The concept of playing this group of chords is exactly the same as it was for the previous groups. To play the root position chord, find the root note of the major chord on the 4th string of the guitar. If you're having trouble finding the note on the 4th string... here's a tip: find the root on the 6th string, then count over two strings, and up two frets. Now play the first chord above, fingered as follows: ring finger on 4th string, middle finger on 3rd string, and index finger on 2nd string.
To play the 1st inversion major chord on this string group, you'll either need to locate the chord root on the 2nd string and form the chord around that, or count up 4 frets on the 4th string to the next voicing. You'll barely need to adjust your fingering at all from the last voicing to play this one. Just switch your middle finger to the 2nd string, and your index finger to the 3rd string.
Playing the 2nd inversion of the major chord means either trying to find the chord root on the 3rd string, or counting up three frets on the 4th string from the previous chord shape. To find the root on the third string, find the root on the fifth string, then count over two strings, and up two frets. This last voicing can be played any number of ways, one of which is just via barring all three notes with the first finger.
Example: to play an Amajor chord using the above 4th, 3rd, and 2nd string voicings, the root position chord starts on the 7th fret of the 4th string. The first inversion chord starts on the 11th fret of the 4th string. And the second inversion chord starts on the 14th fret of the 4th string (or it could be played down the octave at the 2nd fret.)3rd, 2nd, and 1st String Group Major Chords
This pattern is probably becoming fairly clear by now. First, find the root of the chord you'd like to play on the 3rd string (to find a specific note on the 3rd string, locate the note on the 5th string, then count over two strings, and up two frets). Now play the first chord above (the root position chord), fingered as follows: ring finger on 3th string, pinky finger on 2nd string, and index finger on 1st string.
To play the 1st inversion major chord, either locate the chord root on the 1st string and form the chord around that, or count up 4 frets on the 3rd string to the next voicing. Play the first inversion chord like this: middle finger on the 3rd string, index finger barres 2nd and 1st string.
The 2nd inversion major chord can be played either by finding the chord root on the 2nd string, or by counting up three frets on the 3rd string from the previous chord shape. This voicing can be played as follows: index finger on 3rd string, ring finger on 2nd string, middle finger on 1st string.
Example: to play an Amajor chord using the above 3rd, 2nd, and 1st string voicings, the root position chord starts on either the 2nd or 14th fret of the 3rd string (note: to play the chord on the 2nd fret, the chord shape changes to accomodate the open E string). The first inversion chord starts on the 6th fret of the 3rd string. And the second inversion chord starts on the 9th fret of the 3rd string.
Feel you've got a pretty good idea of how to play these chords? Let's move on to usage and practice of major chord inversions..
