C chord.
The last and probably least common chord in the key of G that you will encounter is the 3 (B) chord. This is a very useful chord especially when passing from a 1 to a 6m (G to Em). This is another chord that is a little difficult for most beginners but do not make the mistake of discounting its use or importance.
There are several diffierent ways to form this chord and equally many uses. The most practical use of the B chord in the key of G is to use it as a passing chord from 1 to 6 minor. In this case you would form a B seventh chord (not to be confused with the 7 major chord)
A seventh chord is formed when you add the seven minor (flatted 7) of the diatonic scale to the chord.
I will show you the easiest way to form a B major chord, an alternate way of forming the B major chord and how to form the B seven chord.
The easiest way to form the B (B major) chord is 4th, 5th and 6th strings are not played; 1st finger 1st string 2nd fret,4th finger 2nd string 4th fret and 3rd finger 3rd string 4th fret. This is a 3 finger triad. In this position the 2nd finger can be added on the 4th string, 4th fret to make the chord a little fuller.
An alternate way of forming the B chord is by making a Barre chord where the first finger Barres all the strings at the 2nd fret and the 3rd finger covers strings 2, 3 and 4 at the 4th fret. When forming the chord in this manner the 3rd finger will have to arch up so as not to cover the first string while thoroughly covering the 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings. 
This is another very useful and movable Barre chord.
To form the B seventh chord that you would use passing from the 1 to the 6m, place the 4th finger 1st string 2nd fret; 2nd string open, 3rd finger 3rd string 2nd fret, 1st finger 4th string 1st fret and 2nd finger strings 5 and 6 at the 2nd fret.
Well, that’s it. The chords in the key of G. Practice changing from G to C and back to G. Practice Changing from G to D and back to G. Then practice changing from G to C to D then back to G. Practice, practice, practice, that is the key. Also get used to referring to the chord change progressions by the numbers and remember that the number references in relation to the chord names will change based on what key you are in. If you read the article on the Nashville Numbering system it should answer any questions that you may have.
Good luck and keep on picking!!
