first chord you play when you pick up the guitar?

John_P · August 2013

(apologies if this is in the wrong place - it seemed the closest to be about general playing)

So when I first grab a guitar - say at a soundcheck or to practise - years ago it would be a clean open A2 (X02200) or a ringout Dm with open A & E strings (X07760)

Now I hit a high gain sound and play a D power chord with added low A 5577XX

Does everyone else have a set first chord or is it random?

snakemanStoo · August 2013

Generally a G major 320033.

I like the sound and easy to tell which string (if any) is out of tune.

siremoon · August 2013

For no logical reason it's always a D major. Just a habit I've picked up for some reason.

benvall · August 2013

snakemanStoo said:

Generally a G major 320033.

I like the sound and easy to tell which string (if any) is out of tune.

Me too

oldBlueWolf · August 2013

An open B7 down at the nut closely followed by 'I woke up this morning...' :-D

stickyfiddle · August 2013

I'm another open D guy, but usually x.x.0.7.10.10

I like inversions

Drew_TNBD · August 2013

Drop-C... and a miserable bugger, so it's usually 000231, low to high.

Sporky · August 2013

133555

monquixote · August 2013

Hammer into an Em7 for clean, or hit an open A and pull off C to A.

mike_l · August 2013

Usually a quick noodle in Em around the 12th fret.

Then E5 at the 7th fret.

Or an open Dsus2.

No real reason for any of the above

Then quickly check my tuning, with my tuner pedal.

Then crack on with whatever I'm trying to learn.

not_the_dj · August 2013

G for me.

bigjon · August 2013

benvall said:

snakemanStoo said:

Generally a G major 320033.

I like the sound and easy to tell which string (if any) is out of tune.

Me too

Me too except with the 320003 voicing

octatonic · August 2013

E7#9 or A13

Chuffola · August 2013

Hendrix chord for me.

digitalscream · August 2013

I'm usually in drop-Db, so it's got to be 000230. Picked and jangly for clean, "da-da-daaaaaaaaaaa" with distortion...

Phil_aka_Pip · August 2013

I normally use a tuner so I tend not to bother with listening for out-of-tune strings as I expect them to be in tune if I've just checked 'em. After that, it's often a descending dominant arpeggio in a blooze-kind-of-way usually for checking the sound - for volume, mainly ... if I have my pedalboard full of toys I've usually adjusted the pots on each toy so they're at their default positions so I often don't need to check the right amount of boost, chorus, overdrive etc

holnrew · August 2013

022 power chord, to check the tuning of the bottom three strings as they tend to be the ones that are out. Then I move down to an A Minor to check the rest.

ChristophEar · August 2013

I've never thought about it before, but I definitely do have a go-to first chord. Straight up vanilla A major x02220. I'm not sure what that says about me as a guitar player (or a person).

There's something about the fist grip that just makes it feel like the natural thing to do when I grab a guitar neck.

Loved reading everyone's replies here. Who knew so much strategic thinking could go into that first strum...?!

Fretwired · August 2013

A full E-chord for me .. let's me know if the guitars in tune.

RocknRollDave · August 2013

Hendrix chord for me too. E7#9 is it called?

x 7 6 7 8 x type effort.

or sometimes I go for x 7 6 7 7 7

No idea why. Probably cos our bassist is usually set up and soundchecking before me so I use a funk chord to lock into what he's playing.

frictionfraction · August 2013

Open A to G every time!

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Open a ... with some Hendrix style added notes hammered on top.

[Deleted User] · August 2013

Open A or Gm (xx53333) for some reason.

Bellycaster · August 2013

FMaj7 X33210

dafuzz · August 2013

Open Am. No idea why!

Next it might be C, or E7, or even Am/G. Sometimes if I'm feeling crazy I'll go Asus4 but those wild days are mostly behind me now

Longtallronnie · August 2013

Chords? Fuck that, I go straight into the solo! \m/

maltingsaudio · August 2013

Open G followed by D acoustic A Bm7 hammer on electric

viz · August 2013

Wow interesting question - I had to pick up the guitar to see, and it turns out I play the first 2 chords in All Right Now / Hammer To Fall - I knever noticed that before!