FREE Guitar Chord Wall Posters (Easy & Open) Download

Hey team,

We love making FREE and useful resources for you. We were inspired by our friend Jeremy Meddows-Taylor who is working at the British School in Manila who had some wicked posters on the wall. They were colour-coded and super easy to read, but the didn't quite match the boomwhacker colours...sooooooo, there was only one solution! Make new ones

What are these posters?

In this download you get two distinct sets of posters:

• Set 1: "Easy Guitar Chords"
  
  • These posters present simplified versions of common chords. Many of these simplifications involve using fewer fingers, playing fewer strings, or avoiding difficult stretches and barre shapes.
  • For example, the "Easy C" chord uses only one finger, and the "Easy G" also uses only one finger. The "Easy Em" is shown with no fretted notes, just open strings (with the low E string muted). These are designed for absolute beginners to get a recognisable sound quickly.
• Set 2: "Open Guitar Chords"
  
  • These posters show more standard, common open position voicings for the same chords. These are generally fuller-sounding and are the typical forms most guitarists learn after mastering the very basics.
  • For example, the "Open C" is the standard 3-finger C major chord, and the "Open E" is the standard 3-finger E major. The "Open F" is a common non-barre version, and "Open Bm" is a more challenging, but still open, version.

Top Tips for using these posters:

If you're introducing guitar to your students,  you can use these posters in numerous ways:

1. Visual Reference in the Classroom: Display them prominently on walls so students can quickly refer to them during lessons, practice, or ensemble playing.
2. Instructional Tool for Introducing Chords: Use them to demonstrate correct finger placement for new chords. Teach students how to read and interpret chord diagrams.
3. Differentiated Instruction:
   
   • The "Easy Guitar Chords" set is perfect for:
     • Absolute beginners who need quick wins to stay motivated.
     • Younger students with smaller hands or less developed fine motor skills.
     • Getting students to play simple songs very quickly with minimal frustration.
   • The "Open Guitar Chords" set can be used:
     • As the next step after students are comfortable with the easy versions.
     • For older beginners or those with some prior instrumental experience.
     • To teach the more standard and widely recognised chord voicings.
4. Song Accompaniment: Provide visual aids for the chords needed in songs the class is learning. Students can glance at the poster if they forget a fingering.
5. Practice Stations: Set up learning stations where students can focus on practicing specific chords using the relevant poster as their guide.
6. Scaffolding Learning: Introduce the "Easy" version of a chord first, then transition students to the "Open" (standard) version once they've built some dexterity and confidence. For example, start with "Easy G," then move to "Open G."
7. Independent Learning & Quick Review: Students can use them for self-directed practice or as a quick reminder if they are unsure about a chord.
8. Supporting Ensemble Playing: If the class is playing as a whole group, these posters help ensure everyone is (eventually) aiming for the same chord shapes.
9. Building a Chord Vocabulary: Systematically work through the posters to help students build a repertoire of essential chords for playing a wide variety of popular and folk music.

In essence, these posters are excellent resources for making guitar learning more accessible, visual, and progressive for students in your classroom. The two-tiered approach (Easy vs. Open) is particularly valuable for catering to different learning paces and abilities.

Ready to get these on your wall?

If you think this might be useful, grab your free download below!

We'd love to hear your thoughts if you do use it. What worked? What didn't? How did you adapt it for your classroom? Your insights could help us and other teachers improve how we use resources like this.

Thanks legends!