A little while back I started teaching an older student (a complete beginner approaching 80) whose fingers lacked the agility to get anywhere near playing full major and minor chords. To create a smaller step toward learning full chords, I broke the G, C, D, and Em chords down into simplified (easier) versions that use only two fingers each.
You should think about these chords as chords that are half way there. They’re not complete, and they may not sound the fullest. But they are a good starting point for some people struggling with regular beginner chords.
When changing between each chord, leave the 3rd finger anchored down throughout and just move the 1st or 2nd finger as dictated by the chord you’re changing to.
Also, finger 2 should mute the A string and finger 3 should mute the high E string, but if this doesn’t happen don’t worry about it. We’re going to be adding additional fingers on those muted strings at Level 2 – Three Finger Anchor chords – so it’s no big deal if certain strings are ringing out.
