Guitar Chord Chart
Use this guitar chord chart to compare eight open shapes, check finger positions and hear the notes. Print the full chart or build a smaller practice sheet.
Guitar chord shapes
8 chords · one open shape each
Choose a shape to start
G
G majorA
A majorE
E majorAm
A minorEm
E minorD
D majorDm
D minorReference tones, not a guitar recording.
In this guide
How to read a guitar chord chart
A chord diagram gives you six string instructions, not just a picture of a hand. Read the marks above the grid, place the numbered fingers, then strum only the strings included in the shape. You can keep the chart open while you check; memorizing the picture is not the first task.
6 · thickestthinnest · 1
Leave this string out
An X means do not play that string in this shape. For open C, the X is above string 6, the low E string. Begin the strum on string 5 instead. The diagram tells you which strings belong in this particular voicing, not just which strings have fingers on them.
Let an open string ring
An open circle means play the string without fretting it. In this C shape, strings 3 and 1 ring open. Keep neighboring fingers clear of them. An open string is part of the chord; it is different from a string marked X, which stays out of the strum.
The number is your finger
Use 1 for index, 2 for middle, 3 for ring, and 4 for little finger. A dot sits between two fret lines. Its number does not tell you the fret: in C, finger 3 presses fret 3, but in Am that same finger presses fret 2.
Read the grid from left to right: strings 6 → 1.
The six vertical lines are strings. The horizontal lines are frets, and the heavy line at the top is the nut. These diagrams all begin at fret 1. The thick low E string is on the left; the thin high E is on the right. Check these labels before placing your hand.
Hear major become minor
A major chord and its minor partner share a root and fifth; the third is one semitone lower in the minor chord. Compare the same pair of shapes instead of guessing from their names. The highlighted string below shows the changed pitch. Use Hear both to listen to the major chord followed by the minor chord.
ONE STRING CHANGES
G♯ G
Lift finger 1 from string 3.
Fret 1 becomes an open string. Keep fingers 2 and 3 where they are; all six strings still belong in the chord.
In A versus Am, string 2 changes from C♯ to C, and the fingers are reassigned in these two shapes. In E versus Em, lift finger 1 and keep fingers 2 and 3 down. A one-note change does not always mean a one-finger move: compare every finger position before switching.
Make each intended string ring
Start with one slow strum, then pick the included strings separately without moving the fretting hand. Name the string that needs attention before rebuilding the whole chord. This makes a small correction easier to judge. The reference sound gives you the intended pitches; it does not listen to or assess your guitar.
A STRING IS SILENT
Check the finger next to it.
A neighboring finger may be touching a string that should ring open. Keep the intended fretted note down and adjust the angle slightly, then pick the quiet string again. Check one thing at a time. Moving every finger together makes it harder to find what actually changed the sound.
YOU HEAR A BUZZ
Check placement before pressure.
Check that the finger is behind the intended fret wire rather than on top of it or far back in the fret space. Pick that string gently and adjust the contact point. Pressing much harder is not the first correction. Stop and reset your hand rather than forcing an uncomfortable position.
THE BASS SOUNDS WRONG
Start on the marked string.
For C, A, and Am, start on string 5. For D and Dm, begin on string 4. G, E, and Em use all six strings in this chart. Recheck the X marks before changing the fretting shape: an extra low string can change what you hear even when the fingers are correctly placed.
After a correction, pick the problem string again, then strum the complete shape. Listen for a clear start and let each intended note ring. Return to the diagram whenever you are unsure of a position. Keep the same chord while you investigate; switching to several new shapes makes it harder to compare the result.
Try one change: C → Am
Use this pair when you are ready to connect two shapes. In these specific fingerings, two fingers stay in place and the ring finger moves. Both chords begin on string 5. Take the change slowly enough to keep track of the strings; speed is not the goal of this first check.
Keep your index finger.String 2 · fret 1
Keep your middle finger.String 4 · fret 2
Move your ring finger.String 5, fret 3 → string 3, fret 2
Set the shape, then listen.
Form C and pick strings 5 through 1. Keep fingers 1 and 2 down while moving finger 3 to the G string at fret 2. Pick Am one string at a time, then return to C. Watch where the ring finger lands rather than trying to move the whole hand in one motion.
Finish with one observation.
Notice whether the open strings ring after each change and whether the strum starts on the intended bass string. Mark the check only when you are satisfied with both shapes. This is your own assessment, not an automatic score. Repeat the same small correction before adding another chord or a faster rhythm.
