To memorise chord shapes, learn the chord by its notes, by its shape, and by its sound, practise the shape in short, spaced sessions, and use the chord every day in a song. A chord learned three ways, and used in context, is remembered faster than a chord learned one way, alone.
How do you memorise chord shapes?
To memorise chord shapes, learn the chord by its notes, by its shape, and by its sound, practise the shape in short, spaced sessions, and use the chord every day in a song. A chord learned three ways, and used in context, is remembered faster than a chord learned one way, alone, because the brain has three ways to remember it, and the song gives it a context, and the context makes it stick. The notes are the root, the 3rd and the 5th, the shape is the fingers on the fretboard, and the sound is the chord ringing, and the three together make the chord. The memorisation must be spaced, not massed, because the brain consolidates learning during rest, and a player who practises a chord for five minutes, three times a day, will remember it faster than a player who practises it for an hour once a week. The spacing effect is well known: the brain remembers better when the learning is spread out, with sleep and rest between sessions, than when it is crammed into one session. The C major guitar chord and the G major guitar chord are the chords most players first memorise, and the practice chord quiz tests what you have learned.
How chord shape memorisation works
Chord shape memorisation works because the brain learns patterns, and the chord shape is a pattern of fingers on the fretboard, and the pattern becomes a habit, so the fingers find their places without thinking. The shape is learned by repetition, with feedback, and the feedback is the sound: if the chord rings cleanly, the shape is right, and if it buzzes, the shape is wrong, and the hand fixes it, and the brain remembers the fix. The shape is also learned by association, with the notes and the sound, so the brain has three ways to remember it, and the three reinforce each other. The memorisation is faster when the chord is learned in a family, because the family is a pattern, and the brain learns the pattern, not the isolated chord. The E-shape family has the same shape, moved up the neck, and learning the shape gives you the family, and the family gives you many chords, from one pattern. The memorisation is also faster when the chord is used in a song, because the song gives the chord a context, and the brain remembers the chord as part of the song, with the melody and the rhythm, not as a shape on a page. The D major guitar chord and the A major guitar chord are the chords the memorisation is built on.
Worked example — memorising F major. Learn F major in three ways: by shape, the E-shape barre at the 1st fret, with the index finger barring all six strings, and the other fingers forming the E shape; by notes, F, A and C, which are the root, the major 3rd and the 5th; and by sound, playing the chord and listening for it to ring cleanly, with the notes F, A and C. Practise the shape in short, spaced sessions, five minutes, three times a day, for a week, and use the chord in a song, playing the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major, with F major as the IV chord, and the chord is memorised, because it was learned three ways, and used in context, and the brain has three ways to remember it.
How to practise memorising chord shapes
Practise memorising chord shapes in short, spaced sessions, learning each chord three ways, and using it in a song every day, so the chord sticks.
- Learn each chord by its notes, by its shape, and by its sound, and check the notes with the chord finder.
- Practise the shape in short, spaced sessions, five minutes, three times a day, for a week, until the fingers find their places without thinking.
- Use the chord in a song every day, playing the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major with the chord you are learning.
- Test yourself with the practice chord quiz, and repeat the quiz until you can name every chord, and play every shape, without looking.
- Practise the chord in a family, the E-shape family, the A-shape family, or the C-shape family, so one shape gives you many chords.
Common mistakes
- Learning the shape only, without the notes — A chord learned only by shape will be forgotten when the shape is forgotten, because the brain has only one way to remember it. Learn the chord by its notes, by its shape, and by its sound, so the brain has three ways to remember it.
- Cramming the chord in one long session — The brain consolidates learning during rest, and a player who crams a chord in one long session will forget it, because there was no rest to consolidate it. Practise in short, spaced sessions, with sleep and rest between them, and the chord will stick.
- Never using the chord in a song — A chord that is never used in a song is never really learned, because the brain has not used it in context. Play the chord in a song, every day, and the chord will be remembered, because the song gives it meaning.
Quick reference
This table shows the three ways to learn a chord, with what each one gives you and how to practise it, so you can see the three ways side by side and learn the chord three ways, not one. The notes give you the chord, the shape gives you the fingers, and the sound gives you the ring, and the three together make the chord stick.
| Way to learn | What it gives you | How to practise it |
|---|---|---|
| By notes | What the chord is | Name the root, 3rd, and 5th |
| By shape | Where the chord is | Form the fingers, without looking |
| By sound | How the chord rings | Play it, listen, and fix the buzz |
Use the table to learn any chord: learn it by notes, by shape, and by sound, practise it in short, spaced sessions, and use it in a song every day. When you can name the notes, form the shape, and hear the ring, without looking, you have memorised the chord, and it is yours.
Frequently asked questions
How do I memorise chord shapes?
Learn the chord by its notes, by its shape, and by its sound, practise the shape in short, spaced sessions, and use the chord every day in a song. A chord learned three ways, and used in context, is remembered faster than a chord learned one way, alone.
How long does it take to memorise a chord shape?
A day to learn the shape, a week to play it cleanly, and a month to change to it smoothly, with daily practice. The chord is memorised fast when it is learned three ways, and used in a song every day.
Should I memorise chords by shape or by notes?
Both, and by sound too. The shape tells you where the chord is, the notes tell you what the chord is, and the sound tells you how it rings, and the three together make the chord stick.
What is spaced repetition?
Spaced repetition is practising in short sessions, spread out over days, with sleep and rest between them, so the brain consolidates the learning during rest. A player who practises for five minutes, three times a day, will remember more than a player who practises for an hour once a week.
How do I test if I have memorised a chord?
Play the chord without looking, and name its notes, and play it in a song, and if you can do all three, you have memorised it. The practice chord quiz tests the naming, and the song tests the playing.