Comprehensive Guitar Chord Chart Study Guide
Overview of the Guitar Chord Chart
- The guitar chord chart serves as an encyclopedic reference for fundamental guitar chords, covering five standard quality families across seven key root notes (A, B, C, D, E, F, G):
- Major Chords: Root major triads (B, C, D, E, F, G, A)
- Minor Chords: Minor triads denoted by
m (Am, Bm, Cm, Dm, Em, Fm, Gm) - Dominant 7th Chords: Dominant seventh sonorities denoted by
7 (A7, B7, C7, D7, E7, F7, G7) - Major 7th Chords: Major seventh sonorities denoted by
maj7 (Amaj7, Bmaj7, Cmaj7, Dmaj7, Emaj7, Fmaj7, Gmaj7) - Minor 7th Chords: Minor seventh sonorities denoted by
m7 (Am7, Bm7, Cm7, Dm7, Em7, Fm7, Gm7)
Diagram Notation and Conventions
- String Execution Status:
x / X: Indicates a muted or unstrummed string.o / O: Indicates an open, un-fretted string.XXO: Specifies that the 6th and 5th strings are muted while the 4th string is played open.xo: Specifies that the 6th string is muted while the 5th string is played open.000 / 0 000: Indicates multiple open strings in the voicing.xx: Indicates muted string pairings.
- Fretting and Finger Identifiers:
- Left-hand fingers are designated numerically:
1: Index finger2: Middle finger3: Ring finger4: Pinky finger- Fret position markers such as
2nd fret specify the structural starting point or barre location on the fingerboard.
Major Chords
- B Major (B):
- Fret Position:
2nd fret anchor. - Fingering Pattern:
1 2 3 4 1 (Barre form starting at the 2nd fret).
- C Major (C):
- Fingering Pattern:
3 2 1 (3rd finger on 5th string 3rd fret, 2nd finger on 4th string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 2nd string 1st fret).
- D Major (D):
- String Indicator:
XXO (6th and 5th strings muted, 4th string open). - Fingering Pattern:
1 3 2 (1st finger on 3rd string 2nd fret, 3rd finger on 2nd string 3rd fret, 2nd finger on 1st string 2nd fret).
- E Major (E):
- String Indicator:
000 (Open strings included). - Fingering Pattern:
2 3 1 (2nd finger on 5th string 2nd fret, 3rd finger on 4th string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 3rd string 1st fret).
- F Major (F):
- String Indicator:
xx - Fingering Pattern:
1 3 4 2 1 / 1 2 3 barre position at 1st fret.
- G Major (G):
- String Indicators:
000 / xo - Fingering Pattern:
3 2 / 3 2 4 / 3 2 1 (3rd finger on 6th string, 2nd finger on 5th string, 4th or 1st finger on 1st string).
- A Major (A):
- String Indicator:
xo (5th string open, 6th string muted). - Fingering Pattern:
1 2 3 or 123 across the 2nd fret on strings 4, 3, and 2.
Minor Chords
- A Minor (Am):
- Fingering Pattern:
2 3 1 (2nd finger on 4th string 2nd fret, 3rd finger on 3rd string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 2nd string 1st fret).
- B Minor (Bm):
- Fingering Pattern:
1 3 4 2 1 / 134 21 (Barre form at 2nd fret).
- C Minor (Cm):
- Fingering Pattern:
1 3 4 2 1 / 13 421 (Barre form at 3rd fret).
- D Minor (Dm):
- String Indicator:
XXO (6th and 5th strings muted, 4th string open). - Fingering Pattern:
2 3 1 (2nd finger on 3rd string 2nd fret, 3rd finger on 2nd string 3rd fret, 1st finger on 1st string 1st fret).
- E Minor (Em):
- Fingering Pattern:
1 2 or 2 3 on the 2nd fret of strings 5 and 4.
- F Minor (Fm):
- Fingering Pattern: Barre chord form at the 1st fret.
- G Minor (Gm):
- Fingering Pattern: Barre chord form at the 3rd fret.