Guitar chord chart reference
Eight shapes, one useful starting set
The chart contains five major chords and three minor chords: C, G, A, E, Am, Em, D, and Dm. It shows one fingering for each. An open shape includes at least one unfretted string, but that does not mean you should strum every string. The X and O marks remain part of the answer.
This is a limited reference, not a catalog of every guitar chord or every voicing of these eight names. F, B, seventh chords, and many other useful shapes sit outside this set. Choose a chord required by the music or a short exercise; learning every card is not a prerequisite for using the first one.
| Chord | Distinct notes | Strum |
|---|---|---|
| C · E · G | Strings 5–1 | |
| G · B · D | Strings 6–1 | |
| A · C♯ · E | Strings 5–1 | |
| E · G♯ · B | Strings 6–1 | |
| A · C · E | Strings 5–1 | |
| E · G · B | Strings 6–1 | |
| D · F♯ · A | Strings 4–1 | |
| D · F · A | Strings 4–1 |
Read the whole chord symbol.
The letter gives the root; what follows changes the chord type. C and Cm are not interchangeable. C uses E, while Cm uses E♭. Cmaj7 adds B to the major triad, and Cadd9 adds D. Neither name means another fingering of plain C. Search the complete symbol written in the music.
The complete symbol matters when reading a song or choosing a reference. A minor chord cannot be replaced by its major partner just because both names begin with the same letter. Use the Root filter to group the supported names, then Type to narrow the choice. For a symbol outside this set, use a reference that actually includes it.
Six strings can repeat three notes.
A chord does not need a different note name on every string. The open C shape sounds C3, E3, G3, C4, and E4 from the lowest included string upward. That is five sounding strings but three distinct note names: C, E, and G. Some notes repeat in a different octave.
Open View on a card to read its string, fret, finger, and sounding note together. In the C example, the A string at fret 3 produces C3; the B string at fret 1 produces C4. An open string has no fretting finger, so the finger entry is a dash. An excluded string has no sounding note in this shape.
Use these shapes in standard tuning.
E6A5D4G3B2E1
From the thickest string to the thinnest, standard tuning is E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4. The two E strings have the same letter name but different octaves. These diagrams and their reference sounds use that tuning. Changing a string’s tuning changes the pitches produced by an unchanged shape, so do not reuse the chart as an alternate-tuning reference.
Keep a printable chord chart nearby
Use Add to sheet on the cards you need, then review the selection before printing. With nothing selected, the custom sheet contains all eight open shapes. Searching or filtering does not remove chords you already selected. If you simply want a ready-made copy of the complete chart, use the direct 8-chord PDF download.
Check the page before you print.
Keep the chord names, finger numbers, string numbers, and X and O marks with the diagrams. The preview lets you choose US Letter or A4. Controls and site navigation stay off the paper. Avoid shrinking the output until the finger numbers become hard to read; the purpose is a usable reference beside your guitar.
Choose a custom sheet or the ready-made PDF.
Choose Print / save PDF when you want the current selection, then use your browser’s print dialog to save that sheet as a PDF. Choose Download the ready-made 8-chord PDF when you want the complete fixed reference immediately. The custom sheet follows your current selection; the ready-made file always contains all eight shapes.
Common questions
Do these shapes work on acoustic and electric guitar?
Yes, when both guitars use standard six-string tuning. The displayed string and fret positions produce the same target pitches. The feel and tone can differ, so check each string rather than expecting the reference sound to match the timbre of your instrument.
Is this a chart of every guitar chord?
No. It contains eight open shapes: C, G, A, E, Am, Em, D, and Dm. Each card shows one fingering. Other chords and alternative voicings are outside this particular set; the search only returns shapes that the chart actually contains.
Does O mean I should mute the string?
No. O means play the string open, without fretting it. X means leave the string out of the strum. A numbered dot means press that string at the shown fret with the indicated finger. Read all three kinds of marks together.
Why does searching for Cm show no result?
C minor is not in this eight-chord collection. C major is a different chord, so the chart does not return C as a replacement. Clear the search to browse the supported shapes. A missing result describes this collection’s boundary, not whether the chord exists.
Should I learn all eight before playing anything?
You can begin with the shapes needed for one short exercise. Check the notes and the strumming range, then connect two shapes slowly. Use the other cards as references to return to, rather than a test that must be completed before making music.
How do I save only the chords I selected?
Check Add to sheet on the cards you need, open Review sheet, and leave Selected chords chosen. Choose Print / save PDF and use the browser’s Save as PDF option. The preview and the printed sheet use the same selection. With no selection, the default output is all eight shapes.