How to read a guitar chord diagram
A chord diagram is a picture of the neck as if you were looking at it head-on. The vertical lines are the strings (from E on the left to e on the right) and the horizontal lines are the frets. A dot shows where to press, an x above a string means do not play it, and an o means let it ring open.
- The thick bar at the top is the nut, meaning the shape sits in the first position.
- A number beside the diagram (like 5fr) means the shape starts higher up, so the top line is that fret.
- A long rounded bar across several strings is a barre: press them all with one finger.
Every chord in the library has its own page with several shapes, the fingering in words, the notes of the chord and related chords. The shape name, such as x32010, lists the fret for each string in order.
Chords to learn first on guitar
Open chords use the strings that ring freely and need no barre. These eight are the foundation of most beginner songs.
Once those feel comfortable, add the barre chords (F, Bm, B♭) which slide up the neck to give you every key.
All guitar chords
Choose any chord for its diagrams and full guide.
Major chords
C · D♭ · D · E♭ · E · F · F♯ · G · A♭ · A · B♭ · B
Minor chords
Cm · C♯m · Dm · E♭m · Em · Fm · F♯m · Gm · G♯m · Am · B♭m · Bm
Dominant 7th chords
C7 · D♭7 · D7 · E♭7 · E7 · F7 · F♯7 · G7 · A♭7 · A7 · B♭7 · B7
Major 7th chords
Cmaj7 · D♭maj7 · Dmaj7 · E♭maj7 · Emaj7 · Fmaj7 · F♯maj7 · Gmaj7 · A♭maj7 · Amaj7 · B♭maj7 · Bmaj7
Minor 7th chords
Cm7 · C♯m7 · Dm7 · E♭m7 · Em7 · Fm7 · F♯m7 · Gm7 · G♯m7 · Am7 · B♭m7 · Bm7
Suspended 2nd chords
Csus2 · D♭sus2 · Dsus2 · E♭sus2 · Esus2 · Fsus2 · F♯sus2 · Gsus2 · A♭sus2 · Asus2 · B♭sus2 · Bsus2
Suspended 4th chords
Csus4 · D♭sus4 · Dsus4 · E♭sus4 · Esus4 · Fsus4 · F♯sus4 · Gsus4 · A♭sus4 · Asus4 · B♭sus4 · Bsus4
Diminished chords
C° · C♯° · D° · E♭° · E° · F° · F♯° · G° · G♯° · A° · B♭° · B°
Augmented chords
C+ · D♭+ · D+ · E♭+ · E+ · F+ · F♯+ · G+ · A♭+ · A+ · B♭+ · B+
Add 9 chords
Cadd9 · D♭add9 · Dadd9 · E♭add9 · Eadd9 · Fadd9 · F♯add9 · Gadd9 · A♭add9 · Aadd9 · B♭add9 · Badd9
6th chords
C6 · D♭6 · D6 · E♭6 · E6 · F6 · F♯6 · G6 · A♭6 · A6 · B♭6 · B6
Half-Diminished (m7♭5) chords
Cø7 · C♯ø7 · Dø7 · E♭ø7 · Eø7 · Fø7 · F♯ø7 · Gø7 · G♯ø7 · Aø7 · B♭ø7 · Bø7
More chord types: 9ths, 11ths, 13ths, sus, 6/9, diminished 7th and altered chords
Dominant 9th chords
C9 · D♭9 · D9 · E♭9 · E9 · F9 · F♯9 · G9 · A♭9 · A9 · B♭9 · B9
Major 9th chords
Cmaj9 · D♭maj9 · Dmaj9 · E♭maj9 · Emaj9 · Fmaj9 · F♯maj9 · Gmaj9 · A♭maj9 · Amaj9 · B♭maj9 · Bmaj9
Minor 9th chords
Cm9 · C♯m9 · Dm9 · E♭m9 · Em9 · Fm9 · F♯m9 · Gm9 · G♯m9 · Am9 · B♭m9 · Bm9
Minor 6th chords
Cm6 · C♯m6 · Dm6 · E♭m6 · Em6 · Fm6 · F♯m6 · Gm6 · G♯m6 · Am6 · B♭m6 · Bm6