Dominant 7th Chords
- A Dominant 7th (A7):
- String Indicator:
xo o o - Fingering Pattern:
3 2 or 2 1 (2nd finger on 4th string 2nd fret, 3rd finger on 2nd string 2nd fret).
- B Dominant 7th (B7):
- Fingering Pattern:
2 1 3 / 2 1 3 4 (2nd finger on 5th string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 4th string 1st fret, 3rd finger on 3rd string 2nd fret, 4th finger on 1st string 2nd fret).
- C Dominant 7th (C7):
- Fingering Pattern:
3 2 4 1 (3rd finger on 5th string 3rd fret, 2nd finger on 4th string 2nd fret, 4th finger on 3rd string 3rd fret, 1st finger on 2nd string 1st fret).
- D Dominant 7th (D7):
- Fingering Pattern:
2 1 3 (2nd finger on 3rd string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 2nd string 1st fret, 3rd finger on 1st string 2nd fret).
- E Dominant 7th (E7):
- String Indicator:
000 - Fingering Pattern:
2 1 or 2 (2nd finger on 5th string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 3rd string 1st fret).
- F Dominant 7th (F7):
- Fingering Pattern:
1 3 1 2 1 1 / 13 12 11 (Barre form at 1st fret).
- G Dominant 7th (G7):
- Fingering Pattern:
3 2 / 3 2 1 (3rd finger on 6th string 3rd fret, 2nd finger on 5th string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 1st string 1st fret).
Major 7th Chords (maj7)
- A Major 7th (Amaj7):
- String Indicator:
xo - Fingering Pattern:
2 1 3 (2nd finger on 4th string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 3rd string 1st fret, 3rd finger on 2nd string 2nd fret).
- B Major 7th (Bmaj7):
- Fingering Pattern:
1 3 2 4 1 (Barre form at 2nd fret).
- C Major 7th (Cmaj7):
- String Indicator:
000 - Fingering Pattern:
3 2 (3rd finger on 5th string 3rd fret, 2nd finger on 4th string 2nd fret).
- D Major 7th (Dmaj7):
- String Indicator:
x x - Fingering Pattern:
1 or 1 2 3 barre across strings 3, 2, and 1 on the 2nd fret.
- E Major 7th (Emaj7):
- Fingering Pattern:
3 1 2 (3rd finger on 4th string 1st fret, 1st finger on 3rd string 1st fret, 2nd finger on 2nd string 1st fret).
- F Major 7th (Fmaj7):
- String Indicator:
x x - Fingering Pattern:
3 2 1 / 4 3 (3rd finger on 4th string 3rd fret, 2nd finger on 3rd string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 2nd string 1st fret).
- G Major 7th (Gmaj7):
- Fingering Pattern:
3 2 1 / 4 3.
Minor 7th Chords (m7)
- A Minor 7th (Am7):
- String Indicator:
xo o o - Fingering Pattern:
2 1 or 2 (2nd finger on 4th string 2nd fret, 1st finger on 2nd string 1st fret).
- B Minor 7th (Bm7):
- String Indicator:
x - Fingering Pattern:
1 3 1 2 1 / 13 12 1 (Barre form at 2nd fret).
- C Minor 7th (Cm7):
- Fingering Pattern:
3 1 2 1 / 3 12 1 (Barre form at 3rd fret).
- D Minor 7th (Dm7):
- String Indicator:
XXO - Fingering Pattern:
2 / 2 1 1 (2nd finger on 3rd string 2nd fret, 1st finger barring strings 2 and 1 at 1st fret).
- E Minor 7th (Em7):
- String Indicator:
0 000 - Fingering Pattern:
2 (2nd finger on 5th string 2nd fret).
- F Minor 7th (Fm7):
- Fingering Pattern:
1 3 1 1 1 1 / 131111 (Full barre form at 1st fret).
- G Minor 7th (Gm7):
- Fingering Pattern:
1 3 1 1 1 1 / 131111 (Full barre form at 3rd fret).