If this is tricky for you, start by finding the note G on your sixth string. Count up two frets for a tone, and one fret for a semitone. Hopefully, you come up with the notes G A B C D E F# G.
Now, just tack the chord types from our other memorized list above (major minor minor major major minor diminished) onto these note names, in order, and we come up with the chords in the key of G major. They are: Gmajor, Aminor, Bminor, Cmajor, Dmajor, Eminor and F#diminished. Try using these rules to figure out the diatonic chords in a bunch of different keys.
With this knowledge, you as a songwriter now have armed yourself with a powerful tool; a means of analyzing other people's songs, in order to dissect them, and use some of their techniques in your own songwriting.
Next, we'll analyze some great songs to find out what makes them tick.