Dominant 7 sus 4 chords
C7sus4 · D♭7sus4 · D7sus4 · E♭7sus4 · E7sus4 · F7sus4 · F♯7sus4 · G7sus4 · A♭7sus4 · A7sus4 · B♭7sus4 · B7sus4
6/9 chords
C6/9 · D♭6/9 · D6/9 · E♭6/9 · E6/9 · F6/9 · F♯6/9 · G6/9 · A♭6/9 · A6/9 · B♭6/9 · B6/9
Diminished 7th chords
C°7 · C♯°7 · D°7 · E♭°7 · E°7 · F°7 · F♯°7 · G°7 · G♯°7 · A°7 · B♭°7 · B°7
Add 11 chords
Cadd11 · D♭add11 · Dadd11 · E♭add11 · Eadd11 · Fadd11 · F♯add11 · Gadd11 · A♭add11 · Aadd11 · B♭add11 · Badd11
Minor add 9 chords
Cm(add9) · C♯m(add9) · Dm(add9) · E♭m(add9) · Em(add9) · Fm(add9) · F♯m(add9) · Gm(add9) · G♯m(add9) · Am(add9) · B♭m(add9) · Bm(add9)
Dominant 11th chords
C11 · D♭11 · D11 · E♭11 · E11 · F11 · F♯11 · G11 · A♭11 · A11 · B♭11 · B11
Dominant 13th chords
C13 · D♭13 · D13 · E♭13 · E13 · F13 · F♯13 · G13 · A♭13 · A13 · B♭13 · B13
Major 13th chords
Cmaj13 · D♭maj13 · Dmaj13 · E♭maj13 · Emaj13 · Fmaj13 · F♯maj13 · Gmaj13 · A♭maj13 · Amaj13 · B♭maj13 · Bmaj13
Minor 11th chords
Cm11 · C♯m11 · Dm11 · E♭m11 · Em11 · Fm11 · F♯m11 · Gm11 · G♯m11 · Am11 · B♭m11 · Bm11
Minor 13th chords
Cm13 · C♯m13 · Dm13 · E♭m13 · Em13 · Fm13 · F♯m13 · Gm13 · G♯m13 · Am13 · B♭m13 · Bm13
Dominant 7 flat 9 chords
C7♭9 · D♭7♭9 · D7♭9 · E♭7♭9 · E7♭9 · F7♭9 · F♯7♭9 · G7♭9 · A♭7♭9 · A7♭9 · B♭7♭9 · B7♭9
Dominant 7 sharp 9 chords
C7♯9 · D♭7♯9 · D7♯9 · E♭7♯9 · E7♯9 · F7♯9 · F♯7♯9 · G7♯9 · A♭7♯9 · A7♯9 · B♭7♯9 · B7♯9
Prefer ukulele? See the ukulele chord library. You can also find a chord from its notes with the chord finder, change a song's key with the chord transposer, or find the easiest capo position with the capo calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What are the easiest guitar chords for beginners?
Em, Am, C, G, D, A, E and Dm. They use open strings and no barre, and with them you can play thousands of songs.
How do I read a chord diagram?
Vertical lines are the strings (thickest on the left), horizontal lines are the frets, and dots show where to press. An X above a string means don't play it and an O means play it open. A thick bar at the top is the nut; a number beside the diagram means the shape starts higher up the neck.
Why does each chord have several shapes?
The same chord can be played in different places on the neck. The first shape is usually the easiest. Others, often barre shapes, can be moved up and down to play the same chord type on any root.
What is a barre?
A barre is when one finger, usually the index, presses several strings at once at the same fret, like a movable nut. It lets you play shapes without open strings so they can slide up the neck.
What tuning are these guitar chords for?
Standard guitar tuning: E A D G B E from the thickest string to the thinnest.