Open chord
A chord played in the first position using open strings, so some notes ring with the full resonance of the whole string length.
Open chords are what most players learn first and what most songs are written around, because the strings that are not fretted sound fuller and louder than fretted ones and the shapes need little finger strength. Their drawback is mobility: each one exists in a specific key, and moving to a remote key means either a capo or a set of barre and partial shapes. Much of the character of folk, country and rock accompaniment comes from that mix of ringing and fretted notes.
Example: open G, C and D shapes played with the strings allowed to ring give the wide, resonant sound a barre-chord version cannot match.
See also
Related
- PageChord
- PageAccent
- PageAction height
- PageAlternate picking
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley
- PageAd-Rock
- ReferenceCircle of fifths