This guitar chord chart shows the main shape of every common chord type (major, minor, 7th, major 7th, minor 7th, sus4, sus2, diminished and augmented) on all 12 roots, with finger numbers. Tap a chord name to open its page with every shape, the notes and the keys it belongs to, press Play to hear it, or print any chart.
Start with these open chords
These open chord shapes (also called chord forms) use open strings and no barre, so they are the easiest to learn first:
Strings run up and down: the low E string is on the left, the high E string on the right.
Frets run across. The thick line at the top is the nut; when a chord starts higher up the neck, the starting fret is written next to the diagram (for example 4fr).
Dots show the finger positions: where to press. The number is the finger: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger.
O above a string means play it open; X means don't play it.
A bar across several strings is a barre: one finger presses all of them at that fret.
Each diagram is the neck seen from the front. The vertical lines are the strings, lowest (low E) on the left; the horizontal lines are frets, and a thick top line is the nut. A dot shows where to press, and the number in it is the finger: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. O above a string means play it open; X means don't play it. A number such as "5fr" next to the diagram shows the fret it starts at.
What are the easiest guitar chords for beginners?
The chords in "Start with these open chords" above use open strings and no barre: C, D, E, G, A, Cm, Dm, Em, Gm, Am, D7, E7, G7 and A7. Many songs can be played with just a few of them.
What is the difference between major and minor chords?
Both have three notes: a root, a 3rd and a 5th. A major chord has a major 3rd (4 semitones above the root), a minor chord a minor 3rd (3 semitones). That one note changes the sound: C is C–E–G, Cm is C–E♭–G.
What is a barre chord?
A chord where one finger, usually the index, presses several strings at the same fret. Barre shapes have no open strings, so the same shape moved up or down the neck plays the same chord type on another root: one fret higher is one semitone higher.
Is there a printable guitar chord chart (PDF)?
Yes, this one. Each chord type has a "Print this chart" button that prints just that chart. To print the whole page, use your browser's Print command; choose "Save as PDF" to keep a PDF copy.
Why do some chords have two names?
Some notes have two names, like C♯ and D♭: the same fret and the same piano key. So C♯m and D♭m are the same chord. The chart shows the other name under the chord when there is one.
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