Five open shapes cover a lot of this Songbook: C, G, D, Em and Am. Open means the diagram uses open strings. The drawing is on the song page.
This page does not number the frets. Look at the diagram beside the chord. Your hand copies that picture, not a number remembered from a paragraph.
Learn the five against songs that actually use them. A shape you never meet in a tune slips away by Thursday.
Auld Lang Syne uses G, D, Em and C. Four of the five, and no Am. That is a clean first night.
Simple Gifts uses G, C, D and Em. Same idea, a different order. Play Syne, then Gifts, and keep the grips.
Ode to Joy uses C, G and Am, plus F. F is not one of these five open shapes. Skip F for now or use the diagram when you are ready.
The Water Is Wide uses C, F, G and Am. Am is here. F is here too. Come back to this page after C, G and Am are calm.
Set the Metronome with chords slow. Change C to G on the click, then G to D, then D to Em, then Em to Am, then Am back to C.
If a change is late, do not speed up. Late means the tempo is a boast. Early means you may add a little speed tomorrow.
The Four Chords gives you a loop so the drill has a pulse. You are not trying to sound like a record. You are trying to land the grip.
One change per day is a fair plan. C to G is enough for a short sitting. Add D only when C to G is boring.
C major and G major are the two homes that use these shapes most. D major brings D and G forward. A minor brings Am forward.
Camptown Races is C, F and G. You can play C and G from the five. F is the extra shape, drawn on that page.
A capo moves all five shapes up the neck together. The key chip moves the letters instead. Do not do both in the same song until each one is clear.
When the five feel ordinary, open a page with a seventh such as G7. The diagram will add a finger. The open-shape week is what makes that finger possible.